Troy Bilt Tiller

Mattc8832 · Feb 16, 2014

Older Troy Bilt Super Bronco Tiller I had. I sold it now. But I never did really like this machine. Anyone had any luck with this model? Just wondering if it was the one I had. The one I had never would dig into the ground real well and till.

Loadstar · Feb 16, 2014

I think it is because they are too light. My wife's grandparents have one and they don't use it or let anyone use it because of it running away. They have a old massive Troy built with a Tecumseh they use. It works great compared to the newer but it weighs twice as much. Thinking about loading the newer down with a heap of steel.

Western · Feb 16, 2014

The older ones I had worked great. My brother bought one of the newer one since it was a "Troy built", then he found out they where sold to and made by MTD and the quality is no better than their lawnmowers IMO. He has had a few carb problems but that could be ethanol induced. IDK

On undisturbed land, I would till at 3" depths and never had a problem, doubt any tiller (handheld) would do well at full depth on virgin hard ground.

Mattc8832 · Feb 16, 2014

Yeah - My grandfather had a old troy bilt horse from back in the 80's and it was a great machine. This pony I got was from about 2002/2003 and yes it is one of the MTD models. The engine ran ok - not a honda. It ran off like crazy and broke belts on me. I finally just quit using it back in 2012. I now have a BCS 830 and a Gravely with a tiller attachment and hope I have better luck with them. I may invest in a 3pt tiller someday if I can find one for the right price or right trade.

swecksam · Feb 16, 2014

I have one and have had the same experiences with it. I am 6' 300 lbs and considered strong by most and that thing gives me all I want. It seems designed for tractor pulls instead of digging. I agree with the not enough weight though. Also think it is geared a little high. With the throttle all the way down it will leave a wake behind it when you pull the lever.

ferrari99 · Feb 16, 2014

We had a little tiller similar to the one pictured (not troy bilt) it was basically only good for mixing ready dug soil if that. But now we have a two wheeled tractor that will dig about 5" on virgin ground, and also it can't run away.

coobie · Feb 16, 2014

Love mine,it,s been flawless.

DFB · Feb 16, 2014

I have a 5 hp "Pony" with B&S engine on it that I used relentlessly to till to my ever expanding garden until I got the tractor/tiller. It actually performed flawlessly for about 8 years until it got to the point where it would start and run but as soon you tried to engage the ground it would stall down under the load...had no power. Valve tappet clearance was wore out on the exhaust valve. Reset it to spec and all was good again. Enough power that it would propel right out of your hands if the tines caught. Depth of till is key on hard ground. Slow going it seems like you only just scrape the surface but eventually you dig deeper and deeper as the ground loosens. The only other issue was that vibration kept breaking the welds that held the thin metal name plate that braced the handlebars. They would send a whole new handlebar bracket each time I called under their warranty. But after the time 3rd time it broke I just drilled and screwed the brace, and no more problems.

I never much use it anymore with the tractor tiller. When it was Garden Way Co. there was a classic gardening book by Dick Raymond, Garden Way's Joy of Gardening with him using the Troy Built Tiller.

NativeSon · Feb 17, 2014

I had one of the old Broncos and loved it. But it got stolen, so I bought the new Bronco not knowing they had been bought out. The new one is not as good as the old. The new one works pretty good, but I would like to find an old one to buy.

Charlie

Depmandog · Feb 17, 2014

I have a 10 year old pony. Hate the dang thing. I was very disappointed the way it tills. I too have thought about adding a hundred pound of wheel weights to keep it from running away.

I am 6'2" 295 and I have to dig my heels in and lean back to get it to dig in. That sucker will wear you out. One the ground is tilled, you can run it one handed.

I am looking for a 3 pt tiller - then the TroyBuilt will be hitting craigslist.