Tiller "DARK HORSE" Tillers

[Dargo]

I have to agree with coobie. I definitely wouldn't throw $900 away on an item that is obviously made very poorly and parts will not be easily available to boot. Unfortunately I've learned these lessons the hard way in the past. This is why my first post on this thread stated that there is no way that I'd consider buying one of these tillers. A cheap Chinese knock off of a price leader tiller had all sorts of red flags waiving. I admitted that I may miss a new cheap item that turns out to be decent, but I'm willing to take that chance rather than take the chance of throwing a thousand bucks away on a gamble.

As others have stated, I'd have to press extremely hard to make TSC refund the money. The one I saw leaking fluids on the ground at my local TSC is gone and was NOT sold to any customer. Unfortunately it appears as if the first impression of the cheap Chinese knock off tiller was on target; it's not worth it at any cost unless you need some scrap poor quality pot metal.

 

[Slippy]

Anyone have updated news on the Dark Horse tillers?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I thought that somebody had said that they were already discontinued, not 100% sure of that though. You didn't buy that CCM one?

 

[Slippy]

Not yet. Just heard back from Mark few days ago.

 

[jinman]

Anyone have updated news on the Dark Horse tillers?

I was early for a doctor's appt. yesterday and had about 1 hour to kill. Since TSC is close to my doctor's office in Decatur, TX, I stopped in to see if they had any County Line or Dark Horse implements. I was especially interested to see if they had any of the DH tillers around. As it turns out, Almost everything they had was KK. However, they had three rear finish mowers that were Dark Horse. I noticed the price tag on the 5' mower said $900. I also noticed the rubber debris flap was coming off, but in all fairness, I didn't investigate it closely. It could have been that it was just not completely bolted on.

All the rotary cutters were KK except for two 6' cutters. They looked very much like the KK cutters, but they had no brand markings except for the OSHA labels. I did notice that their gearboxes were exactly the same shade of gray as the Dark Horse finish mowers, but the paint was a dead ringer yellow to the KK cutters. I didn't want to get someone out to the implement lot since I knew I wasn't buying, and I didn't see anyone close I could ask. There was nothing there with a County Line brand as is shown in the new TSC Blue Book.

 

[DieselAddiction]

This week I stoped at a TSC to check out some items. They had a DH box blade 6Ft. the only DH item around. (by the way what does anyone think of a boxblade, they only wanted $300 or $350 for a 6ft box blade).

They had KK tillers.

Farm Force rotary cutters(yellow) and 1 Countyline rotary cutter (yellow). The one thing I noticed with the county line cutter compared to the farmforce was the much heavier and better looking welds on the FF. Countyline welds looked as if they may break at the first sign of rough ground.

 

[PA hayseed]

This week I stoped at a TSC to check out some items. They had a DH box blade 6Ft. the only DH item around. (by the way what does anyone think of a boxblade, they only wanted $300 or $350 for a 6ft box blade).

If you are only going to use it lightly, and not all that often, it may be a cheap alternative. I personally bought a new taylor way, very heavy duty, and so far very reliable, and it only cost me 400 at auction. I would look at the overall construction of the dark horse. Since your post talked about welds, your probably already understand the strength of thicker metal. Check the thickness with the KK version, and see if it has the standard 1" strap (they call them braces) to connect or a plate connect. I would rather have the plate. Here is a link to the KK BB.
King Kutter Incorporated
Here is a link to a red colored taylor way to see the different types of braces/straps
Watkins Equipment Service - Kubota, Land Pride, Taylor Way

 

[Steve C]

I just purchased a 72" dark horse tiller from my local TSC store for $300. It had been returned. It seemed to be in o.k. condition except for a lot of the bolts are loose and 4 of the bolts that hold the gear box to the unit were missing. Also the right side "torque tube" mounting plate that fastens to the gear box had only one of the 4 bolts origionally installed and had sheared off one of the corners. I can only imagine what might have caused this, but the break seemed to be in the heat affected zone of the origional welds so I just glued it back together with some 7014, replaced the missing bolts and I am good to go.

 

[Steve C]

After welding the torque tube mounting bracket back together I mounted the tiller to my 24 hp 4wd farm pro and went for a test drive. This tiller pulverised 72" of baked clay and pasture grass with one pass. I was running in 2nd gear, low, low range and my tractor never complained or even seemed to be breathing hard. I don't know how long it will last but this is by far the best tiling I have ever done.

 

[Ford850]

Keeping the bolts tight is probably the key. Once a couple were loose, I'll bet that thing rattled and shook and loosened the other bolts within minutes.