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rustyj14

Troy-bilt Tiller:

rustyj14
12 years ago

Let me start by saying--whoever designed those tillers, must have had a fiendish "bent" in their thinking processes!

The throttle control cable seems backwards in its operation. The forward-back motion seems to change its self just about the time ya get it all figured out, it runs over yer foot, or grinds through the shed wall! There are two curved handles to control motion, and just about time ya get it figgered out what each one does--they seem to switch their tasks, and there goes the wife's petunia patch, freshly dug up!

I repaired one for a friend, who had used it until the mice ate the charging diode, and bit off some wires and built a nest in the flywheel. I delivered it this evening. He started it up, moved a lever, and promptly knocked over part of his stone wall! Fiendish, i say!

Comments (6)

  • mownie
    12 years ago

    RUSTY JONES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please tell us you DID NOT hook those controls up backwards................:^)

  • rustyj14
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Awww, Mownie! I'm not that dumb! But, the folks who designed the controls must of been imbibing that day.
    Then again, the company that made the new fuel shut-off valve, recently, must of wanted to sell something that would save fuel. Nothing came thru it! And brand new at that! The original eectrical diode must have been relished by the mice--they ate the thing!
    Well, after several carb cleanings, i finally figgered it all out, made it run, did 3 carb cleanings, an oil change, and numerous cuss words, and it finally learned who was the boss, and it worked good after that!
    And, yes, even with the ideosyncracies and all, i wouldn't trade it for any other "Johhny-come-lately tiller," bar none. Rustyj

  • furgi1
    11 years ago

    i somewhat agree it seems like if you push a lever forward it would go forword but in a car floor shift you pull it back to go forword and then push it forward to back up the differance is your not use to it on the tiller

  • javert
    11 years ago

    Rusty, you're lucky! Some of my equipment has been cleaned, worked on, cussed at, sweet-talked, kicked, spit on, tumped over, threatened, and hammered on for more than 25 years and STILL doesn't know who's the boss.

  • rustyj14
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Javert--I have tools that i bought in 1946, and they still are ok. I didn't have much of a problem learning how to take care of them-just dump them into the bucket of gasoline, and they'd clean right up, and be usable to this day! A drap of motor oil, or a good soak helped the ratchets. And, a cheap lawn mower would run and run and run! A lawn mower, or rider mower didn't cost an arm and a leg! (I lost one in WW II) They were made well, no cost-cutting there. A Troy-bilt Tiller was the epitome of garden machines! Well designed and constructed. no cheap tin, or plastic, just good old steel. Made to last-forever, if maintained and repaired when needed.
    One problem with the Troy tiller--if you allowed it to tip forward and let the engine hit the hard ground--it would break off the case, or mounting tangs. But, they sold a bumper to prevent that. Ohh, for the good old days--when manufacturers didn't have to worry much about the "Bottom Line"!

  • rustyj14
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Mownie: I fogot about the one that i worked on, way back. I finally got it to run, but being the fiendish thing that it was---it started up, in gear, and dug a ditch thru the yard, with me, on my wood leg, trying to catch it! Finally did, and there after, i made sure i was in control. That patch grew nice weeds.

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