Troy-bilt Pony advice

[Quazzy02]

I am looking at buying a small tiller for going down the rows of my garden. I was told by a couple people to find a Troy-bilt Pony? I have a John Deere 316 rider mower with a tiller on back i use in the spring and fall to turnover the the whole garden. I also have a Honda FG100(mantis type tiller) but with the clay soil here that just barely scratches the surface and bounces and jumps all over and is hard for the wife to control! Does anyone have any experience with the Troy-bilt Pony and is it easy to use?

I found one at a garage sale for $350 that is about 10years old. The older guy says the 5hp Briggs is cold blooded and when he starts it the first time after sitting he has to put gas in spark plug hole then after that it starts and runs good?? Is this a major problem and should I stay away or just a simple carb cleaning problem? It doesnt have the engine guard bars or the electric start (looks really good shape) is that a good price? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[bilrus61]

I have a troy bilt pony with the electric start. Got it new in '85 so its 26 years old. I've always had to put a teaspoon of gas in the spark plug hole to get to to start. I just keep my spark plug wrench handy and a siphon tube. Its not a issue other than having to do it. I just suck up some gas in the tube and squirt it into the plug hole. Starts right up and runs perfect after you do that. I've put "cleaners" in the gas but its a no go. Now it will start fine when warm and the next few days after using it but if you let it set a month its the gas/siphon thing again. Oh and mine likes choke to start.

They are easy to use but lack the weight to till deep in tough soils without running over the top of the ground. They after all use the exact same set of tines as the much larger/heavier horse but crammed into 16 inches instead of 20. And the pony weighs about 100 pounds less. Start shallow and work deeper.The Pony is a kick butt tiller for shallow tilling between rows. My 76 year old mother has no trouble handleing it while I sit in the shade drinking a lemonade.:thumbsup: The pony is easy to turn around at the end of the row.

The pony won't leave the dirt as smooth as the horse but tills it very fine. There is a small gap in the troy bilt tillers that isn't tilled. Best way to do that is to make you rows a bit wider and till down one side then the other side of the row. That will take out the "gap" in the tines that the transmission houseing leaves by lapping the un-tilled strip.

That sounds like a good enough price to me. On your Honda try taking off the wheels and the drag bar and tilling backwards with it. Walk backwards while you pull it towards you and it won't bounce around much at all.

 

[2720wes]

After 26 years of using the great TB Horse for everything I bought a 97 Pony for weeding and the tight places. Its perfect for keeping the garden weeded, light enough to easily handle, small enough for the tight rows and enough weight so it digs in. I had to use it for the first tilling this year while I was waiting on parts for the horse and it did a good job. The wet heavy clay worked the pony but it got the job done. I think I will still let the horse till in the 8ft corn stalks.

I think you will be happy with the pony. I should have gotten one long ago, I wouldn't have had to do so much hand weeding.

The one you are looking at sounds like it needs a good carb cleaning, maybe a rebuild kit.

The ponys on e-bay go for $250-450. After a year of trying I got mine for $400 so $350 sounds about right.

 

[2manyrocks]

If it is one of the older ones made by Garden Way and is mechanically good, then it should be a good one to get. It was probably made with all American metal and nothing from China in those years. My Mother had trouble turning my T bilt horse at the end of the row, but had no problems with the smaller T Bilt.

If the engine is bad, you can put a replacement engine on it and still have a good tiller if the tiller and tines are good.

 

[Quazzy02]

Thanks for all the advice! I am going to go pick it up today. If anyone has a set of used or knows where I can get the engine guard bars at a reasonable price for this Troy-bilt Pony please let me know.

Also has anyone used the hiller/furrow attachment with the pony? Is it a good investment and should I look for this attachment? Thanks!