[NA] Garden tillers

CJones

CJones

Final Approach
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I'm shopping for a rear-tine tiller that can do both forward and reverse tine rotation. I don't want to break the bank to get something dependable. My grandad traded through a few Toro models when I was growing up and they seemed to work well. I looked at the Toros at Lowes and they seem to be lower grade sheet metal, etc. I've looked at the Cub Cadet at Tractor Supply Company as well, but I don't know if Cub Cadet is the same as it was years ago. Sears has a Craftsman model that would fill my needs, and it looks eerily similar to a Toro with different paint, but again, I don't know if Toro is just another MTD knockoff these days.

Anybody know who makes a dependable + affordable tiller these days?
 
I can't directly help wrt your request.

However, I would like to point out that sometimes Lowes, Home Depot, and similar chains, will get "special" versions of products so that they (Lowes, etc) can sell them cheaper. It's possible the toro products you saw at Lowes are cheaped-out versions.
 
Bob Noel said:
I can't directly help wrt your request.

However, I would like to point out that sometimes Lowes, Home Depot, and similar chains, will get "special" versions of products so that they (Lowes, etc) can sell them cheaper. It's possible the toro products you saw at Lowes are cheaped-out versions.
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That's probably what I'm seeing at Lowes. I know that the 'John Deere' you get at the big box stores is not the same as the JD you get directly from a dealer.
 
CJones said:
That's probably what I'm seeing at Lowes. I know that the 'John Deere' you get at the big box stores is not the same as the JD you get directly from a dealer.
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Yes, it is. And same with Cub Cadet. The big box stores only sell the low end of the line, but you can buy the same low end equipment at the dealer.

Personally, I try to avoid the big box stores for power equipment, unless I know that it will be a limited-use item, or expect it to be disposable. Most dealers will match the big box price on the same item, and you'll need a relationship with the dealer for service and warranty work anyway.


JKG
 
Honda makes a nice one that has reverse. I bought all three of my tillers from the Honda motorsports dealer in town. And the gas powered string trimmer as well.
 
BCS or Berreto, not cheep but worth it. if you have a lot to do,You want a heavy tiller that won't kill you. And digs deep in few passes. I have an old80'sTroy built Horse with a Briggs & Stratton( fifty pulls to start) but have replaced it with a 35 horse Kubota and 72" Gearmoore tiller. But that's braking the bank. My back is loving it. If I bought another walk behind, it would be a Berreto. Cheep tillers give cheep results and don't last long. If your doing a small space anything with a Honda on it. Check out tractorbynet.com.
 
I would find an old well built heavy duty model built out of real metal instead of the cheap tin of today. Then put a brand new motor on it.
 
Foxhole said:
I would find an old well built heavy duty model built out of real metal instead of the cheap tin of today. Then put a brand new motor on it.
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Or shop around at places that repair that sort of equipment. There's a fellow up the road from here who fixes pretty much anything, and he always has used anythings for sale -- in good working order, and usually at about a third to a half of what those anythings would cost new.

-Rich
 
Most anything you buy today is junk compared to 15 yrs ago. I am ashamed to sell these new heat pumps for what manufacturers are asking now. It is all about profit and not quality now. Good luck. I have a 15 yr old Troy Built Pony. Still runs great, one spark plug and set of tines.
 
Tom-D said:
BCS tillers, watch for them on E-bay.

I had one for many years it always started second pull, and had several attachments.

http://www.bcs-america.com

http://bcsamerica.com/video/Tiller.swf
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Those look like the old Gravely models. Is Gravely even around anymore? My uncle had a Gravely what we borrowed for a couple of summers. The front tiller attachment did a heckuva job on that Alabama red clay garden. Unfortunately, I don't a place big enough to justify the cost of something that is designed for multiple attachments.

willywildes said:
BCS or Berreto, not cheep but worth it. if you have a lot to do,You want a heavy tiller that won't kill you. And digs deep in few passes. I have an old80'sTroy built Horse with a Briggs & Stratton( fifty pulls to start) but have replaced it with a 35 horse Kubota and 72" Gearmoore tiller. But that's braking the bank. My back is loving it. If I bought another walk behind, it would be a Berreto. Cheep tillers give cheep results and don't last long. If your doing a small space anything with a Honda on it. Check out tractorbynet.com.
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Thanks for the suggestion. I've never seen or heard of Barretto. Looks like another Gravely type variant. Wish I had a place where I could use that much power, but my .7 acres just doesn't need that much work, and my wife won't let me dig up the whole back yard and turn it into a garden. :dunno:

Foxhole said:
I would find an old well built heavy duty model built out of real metal instead of the cheap tin of today. Then put a brand new motor on it.
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea.

RJM62 said:
Or shop around at places that repair that sort of equipment. There's a fellow up the road from here who fixes pretty much anything, and he always has used anythings for sale -- in good working order, and usually at about a third to a half of what those anythings would cost new.

-Rich
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Not a bad idea. I'm usually pretty handy with mechanical stuff. I put new rings in the 5hp B&S on my go-cart when I was 13-14 y/o. I wouldn't mind tinkering with something every once in a while if it was repairable and worth working on.

RV10flyer said:
Most anything you buy today is junk compared to 15 yrs ago. I am ashamed to sell these new heat pumps for what manufacturers are asking now. It is all about profit and not quality now. Good luck. I have a 15 yr old Troy Built Pony. Still runs great, one spark plug and set of tines.
Click to expand...

My grandad had a Troy Bilt when I was in high school. He had a garden big enough that we did most of the prep work with a 265 MF. We planted his corn and peas with an old two row 3-point hitch planter that we rebuilt. If the corn was too tall for the tractor by the time we side-dressed with nitrogen, we would work it in with the Troy Bilt. It did a heckuva job and made the job a lot less painful. We burned a lot of gas through that tiller walking back and forth through the pea patch. The rows were long enough that we would swap out after each round trip. Those were the 'good ol days'. ;)
 
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