Troy Bilt Horse tiller

[Jkline]

I picked up this tiller last week and am having an issue with reverse. If it just sits-- with engine running-- it will go into reverse automatically. I adjusted the reverse nuts/bolts so that won't happen, but it takes a lot of force to get it into reverse now, so much I'm afraid I will bend the drive/neutral/reverse arm. The difference between being hard to get into reverse and going into reverse automatically is only 1/16 of a turn of the adjustment bolt.

The plunger and spring don't seem to serve any purpose-- when I remove the jam nut and retaining bolt, should the plunger come out? If I remove the retainer key that keeps the spring attached to the plunger, will it be easy to get the key back in place, or will the spring expand making it difficult to replace?

Thanks,

 

[Sheldon Hamblin]

I don't own a horse, but I have owned my pony since I bought it new in 1984.
The pony model has a set of opposing springs to keep it in place.

Is it possible you are missing a spring?

 

[Jkline]

Thanks, but no. The horse has only one spring.

 

[Jstpssng]

Have you tried adjusting the block which locks the forward gear in place? Also, is the wheel which rides against the block worn? Are all of the applicable parts moving freely?

 

[CADplans]

Have you tried adjusting the block which locks the forward gear in place? Also, is the wheel which rides against the block worn? Are all of the applicable parts moving freely?

AND,, lubed,, the pins really need regular lube so the engine goes up and down properly,,

My Troy Bilt had many prototype features on it,, including stainless pins, and grease fittings for the pins.
I still put 90WT on the pins once in a while,,,

Yes, that is the factory paint,,,

 

[Molalla1]

Cuts it up pretty good . . . :thumbsup:

 

[stevewarner1957]

That was a special edition that came out after my 1992 8HP Horse. I think the roller block is out of adjustment. Look in the manual. Mine came with a rod that went through the hole in the block that allowed you to press down on the foreword/reverse lever to tension the block. The other end of that rod was a feeler gauge to check the distance from the roller to the block to verify it was correct

 

[Jkline]

Hi, everything is lubed and moving freely. Experimented with the block (raising/lowering), even added a new, second spring there for more tension on the wheel. I'm not sure where I am on belt tension-- I'll adjust that tomorrow. The previous owner made a depression on the block, attempting to lock the wheel into neutral. On ebay I see some of these blocks have a cutout for neutral and some do not.

The spring and plunger don't make much sense to me-- Could the spring be sprung?

The nylon wheel seems fine. If this one is worn, then a new one would be even worse.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[stevewarner1957]

They should not lock into reverse ever. You need to hold constant up pressure on the lever to make it reverse. Take a picture of that are. It appears to me something is backwards

 

[Jstpssng]

The belt has nothing to do with reverse, that's powered by a rubber wheel on the end of the crankshaft which engages when you raise the lever.