howard rototiller for 7100, need opinions

[les525]

i am in need of a good rototiller for my b7100 but dont have the budget to buy a new one. so i found a howard 40" ''j'' rotovator 500b for what i think is a decent price. its a older tiller but still seems in very good shape. good tines no gearbox leaks and pretty much ready to work. it also has small wheels in the back, for what they do im not sure.

so are these good tillers? are parts still avalable? i have some hard soil so i need somthing durable and that can get the job done

 

[300zx]

les525, I got a Howard tiller with the 1979 B7100 I bought last fall. It is an HK model and I think it is as old as the tractor. I don't remember the width, but it is in the 40 to 48 inch range. My understanding is that it is supposed to be a very good tiller. My gear box seals were leaking, so I had to replace them when I refurbished it. The seals measured a standard 1.98 inches on the outside and I found them locally without going back to Howard. I do have a Howard dealer in North Carolina. I haven't priced any other parts, but I did notice the tines are the same as what are on my Troybilt Horse. Everything on it was SAE and not metric. As far as your wheels, I have seen them on other tillers and I just assumed they were for depth control.

I used it in my garden this Spring and it did a great job. Here are some pictures on min while I was refurbishing it early this year:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110263893958737890068/HowardTiller?authkey=Gv1sRgCJnsl_Cpkt6P1gE

 

[les525]

i heard good things about the howard tillers i just dont know the diffrence in models and if there is some i should stay away from. the owner said he bought it new with a yanmar in the late 70's. for $400 i think i might buy it this weekend. what is the diffrence in the letter models?

 

[300zx]

I don't know the difference in the letters. I do know mine has a number, but it is stored away for the summer and it isn't easy to get to. I did contact this guy who is the rep for Howard. He is very knowledgeable on all of there products.

Steve Mundy
email: howardrotavator2007@yahoo.com
Work: 815-765-9505
Mobile: 309-706-2505

He also gave me my closest dealer's name which is:

Gaston Sealey Company, Fairmont, NC
Phone 800-542-9012

Good luck,

John

 

[Hook]

I have a Howard tiller that is 5' wide. I purchased it new 12-14 years ago. I am not at home now so I can't give you the model # but if you want I will post it later. It has been a good tiller and all I have ever done to it was to replace the tines a couple of years ago. It does have a slip clutch which is a nice feature. The soil here is mostly compacted clay and I almost always break the ground with my harrow before tilling. Doing so will make it easier on you, your tractor, and your tiller.

 

[les525]

this one also has a slip clutch on it also.