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Troybuilt Bronco tiller
Posted By: Drifter
Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 01:05 AM
Tired of the junk thing it came out with. Looking to swap out the Techumsey or how ever spell it that came on it. Anyone running a predator motor from Harbor Freight on theirs? I am thinking saw on here some that did. Was it a straight bolt up or have to modify a bunch?
Posted By: Law Dog
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 01:10 AM
Look up Surplus Center in Lincoln, NE they have engines for all uses.
Posted By: warrior
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 01:49 AM
Swapped in a 7hp Kohler on mine. It needed some shimming (washers) and lining up to keep the pulleys tight and in line. It ate the main belt until I got it fine tuned. Worked like a charm. When I swapped in new pony tines (larger) it got to be to much to handle on anything but super soft soil. Not enough weight to keep it from jumping around. Now the seals are shot at all four corners so I've bought a pony with a bad engine and will swap over when I get time.
Posted By: rags57078
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 02:05 AM
I use a predator motor on and old troybuilt horse , everything bolted right up . dang good motor going on 4 years now
Posted By: Drifter
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 03:45 AM
Might be doing a trip to Memphis to visit the Harbor Freight toy store.
Posted By: trapNH
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 09:38 AM
Look at utube for engine swaps for troybilt tillers. There are several.
Posted By: huntcook
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 01:01 PM
I put a predator on my 1980 horse TB tiller in the yellow clay dirt it does sometime stall the motor but in all it does a fair job.
Posted By: upstateNY
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 02:30 PM
My buddy put one of them Harbor Freight predator motors on his log splitter.Works great.Starts first pull every time.Hundred bucks,,cant go wrong.
HF engines have real good feed back here. To get best price you need to know their games, side walk sales, coupons etc. I can ask about that if you want.
If you buy the extended warrantee the clerk makes extra money that day.
I too had bad luck with the Indian head engines. The oil pump casting breaks.
To be fair tho, I can break anything.
Posted By: M.Magis
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 02:36 PM
I put a Predator on my old tiller, don't recall the brand offhand. For the most part, all the engines in that "class" are the same. Some slight differences with certain things like belt pullys/bushings and such. But it should bolt right up. I think I just had to adjust/build a new belt alignment bushing with mine. Runs great.
Posted By: Trapper7
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 04:03 PM
I use a predator motor on and old troybuilt horse , everything bolted right up . dang good motor going on 4 years now
Me too. I have an old Troy-bilt Horse. Everything bolted right up. The Tecumseh engine was a piece of junk. The Predator has been great. I think it was White17 who told me it was a good motor when I asked about replacing the Tecumseh. He was right.
Posted By: Trapper7
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 04:05 PM
My buddy put one of them Harbor Freight predator motors on his log splitter.Works great.Starts first pull every time.Hundred bucks,,cant go wrong.
That's right. I paid $100 for mine too. That's got to be at least 5-6 years ago. Been running great ever since.
Posted By: Drifter
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 04:36 PM
The Tecumseh engine was a piece of junk from day 1. Should of taken it back as had a lot of blow by. I hoped it was just the rings needed to wear in but only got worse. Most the Youtube videos I saw were bigger or smaller tillers. Looks like will be going shopping tomorrow. Hope they have some in stock as is around a 100 mile trip to any Harbor Freights from here in the boonies.
Posted By: rags57078
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 05:42 PM
Drifter you have to unhook the low oil wire on a tiller , just unplug it
Posted By: bblwi
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/06/20 11:45 PM
Too bad you have had all those issues with your TB with the Tecumseh engine. Mine is a TB Bronco with a 6 horse engine. I have used it for 8 years and 3 of those were with .75 acre community garden that was tilled probably 3-4 times per season, plus the 2 gardens for our own and son's use which are about .5 acres. I don't do anymore than routine or recommended maintenance with mine and never had an engine or starting issue all those years.
Bryce
Posted By: Drifter
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/16/20 07:59 PM
It lives. Only thing had to do different was a 5/16X24X1" bolt for then end of the crankshaft to hold the main drive pulley on and about 1/2" of spacers behind the pulley to line it all up. It is doing the break in idle no load now.
I saw that mentioned while doing my reading up on it Rags.
Posted By: BillyTraps
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/16/20 08:41 PM
Great info guys, I see those broke down and for sale cheap all the time....looks I might have a troy built tiller w/predator engine in the future.
Posted By: seniortrap
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/16/20 10:17 PM
I bought a cement fisher one year. The motor was junk. I went to Harbor Freight and purchased the 6 horse for $100.
It worked it well for the summer. Then it tore out the internal brass ring gear. There it sets. My son took the motor for some pump.
Can't complain about the working.
Posted By: River Birch
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/17/20 12:08 AM
Have a good friend with a horse and after reading this thread I had to go pull his junk motor and plan on hooking him up with a new predator!
thanks for posting this!
,.,.
Posted By: Drifter
Re: Troybuilt Bronco tiller - 05/17/20 02:20 AM
Mine was a piece of cake. I saw several videos on youtube doing the swap on the horse model. The internal thread is 5/15X24 and my bolt needed to be 1 1/2" long. About 1/2' of 3/4 bore spacers behind the main drive pulley got my belts all in line.