[GrannieAnnie]

about 4 years ago we bought a nearly new Rally rotovator on Ebay.  Brian has always complained that the rotors go the wrong way, i.e. anti clockwise.  Well he managd to get it out for the first time this year today, and kept moaning that it wouldn't chop up the old straw that we put down for the turkeys to run on.  He had taken up the top driest covering, but it wouldn't go through any of the other.

mind you, when he tipped it up there was still last year's dried mud and yards and yards of baling twine, string and god knows what he'd managed to tangle up last time he used it.  We got all that out, but he still keeps saying the rotors should go clockwise.  Is this right?  I must admit, going anticlockwise, just seems to chuck the soil up into the front of the machine and clogs up.  But I know nothng about these machines.

[Gwiz]

any chance of a picture, Grannie? and which model is it?
I have heard tell of machines that work better if you go backwards with them.
strange and mythical beasts......

[GrannieAnnie]

I can't see a model name or number on it Graham.  Here are a couple of photo's, but I may have to put them on 2 posts, didn't want to make them too small.

I told Brian what you said about going backwards, but he said it wouldn't work as the tines don't work in reverse gear and it won't pull backwards very easily if in forward gear.

[GrannieAnnie]

and!

[GrannieAnnie]

The man who fixed Brian's lawnmower last year came over today with a neighbour to buy some chickens.  He does rotovator's too, and looked at the Rally.  He said it was weird, he's never seen one with counter rotating tines before., and can't understand why they would make it so the dirt gets thrown into the housing bit!!!!

[Gwiz]

Hello Annie, further to my P.m, I have an address and an email for you.
Trenchex power products ltd
Dove fields
Uttoxeter
Staffs
ST14 1QF
Email:  trenchex@compuserve.com

website: www.lawn-king.co.uk
I hope this will help to give you more information about your strange "beastie"

[Alfie]

Hello Annie, further to my P.m, I have an address and an email for you.
Trenchex power products ltd
Dove fields
Uttoxeter
Staffs
ST14 1QF
Email:  trenchex@compuserve.com

website: www.lawnking.co.uk
I hope this will help to give you more information about your strange "beastie"

Gwiz, hope you don't mind, but you missed the hyphen www.lawn-king.co.uk

[Gwiz]

well spotted Alfie!
that should work now.

[Browser]

Did you ever get this sorted? I was under the impression, having read several technical descriptions of similar machines on the web, that most if not all of the newer wheel-driven rotovators with rear mounted tines like your Rally had counter-rotating tines. I don't know what the advantage is meant to be?

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Browser and Gwiz!  I've only just seen this post again!  When I log on and click on the show unread posts since last visit.  It mostly says I haven't got any, so I miss lots of messages!

Thanks for that link Gwiz, will have a look and Browser, yes Brian sorted the problem out, he bought a Howard 330-350 from Ebay.  I say 300-350 because he reckons it has different parts put on it!!! lol  But after a little works, it's fine and does a much better job than the rally.

The only advantage I can see with the Rally, is it does give a very fine tilth, but the soil has to be really dry, if its at all damp, it just clogs up in the tine housing bit and you have to keep stopping and unclogging it.

Blooming heck Gwiz!!!  That last picture is like ours!  £831 new???  Well in that case, anyone want a nice good working order 2nd hand Rally for £500?? lol    (only joking mods, not really trying to sell it on here!!  )

[Gwiz]

I'll give you a tenner for it, if you pay the postage

[shaun]

i think they should turn the same way as the wheels if you know what i mean

[Larkshall]

I was reading recently about the Howard Rotavators, it was saying that the idea is for the clods to be thrown against the housing to break them up. I can only think that throwing them forward against the housing would cause those that haven't broken up to be thrown up again to break them, whilst the smaller stuff gets left behind. The soil must be dry enough for this to work. It's like all machinery, you must have the correct moisture level in the soil or it won't work. My governor once said "If the rain clears up we'll go drilling", my reply was "What are we going to drill, Rice?"

[Browser]

Here's an extract from the cheap mowers.com website's description of the Rally:

"This self propelled rear tine rotavator features contra rotating tines which help the machine dig deeper and throw the soil forward to be passed over again therefore producing a finer tilth."

So there y'are, it's a sneaky design feature, norra mistake :happy:
GrannieAnnie, I've sent you a PM.

[GrannieAnnie]

Just a little update!  We have never seen a Rally on Ebay, but Brian just found one, same as ours, only polished up, funny its in Lincolnshire too!  And it's just gone for £300 with 19 bids, so we weren't far out of our estimate of £300 second hand!!!! lol

Brian needs to get polishing now!!!