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I don't know if I would buy that tiller to use it- it might look better in the corner of the living room! Looks very clean. It has certainly been used and possibly painted- but you won't find a new one like it. Are the tines worn sharp? It's hard to tell by the pic. That and tire wear compared to new will tell you how much it has been used. Myself, I would test drive it to ensure everything works well, no engine smoke etc. Look over the linkage and case seal areas for signs of seepage. If your up for it, check the gear case oil for level, shavings,smell etc after you use it. Pricing on used ones start at basket pricing and go to plus $1000. $400- $700 depending on what you determine wear to be would be good pricing?

One thing stands out right away in the first picture. See how low to the ground the front guard goes? That's going to be a real problem in loose ground because it's going to push dirt, not go over it. Now take a look at a BCS tiller, there's no comparison. I rented a Honda tiller once from Home Depot and had a terrible experience, all it did was push dirt because it sat so low to the ground. Never again.

That Troybuilt is pretty. I have a late 60s that has been re- engined with an 8 hp B+S. It is a beat up piece of junk. But it enough to warn me away from another one. They are rugged but leak from seals that cant help but be ruined as they till. The drive system, especially reverse is primitive. Parts are/ were still available from MTD last time I tried about 3 yrs ago.

Good looking machine. I have a 1985 PTO model and pushing dirt instead of tilling it has never been a problem. The one pictured is a PTO model as well. After 83 or 84 all were the PTO model I believe. It enables you to remove the tine section and power a log splitter, generator or a chipper/shredder. I also use mine to clear my asphalt drive after a snowfall, works better than you might think, easily beats shoveling. Value- $400-$700 as stated would be fair. Tines should NOT be sharp or pointed like a knife but blunt and square across the face. Sharp and knifelike indicate wear. Replaceable nonetheless. REJ2.

Hey Tomato,

That Troy sure does look nice. The 8 horse Kohler on it is really a great engine. I had one on my 715 BCS I sold and one on my current 730. If you have any trouble, it won't be with the Kohler. With the blade and furrower, I'd agree that it'd be in the 4-700 dollar range. If the tines are worn out, you can get a set for 100 bucks off ebay. When I was in the market for a used tiller, I was looking hard at a few Horses.

That being said, I wouldn't give up my BCS machines for anything. I had a BCS 715, comparable to that Troy, and it really did a good job tilling. I'd still have it if I hadn't upgraded to a newer, bigger 850 and a 730. BCS is still supported by a decent network of dealers. Older Troys are not supported by MTD. There are a few aftermarket companies that support them, but for how long? Troy started offering a few attachment options at the end of their days, but I don't see the attachments for sale often. I have many attachments for my 2 BCS machines - tiller, chipper, finish mower, snowblower, dozer blade, sickle - and can buy many more.

The Troy you're looking at would be a good enough machine. I would wait for a BCS if it were me.

Bill

I am a market gardener and sell produce at the Troy Waterfront Farmer's Market during the summer. I have a couple Troy-Bilts that I bought from the Troy-Bilt factory before it closed; a 3HP Tuffy and an 11 HP Horse Big Red. Both have been trouble free. The Horse has 175 hrs on it. That said,if I was do do it over again I would probably get a BCS. I think it's gear driven versus belt driven, has a less awkward reverse set up and as others have pointed out, has alot of available attachments. If you are only going to be using the tiller for a few hours a year, the Troy-Bilt you have pictured would probably work fine.

I like the old troybilts. I have a early 80's pony that I revived from the junk pile. From that picture, make sure you figure in new tines to the price. Those look as worn as mine and when they wear that thin, they don't till very well.

Check the axle oil to see if it is up to level. Check for leaking at the seals of the tine shaft.

Pricing? I'd say 500 to 600 as is.

Peace

Thanks for the advice. The other situations I am considering regard two floor/demonstration models at two different BCS dealers. One is for a 6.5 horse power Honda 618 with 20' tiller for 1750 and the other is a 5.5 horsepower Briggs 710 for 1250. Any thoughts on these?

Hey,

Do you mean 718? The 718 is a good little machine. My 730 is 10-15 years old and I paid considerably less than $1750. It's gonna be a touch limited in what it can do as compared to the bigger machines, but it'll do a lot more than the Troy or the 710. I'd not even consider a 710 unless it was gonna be a dedicated tiller.

Versus paying $1750 for a 718, I'd go for the Troy Bilt or wait and find an older BCS. I'm not saying the 718 isn't worth it, I'm just saying I'd have a hard time justifying the initial cost.

Here's my 730 on snowblower duty and my 850 on blade duty. The 730 will be mated to either my 18 inch or 26 inch tiller thru the summer. I'll also have it on my chipper part time and once in a great while on the trencher. The 850 will have the 30 inch tiller in the spring and the 38 inch mower thru the summer. It might also get some work on the sickle mower

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Whoops, I did mean the 718. My only problem with the 6.5 Honda does not allow for the chipper attachment. My wife was really liking the idea of that which means upgrading to the bigger 8 HP power engine. I am not sure I am liking that idea due to cost but I do have the green to purchase the 722. I have been scouring for a BCS for a while but none have shown up in my area. Thanks for the images and advice.

I'm looking for a used BCS. I'm in Western NC and would drive a couple of hundred miles. Thanks!

I want to sale my bcs 725 10 horse power but idon't know how mch make offer.

To those who don't know what that wrap around guard is on the front of the tiller for---if ya till without it, you stand a good chance of breaking off the mounting casting that is an integral part of the engine casting! Also, i really can't see how the small circumference of the pipes that make up the guard, would have any bearing on how deep it will till. An nuinitiated person might think that, or somebody who might want to sell another brand! Not one who knows about Troy-bilt tillers!