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["Don Bowen" <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

> The rock jamming causes the tine shaft to move axially against the
> bearings, making egg shaped, gouged bearings, transmitting a shock to
> the metal gears and chain back to the engine which repeatedly stalls and
> shuts off the engine with every rock jam.  

Sounds like cheap bearings.  A good bearing should handle shock loads.

I have a Troybuilt rear time.  It uses a belt between the engine and
transmission so shock loads are taken up by the belt.  The soil in Southern
California is basically adobe and the first several passes causes all sorts
of bouncing and as the rocks get pulled up then can jam causing a stall.  I
completely wore out a set of times over several years of use but the tiller
itself is still going strong.  There are no bearing problems and no seal
leaks which would be an indication of excessive bearing wear.

It does have a problem now after several years in storage, the carburetor is
plugged, the fuel pump diaphragm is holed, and the battery is dead.  And it
has a flat tire.

Don Bowen  KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html