Troy-Bilt Horse ID

[2manyrocks]

If your neighbor has a tractor, maybe he has a plow and would be willing to help you out.


Troy Bilt had an optional tube "bumper" that attached in front of the engine, and the snow plow bolts to the bumper.

 

[WayneB]

First thing I need to do is replace the belts. They slip real bad in the heavy clay soil. The guy we got this from said he thought they were the originals.....

I will say this. All the ads and stuff you see for these being used one handed..... Well, maybe after the ground has been worked and amended. Those tines bite into that clay and the horse wants to run...... Still much better than a front or mid tine machine....

My olde Troybilt is a single belt PTO model horse and I tend to change the belt about every three years, but allot of that would depend upon just how much tilling you are doing. Not sure about the dual belt tillers? You can adjust the forward drive arm so the belts are tighter and they will not slip.

As for the one arm tilling, that works great when the soil has been previously tilled, but on new ground I am pretty sure I would walk directly behind the tiller and use two arms. Going in the slowest speed and reducing the depth you are tilling will also help hold it back. Basically the tines are digging faster than the wheels are moving, sort-of makes a rocket out of the entire machine.

Since I bought the five foot 3pt hitch tiller my Troybilt mainly is used in the smaller garden areas an mostly for tilling between rows. Guess it is getting old like me and deserves a little rest time.

We won't be hitting our garden areas and tilling until mid to late April and not planting seed crops until toward the end of May. Just the way it is in the north country.

 

[CR172]

Rocks,
The neighbor with the tractor has a fel and a box blade.

Wayne,
Yep, 2 hands walking behind it. Slowest speed, and digging in on the second notch. I believe thats 2". The consecutive passes will be in 1 notch, 1", increments until at max depth. Not worried about walking on the tilled soil until the last pass with all the goodies, compost, manure, etc., churned in.

As for adjusting the belts. The adjustment block is pretty much bottomed out. The belts are too stretched out.

We got more rain today, so it will be awhile before getting back to it. I ordered a set of belts and a reverse disk for it today. Have it all ready to go when the time comes.

 

[2manyrocks]

Well, if you can't get it plowed, then you're going to have to till in small depth increments like you say. Another thing you can do is till one strip down a it, and then take half bites with the tiller (half of the tines on the already tilled part and the other half on the part needing to be tilled).

I think Troy Bilt used to recommend that you till in one direction say North South and then till in a crossing East West pattern to make sure it's all broken up well.

It you till it too soon while it's still wet, your soil is going to stick together in clods like they were bricks.

 

[CR172]

The entire area has had 1 pass North - South, and a little over half has been run east - west. You are correct on the clods if done while too wet. The way I gauge the soil is if it's sticking to your shoes and tires, it's too wet. Was just a tad too wet yesterday.......... but now with the additional rain..... so, we won't get lettuce, onions, etc in this year.

 

[WayneB]

The entire area has had 1 pass North - South, and a little over half has been run east - west. You are correct on the clods if done while too wet. The way I gauge the soil is if it's sticking to your shoes and tires, it's too wet. Was just a tad too wet yesterday.......... but now with the additional rain..... so, we won't get lettuce, onions, etc in this year.

I would think with all of the water you are talking about that once it dries out a bit, the tiller will do a better and much quicker job. As for you lrettuce, onions I would think they will do just fine if planted a bit later. I am one of the olde diehards and never try to plant too early. In the north country the soil is way too cold for planting early as the seeds just sit there and rot anyway.

Good luck with the tiller once you get the new belts on. I would be careful as it will want to kick up and get going so hold on tight. I hardly ever worry about depth control and let it run it's own path. but our soil is different and not clay or sticky like you are talking about.

Wayne

 

[CR172]

I would think with all of the water you are talking about that once it dries out a bit, the tiller will do a better and much quicker job. As for you lrettuce, onions I would think they will do just fine if planted a bit later. I am one of the olde diehards and never try to plant too early. In the north country the soil is way too cold for planting early as the seeds just sit there and rot anyway.

Good luck with the tiller once you get the new belts on. I would be careful as it will want to kick up and get going so hold on tight. I hardly ever worry about depth control and let it run it's own path. but our soil is different and not clay or sticky like you are talking about.

Wayne

You may be right Wayne. We moved in to the house last year. We closed on 3-6, and moved in the weekend after. After getting settled in, we semi worked what was then the small garden. Just barely scratched the surface, planted corn, lettuce tomatoes, peppers, etc. Last years winter was MUCH milder than the one this year. So, we may be ok..... IF it dries out to where we can work it better.....

On the other hand...... if planted too late, they burn up in the hot Texas sun.......

 

[WayneB]

Living up here in the north we aim to have the entire garden planted by the end of may. I start much earlier than that with most crops, but the ground might still have snow on it in April. Different world for gardening although our gardens are nice we certainly do not have a long growing season.

By the end of September most of the gardening is done and we start getting ready for the winter. We normally are still digging potatoes for sale into November but that can be risky with frost and a chance of snow toward the end of the month.

I am looking at a lower garden area now and there is only about a foot and a half of snow on it so who knows it might be ready to do some work in April LOL.

I had forgotten how hard the soil is in some of the areas of Texas. I was in the Army at Fort Hood back in the early 70's and although I did not do much gardening down there I do remember how dry it was after June time frame.

Good luck with the garden and the troybilt.

Wayne

 

[CR172]

We're in N. Tx, about 50 miles or so from the Ok border. It still gets hot and dry here. The hottest day of the year last summer, 107, the AC went out.... figures.... Anyway, keeping the yard and garden irrigated has it's challenges. We are on 3.5 acres, with the house and 'yard' taking up about 1 acre. The rest is just field at the moment. Haven't decided what we are going to do with it yet.


Thanks for the good luck wishes..

 

[bontai_Joe]

I don't have a Troybuilt tiller, but I have a snow plow blade for one that I am giving to my buddy. Does anyone know how it is attached and where it is attached? The Troybuilt website is totally useless.

It gets attached to the front of the wrap around bumper. No bumper? No attachment point.