New Tiller advice

AJ Drew

AJ Drew

Last year was the year when everything broke, including me.  Half way into the season, my Troy Built walk behind tiller took a dump.  I went on with a shovel and uh, well OUCH.  So biting the bullet and buying a new walk behind.  Although this might not seem like much money to a lot of people, it is a major investment for me.  Buying new instead of used because no way I can flip rows with a shovel this year and a used one has much more potential to break down (like my old Troy Built)

So far, it seems the Cub Cadet 65 has the best reviews.  I'd really like some input from other folk before I make the decision.  So what say you, best tiller under $1,000.00???

BTW: Many, many thanks to the folk who made this purchase possible.  Maybe after the next season I will fix my tractor.  Things are really starting to look up.
 
Funny you should ask.

I just a few weeks ago spent hours researching tillers. Let me start by saying I will never own anything Cub Cadet. I owned a brand new riding mower of theirs for exactly 7 hours. I took it back after 20 minutes of mowing, the same day. But that's just me.

Anyway, I ended up buying the Agri-Fab tow behind 36" tiller. It tows behind any riding mower or ATV. I has forward rotating tines so your not wasting your mower transmission, as well as a shock absorbing hitch. It has a B&S engine, and tills to a depth of 5.5".

I bought it here https://www.muttonpower.com/p-11367-agri-fab-36-multi-fit-tow-behind-tiller-45-0308.aspx
For $999.00 on sale. Usually $1399.00

I paid $999.00 no tax and free shipping from Indiana to Washington. It was here within 1 week!
 
Here's a pic.
 
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Dang, thanks TC!
 
Truth is, I am getting older (46). I don't like to beat myself to death anymore. I survived my teens, 20's and 30's but now I realize, I need to works smarter, not harder.
 
I do like toys tho, and I dig that you appreciate that!
 
cheers bro! :cheers:
 
Scoville, no riding lawn mower.  I very much agree about what you said on toys.  I am too old, tired, and broke down to mess with things, gotta buy new and get warranty.

Capcom, I cant.  It is old enough that the parts are no longer available easily.  Something came loose in transmission, shredded gears.  Fortunately, I see them listed for parts at about $100.00 on craigs list, so I figure everyone has the same problem and at least it lets me get a few bucks back for what is not trashed.  Engine great.
 
Are there any lawnmower repair shops in your area?

We have a few around here that do lawnmowers, tillers and other equipment with small engines.

Try asking around,you might find someone that could repair it for cheap.
 
ajdrew said:
 Fortunately, I see them listed for parts at about $100.00 on craigs list, so I figure everyone has the same problem and at least it lets me get a few bucks back for what is not trashed.  Engine great.
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Not necessarily, it may just mean those are good parts from a tiller with  blown engine something else.
 
Capcom, yep.  I see them with either blown engines or with screwed transmissions, both around a hundred bucks.  Could buy one of the ones with a blown engine and put my good engine on it.  But really want that three year warranty and it becomes someone elses problem.  If I lift a feed bag and carry it to the barn I need pain medication to go to sleep that night.  So the things I used to do, not something I can really do anymore.

If I buy the spiffy warranty from Tractor Supply, they pick it up at the farm, repair it, and deliver it back to the farm. 
 
Greetings ajdrew! If you don't mind me adding in my $.02, Do Not get the RT 65!! Get the RT 75($999.99) or if you don't need the auto neutral engagement get the lower priced RT 45($699.99) without question! Also, don't buy the Tractor Supply warranty, they already have a 3yr warranty so if something happens you simply contact Cub Cadet and get a service order number then you can have any Cub Cadet service person work on it parts/labor included. Sure it'd be convenient to have someone come pick it up and bring back but the chances of the RT 45 or RT 75 going bad are very slim, the RT 65 on the other hand will be nothing but trouble and the shit transmission with gears and chain will not last... I had 3 transmissions fail on me in 11 years, the first one was covered under warranty and someone came out to replace it with a new one, the 2nd I replaced the sheared gear and stretched chain myself(about a 5hr messy job), then the third time I just bought a newer used tiller and put swapped the transmission. Never, Ever, EVER will I buy another chain drive tiller. 
 
I too am buying a new tiller this season, I went without gardening all last year due to not having a tiller and I can't go through it again :) I'm either getting the RT 75 or the real machine with a lifetime warranty a BCS tractor with tiller attachment.
 
Oh, and Tractor Supply runs 10% offer sometimes that you can use towards the tiller.
 
Cheers
 
Pepper3rFreak, thank you.  Today learned that the TS extended warranty does not include pick up or delivery.  My farm is outside their delivery zone, so the extra money is useless.  However, there is a cub cadet service center just 15 miles away.  So I am good to go in that department.

I am looking at the TS page, can find no reference to different transmissions or chains.  The thing I like about the TS 65 is that you can switch between forward and rear turning tines.  I am going with that is the difference in transmissions.  Yes?  More moving parts to break?

 
 
BTW: Have small New Holland tractor with 4 foot pto tiller for corn and what not.  The produce field is 12 foot long raised rows with grass between rows to fight erosion.  Kind of hard to explain.  The property is sloped East to West (rows) and South to North (between sections).  Water moves between tows to the between section where it goes a series of mini ponds at the back of the property.  Have learned without that grass, the ponds fill with sludge and I get what can best be described as mini canyons between the rows in heavy rain.

When tilled down and things are getting going, will post photos.  It is either years of work.  Kind of proud.  Works great.  Never floods.  Have water even in a drought cause I catch so much.  Ponds at back with fence keep the deer out well.
 
A rule to live by.....always get the one with the biggest (or most powerful) engine...always
This applies to everything.
 
ajdrew said:
Pepper3rFreak, thank you.  Today learned that the TS extended warranty does not include pick up or delivery.  My farm is outside their delivery zone, so the extra money is useless.  However, there is a cub cadet service center just 15 miles away.  So I am good to go in that department.
I am looking at the TS page, can find no reference to different transmissions or chains.  The thing I like about the TS 65 is that you can switch between forward and rear turning tines.  I am going with that is the difference in transmissions.  Yes?  More moving parts to break?
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Awesome news, 15 miles away for cub cadet service is great and you will be covered for 3yrs. The 65`s transmission has nothing really to do with the dual action tines other then being cheaper made with its setup. Most decent rear tine tillers offer forward and reverse tilling, although what you want it to use it in counter rotating, all the tillers I have used sucked with forward rotating as they don't dig in. The differences in price are either features or trans drive and chain or belt are the cheaper setup. Probably 80% of tillers use the gear and chain setup because its cheap to make but are much easier to break. They are sealed so properly oiling/greasing is almost impossible, water/moister accumulates inside, and chains stretch. Just do some online review research, you will find all you need to know about the 65 model or other similar setups. I emplore you to research good before deciding as its a pricey item. Best of luck with your decision and by all means if I can ever help with a question gimme a holler.
 
Pepp, did much research.  The 65 has lots of reviews, some bad, but most good.  The other models do not have nearly as many reviews.  I did note that the current version has a very different set up than previous models.  There is a lock out that prevents you from shifting between forward and reverse tine direction without slacking the belt by releasing the handle.  I wonder if maybe the previous versions were ripping the transmissions apart and stretching the chain by going reverse to drive like Rockfert used to do to his car in that old TV show.  Did that as a teen, fine if you do not mind changing clutches but hell on an automatic.

Now the Blues Brothers parking thing, not so good no matter how I tried.. 

nzchili said:
A rule to live by.....always get the one with the biggest (or most powerful) engine...always
This applies to everything.
Click to expand...
Ye, between that and what Pepp said I am thinking about scraping the extra coin for the next model up.  Hard to explain unless you have been there but $1,000.00 is a huge chunk of money for a person like me.  The focus on peppers did well last year, but still to spend that coin and have a bad season, maybe find out I cant keep up, it scares the crap out of me.  Hell, my truck isnt worth a thousand dollars.
 
Maybe you can find someone locally to trade produce with that has a tiller and wouldn't mind lending it out or coming over to lend a hand. I have a belt driven mastertill that I have been using for 20 years with (knock on wood) no issues, works like a champ. I till a couple of neighbors gardens for them in spring every year and they always drop off some goodies at harvest time. Cheers
 
+1 to the trade offer, throw out a post on craigslist or something to see if any local want to assist. Also, do you have any local tool rental places? Perhaps renting a tiller out a couple times a year would be a good choice as it wouldn't put you out all that money.
 
Pepp3rFreak said:
+1 to the trade offer, throw out a post on craigslist or something to see if any local want to assist. Also, do you have any local tool rental places? Perhaps renting a tiller out a couple times a year would be a good choice as it wouldn't put you out all that money.
Click to expand...
In my experience renting a decent tiller (read: not mantis style) is only cost effective for those who can't store one, or those who only need to till a small plot for an afternoon once or twice every few years. I looked into it local to me last year, and it gets pricey fast. If you're using it every year renting simply doesn't make sense.

Mantra my grandfather taught me "if you have to borrow a tool more than twice, you should own it"

That said I'm unfortunately not much help, I bought a cheap midrange troybuilt circa 1980s on craigslist it is a bitch to handle, but I'm still young for a few more years.
 
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