First off :Welcome1: welcome aboard Jessica.

By roto spader I asumme you are talking about a rototiller.

There are several things you can do. I'm assuming again this is a belt drive unit. Remove the belt and turn the input pully by hand and see if there is an binding in the transmission. While doing this also check the condition of the belt and idler pulley. Could there be an slippage in the dirve belt. It sure wouldn't hurt to clean up the tiller at the same time as you mention it being rusty and dirty.

In general need to make sure no slipage in the drive and no binding in the trans.

Give these things a try an let us know what you found. If you have any pictures of this item it could possibly help with advise we can offer.

 

W E L C O M E aboard, also--if you can give some more info....maybe we can be of more help--I have an older Sears rear-tine tiller, and when I first got it, the drive-belt pulley was bent-kept throwing the belt off--but I went on Sears website, type in model#--Viola!!!

Even ordered and got parts in about 5 days....

 

Thanks! I'll definitely try that when I make it home. If I can remember, I'll take a picture and post it. The poor thing looks like it has been in the middle of a rainy field for the last 25 years, but it runs pretty good. Hy hubby and I aren't exactly mechanics, but I can find my way around a machine when I have to. He's going out of town, so maybe I can be macho chick and fix it while he's gone! ROF

Thanks sooo much!!

Jessica

 

:Welcome1:
I have a couple of the roto-spaders. Roper made them for Sears but they were quickly disscontinued because people were getting their legs chopped up from locking them in reverse. Both sides of the tines are sharp.
The first thing I would do is pull the engine and see if the clutch has any lining left. I haven't been able to find a source for the clutch linings. The "release bearing" was bad to eat shaft splines on these models, or strip out themselves, so you may check that too. I would also replace the 90wt in the gearcase, because they tend to fill with water when left in the weather, and while you're at it you might as well dissasemble the tiller and regrease all the bearings, if you are so equipped and the clutch has lining ( if the clutch is bad you have a nice paperweight, unless you can find replacement linings.) The only other thing I would suggest is to rev the engine from an idle to see if it's revving properly.
:goodl: Bruce~

 

:Welcome1:
I have a couple of the roto-spaders. Roper made them for Sears but they were quickly disscontinued because people were getting their legs chopped up from locking them in reverse. Both sides of the tines are sharp.

Bruce,

Any idea about how old this one is or who made it? I just removed paint from the tag I didn't know was on it. Model is Roto Spader 785 290030.

Regards.
Ernie

 

when i first got my roto spader the tines would stop turning under load and like you said i could not find the cone clutch material. there was plenty of material on the female end. i squeeze the two ends together and removed the material, then took a dremel, ruffed up both the material and the female mating area and applied a gererous amount of JB Weld, plopped in the material, let it set overnight and it has been working for the last ten years.

 

american mower, my dad had a sears roto spader just like that one. I think its still in the shed. hasnt used it much sence he got the troy built. but he got it new in early 70 's That cone shape clutch we changed in the late 80,s