Rebirth of my old tiller

Back in the mid 90's I was given an 80's Troy Built tiller. All I had to do was replace the carb. Well this year it wouldn't crank. I could get it to run on starter fluid. I pulled the carb and the gasket was dry rotted and the float spring was shot. I call and a new carb was $120 plus tax and a new motor was $500. So I get online and start looking for how to swap engines. I see about how a harbor freight engine bolts right up using the same bolts and pulley. The only draw back was you loose the reverse function. I look online and they have them for $119. Later that night I get an email for managers coupons and there was a $99 coupon for the motor. I go and pick one up and with the 3 year replacement it was $146 out the door. It only took me 30 minutes to do the swap and it cranked on the first pull. I tilled a strip just to see what it would do. I went from a 4hp Tech to a 6.5 hp. and it tilled like a hot knife through butter. So tomorrow after I change the gear oil its garden time.
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That's what I'm talking about. Country boys can survive. Good job.

I had an old tiller like that that my pawpaw, my dad and myself used. Couldn't hardly kill that thing! I think Rita finally got it. Funny thing is I don't ever remember having a reverse on ours. Glad you were able to get that one going again.

Very nice and an upgrade in power to boot. We have one just about like that.

By my calculations Ray, you have about $7 a year invested. Not a bad deal at all. And 3 more tears guaranteed. Till on ray, till on.

Don, great job. I did just that last year on an identical tiller. I used the 99 dollar motor and it purrs like a kitten. I also lost the reverse as I didn't want to spend the extra money to get the motor with the reverse shaft on it. The little reverse I do, I can just pull it backwards. It's been a great tiller and seems like it will go a lot further. I'm in the process of putting new tires on it. I found 2 tires for 25 dollars on ebay. Yesterday I repaired the wheels which had rusted larger holes around the valve stems. I acetylene welded the bad spots and will drill new holes today. Since the wheels are pitted I decided to put tubes in them in case there are some small hole under the pits..
"gene"

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Originally Posted by PawPaw "gene"

Don, great job. I did just that last year on an identical tiller. I used the 99 dollar motor and it purrs like a kitten. I also lost the reverse as I didn't want to spend the extra money to get the motor with the reverse shaft on it. The little reverse I do, I can just pull it backwards. It's been a great tiller and seems like it will go a lot further. I'm in the process of putting new tires on it. I found 2 tires for 25 dollars on ebay. Yesterday I repaired the wheels which had rusted larger holes around the valve stems. I acetylene welded the bad spots and will drill new holes today. Since the wheels are pitted I decided to put tubes in them in case there are some small hole under the pits..
"gene"

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One of my rims is rusted through about 2 inches long. It had flats since I acquired it. It tills fine with flats. Did you use the sleeve and old key with the new motor. I could not get the key off the new motor and just have the shaft bolt and lock washer holding the pulley on the shaft. It looks to be working fine. I saw last night that the key is removed towards the engine. I was wondering if the old key can be used because the new key is too long for the sleeve.

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I love my 1983 Troy Bilt Horse that I inherited from my father! Just tilled this little strip this morning. Tiller has an 8 hp Kohler Magnum engine...not original, but is about 26 years old. Runs fine. Especially like the owners manual that came with tiller. It's very thorough.

The horse is a beast of a tiller.

I put the Harbor Freight one one my Troy Built last year and am SUPER pleased....Cranks on a half pull , runs stronger and quieter than the not so old Tec that threw a rod....After it sat this winter, I poured new gas in and it cranked on the 1st pull...And I do have reverse, don't know why you wouldn't, it should be in the tranny...For the money, you can't buy the Tec rebuild kit ... Simple plug-n-play on mine took longer to get the broken one off than putting the new one on !

The Pony tiller doesn't have the reverse in the tranny like the Horse. Reverse is accomplished by a second shaft coming out the back of the motor turning in the opposite direction of the main shaft and friction on the back side of the belt. I'd love to have a horse again. I had one that I sold years ago. The Pony does fine but I like all the features of the horse and the pure power it has. I'm keeping my eyes open for one laying around.
"gene"

Ya'll are making me want to pull out the tiller this weekend and fire it up. I'm leery though because the pecan trees out here haven't started budding yet. That's what I use as a clue to start. Very close though. You folks have some fine tillers for sure - mine doesn't have a reverse as well.

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Originally Posted by Tracker123

I'm leery though because the pecan trees out here haven't started budding yet. That's what I use as a clue to start.

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Smart man there!

I go by the lsu ag planting guide and my fig tree. Which just started. That tree is also my crappie indicator.

Those Troy Builts are great machines.

I am a huge fan of the Lsu ag center they send us their newsletter and I keep it on back the toilet for light reading My grandpa always said the Sacs are nesting when the fig tree buds and ya plant when the pecan tree buds. The fig tree is sitting there but I am charging batteries and rummaging through peggy's lil tackle box. checking on hooks sinkers corks and such. Cause of the ole dog we cant go camping so we are getting ready to start fishing the local stuff.

I got 6.25 rows made today. Once the sun went down the dirt started getting to much moisture in it. I was going to finish in the morning but a fishing buddy sent a picture of the 42 nice crappie he caught today. So it looks like i will finish sunday....lol.

New tires and just finished tilling the garden and giving her a bath.
"gene"


http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...416F0EAE72.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...D0460D02F7.jpg

That's purty for sure!

Looks great.

I finished tilling and rowing mine yesterday. Ended up with 11 20ft rows with 2 of the rows double wide. This afternoon I re-dug the drainage to the road. Looks like we are going to get 10 inches of rain this week to test my drainage. I decided to put off planting till this weekend.
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Don, do you have the row making attachment for yours. It looks like a plow that attaches behind the blades and makes a nice decent row without much effort. The best thing about it is that you leave the tines in place and it attaches with one pin. When I had my Horse, it would throw rows that would rival those done my a small tractor. I found this attachment at a church yard sale on my way to Shreveport a few years back. We decided to take a break from the ride and walk around a bit. We didn't see anything we wanted and were about to leave, when something on a table caught my eye. On the ground next to the table was the attachment and I kicked it trying to reach the table without realizing what it was. I look down to walk around it and then it hit me as to what it was. I asked the lady near it and she directed me to a guy across the parking lot. He came over and said it was $15 but being it was the last two hours of the sale everything was half price. So I picked it up for $7.50, what a steal. They sell for around $100 dollars new and even used I've seen them for $50 to $75.
"gene"

I sure don't. I wish i did. I looked for it in my parents shed but no luck. It took a while to do those rows by hand. I will find one by fall even if I have to pay $100 for a new one. Gene some people have all the luck.

Again! Again, paw paw again!:Rofl

You'll be happy when you get one.
"gene"