Question about broken Troy-bilt rear tine tiller

[clovis]

I have been shopping for a rear tine tiller.

There is one posted on our local craigslist, but it is broken.

It is an old style Troy-bilt. I am guessing an 80's vintage.

The seller says the cable is bad, and has one on order.

The seller says that the cable will engage the tines, but the wheels do not move. He says the new cable will remedy the problem.

Is this true? Could this be a much bigger problem?

Thanks!!!!

[clovis]

Just talked to the owner of this tiller.

I think I am going to pass on it.

I have learned that the flywheel has been replaced, the block has a repaired crack, and the tiller threw a rod last season.

Thanks anyway!!!!!!!!

[plowjockey]

Good call. Wrong time of the year to get somethng that needs fixing.

Troy-bilts from that era, at least the Pony model use a special kind of engine, that has two output shafts, the main shaft and a smaller "reverser" shaft, that runs the reverse. Not an simple replacement, with a more modern engine.

I'm very lucky that my 1980 Pony started this year on the first pull.

[HermitJohn]

I dont believe the horse model Troy bilts needed the second shaft, only the little pony model. http://www.smallenginewarehouse.com/...Horse%20Tiller

I have never been a fan of Tecumseh engines. If your equipment originally had a Tecumseh, I'd replace it with a Honda or Robin or even try one of the Chinese clones of honda ("Chonda") at a third the price.

[Beeman]

If you get it cheap enough it might be worth it. If you look at a new Troy Bilt that will convince you to buy an old one.

My horse model with a Tecumseh engine works fine, but I've only had it for about 22 years, bought it used.

[clovis]

Beeman,

If it could have been bought cheaply enough, I would have jumped on the deal. I just didn't see any value in it for $200.

Repaired and welded block; they replaced the rod with a used one out of another engine; tires were shot; it needed a new cable; sounded like it needed carb work; the tiller was rusty and had very faded paint (kept outside); had bad oil leaks; tines looked very worn; battery was completely shot; he kept saying that the cover (?) was cracked, but they had another used one; they also had another flywheel I could have as a spare one; the electric start wiring was missing......

....then there was the little problem that the tires wouldn't move when engaged.

I would rather pay $500 for a good clean one that has been taken care of over the years.

I would have been open to a repaired tiller that had been worked on by an experienced mechanic. This guy sounded like they had fixed the thing on the real cheap by some hacks with wrenches. When I asked him how the cylinder wall had looked after it threw the rod, he said "I didn't look at that."

Clove