Trobilt "Classic" work and methods

[DennisArrow]

Lots of information about ID of these fine machines in another thread but dont want to steal that thread on the actual USE of these. So here goes........

I have a "Horse" with electric starter that is pretty much intact and working. Looks to be the original B&S 8 HP engine that starts and runs just fine. The serial number on the transmission is: 083 58.........any thoughts on the year of manufacture?

I took the carb off and cleaned it. Really a very simple task without a lot of linkages, rubber bits to break, O rings on the jets, or tiny mechanisms that go "boing" when you open it up. An actual brass float and needle mechansim.......Easy....

It is using a quite a bit of oil and smokes some when it is really working hard.........Oil usage is perhaps a couple of ounces of oil per hour......Is this normal??????? Yes, perhaps in the future, probably for sure, it will need replacement but for now, it starts fine, runs, and does the job........

I did change out the transmission, drive shaft, and tine drive........not a problem and filled it through the top of the transmission. I did lean it back to fill up the tine drive and driveshaft and then leaned it forward and filled the transmission until it dribbled out the side "check" hole..............

The belt tightening mechanism took a bit of adjusting and is now close to the bottom of the slotted mechanism.......Perhaps am going to need a new belt???????? What the machine was doing was to get it going one had to hold down the forward reverse mechanism to get the wheels and tines to engage..........I adjusted the belt tightening mechanism and eliminated this; but when it really was working hard, one had to push down on the lever, so I adjusted the belt again and it works just fine...........HOW MUCH SHOULD THE BELT "SQUEAL" when it really digs into something like a rock or root????????????? This seldom happens but it does happen......Usually I just lift up on the forks a bit and it stops and the machine moves on............

Breaking up NEW ground, I lower the tine bar mechanism to the second notch, go over it, then lower the bar to the middle, go over it, and then lower still........NO PROBLEM and goes through roots just fine.........Yes, it grabs a bit and tries to "pull" the operator and machine when one encounters a tree root or large rock........Any technique here??????????

We clean out the stalls in the goat sheds this time of year and spread this "compost" over the garden and then work it in with a tiller..........FANTASTIC stuff.........Anyway, typically we put a layer of a couple of inches down (straw, manure, and rot) and work it in.......In the past with my front tine it was a total wrestling match with jumping up and down, running away, and digging to deep...........NOW, I set the depth bar down on the second notch and it seems to chop into the dirt a bit, chops up the compost and works it......Then I set it on the 4th or 5th notch and work it in..........During this process I have to PULL BACK on the bar to get the machine to actually keep from running away and "bull dozing" the compost in front of the tines. It builds up into a clump in front of the tines that requires reversing and kicking the clump around.............What to do????????

I know this is long; but with your help perhaps I can learn what I am doing wrong with working in compost...........Other than that......the machine is great........Dennis

 

[magicheater]

You have discovered some of the idiosyncrasies of rear tined tillers. My suggestion would be to clean out your stalls to a pile and let age a year or two before spreading on the garden. This way nature will break down the manure and bedding and you will experience less of your problems tilling AND is actually better for your garden.

 

[2manyrocks]

The smoke and oil use is a symptom of worn piston rings, I think. So long as it runs reliably, then just remember to check your oil before use. If you really need a replacement engine, I think a Honda would be great on these machines if they will interchange. I don't know it they will or not, but I think a Honda engine on a Horse would be a fantastic combination.

If you're running out of belt engagement and have much belt squeeling, then it's time for a new belt. They have them at Tractor Supply Co. A new belt is going to stretch and will require quite a bit more adjustments until it breaks in.

Be glad that your tiller bounces off roots and rocks because that means the shock isn't as likely to tear up your gearcase.

Well broken manure is going to till easier than fresh, clod manure as magicheater said. Another method is to plow furrows with a tractor, spread manure in the furrows and let it sit a while. Then disk it and then till it. (My ground is terribly hard, and so I use a tractor to plow mine at the beginning of the season before working the garden with the Horse.)

 

[bontai_Joe]

........It is using a quite a bit of oil and smokes some when it is really working hard.........Oil usage is perhaps a couple of ounces of oil per hour......Is this normal???????

No, that amount of oil usage is excessive. Just keep a CLOSE eye om the level as you operate it, don't let it run dry. Keep in mind that this motor works in an EXTREMELY dirty environment, keep the air filter CLEAN and ALWAYS make sure it SEALS.

I did change out the transmission, drive shaft, and tine drive........not a problem and filled it through the top of the transmission. I did lean it back to fill up the tine drive and driveshaft and then leaned it forward and filled the transmission until it dribbled out the side "check" hole..............

What did you use for lubricant? Back in the 1970's, they came with 140W gear oil in the tranny.

The belt tightening mechanism took a bit of adjusting and is now close to the bottom of the slotted mechanism.......Perhaps am going to need a new belt???????? What the machine was doing was to get it going one had to hold down the forward reverse mechanism to get the wheels and tines to engage..........I adjusted the belt tightening mechanism and eliminated this; but when it really was working hard, one had to push down on the lever, so I adjusted the belt again and it works just fine...........HOW MUCH SHOULD THE BELT "SQUEAL" when it really digs into something like a rock or root????????????? This seldom happens but it does happen......Usually I just lift up on the forks a bit and it stops and the machine moves on............

In my experience, when hitting big rocks or roots, the belt will churp a little and you have already discovered that lifting the handlebars solves the problem. You don't want to tighten the belt so much that it never slips as that puts the load on much more expensive parts to replace. What I mean, it's cheaper and easier to replace a belt than the tranny innards.

Breaking up NEW ground, I lower the tine bar mechanism to the second notch, go over it, then lower the bar to the middle, go over it, and then lower still........NO PROBLEM and goes through roots just fine.........Yes, it grabs a bit and tries to "pull" the operator and machine when one encounters a tree root or large rock........Any technique here??????????

You have the technique down pretty good. Some tough conditions will require going down one single notch at a time, and in extreme situations, you may need to make a second pass in the same notch going 90 degrees to the pattern you just finished.

We clean out the stalls in the goat sheds this time of year and spread this "compost" over the garden and then work it in with a tiller..........FANTASTIC stuff.........Anyway, typically we put a layer of a couple of inches down (straw, manure, and rot) and work it in.......In the past with my front tine it was a total wrestling match with jumping up and down, running away, and digging to deep...........NOW, I set the depth bar down on the second notch and it seems to chop into the dirt a bit, chops up the compost and works it......Then I set it on the 4th or 5th notch and work it in..........During this process I have to PULL BACK on the bar to get the machine to actually keep from running away and "bull dozing" the compost in front of the tines. It builds up into a clump in front of the tines that requires reversing and kicking the clump around.............What to do????????


I am guessing the straw is causing most of the problem. Going thru it in the second notch for 2 or 3 passes will chop up the straw better....... are your tines still reasonably square on the ends, or are they rounded to a point (worn out)?


I know this is long; but with your help perhaps I can learn what I am doing wrong with working in compost...........Other than that......the machine is great........Dennis

There is also a technique to turn the machine at the end of a row, by pushing the handle bars sideways, then quickly pivoting the machine on the outboard wheel 180 degrees. Kinda like dancing with a BIG girl, it can be very pleasant, just don't try to overpower her.

 

[Tom W]

If the tiller is running away from you, you are tilling too deep. Set the guide bar so that you are not tilling as deep and then go over the ground set at a deeper depth.

 

[DennisArrow]

There is also a technique to turn the machine at the end of a row, by pushing the handle bars sideways, then quickly pivoting the machine on the outboard wheel 180 degrees. Kinda like dancing with a BIG girl, it can be very pleasant, just don't try to overpower her.

How do you make the turn without leaving a huge hole in the area of the turn? Even when I lift up on the tines to do this just the wheels alone will create this.......Thanks....Dennis

 

[2manyrocks]

It's going to leave a hole like that in the freshly turned dirt unless you go outside the tilled area and make your turn there. The differential on these things is locked so this is sort of inherent to the tiller.

 

[Radio Mark]

Best way I have found to turn is start out of the till area and push up and turn 180 pivoting the tiller on 1 wheel

 

[DennisArrow]

My garden is on a perhaps 5 or so degree slope. In 50 feet I drop perhaps a foot or so. What happens with the lower part of the garden when I make my turns, lift up to exit and turn, or stop and back up to turn is that I am developing a mound in the corners.

This isnt so bad as I want to build up the lower end and eventually level the whole thing. I use logs to border the lower edges and yes, the sections that I have been doing this with are almost level. BUT..........I am moving a lot of soil making my turns and I hesitate to have to go in with my tractor and bucket to move the built up moved soil back up to the higher part of the garden............OR.....do I just let it build up at the bottom and eventually it will level out??????..........Dennis

 

[bontai_Joe]

I do my turns outside of the tilled area on the turf. As I get to the end of my pass, I raise up the handlebars so the tines clear the soil, continuing to go forward and then pushing away from me sideways on the tiller, I get it balanced on one wheel and with the highest handle bar, spin the tiller 180 degrees, get 'er back on 2 wheels and lower it down for the next pass. It should take you maybe 2 or 3 tries to learn how to do this, it's easy once you see it.

 

[OrtisEvans]

Re: "Running Away with you" I find that going down gradually is fine, but inevitably, I get down a ways, and am going fine and wham, I find a surprise rock. All you can do is get the handles up fast, get the pick, and pick the rocks(s) out.

On turns: The thing really needs another handle to unlock one of the wheels on turns. I had to fence my garden from the deer, and rather than leave a 6' strip of grass all around, I make turns that leave holes, and then fill them in when I am done.

It's a good machine, but primitive.

 

[2manyrocks]

How do you get a Troy Bilt Horse balanced on one wheel in a turn? The factory weight of a 6 hp machine is approx. 268 pounds per the manual.

The manual also suggests that you can till up and down a slope, but that you should overlap the freshly tilled area with the new area to be tilled. It says to make sure the oil is "FULL", and not to do any shifting because it could freewheel. The first pass should be uphill lifting slightly on the handlebars to keep it from digging in.

It it is too steep, the manual suggests that you terrace the slope.

The manual also says soil erosion does not have to be much of a problem "as long as you put in enough organic material to improve the moisture holding ability of your soil, and if you avoid packing down the soil with footprints."

 

[WayneB]

How do you get a Troy Bilt Horse balanced on one wheel in a turn? The factory weight of a 6 hp machine is approx. 268 pounds per the manual.

I agree I am not too sure how to put the tiller on one wheel. I seem to get to the end of the garden area, then pick up the tiller so the tines are out of the ground and make a wide turn and then start back lettign the tines go into the earth. Sometimes this works fine and others well we have all been there it sort-of gets away for a few seconds.

The manual also suggests that you can till up and down a slope, but that you should overlap the freshly tilled area with the new area to be tilled. It says to make sure the oil is "FULL", and not to do any shifting because it could freewheel. The first pass should be uphill lifting slightly on the handlebars to keep it from digging in.

Yep up and down, and never try shifting out of gear as the darn tiller will really take off and depending upon how old you are and how fast you can run you might keep up with it. Living on a hill I have had several run away conditions and always tell myself "Never do that again"

It it is too steep, the manual suggests that you terrace the slope.

The manual also says soil erosion does not have to be much of a problem "as long as you put in enough organic material to improve the moisture holding ability of your soil, and if you avoid packing down the soil with footprints."

Over the years I have put tons and I mean tons of stuff into our garden areas and the soil still produces more rocks the veggies!

Several years ago I stopped keeping track of the cost of gardening as even tomatoes were getting over a dollar each when I figure in all of the tools, compost, labor needed to grow the darn thing. Bottom line is there are no green thumbs just brown knees!

 

[2manyrocks]

Per $ spent, I don't know if it's cost and time effective, but I know my tomatoes are significantly better than the store's tomatoes. $1,261.37 for the tiller divided by 28 years is something like $45 a year plus gas, plants,...

Dennis, you could always let your tiller tires dig those ruts, but then go back around the edge of the garden with your tiller and clean up the ruts a bit.

But I have no solution to what you do with all the rocks that pop out of the ground other than to pick them up and haul them somewhere else (2manyrocks--see where I got the name?)

 

[bontai_Joe]

How do you get a Troy Bilt Horse balanced on one wheel in a turn? The factory weight of a 6 hp machine is approx. 268 pounds per the manual.

The manual also suggests that you can till up and down a slope, but that you should overlap the freshly tilled area with the new area to be tilled. It says to make sure the oil is "FULL", and not to do any shifting because it could freewheel. The first pass should be uphill lifting slightly on the handlebars to keep it from digging in.

It it is too steep, the manual suggests that you terrace the slope.

The manual also says soil erosion does not have to be much of a problem "as long as you put in enough organic material to improve the moisture holding ability of your soil, and if you avoid packing down the soil with footprints."

How to tilt a tiller on one wheel? If you are operating it with one hand and walking along side the machine, you push the handlebars sideways away from you while lifting the tines out of the dirt at the same time, leverage works well here as the handlebars are far above the center of gravity. Once on one wheel, you can spin the machine fairly easy, my sister-in-law can do it, it's technique, not brawn.

 

[CR172]

Dennis, another thing I learned after finally getting our garden tilled and 8 yds of compost churned in, that's another story, was. After going as deep as you can and getting it tilled to your satisfaction, make one last pass with the tines as shallow as they go, walking beside it of course. This really smoothed out the surface of our area.