Best rear tine tiller?

[fluffyone]

Since Troy Built is no longer the same, who makes the best rear tine tiller? or can you no longer get the same quality as in years gone by?

 

[slowrev]

I doubt that you will find the same quality on tillers/Riders or other lawn and garden equipment as in the past. People want cheap prices for the most part and the manufacturers are going along by cutting down on the steel thickness, using a lot of plastic, etc to make the product cheaper for the consumer and to increase their profit margin. You can probably still find better quality in commercial grade equipment, but it will be VERY pricey.

With all that said. Just pick out a tiller that has the features and HP that you like. The Troy Built ones are ok, I also saw a Husky at TSC that looked pretty good.

Good luck.

 

[bontai_Joe]

Having just looked at the "Big Red Horse" last week while at my dealer for something else, I'd still say that is one of the best available. But at $2999, it sure is gosh darned expensive (at least at my dealer) The smaller Troy tillers seem to have lost some of the quality I was used to seeing. I'm keeping my 24 year old machine running as I sure can do a lot of repairs before I spend $2999.

 

[dbear]

Tho' I have no first hand experience with them, BCS looks better than Troy-Bilt to me.
BCS Tillers

 

[powerstroke2000]

We have sold both troy and Bcs The Bcs has a faster tine speed ,direct drive ,and you can change attachmentson all models.

Troy has belts that always need replaced and they must use really soft steel on the tine and wheel shafts because the sseals start leaking and the shafts need replaced as well do to grooves from the seal

 

[RobertN]

We just looked at and bought a tiller. IMHO, the upper lines in Troybilt and BCS are really nice tillers. We bought the BCS 722, which is equivilant of the Troybilt Horse.

Having used older Troybilt Horses, and looking now at the latest model, as well as the BCS line, I don't think they have changed or cheapened. They were solidly built and looked just as solid as the 20 year old Horse I had used.

The entry line of tillers, I could not tell you about. But, the bigger heavier units are nice.

 

[voodoo]

Try looking at Baretto
Barreto homepage
I just today bought a 1320 model s/h. I haven't had chance to try it in anger yet, but my it is built like a tank. Mine is a 1997 model and was used by a small landscape gardener.
Apparently they were voted European rental machine of the year a few years back. Must be good if the rental men like them.
Be aware though, I think the 1320 model new is circa $4500

 

[slowrev]

Voodoo, this must be one of the commercial units I mentioned in an earlier post. Nice if you can afford them.

 

[ljh2]

voodoo,
That's a sweet looking machine, but it is some serious ching $$$. You would have to use it pretty seriously to make that pricetag worthwhile. If you did though, it looks like it would stand up to anything that you could throw at it. Wonder how parts availability is in USA?

 

[voodoo]

Larry,
They are made in USA so parts availability should not be a problem for you. I e-mailed them to get details of supplier here in UK for the same reason. I got a fairly quick response, unfortunately the web address they gave for the importer is not active. I'm now waiting for a further reply on any further contacts

 

[ljh2]

voodoo,

Thanks. I was so busy looking at the pics and specs that I missed that they are made in Oregon. I've requested pricing on the 918 from a couple of dealers. I think they look more comparable to the BCS 730 and Troybilt Horse for size and if they are within reasonable proximity for price, I think I'll give them a closer look.

Thanks,

 

[larson]

Visit PDKinc and click on Rapid. This is a company from Switzerland. I visited their factory last year and ran their machines, and they are, without a doubt, the best tiller I've ever used. The best thing about it is that the power units have a number of different attachments you can put on.

Goodluck!

 

[ljh2]

Has anyone here used the Simplicity rear-tine tillers?

I too am in the process of choosing a tiller and have been looking at the obvious - Troybilt and BCS. The Simplicity also seems to look pretty nice for the price.

I have my doubts about the chain-drive tillers from Sears and such... maybe they are unfounded, but I like the concept of direct-drive that BCS has. Simplicity also is direct-drive.

Troybilt has a belt in the mix which over time could break-down, but is easy to find and replace. My dad got a TB Horse, with the 8hp Kohler, over 20 years ago and it still works nicely today. I'm not sure if he has replaced the belt yet, if so it has only been once.

I've heard people say good things about Honda rear-tine tillers. Their tillers look decent, but they are chain-drive. Has anyone had a problem with their chain-drive unit? They seem to kindof be at the high end ($$$) of the chain drive units. What differentiates them from the others besides the Honda engine?

As others have said, Honda engines seem to last forever, but the engines on these things typically don't really seem to be the weak link. On most tillers, if the original engine dies sometime down the line, you can replace it with the engine of your choice.

I also looked at the Barretto. They hands-down looked like the BEST pure tiller built. Period. But they are all around $4000 and up. That's just a little more machine than I can justify right now.

The Simplicity looks like a lot of tiller for their suggested price of $649-$799. They only seem to have 2 models, the 6016RT and the 7016RT. I think the 7016RT would meet my needs.

I know that people who have them swear by their Simplicity garden tractors. Does anyone have first-hand experience with their tillers? Do they also deserve the reputation that their garden tractors have earned?

Thanks,

 

[upgw]

The TroyBilt Horse is/was a solid machine, but the solid axle makes it a bear to use and the low quality Techumseh engine will cause you many problems (not sure if they are still using those junk engines). My sister has a 15 year old "Econo-Horse", it's a very low quality machine that has had many problems. Even though the price for the econo horse has come way down, I wouldn't touch one if they are still built the same. The Econo-Horse has a particular appetite for drive belts and control cables.

In general, stay away from anything with a Tecumseh engine, go with the Briggs or better yet, the Honda engines.

- Patrick

 

[MrWiggles2]

You are right. I think a lot of people like to say that Troy-Bilt tillers have changed, but they really haven't. The quality and parts are all the same, engine hp is much higher though. I have a 1991 Pony 5hp Briggs and I love it. I could have purchased the identical Pony with a 7hp but it would have cost $1000, I paid half that.

I would love to see MTD resurrect the Junior. That model had all the features of a Pony, but was just smaller. It was powered by a 4hp engine, but had a hiller/furrower option and was a strong unit for small gardens. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[fishman]

Troybuilts now have a $50 mail in rebate. I was at Lowe's this last week and saw the ad. They honored the rebate on my purchase, although it was in March. Mailing it off tomorrow! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Libertine]

fluffyone:
Have no comment if all you're looking for is a tiller. If you want a real two wheel tractor that can do about anything, get the BCS. Forget the money, look at what you get. It should last your lifetime. Check out Excellent BCS dealer. The BCS will run not only a tiller, but snow blower, brush mower, cycle bar mower, finish mower, chipper, and any pto powered implement. With the quick connect you can switch implements in 30 seconds! You can even get a real hay baler & tedder/rake if you need (and they really work-I've seen them popping out 50 lb bales). You have a choice of engines (from the dealer above) including a small diesel. You can add wheel weights/duals etc if needed. The transaxles are made as well as the old Gravelies and have geared transmissions, etc. The only thing they don't have (that I had on my old gravelies) is a shuttle shift. They are made in Italy and are really nice.
JEH

 

[msjanket]

I have two Barreto tillers. Bought them both in the last couple years. They are all hydraulic machines. The big 1320 has 13 HP, it is simply a superb machine and I've used the best, the old Howard Gems. I had several tillers for the farm, all Gems. They had 9-18 HP, various engines including Hatz diesel, twin Wisconsins, and the oil sump-less British Junior engine. The Junior was a dry sump engine and had simply vast torque. An amazing and fabulous machine. The big twin Wisconsin powered brute weighed 850 pounds and would eat up a pasture the first trip through. Of course, it would eat the operator up pretty fast. It was a man killer. But, what a machine. If my stomach muscles hadn't turned to swamp mud, I'd still be using one now. The big Barreto weighs 540 and no wind will blow it out of your hands. The hydraulic mechanism of the Barreto machine dampens the shock when you hit a stone/rock. They are fabulous machines and if you are of reasonable age, they will last forever and repay your investment right quick over the next 30 years. Parts are generic,not specific to Barreto. You can replace parts easily, whether from Barreto or buying something from near by.

I saw a nice Howard Gem recently and wanted to take it home from the owner and put it to good use but my stomach muscles told me otherwise.

I also think the Grilli is a good machine as well as the bigger BCS units. Neither surpasses Barreto, the Big B is king of the hill.

 

[oldmech]

Hi! We speak walk behind tiller. When young I run the Ariens 9hp Wisconsin with springs tines no differential make very good job. expensive to repair tines. I own a Troy-Bilt Horse tiller for ten years very good. But instable (engine is too high) no differential. I have now a old BCS tiller and the best a Grillo 107d with tiller They have Bolo tines And each set is off set than a spiral run very smooth and depth is very adjustable. A Grillo 85d with a tiller is about the same price than a Troy-Bilt Horse But a superior machine 9 hp GX Honda with differential you can add mower snowblower etc. Good luck! Oldmech

 

[oldmech]

Hi! I add a pict. of Grillo tiller. Look the tines pattern Work very smooth. I like the one inch increment of depth control. Good luck Oldmech