Rototiller

[ffinmich]

Looking to replace Troy built pony tiller. This one did what I needed but it's had it. Need a new walk behind, any ideas on what you all might have. Thanks

 

[Caryc]

My Dad purchased a Troy built Horse model like maybe 40 some years ago. It served us well on our 5 acres here. Dad is gone now but the tiller is still sitting in one of my storage sheds. I have two tractors now so it doesn't get used. I pulled it out of the shed and started it up a few years ago just for the hell of it. It started well and will still do it's job.

 

[Mule Meat]

Look at the BCS line of tillers. Cost a little more. But they are much better than anything Troy-Bilt has to offer these days.

 

[TheBartman47]

I have a 90s Troy-Built riding lawn mower that still runs, but had a later model Troy-Built tiller that didn't last very long. I don't know if Troy-Built has come back to quality or still sucks for new stuff today.

 

[Eman85]

If you've use a Troy Bilt in soft ground you're spoiled, if in hard clay any tiller will work easier. Bought my Troy Bilt over 40 years ago used and it's still going. Parts are available and the HF engines will work.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

I have a 90s Troy-Built riding lawn mower that still runs, but had a later model Troy-Built tiller that didn't last very long. I don't know if Troy-Built has come back to quality or still sucks for new stuff today.

Those were repainted Bolens tractors. I recall seeing the red ones with the green & white ones at the dealer. If Troy Bilt is still out there, they are now MTD.

Mike.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

Put a starter in moms Troy bilt she still uses it once and awhile we switched to a tractor mount one about 10 years ago to speed the process up

We have a smaller husquevarna that is pretty beat up for not being that old but it gets the job done

I have not found a brand today that makes small tillers that robust I mean they only sell one tiller per lifetime at the rate they were going wonderful product

 

[Watthour]

An original Horse would be a good candidate. Parts are still available. I've rebuilt two of them for friends after gear wear, and they are absolute beasts for a walk-behind unit.

 

[JOCCO]

An original Horse would be a good candidate. Parts are still available. I've rebuilt two of them for friends after gear wear, and they are absolute beasts for a walk-behind unit.

I agree even put a Honda on one.

 

[JOCCO]

What do you get for a rebuilt one ?

Around me they go for $2-600. The old cast iron horse. Depends on engine tires and so on. You can't buy one go through it and make any money. Those days are gone.

 

[RedMF40]

I have heard from people who know and use tillers that the old Montgomery Wards with maybe a 5HP Briggs are good. I see them turn up from time to time, usually sell for $50 or less and often with very little wear.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Put a starter in moms Troy bilt she still uses it once and awhile we switched to a tractor mount one about 10 years ago to speed the process up

We have a smaller husquevarna that is pretty beat up for not being that old but it gets the job done

I have not found a brand today that makes small tillers that robust I mean they only sell one tiller per lifetime at the rate they were going wonderful product

BCS tillers make the old Troy Bilts look like toys. They do a far better job in about 1/3 the time & are Tonka tough.

Mike

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Yes but bcs cost alot more

It's a case of "You get what up pay for", which is valid for both machines.

The Troy Bilt was an expensive machine. Think my 'rents paid around $1300 for the TB back in '79. Around 40 years later, we got a new BCS for around $3800. The TB outlasted my 'rents & the BCS should outlast me.

Well, the TB technically will outlast me. It wasn't completely dead. I just got tired of fixing the stupid thing when there was work to be done.

Mike

 

[Dusty MI]

I've got a root-tiller that mounts on the back of my garden tractor.
Dusty

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

I can't afford 4k or 8k for a bcs it is just a walk behind tiller yeah there are other attachments for it with a few garden attachments the package totals like 7k to 18k the bcs attachments are average 750 to 5k each plus the base tractor is 4k to 7k just for the tractor they are way Over priced in my opinion honestly I demoed 2 different models at the dealer I was not impressed at all and did not buy , way to expensive for a small farmer / truck/market gardner also cannot get a new diesel model if you want diesel youhave to buy a used before 2015 except a few that are grandfathered in 1 company sold till 2020

4 insanely way cheaper options below

You can get a brand new walk behind tiller for like 400 or 500 new

You can get a used tiller off craiglist or marketplace or eBay or auction or any other online site used for at the most 50 or less I see them all the time for that some even run and work

Or you can buy a brand new 3 pt tractor tiller for 1,000 to 1500 new for a 5ft or 6ft gear driven tiller

used David bradley walk behind tractors woth tiller attachment allover the place for 150 to 300 parts are allover online for them

I don't blame you on cost. Just looked & our tiller setup was 1/2 of what you would pay now & the style of steel wheel we got is discontinued.

Yikes!

We had a perennial plant business & were not going with less of a machine than the Troy Bilt. Got a good deal on the BCS with a few accessories & free freight to our driveway. Those days are apparently long dead.

Mike

 

[Fixingfarmer]

I think I remember the bcs brand being brought up now that you mention it and it costs approximately what a tractor mounted 7 foot one cost and is why I went that route 15 years ago. It looks like it is still the case 3800 or so for both of the tiller options now that used to be 1200

But that probably is inline with inflation mom always said the Troy bilt was worth more than her car back then

 

[dixon boy RL]

Looking to replace Troy built pony tiller. This one did what I needed but it's had it. Need a new walk behind, any ideas on what you all might have. Thanks

i have a large snapper walk behind unit bought itbrand new in the early eighties. has swing knives really worke nice ,has a briggs engine on it ,has electric start. i have not use it for few years now as we went to all raisied beds. has always been in shed when not being used. i am in iowa

 

[jimg.allentown]

I'm not a fan of the Troy-Bilt. I think the belt and reversing setup are a bit delicate and lame. One other thing is the tine rotation. They just go the wrong way. For soft soil, the forward rotating tines are ok, but for heavy clay like I have, they are nearly useless. As soon as you start to do some REAL work, it digs in and runs away from you, all the while dragging you along and digging in harder until you let go of it.
I have used the BCS at a farm where I did a part time summer gig, and I wasn't all that impressed that it was any better than any other brand.
I had a Yard-Man 5hp tiller with reversible tines that I used for about 20 years. The reverse tines will cut through sod without breaking a sweat. Loved it! But, I finally wore it out and gave up and bought a new one.

This time, I bought a DR. I'm on my second season with it, and it works great. Reversible tines. A US brand, but made of Chinesium. Troy-Bilt has finally realized that reversing the tines makes the machine much more usable, but theirs was about half again as much as the DR.

 

[dixon boy RL]

i never was troybilt fan . thats why i got snapper unit in that era and still have,instead of tines it has swing type l knives, unless it hits rock it will not jump. it just needs new home now. we do all raised beds nowdays, no tiller needed. our raised beds are old cattle water tanks nine of them at present. alll watering is done from machine shed roof catchh tank. 2000 gal unit for catch tank. all sweet corn is planted with 6 row planter little over two acres , balance of field is field corn.