Farmall Cub

My Husqvarna CRT 35 tiller, rear tine, walk behind shucked its gears. Haven't fully cleaned it up and inspected, but so far around $200- in parts.

Looking for recommendations on similiar tillers. Currently looking at one from Lowes. CRT9000 for $599.23. 14 inch tilling width.

Eugene:

One thing I have learned is not to buy yard equipment at a big box store. I usually like to go to the primary dealerships for new yard equipment. I have been looking at this one for a looong time and wished I could have afforded it back when I could have still handled it. BCS is probably one of the best yard equipment systems out there except for maybe Stihl but Stihl really doesn't make this stuff.

BCS Rear Tine Tiller. I guess this is a lot like the old Gravely's I think. One power unit and a number of quick connect tools. To me this makes a lot of sense especially for longevity. Not cheap but by adding a new tool when a different brand wears out will reduce the end costs a lot.

If I could still handle yard equipment like a tiller, this is the one I would buy without batting an eye

An old Troybuilt Horse model is way better than anything made nowadays

The BCS is a great tiller (with the Honda engine). The handles fold easily so it uses minimal storage space. My father in law has one (several years old) and it always starts and runs well.

Walk behind tillers are a lot of work. Perhaps you need another tractor? A numbered series with a Model 15 would look nicely in your stable. My personal choice is a 184. It really does a great job tilling.

Never had any experience with rear tine tillers. Except for sodbusting, my choice is Merry Tiller. We have two and part of another I picked up for parts. One is 50 years old (3 engines) and the other is 40 (original engine) Both can be walked through the garden with one hand. Slash rotors on one and finger tines on the other.

Jackman wrote:An old Troybuilt Horse model is way better than anything made nowadays

My vote, too. If you could find a cared for Pony model from 25 years ago would be an excellent size to handle for our advanced age. A little smaller than the Horse. Don't know anything about their construction these days, but it won't be up to yesterday's standards.

Today's current offering in the size and price you are talking:

http://www.troybilt.com/equipment/troyb ... den-tiller

I cannot give you any recommendations on the modern ones, since one of my walk behinds is 25 years old, and the other one probably 35 or more years old. from what I know of your needs though, you probably want a pretty small one in the 14 inch, 4 or 5 hp range. Unfortunately most of the small walk behinds are not made very sturdy, no matter what brand you buy. They are most all designed as cultivators, not for breaking ground.

My vote also goes for the Troybuilt Horse having used my in laws several times. I decided I didn't have the funds for it so until I could afford one I bought the cheapest rear tine I could find, an Earthquake which has run without a single problem for 8 years but they now use an engine I've never heard of. I like the two speeds on the Troy.. On the smaller tine tillers watch the diameter of the tines. You still want one that will till deep. Vern

Discussed the need to purchase another tiller with son. His suggestion was to wait and find one at auction. Still thinking on that answer. Edit: Have been to auctions where well used, older, name brand quality rear tine tillers went $600-.

Tomorrow a Troy-Bilt Junior gets delivered to my daughter. Prior to installing a new engine on the tiller I completely disassembled the tiller. My impression, quality construction. Only problem with the Troy-Bilt Junior and the new, larger engine, it now needs a front weight if used for breaking new ground. But for breaking new ground, I have two and 4 wheeled tractors with implements suitable for large gardens or farming.

Checked out the BSC tillers. Way more tiller than I need.

Garden plot sizes, only need a tiller in the 14 inch range.

Picked up a rear tine Troy-Bilt Super Bronco from a small engine shop the other day for $225-. Total price was right at $250- for tax and belts. Shop had recently taken in the tiller on trade. Tiller needed a new main drive belt. Appeared to have had very little use.

Replaced the belts and performed routine maintenance. Took outside for trial run. Engine started on first pull. Bit of testing and main drive idler pulley was skewed to one side. Turned out the bolt holding the main drive idler pulley was loose. Probably the cause for the damaged main drive belt. PB blaster on mechanism and tightened bolt. Works great.

I have a maxim, which is supposed to be the modern equivalent of a Merry Tiller. I have a Merry Tiller and a walk behind Craftsman. I like all of them for different jobs.

This year I went out and bought a reverse tine 6' 3 point tiller.

http://www.landpride.com/products/180/rtr12-series-rotary-tillers

WOW it is the greatest tiller I have ever seen. When you cut up the garden with it the surface of the dirt is as smooth as concrete. No clods and you can cut very deep with it. After purchasing it the only thing I used a tiller for was cultivating after the plants were up. Well, that's when I started looking for a offset one row tractor and now I am the proud owner of 2 cub tractors.

Now I have 3 tillers in the shed and they have all lost their job.

Ken

I have two cubs, one set cultivators, and both Merry's still have a job. I draw/lay off rows with the cub and cultivate with the tiller. Too much trouble to take off disc plow to mount cultivators.

I received a suggestion from the manger of Guy Machinery, which is the Howard Rotavator supplier for our area. He stated that using a tiller both for preparing a seed bed and cultivating you should only go one or two inches deep. He did not elaborate, but i have followed his suggestion, for the last 2 years, and have had some of my best gardens ever, even though the weather was lousy for gardening. After doing a little research i learned that tilling deep destroys the earthworms that help aerate and provide nutrients to the soil. Far the last 2 years I have been plowing then only tilling shallow and had great results. I do not try to till my soil real fine because we have a lot of clay here and a hard rain will result in a crust like concrete if we work it real fine.

I know you said a rear tined tiller....But you also said small garden plot...So just in case....I bought a Mantis 4 stroke Honda powered straight ol front tiller...It don't weight nothing...Like 20 some pounds....I am amazed at what I can do with this thing....It is only about 9 inches wide but the tines are amazing...Anyhow give them a look see if you want...I've planted trees in rocky soil with it and had 100's of rocks from 1I inch diameter to 6/8 inch laying by the hole....I use it to cultivate both my gardens...Just a thought...Dave

Troy-Built horse or little Tuffy,---older units but good for cultivation! My first fall operation here is to subsoil 36" deep then moldboard it over with the big plow
---In spring its 1 pass with the KK 72" tractor tiller on the "Harley-Davidson tractor" followed by planting the garden! thanks; sonny