TroyBilt 8HP Horse Refurb

[Lefty7]

Lefty7 - your a good writer - start a book series Mr McRototiller

Thanks for the kind words, Carl - but I'll pass on the book series, as I already got a full plate. ~Lefty7

 

[CADplans]

That is a GREAT looking refurb and wax job!!
BUT, you should have used black paint, it would have made the machine more collectable,,,

My black Horse,, that my wife bought for me brand new,,

 

[stevewarner1957]

I remember those black horse special editions. Nice looking!

 

[Lefty7]

That is a GREAT looking refurb and wax job!!
BUT, you should have used black paint, it would have made the machine more collectable,,,

My black Horse,, that my wife bought for me brand new,,

I never saw one of the black ones; never even knew about 'em. Learn something new every day...

But as for my refurb, that's all original paint. No way I'm gonna paint it black, Rolling Stones notwithstanding, and 'collectors' items' be damned. I'm using the stuff.

 

[Lefty7]

So what's that up on the handlebars - can't quite make it out. Is that a 25 year anniversary special kinda deal? What year did the good girl buy it for ya?

 

[CADplans]

So what's that up on the handlebars - can't quite make it out. Is that a 25 year anniversary special kinda deal? What year did the good girl buy it for ya?

It was the

'Dean Leith Jr.' 25th Anniversary Special,,​

I can not remember exactly, but, IIRC, it was the early 1990's, possibly 1991.

Dean Leith was their guru of gardening at TroyBilt, he wrote a lot of articles for the newspaper they sent to TroyBilt owners.

She had purchased a red one for me, with a Kohler, but, it would never run right,,
I complained so much to TroyBilt, that TroyBilt called my dealer, and they told him to give me any new machine that I selected,,
I was ready to get another red one,, my wife said NO,, Get the BLACK ONE!!

He almost died when we chose the black one,, that was kinda his showroom special at the time.
It has all kinds of custom features, stainless pins for the engine to ride up and down on, extra grease fittings, hour meter, hard faced tines,
Several attachments, like wheel weights, hiller, and maybe other things that I have never even opened the box of,,

 

[Lefty7]

Wow, that is VERY cool.

What engine is one the black one(s)?

 

[stevewarner1957]

The engine is a Kohler M8T. Great engines. I got that on my 1993 Horse. It was perfect until the recoil broke and no parts available from Kohler. I sold the non running engine for $150 to a guy that needed the fuel tank. They are not available either. I’m very pleased with the GX270 Honda. So smooth

 

[Lefty7]

Yeah, OK - that's what this '94 vintage of mine has, and it doesn't owe me a thing. Knowing about the Honda swap is valuable, as who knows what the future holds for it. It sees a lot of use WFO.

But I love the extra features CADplans mentioned. I'll keep an eye peeled for one of those black ones, but I won't hold my breath.

When it was time to replace my tines, I put the hardened ones on. Lotsa wear left on those babies.

 

[CADplans]

When it was time to replace my tines, I put the hardened ones on. Lotsa wear left on those babies.

I wore out the original hard faced tines, then re-hard faced them, and wore those out.
I installed a new set of hard faced, and wore those out.
Last year, I installed a third set of hard faced,, so the tines are now new.

The eBay seller had one more set of hard faced, he was a dealer going out of business, and was only charging half the usual price, delivered.
I went back, and bought the last set he had,, that set will patiently wait on the shelf.

Besides the TroyBilt, I also use a Gravely cultivator,, but, it is a little wide, for some things,
Cultivator on the left, rotary plow on the right,,

I even hard face welded the cultivator tines, and the rotary plow points,,