Garden tillers

[DouginUtah]

I am think about buying a garden tiller. It would be a rear-tine, counter-rotating model.

I know Troy-Built used to be the standard but have heard that they are not what they used to be.

So I am looking at the Honda FRC800. Anyone have one?

I have heard that belt drive is better because if it gets hung up the belt will slip and a gear-driven type won't. (Unfortunately, the Honda is gear-driven. :()

Any recommendations?

[John Bartley]

The ad sheet for the FRC800 seems to show a tiller which is belt drive from the motor to a gearbox. As far as the other makes, many of them have several levels of quality, this being so that they can sell to different $ markets. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Troy now owned by MTD? (and that isn't necessarily a bad thing - MTD also makes Cub Cadet)

cheers

[Don K]

I too have been tiller shopping and I believe that MTD builds both tillers. 3 different troybilt tiller dealers did not have much good to say about the newer tillers. They all did recommend the Cub Cadet RT 65. It is the same size as the Pony tiller from troy but has the added feature of reversible tine direction. A plus when breaking new ground or just weeding middles. It has a Honda 190cc engine ( about 6 or 7 hp ). The Pony uses a Briggs. Good motor too. The Cub has a little bigger tire size and a slightly wider tilling width if I remember correctly. The biggest thing is the cost ... 679. for the Cub versus 999. for the Pony. Needless to say who will be getting my money.

Don

[sawguy21]

The reverse rotating tines are great for breaking sod but not so good for cultivating. The dirt piles up in front of the tines and the machine then buries itself. Turns into a wrestling match.
The Honda FR650 inner and outer tines turn in opposite directions and do a fine job of cultivating but are not friendly with roots or rocks. If they get jammed something, hopefully only the shear pins, will break.

[Onthesauk]

I've got a big Troy Bilt I bought 22 years ago.  Change the oil, keep it clean, has never been tuned or worked on other then the reverse pad.  Never a problem.

These show up on Craigslist on regular basis, at least out in our area.  You could buy 3 or 4 of them for what the other new tillers go for.  Tough to beat for the money.

[zopi]

I will not buy another troy built...junk.

Unless i find one 20 years old....then I'll jump on it like a trampoline with free beer involved..

[David Freed]

I have a Troybilt I bought about 20 years ago. I'm on my second set of tines and it is still going strong. If MTD is making them now I would bet the quality is down. They are known for price not quality.

[Woodcarver]

Troybuilt went into bankruptcy and then were bought by MTD.  I have a small "Troybuilt" tiller of recent manufacture.  It's junk.

Also have a Honda tiller bought nearly 20 years ago.  It's on it's second set of tines and still going strong.  Had to replace a gasket on the chain drive after it developed a leak. Only other maintenance has been a new spark plug from time to time--and the second set of tines.  If it doesn't outlast me I'll probably replace it with another Honda someday.

[crtreedude]

I had an older Troybilt Horse, it was great. Wish I still had it. We have a newer pony down here, it just isn't the same quality. But, we use it every day for mixing dirt in our nursery. I figure it has one more year of life.

I am sure for just doing a garden it will be fine, but nothing like the old ones were. However, my next one won't be a tiller, it will be a dirt mixer - since that is what we really need.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 

I have an old troy built too, runs great.
In Howard county they have spring and fall equipment auctions, there are always a couple of old troy built's there.

A buddy gave me a little 2 stroke tiller, I think it's a toro, kinda hard to handle, it's hanging on the barn wall as art.

Jon

[Engineer]

I've been told that Ariens tillers are the only ones worth buying, but that was a few years ago I heard that.  Turns out they're no longer making tillers.

I have an Echo tiller, which is an Echo-branded Mantis.  It works for the raised beds I have.

Do you have a small tractor or ATV?  Look at the DR Roto-Hog.  www.drpower.com

Also - when I was a lot younger, I was seriously looking at BCS tillers.   They are supposedly really heavy-duty machines, make even the old Troy-Bilts look like cheap toys, but $$$ to match.  Kind of a walking tractor, a Gravely-type machine.

[Radar67]

For that kind of money, I would invest in a PTO tiller for my tractor. 

I still use a front tine tiller and prefer it over the rear tine. The front tine does a much better job of tilling deep on the first pass. You have to gradually work down with the rear tines.

The rear tine is good as a finish tiller or maintenance tiller, but for breaking new ground, you can't beat the front tine.

[little Bark]

I recently had the pleasure to use my neighbors troy bilt horse and I do mean a pleasure to run.  I was out working a row by hand when my neighbor came over and offered his tiller.  I did't have to think very long.  When Tammy got home and saw everyting that I had gotten done in the hour she was gone she was speechless. ( Rare Moment ) The garden never looked so good.  I'm saving for one the older troy-bilt tillers also.  They have my vote.

[Don_Papenburg]

I got a rear mount tiller for my garden tractor  I would not go back to a walk behind
tiller again.  Two passes and sod is turned into garden soil. 

[David Freed]

For that kind of money, I would invest in a PTO tiller for my tractor. 

I still use a front tine tiller and prefer it over the rear tine. The front tine does a much better job of tilling deep on the first pass. You have to gradually work down with the rear tines.

The rear tine is good as a finish tiller or maintenance tiller, but for breaking new ground, you can't beat the front tine.

I have used a front tine tiller before. Lets start tilling on a long, hardpacked gravel road and see who can get the most done. Those front tine jobs will wear you out and beat you to death at the same time.

[sawguy21]

 :D I was not long figuring why dad turned the tiller over to me when I got old enough.

[Radar67]

I have used a front tine tiller before. Lets start tilling on a long, hardpacked gravel road and see who can get the most done. Those front tine jobs will wear you out and beat you to death at the same time.

If I were going to till a hard pack gravel road (which is crazy to begin with) I would hook the plow up to the tractor and follow that with a disc. done deal. ;D

I still prefer the front tine over the rear tine, it's all in what you get used to.  ;)

[Sprucegum]

I bought a Poulan rear-tine. That Dang thing drags me everywhere but down the row I want to go   >:(  >:(

[David Freed]

I was exagerating in my little contest above, but I would hate to thnk of using a front tine tiller since I got my Troybilt. I remember the tiller I had before. If you were breaking new ground, you had to hold on tight with both hands and have both feet firmly planted, and then take a break after every pass. I guess thats one way to stay in shape. 

[Tom]

Rototillers weren't actually meant to break new ground, even though they may advertise such.  A 3-point hitch tiller on a tractor can really tear the tractor's pto up.   The down turning tines will lift the tiller up and forward, forcing the tractor forward.  Sticks, roots and rocks will do the same to hand tillers too.

I have a Troybuilt Horse and love it.  But, I think the best new ground implements are a Disc (new ground)plow and a leveling harrow. An estate rake (long, springy tines on a boxblade looking affair) help to clear the ground of the rocks and roots.