Earthquake front or rear tine tiller?

[Dirtmechanic]

I don't think Troybilts have the same dependability reputation these days as they used to. Sadly.

Well the horse is still made, and starting at 2500.00 and up I would suggest its a serious machine. Of course one aspect of the old ones was that they famously leaked oil and as you know nothing preserves as well as a good coating of fouled oil. I had bought a horse 3 to rebuild and it was in DW's way so she rolled it downhill and out of her area of operations. I noticed that even weeds would not grow under the thing. I ultimately gave it to my buddy, I do not need anything that size. Well a tractor with a loader maybe. And a backhoe. The horse 3 is the coolest one, with a power take off and accessories like log splitters and such if you can find them.

Horse Garden Tiller - 21A-682T766 | Troy-Bilt US

Find parts and product manuals for your Horse Garden Tiller. Free shipping on parts orders over $45.

www.troybilt.com

 

[Zeedman]

It was either a forward till or reverse till only. Don’t remember if it had a tendency to walk or bury itself in my sand.

Reverse till if you want to go deep. The pulling wheels help but a forward only can and will jump out of the ground pretty roughly. Or you till over and over and over, 1 or 2 inches at the time. Go try to find parts first. If you can find steady and ready support then go for it.

I've been using a Mainline rear-tine tiller since the mid-80's, which I bought used. The tines rotate forward, the handle & wheel direction are reversible for using other attachments, and it has 3 speeds in either direction. Mainline was allegedly just BCS tillers being sold under a different name, when they were first imported. It's a tank of a machine; it has eaten bricks, large rocks, dog stakes, and a buried pence post, without breaking. The tines have been changed twice, and the clutch needs service now... but it still runs reliably.

But as others have already pointed out, breaking ground with forward-rotating tines can be like holding a tiger by the tail. The tiller has a tendency to dig in & jump when it hits hard ground, jerking you along with it. Regardless, that is what I did year after year, because I thought it was the only way I could cultivate 10,000+ square feet of garden. I accidentally learned (only a couple years ago) that I was doing it wrong, when the throttle cable slipped; that provided the engine is strong enough (in this case, 8 HP Acme) breaking ground is more manageable when running at just above idle. Once the surface is broken a couple inches down, I can turn up the RPM without the tiller jumping (as much). Breaking sod would still be a guaranteed sore back, though. The Mainline has a lightweight aluminum-alloy chassis; perhaps the heavier cast-iron chassis that Troybilt brags about really is more manageable.

Forward-rotating tines tend to walk, and require multiple passes to produce a good planting bed... but they also throw rocks & debris behind them where they can be picked up, and tend to gradually level out the soil. I also find that when attempting to turn under large amounts of organic matter, forward-rotating tines do so evenly, without clogging.

Counter-rotating tines will break ground without pulling your arms out of their sockets, and will do a better & faster job breaking down clods into a smooth planting bed - especially with heavy soil. But because their rotation is in opposition to the wheels, they tend to bog down when digging deeper. When this happens, it tends to create hills & holes, which if the wheel base is long enough, are further accentuated in successive passes & gradually create uneven ground. Counter-rotating tines also tend to kick any large objects they encounter forward, where it can be hit again & again... increasing the chance of jamming or damaging the tiller. And for the same reason, when attempting to turn under sod or large amounts of organic matter, it will tend to build up in piles in front of the tiller box, to the point where it will either bog down the tiller or leave deep ruts in the ground.

So IMO the best rear-tine tiller would be one of the models with reversible tine direction, giving you the best of both worlds. There are not that many of them, usually only 1-2 models per manufacturer. The one thing they almost all have in common, which I don't like, is only one forward speed. Because that one speed may or may not be to your liking, it would be wise to "try before you buy". BCS tillers offer more speeds, but they are really two-wheeled tractors meant for heavy-duty commercial use, and priced accordingly.

Regardless of what tiller you choose, ask the seller how the tiller will be protected if it hits an unbreakable object; and if it uses shear pins, buy a handful. Nothing is worse than having to stop in the middle of tilling, to run for parts (spoken from experience). It might also be wise to stock up on extra things like air filters, which can be hard to find when the model becomes obsolete 10 years or so down the line (I'm looking at you, Troybilt & Earthquake).

One thing I have never understood about self-propelled rear-tine tillers is how their power transfer is designed. The gear box on the tiller is always centrally located, which creates a "blind spot" to keep the tines from hitting the gear box - and leaves a line of untouched soil in the center of the tilled area. This is particularly noticeable when breaking sod or heavy weed growth. So regardless of the direction of tine travel, that "hill" of soil must be broken down by successive passes. IMO it would have been smarter to mount the gear box on the side of the tiller box, so tines could be mounted overlapping on a single shaft, and would till evenly over the entire tiller width. That is the design I see on some tractor-mounted tillers.

A friend gave me a small front-tine Earthquake tiller, to keep if I could fix it - which I did. It is 2-cycle, which I would ordinarily avoid... but the price was right. I wouldn't even think about breaking ground with it, and weeding anything beyond a small area is a back-breaking chore (as I found out last year). But it comes in handy for deep-digging a small bed, works well on soft or sandy soil (such as DD's garden), and is small enough to bring into the garden for late-season planting. All tillers come in handy when used for purposes which play to their strengths.

 

[seedcorn]

@Zeedman agree 100%. All tillers have a purpose. The user must decide what that purpose is and then buy the best (in their opinion) that they can afford. A tiller is one place (within reason) to pay whatever the cost is if you can afford it as it is a long term investment. When you break the cost down over life of machine, cheaper than renting, can use it at your discretion, and good ones have resale value IF you ever decide to sell it. Ask yourself, how many used tillers (good ones) do you ever see for sale? At auctions bring almost new price.

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

Troybilt made indestructible machines-tanks of the garden. That @thistlebloom could wear a motor out, is a testament to how much it was used. Didn’t realize they had Tecumseh motors. That would cause me to pass......

For me, the 2 items that get worked hard on tillers are the transmission and the gear box. Once gear box goes, they are never the same.

I've heard others state similar things regarding the gear box and having to spend more than the machine is worth to get it working again. I guess that just depends on if you have a friend with a few extra parts laying around, etc... Anyways, thanks for the reminder to focus on the quality of the engine along with the function of the machine

The troybilt horse is a big heavy machine. Smooth to use though because of the weight. I just do not have that big of a garden so I have the super bronco.

Thank you for putting that into context. I saw the Bronco vs Mustang on their website and was trying to understand the garden size usefulness

I don't think Troybilts have the same dependability reputation these days as they used to. Sadly.

nothing does, sadly

@Zeedman agree 100%. All tillers have a purpose. The user must decide what that purpose is and then buy the best (in their opinion) that they can afford. A tiller is one place (within reason) to pay whatever the cost is if you can afford it as it is a long term investment. When you break the cost down over life of machine, cheaper than renting, can use it at your discretion, and good ones have resale value IF you ever decide to sell it. Ask yourself, how many used tillers (good ones) do you ever see for sale? At auctions bring almost new price.

I'm all for buying quality. When I brought this topic up to a friend of mine he again hit home on how he prefers to rent equipment when he wants to use it. I've had this discussion with him multiple times with other "rarely" used equipment like carpet cleaners/shampooers. I totally understand that it'll sit around %98 of the time, but when a kid decides to smush something gross into a carpet I want to know that I have a shampooer 3 minutes away from being functional in the furnace room.

My friend sent me this video the other day for BCS two wheeled tractors and yeah they look great, but I just can't spend that cash. I'm already in bad debt, but I need this purchase so I can spend more time with my kids and less time doing garden work. Hahaha.

I've been using a Mainline rear-tine tiller since the mid-80's, which I bought used. The tines rotate forward, the handle & wheel direction are reversible for using other attachments, and it has 3 speeds in either direction. Mainline was allegedly just BCS tillers being sold under a different name, when they were first imported. It's a tank of a machine; it has eaten bricks, large rocks, dog stakes, and a buried pence post, without breaking. The tines have been changed twice, and the clutch needs service now... but it still runs reliably.

But as others have already pointed out, breaking ground with forward-rotating tines can be like holding a tiger by the tail. The tiller has a tendency to dig in & jump when it hits hard ground, jerking you along with it. Regardless, that is what I did year after year, because I thought it was the only way I could cultivate 10,000+ square feet of garden. I accidentally learned (only a couple years ago) that I was doing it wrong, when the throttle cable slipped; that provided the engine is strong enough (in this case, 8 HP Acme) breaking ground is more manageable when running at just above idle. Once the surface is broken a couple inches down, I can turn up the RPM without the tiller jumping (as much). Breaking sod would still be a guaranteed sore back, though. The Mainline has a lightweight aluminum-alloy chassis; perhaps the heavier cast-iron chassis that Troybilt brags about really is more manageable.

Forward-rotating tines tend to walk, and require multiple passes to produce a good planting bed... but they also throw rocks & debris behind them where they can be picked up, and tend to gradually level out the soil. I also find that when attempting to turn under large amounts of organic matter, forward-rotating tines do so evenly, without clogging.

Counter-rotating tines will break ground without pulling your arms out of their sockets, and will do a better & faster job breaking down clods into a smooth planting bed - especially with heavy soil. But because their rotation is in opposition to the wheels, they tend to bog down when digging deeper. When this happens, it tends to create hills & holes, which if the wheel base is long enough, are further accentuated in successive passes & gradually create uneven ground. Counter-rotating tines also tend to kick any large objects they encounter forward, where it can be hit again & again... increasing the chance of jamming or damaging the tiller. And for the same reason, when attempting to turn under sod or large amounts of organic matter, it will tend to build up in piles in front of the tiller box, to the point where it will either bog down the tiller or leave deep ruts in the ground.

So IMO the best rear-tine tiller would be one of the models with reversible tine direction, giving you the best of both worlds. There are not that many of them, usually only 1-2 models per manufacturer. The one thing they almost all have in common, which I don't like, is only one forward speed. Because that one speed may or may not be to your liking, it would be wise to "try before you buy". BCS tillers offer more speeds, but they are really two-wheeled tractors meant for heavy-duty commercial use, and priced accordingly.

Regardless of what tiller you choose, ask the seller how the tiller will be protected if it hits an unbreakable object; and if it uses shear pins, buy a handful. Nothing is worse than having to stop in the middle of tilling, to run for parts (spoken from experience). It might also be wise to stock up on extra things like air filters, which can be hard to find when the model becomes obsolete 10 years or so down the line (I'm looking at you, Troybilt & Earthquake).

One thing I have never understood about self-propelled rear-tine tillers is how their power transfer is designed. The gear box on the tiller is always centrally located, which creates a "blind spot" to keep the tines from hitting the gear box - and leaves a line of untouched soil in the center of the tilled area. This is particularly noticeable when breaking sod or heavy weed growth. So regardless of the direction of tine travel, that "hill" of soil must be broken down by successive passes. IMO it would have been smarter to mount the gear box on the side of the tiller box, so tines could be mounted overlapping on a single shaft, and would till evenly over the entire tiller width. That is the design I see on some tractor-mounted tillers.

A friend gave me a small front-tine Earthquake tiller, to keep if I could fix it - which I did. It is 2-cycle, which I would ordinarily avoid... but the price was right. I wouldn't even think about breaking ground with it, and weeding anything beyond a small area is a back-breaking chore (as I found out last year). But it comes in handy for deep-digging a small bed, works well on soft or sandy soil (such as DD's garden), and is small enough to bring into the garden for late-season planting. All tillers come in handy when used for purposes which play to their strengths.

Wow, there's a lot of information to consume there. I'll need to dig through that and compare to tillers as I'm looking and reading. You had me going "yay" for rear-tine counter rotating then 10 seconds later saying "boo". Ugh. I guess that's how I also felt when I was reading about differences a few days ago and was saying to myself "I guess I could see the purpose of owning front tine and rear tine".

Thanks for all the great information, folks. I guess I still have homework to do and a few months to do it. I'll see if I can take some out for a spin locally at a dealer, though that may be hard. I don't know of any places where they have that ability, but I'll look within an hours drive if that's what it takes.

 

[pjn]

I have a Cub Cadet rear tine. Had it for 10 years. Works good.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

I have a Cub Cadet rear tine. Had it for 10 years. Works good.

Is it a forward or reverse till?

 

[flowerbug]

Alright folks, I need a tiller this spring....

just reading along here, but didn't you recently buy a tractor? doesn't that have a power take off and a way to use it as a tiller or to turn an area? just thinking aloud.

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

just reading along here, but didn't you recently buy a tractor? doesn't that have a power take off and a way to use it as a tiller or to turn an area? just thinking aloud.

"Garden tractor" would be the term and I bought it excitedly in haste and realized after that really it's just a glorified riding mower and as I've discussed it with another dealer than the one I bought it from they've said "yeah, this isn't expected to be used in the way you want.

So really I was told it would be awesome and it has proved to be sub par :/. Husqvarna has a great sales pitch!!!

 

[flowerbug]

"Garden tractor" would be the term and I bought it excitedly in haste and realized after that really it's just a glorified riding mower and as I've discussed it with another dealer than the one I bought it from they've said "yeah, this isn't expected to be used in the way you want.

So really I was told it would be awesome and it has proved to be sub par :/. Husqvarna has a great sales pitch!!!

oh drats!

 

[Dirtmechanic]

"Garden tractor" would be the term and I bought it excitedly in haste and realized after that really it's just a glorified riding mower and as I've discussed it with another dealer than the one I bought it from they've said "yeah, this isn't expected to be used in the way you want.

So really I was told it would be awesome and it has proved to be sub par :/. Husqvarna has a great sales pitch!!!

Of course the solution to that is to spend thousands more, right?