Buying a Used Troy Bilt Horse Tiller

[BigBoyinMS]

Hi, I had an older model that I had to let go of and just bought a newer one. How do I determine if it has a pto or not?

(If I remember correctly) PTO models have a connection between the transmission and the tines with bolts you can loosen and swing out to the side to remove the tines and tine drive.

Here's a manual on a Horse model... http://www.troybilt.com/wcsstore/TroyBiltUS-CAS/Attachment/ownersManuals/tillers/769-03557.pdf

 

[heehaw]

i "think" the pto model also has a lever on the side that puts the tines in and out of gear: the older ones did not have this, an the tines were running any time the tiller was moving..either are good machines...not 100% sure they are worth the high prices some people put on them?? last year i had sold all of my tillers an had to borrow one, now i have a total of 7 troybilt tillers in various states of dis-repair..counting the one i borrowed: but the most i paid was $350 for one older model in pretty good condition, an it came with an even older one, without an motor. i bought one of the pto models for $75 that had a blown briggs engine..but the rest of it looks like new..ALL of them have leaking wheel seals.
heehaw

 

[Fixemall]

i "think" the pto model also has a lever on the side that puts the tines in and out of gear: the older ones did not have this, an the tines were running any time the tiller was moving..either are good machines...not 100% sure they are worth the high prices some people put on them?? last year i had sold all of my tillers an had to borrow one, now i have a total of 7 troybilt tillers in various states of dis-repair..counting the one i borrowed: but the most i paid was $350 for one older model in pretty good condition, an it came with an even older one, without an motor. i bought one of the pto models for $75 that had a blown briggs engine..but the rest of it looks like new..ALL of them have leaking wheel seals.
heehaw

I was going to mention the seal issues to the OP, dirt being ground into them on a daily basis does not promote longevity. I find changing them not too bad and if you can, try to keep the outer housing clean as possible after replacement by using brake cleaner to remove any excess lube that will cause dirt to stick. Another shortcoming of all tillers is their air filtration systems, I have fitted a few with the old Wisconsin stack type air filter assemblys, the further from the dirt you can take your air in, the longer the machine will last.

 

[bcp]

I think the Horse and Pony models are still made as good as the older models. The price reflect this of course at $1899 MSRP for the Horse model.

I walked by one in Lowes last week.

$2495

Bruce

 

[BigBoyinMS]

Seems like prices on the Horse model hasn't changed "too" much in the last 20 years. I bought a new one about 20 years ago during their annual scratch and dent sale and I remember the "before discount" price was up near the prices listed. I actually ended up getting a new one since they ran out after they took the order.

 

[MiserableOldFart]

go with the Koehler! Great engines, and my buddy who was in the biz says they are very simple to rebuild if you ever need to.

My mom's 1979 machine starts on the first pull after sitting for months since I put an electronic ignition model on it a few years ago. Put on new tines last year - if you need them look for the original type replacements because the newer "generics" have an extra bolt hole that you won't need. I have read (not sure how true) that this bolt hole can cause breakage problems.

The tires were all rotten and held air only for a few hours. This spring, as a last hurrah before tire replacement I threw in some stuff from TSC that supposedly stops leaks and they haven't required air since. Might get a few years more out of em, until they just completely let loose.

Check the gear oil level on the machine and be sure it's full. Then look carefully at the seals on the front axle and the tine axle in the back, and be sure they're not leaking. Seals are not too difficult to replace, but on Mom's machine, one of the ones in front has a slight leak and despite many people looking at it and replacing the seals (did it myself last,) it has not stopped. No visible scratch on the axle or any roughness in the hub to be felt whatsoever. It doesn't drip that much in use to cause any problems, but when sitting for a couple months in the hot weather in the shed can drip quite a bit, so I just raise the left wheel on a block of wood to stop it. Other than that, the machine has been extremely reliable and has dug many tons of Catskill Mountain rocks out of the garden.

I believe Mom paid $880 for the machine with the hiller/ furrower and shipping.

 

[heehaw]

if its like the ones i have, if there is a lever to stop the tines from turning while moving the tiller across the yard, its a pto model: some people think the ones without the pto are stronger???? i've never been able to break either one...other than the normal stuff like wheel seals etc: which are a big deal if they get to bad, and you can't get the wheels off...like i have run into on one of the older models.
heehaw

 

[heehaw]

i forgot to mention..i have had tb tiller's with every engine they offered...and they all work fine...but i am replacing two kohlers with the engines offered at harbor freight, just because they are so hard to start: then again, a friend has a 7hp kohler on his tb, and it
starts on the second or third pull every year..
heehaw

 

[GolfAddict]

I bought an old used Horse that runs great, but will "pop out of gear" all the time. That is, the lever that engages the wheels will not stay in very well at all. Don't know how common that is, but maybe something you want to look at closely. It can be a bit dangerous if you have any sort of slope between your garden and storage facility, as when it pops out the tiller will take off free wheeling. If you're heading down, hang on!! and if heading up, try not to let it come back and run over you...

At the risk of hi-jacking the thread a bit, can anyone tell me if they have seen this? What the fix for that is and how easy or difficult to remedy?

 

[stihlman]

Golf Addict: the first thing to check when a Troy Bilt pops out of gear is the belt tension block for adjustment. Look down at the bottom of the clutch lever on top of the transmission and you will see a spring and roller assmebly that snaps over the end of a metal block that has a bolt on the back. Look at a manual for your tiller and it will explain the proper procedure to make sure the belt tension is correct for your tiller.

Steve