Looking to purchase a garden tiller and would to stay on a $500 or below budget. Only thing I know for sure is that I want a rear tine, other than that I am open to suggestions . Let me hear some pros and cons of tillers that owners on here use or have used! Thanks!
Garden tiller?
- Thread starter JAY B
- Start date
pressfit
Well-Known Member
I have a troy bilt "horse".. its a really good machine.. I did have a smaller 5 hp ariens rear tine.. it was nice also.. I found out the hard way..if you have any rocks in your soil you want a tiller that has forward rotation of the tines.. I did once have a TSC rear tine that the tines turned backwards.. it would pick up rocks and jam them against the frame and lock up the tiller.. talk about a pain.. a sledge hammer and crow bar was needed to get the rocks out..
LA man
Well-Known Member
good luck finding one under 500
Poor redneck
Well-Known Member
Mine came from a tool rental place. Runs great for four years now, but don't know how it was abused before. But the price was a very fair price for what it was.
longnosedoe
Well-Known Member
I just got lucky about a month ago and bought a near new troy bilt at a foreclosure sale for $75.00. Very nice and runs well.
I'll second the Troy-bilt recomendation.
I have a Troy-bilt Econohorse that I picked up from a local small engine shop. Got it for $60. They guy told me someone traded it in because the engine was blown. I took it home planning to put a new engine on it that I had sitting in the garage.
My dad came over and saw it sitting outside the garage while I was doing something else. Next thing I know, he is tilling the garden with it. Turns out the fuel line was dry rotted. He put a new piece of fuel line on it and it fired right up. That was three years ago and it's still going strong.
I have a Troy-bilt Econohorse that I picked up from a local small engine shop. Got it for $60. They guy told me someone traded it in because the engine was blown. I took it home planning to put a new engine on it that I had sitting in the garage.
My dad came over and saw it sitting outside the garage while I was doing something else. Next thing I know, he is tilling the garden with it. Turns out the fuel line was dry rotted. He put a new piece of fuel line on it and it fired right up. That was three years ago and it's still going strong.
wlf89
Well-Known Member
after using front tine all my young life i used a rear tine once last yr and i would not trade my 80s model murray front tine for 2 new rear tines
diamond hunter
Well-Known Member
They had a troy built horse at thr john deere place in Hendersonville,around 5-6oo,a real workhorse.
Your experience would be the opposite of mine. I've had a couple of front tine tillers and would hate to have to go back to one.wlf89 said:
pressfit
Well-Known Member
Not sure how big of a spot your planning on putting in but.. I have 2 of those echo mini tillers... like the mantis.. probably the only thing I have ever seen on tv that worked better than the commercial.. those things will tear up the ground in no time flat... leaves the soil like sand.. I love mine...
woodchuckc
Well-Known Member
Mausermeister said:
Ditto - those front tine tillers will give you a real workout compared to a quality rear tine. These days I use a 6' tiller behind my tractor for my garden and food plots, so my only workout is hooking it up to my tractor! :grin:
Paul Burns
Well-Known Member
I would get an older model heavy duty rear tine. One with a sturdy frame and stout gear box with two fwd gears and reverse gear. Also 7-10 hp. Easily replaceable belts from motor to gearbox the rest shaft driven.
Dealers(repair shops) will fix this kind up and put then on the lot for sell. It is possible to get a real machine for a fraction of its worth to a person.
I have had several kinds but now have an old 1984 model airens that will be good for many years to come.
Dealers(repair shops) will fix this kind up and put then on the lot for sell. It is possible to get a real machine for a fraction of its worth to a person.
I have had several kinds but now have an old 1984 model airens that will be good for many years to come.
I got a Craftsman front tine. It serves it's purpose but I'm always looking for a deal on a rear tine.
If you are using raised beds or a garden with something around it, you do not want a rear tine. I thought the same thing till I rented one and realize with the railroad ties around my old garden, I could not till real close with the rear tine tiller.
Use a tiller in raised beds?Sako said:
I have a large garden where I use the tiller. I also have a few 3'x12' raised beds which I've never even considered using the tiller in.
