New to me Troybilt Horse Tiller

[krismoriah72]

Picked up a Troybilt Horse Tiller from the 1980s (not sure on the year yet) yesterday. It has a 7 HP Briggs Industrial Engine. Guy wanted $250 but the tines wouldnt turn..so i ended up getting it for $100. Its going to need tines, and i havent torn it down yet but i would say the wormgear and bearings are probably going to need replaced. I am getting a list of what is needed to get this tiller in top shape for work. So far it looks like 30wt engine oil, and 90wt GL-1 for the transmission (65-201 NAPA part number). One of the tubeless tires went flat and from what i can tell its a bear to get the wheel off etc. I was thinking of popping that tubeless tire off the rim and putting a small tube in there.

I saw tines on Amazon and Ebay for around $80 that get pretty good reviews, if anyone has heads up on which tines are better than others that would help.

Also going to replace the belt while im refreshing it up..should i get a troybilt belt?

I see these tillers go for $500 to $1000, so far $100 seems fair.

 

[BigD1]

Just take the belt to NAPA or Advance, and have them find one that fits. My friend and I have a couple old Troybilt Horse tillers, and we just use Advance Auto Dayco belts. Can't remember what we paid because it was a couple years ago, but it was cheap enough.

One thing I do recommend is installing a fuel shut off valve, and let the carb run dry before letting it sit.

Does yours have the lever on the left side that engages the tines? We have one that does, and the other one does not.

 

[InhalingBullets]

My grandfather picked one up at a Farm auction that was sitting in the field for God knows how long.... for $75. New tires, carb kit and a gasket on the lower housing and it runs like new. There are lots of parts available. I don't think you need the TROYBilt belt but certainly one that meets the spec's/

 

[krismoriah72]

Originally Posted By: BigD1
Just take the belt to NAPA or Advance, and have them find one that fits. My friend and I have a couple old Troybilt Horse tillers, and we just use Advance Auto Dayco belts. Can't remember what we paid because it was a couple years ago, but it was cheap enough.

One thing I do recommend is installing a fuel shut off valve, and let the carb run dry before letting it sit.

Does yours have the lever on the left side that engages the tines? We have one that does, and the other one does not.


Yes this one has a small lever on the left side that says engage/disengage tines.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

If I were you I'd sell it.

I quit rototilling years ago; there are far better garden soil management options available. Rototilling pulverizes the soil, destroys the soil structure, destroys the fungi that help provide the soil structure, and kills beneficial organisms like earthworms. Unless you're just doing an initial pass over new sod, a tiller is the last thing you want to use.

 

[TWG1572]

It sounds like a PTO horse, which is also what I have. If the tines won't turn, but the wheels will it's very likely that the bearing on the end of that lever has snapped off. It's what engages the tines, and was a poor design from the get-go. I think MTD has an update for it, but it may involve replacing more than just the bearing. I was lucky enough to find a NOS one, and just baby it now in hopes it won't shear off like the last one.

I don't have advice on the belt, other than to say that the Horse forum is pretty religious about buying the TroyBilt belt. Non-OEM belts seem to be looked upon as the cause of many a gremlin. I have no personal experience with that or recommendations, just recounting what I hear.

Edit: I just re-read your gear oil comment. Isn't 140wt recommended?

 

[krismoriah72]

Originally Posted By: TWG1572
It sounds like a PTO horse, which is also what I have. If the tines won't turn, but the wheels will it's very likely that the bearing on the end of that lever has snapped off. It's what engages the tines, and was a poor design from the get-go. I think MTD has an update for it, but it may involve replacing more than just the bearing. I was lucky enough to find a NOS one, and just baby it now in hopes it won't shear off like the last one.

I don't have advice on the belt, other than to say that the Horse forum is pretty religious about buying the TroyBilt belt. Non-OEM belts seem to be looked upon as the cause of many a gremlin. I have no personal experience with that or recommendations, just recounting what I hear.

Edit: I just re-read your gear oil comment. Isn't 140wt recommended?




From what i gather this kit should fix my tines not rotating.. Drive Gear Kit i need to tear it down to see whats going on..i know the tine shaft is loose and im sure the bearings are shot anyways.

On the Gear oil seems that u can go with 90 or 140wt.. and the old timers are liking the GL-1 due to yellow metal safe.. here is the link where they talk about it http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/topic/49300-gl-1-gear-oil/

 

[TWG1572]

If the issue is with the engagement lever, that kit will not fix it. I've attached a link to an auction that shows the eccentric shaft I was talking about. You can see the bearing at the end, which is what shears off. That bearing pushes the tine drive shaft back and fourth to engage and disengage it.

(Edit: It looks like the auction is for a later version, which swapped the bearing out for a socket head bolt, but the concept is the same. The socket head is much more durable.)

Eccentric shaft


It's easy enough to check, it just unscrews out the side.

I'm using the GL1 140 wt in mine, based on the old timer's recommendations. Found it at NAPA IIRC.

 

[krismoriah72]

the guy i bought it off of is a friend of my wifes...he parked it under the porch for the winter with the tine end sticking out..he says that he used it last fall, and says that moisture or something must have gotten up in there to freeze it up...i wont know til i tear it down for sure but he had no reason to lie. the belt is crazy worn out and loose as well so perhaps it wont be something sheared..fingers crossed.. i will look into the GL-1 140

 

[BigD1]

Here is a manual that should be good enough, and the recommended gear oil that I quoted from the manual. https://www.dixiesales.com/ipl/339/21a683f766_02_12_2006.pdf

"Adding or Changing Gear Oil
For partial fill-ups (just a few ounces or
less), use SAE 140, SAE 85W-140, or SAE
80W-90 weight gear oil with an API rating
of GL-4 or GL-5. For full replacement,
use SAE 140 or SAE 85W-140 gear oil
with an API rating of GL-4 only. (At the
factory, SAE 85W-140 weight gear oil is
used.)"

 

[krismoriah72]

Originally Posted By: BigD1
Here is a manual that should be good enough, and the recommended gear oil that I quoted from the manual. https://www.dixiesales.com/ipl/339/21a683f766_02_12_2006.pdf

"Adding or Changing Gear Oil
For partial fill-ups (just a few ounces or
less), use SAE 140, SAE 85W-140, or SAE
80W-90 weight gear oil with an API rating
of GL-4 or GL-5. For full replacement,
use SAE 140 or SAE 85W-140 gear oil
with an API rating of GL-4 only. (At the
factory, SAE 85W-140 weight gear oil is
used.)"


Good deal man thank you. I have buckets of 85w140 at my shop for my trucks..one less thing to buy!

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
If I were you I'd sell it.

I quit rototilling years ago; there are far better garden soil management options available. Rototilling pulverizes the soil, destroys the soil structure, destroys the fungi that help provide the soil structure, and kills beneficial organisms like earthworms. Unless you're just doing an initial pass over new sod, a tiller is the last thing you want to use.

For $100 though? Part of our our garden in on the septic bed and hasn't seemed to suffer too much although I till in the straw that was used for weed control the year before, and aged manure every year.