I have given some thought to that. It was originally a tine for delving subsoil clay so the flat point was designed in as a ramp for the clay. In my sandy soils it mostly goes in in one pass but the roots cause it to float out so I come back along the line at full depth. A forward facing ripper points main problem would be serviceability as I could not insert the tine in its holder. I don't see it as a limitation at the moment.