TB Horse Reverse

[BowdenD]

I have acquired a TB Horse serial number 144,xxx. It's the model with the fiber reverse disc. Six horse Tecumseh. It runs great but has no reverse. While the drive/reverse lever is in the neutral position, the cast tab on the rear of the motor to tiller mount (1002) is just above the adjusting screw (9713) but not touching. It's within 1/16". When I lift up on the drive/reverse lever the tab drops down and contacts the adjustment screw but nothing happens. I assume the spring assembly under the screw is supposed to compress slightly to allow the reverse disc to make contact with the pulley below. The spring does not compress. Nothing moves. I'm suspecting the plunger (1035) is supposed to move down when reverse is attempted. Should the plunger be free to move slightly? Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

 

[bcp]

Welcome to TBN.

I have the same tiller.

Are you aware you have to lift the lever with some force, and hold it there, to compress the spring to get to reverse? It doesn't go into or stay in reverse like a gear transmission.

Bruce

 

[BowdenD]

Hi Bruce, thanks for the welcome.

One thing I didn't mention is that my tiller has been sitting for a lot of years. On yours, when you lift up on the forward/reverse lever, can you actually see the spring compress? I think the plunger in mine is not free. When I lift up on the lever, as soon as the cast tab contacts the adjusting bolt, nothing happens other than the lever flexing. I'll go out there and squirt some penetrating oil into it and see what happens.

Dudley

 

[2manyrocks]

There are some videos about the reverse disc on youtube that may help you.

IMO, the Horse is sensitive to correct belt adjustment which is controlled by that cast iron block that is supposed to be moved to tighten the belt to the correct tension. Troy Bilt had a special tool to gauge the tension. It had a notch on the end used as a gauge.

If the belt is shot, I've never been able to get it to tension correctly.

 

[BowdenD]

I just found this manual online: TROY-BILT HORSE TILLER OPERATION MANUAL Pdf Download. Starting on page 35, it shows how to check and adjust the reverse disc. Although it's for a later model, I have a pretty good idea of how to adjust it now. Stay tuned.

D

 

[BowdenD]

Even though I haven't replaced the belts, they seem to be ok. I did adjust them and it seems to operate well. No slippage.

D

 

[2manyrocks]

Sometimes you can't tell about the belts until you've operated the tiller for long enough for them to heat up and start stretching.

One thing the original Troy Bilt company did very well was their operator's manual. IMO, they had one of the very best operator's manuals I've ever seen.

 

[BowdenD]

Watched a YouTube video, thanks 2manyrocks. I started watching it before, but got sidetracked before he got to the reverse disc/ plunger part. Anyway, the plunger on my unit was stuck. I doused it wd40 and gave it a good rap with a hammer. It works great now! Reverse works effortlessly.

 

[Jewelerbuddy]

I have a question about my 1977 Troy-built Horse Tiller. I have rebuilt it and it works great! But...it will not reverse. I pull up on the shifter and it really wants to but it just can't seem to get the energy to reverse. The reverse pully looks like new and it spins freely, is it supposed to spin freely? That is what I think is maybe wrong. But I have not tried to adjust the spring thing yet, it could be that. Any thoughts?
Thank you,

 

[leonz]

The reverse lever and the spring connected to the lever are all you need.
Have you applied some grease the steel edge that the roller rides up and
down on??

If the V belt is glazed or cracked it needs to be changed.