# Troy Built Tiller?



## insanity (Aug 22, 2004)

OK i give up!
I just bought this 1978 rear tine tiller with the hopes it would last me longer than a new one.The things built like a Sherman tank.Well all except they replaced the motor that came on it with a 5 hrs power.
Plenty of power but the problem is you cant hold the sucker back.(I thought that was the purpose for a rear tine?So you didn't have to fight with it!)
As soon as it gets a bite on the ground, it jumps forward and theres no holding it back at all.No i don't mean it just jumps a little.I'm mean you have to almost run to keep up! (It is not usable at all like this!)

Front tine tillers have the little rod in back to get them to slow down and dig.This thing has a rod similar but it is designed to just slide across the ground not dig it.It just rides across the top of the ground to stop it from digging deeper.
OK so what, you only supposed to dig one inch deep per pass?Cause if you let it down more its gone!The wheels cant hold it back if there not touching the ground for ten feet!  
Somethings wrong here but i cant put my finger on it.Unless maybe the 5 hp engine is turning more RMPs than what ever came on.Usually about 8 or 9 hp i think for its age.But it doesn't look to be turning that fast really.

Any ideas? My back hurts so i cant play with it anymore today.Plus it just spat its key way out at me from the belt drive.I just love well used toys.


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

When we got ours, we had the same problem. For years. And for years, it went back to the dealer every spring to be serviced. Finally, one year they called and asked us why we had the tines on backwards! It had come from them that way!

So they put the tines on the correct way and ever since, the machine has been worth all the hype it's gotten.


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## insanity (Aug 22, 2004)

Marcia in MT said:


> When we got ours, we had the same problem. For years. And for years, it went back to the dealer every spring to be serviced. Finally, one year they called and asked us why we had the tines on backwards! It had come from them that way!
> 
> So they put the tines on the correct way and ever since, the machine has been worth all the hype it's gotten.


Oh man yep that would make it a pain ill bet.LOL i went and looked at mine just to be sure.There on rite.I just gave it another test run, does fine 1inch deep.LOL The tines are a bit dull maybe sharpening them would help some.


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## slowsuki1 (Mar 20, 2006)

i just got one and am having the same problum.if you go a inch at a time it is fine but you have to make 10 passes with it.if you try to go more than that it jumps a foot high,and gets away from you. i hope someone can help because if this is good as it gets then i will go back to front tine tiller.


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## Colorado (Aug 19, 2005)

I use an old Troy 8 Horse. It goes slow. Has faster speeds. I leave it in low. I have had no trouble with it running off. It will jump when it hits rock or stump or such. I can run it along with one hand a lot of the time. Breaking new ground one can only go so deep, but inch sure does not sound right. Wheels never come off the ground, when it jumps just the back end raises up or goes side way so it does not bust. Use the slowest gear. Sounds like they are too light wt. Do they sell wheel weights? Son has on tractor. My tiller is quite heavy. When I broke some new land with it did buck but did not run off. Roots and clump grass. I sure did not do in one pass I can tell you. Matters if the ground is dry and hard.


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

i have a 5 horse troy pony. i have the same issues sometimes on really hard or rocky soil. also, sometimes the drive wheels disengage due to the age of the linkage and it "free-wheels". with nothing to hold the tines back, it really takes off.


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## countryboy01974 (Oct 19, 2004)

I have a troy built bronco it is 5 horse also had the same problem with it I made a rack on it to hang tractor weights on put a bout 100 pounds on it and it works pretty good still not the greatest for breaking new ground but alot better some of the troy built tillers the more expensive ones you had counter rotating tines or foward rotation which solved the problem


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## randy in central missouri (May 12, 2002)

there is two pullies that the belt can fit on. one make the wheels go faster. the other slower. if you try to till to fast, hard ground, it will take off. so a little at a time, but you probably have it set on the wrong wheel.
randy


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## insanity (Aug 22, 2004)

The ground is soft as butter right now just rained this morning.And was broke for a garden last year.

It is running two belts.Both pulleys are the same size I'm pretty sure.But ill sure look again.
Running it in low gear with the throttle as low as it will go with out dieing.
The tines definitely turn faster than any front tine Ive had.But do not seem to be to excessive.

I figured it was heavy enough to begin with but I'm thinking some wheel weights sound real good rite now.Or i might take the slide off and weld on a small turn plow blade so i bury it to hold her back.And stand on it if i have to. :grump: 

Heres a picture of the beast! Shes all thick steal or very think cast.Ill take some more close ups tomorrow in the day light.


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## insanity (Aug 22, 2004)

slowsuki1 said:


> i just got one and am having the same problum.if you go a inch at a time it is fine but you have to make 10 passes with it.if you try to go more than that it jumps a foot high,and gets away from you. i hope someone can help because if this is good as it gets then i will go back to front tine tiller.


Ditto! I never worked near this hard holding back a front tine.Insert foot between wheel and frame and relax.
Course i did have a front tine wear the tines down to where it wouldn't dig like it used to.I'm thinking that may be part of the problem here.There warn a little and pretty dull.I'm going to grind them a Little sharper tomorrow and see how she does.

Course i gotta get a new top pulley before i can run it much.When it decided to spit the key way out in protest.It eat away enough metal from the pulley to make it slop around on the engine shaft. :grump:


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## Airborne Falcon (Aug 22, 2004)

I've got a 25 year old cast iron Horse with the 7 something horsepower Kohler. Best rear tine tiller ever made IMHO. Actually, I think mine may be a 1978 model as well. I can't remember that far back but we bought it in either '78 or '79 ... I've always called it a '79 model for whatever reason.

You gotta start shallow and break through the hardpan before you go deep ... that'll stop the lurching. Been using mine for years. If it is jumping/lurching on you, then you are trying to go too deep on the initial passes. Not good for the tiller, the ground, or you. 

If you could have bought it new, changed the oil every ten hours as recommended, and serviced it properly over its entire life as I have mine ... the things are indestructable. Mine still runs and works like new. The decals have curled off and there is some stained metal here and there - but the dang things are the whoop in the garden.

Now, I will say this. For some jobs in some soils, particularly clay and rocky soils like you probably have up there in Tennessee ... I would probably go with a walk behind side tossing Model L Gravely. But that's just me.


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## Bluecreekrog (Jun 21, 2002)

I will add my .02 as well. I have a small troybilt originally purchased for a small town garden. I have found that for "new ground" it is best to cut grass as short as possible, then break the ground on the 3rd slot, I usually give it 4 passes on 3, then go to 5, 2 passes. It also helps to plan ahead and break new ground ahead of time. Break it on 3 and let it rain on it a few times, then when dry, finish tilling. Just like farmers do, let mother nature do some of the work for you. I now till nearly an acre with my 15 yr old tiller, to this day it the best investment I have made. Replaced the belt this year for the first time. 
Rog


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## VA Backwoodsman (Mar 16, 2006)

Your problem might be the engine swap-the newer engine weighs less. Try adding some weight to it, the other thing to look at would be are the wheels engaged or are the tines propeling the tiller? the wheels/drive could be disengaging and then they won't hold it back. I have a BCS tiller that is gear driven with a hand clutch, the tines turn almost twice as fast as the Troybuilt and unless I snag a root, rock, or clump of grass it can be run with 1 hand. The BCS doesn't have belts, and is built like the big Troybuilt but uses a 5hp Briggs to get the job done. just my two cents worth.


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## uarelovedbygod (Nov 1, 2003)

I have a neighbor who exchanged his old husqvarna rear tine tiller for a brand new troy bilt rear tine tiller from Lowes. Says he loves the troy bilt, but doesn't like the way that the tines turn in the same direction as the wheels, so he has to hold it back or it runs away. His old husqvarna tilled in the opposite direction the wheels pulled.

I wonder if he has his tines on backward too?


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