Husqvarna DRT900
4.5
5
24
24
DRT 900H - 99.99% Satisfied
Was considering the Husqvarna DRT-900H and the Cub Cadet RT-65H. Both come with a Honda engine. The Husqvarna has a Honda GC-160 engine, 17" tilling width, 13" tires, and a 2-year warranty where as the Cub Cadet has a Honda GC-190 engine, 18" tilling width, 16" tires, and a 3-year warranty. Both are the same price if you know where to look/buy. One has a larger, stronger, engine, wider tilling width, larger tires, and a longer warranty. . . seems like a no-brainer, right? Well, taking all this into consideration I purchased the Husqvarna. Why you ask? Well, the Husqvarna is the only one with a drag-stake and a depth-stake. The Cub Cadet has only a depth-stake. Since most of my tilling will be done with the tines in the forward-rotating mode I chose the tiller with the drag-stake and depth-stake The drag-stake helps to prevent the tiller from "running away" when the tines are rotating forward. So be it.
V
I got the tiller home, read the owner's manual, verified all nuts and bolts were tightened as they should be and checked to make sure that there was oil in the engine's crankcase as Honda states that they ship their engines with oil already in them. They didn't lie.
V
I put gasoline into the tank and set the choke and pulled the starter cord twice and it started with a purr. What a sweet sound it is to have relatively quiet running engine.
Every start since that time it has started on the first pull
Hooray for Honda!!
V
Actually, I did have a small glitch with the tiller. I put the transmission into gear without any fuss. But then, as I pressed the lever to engage the transmission and move the tiller forward there was a metal-to-metal sound that was only audible when the drive was engaged. I recognized the sound as one that occurs when you have a spinning pulley rubbing against thin metal such as that found on the belt cover. So I investigated.
Following the instructions in the owner's manual, I removed the left wheel so I would have easier access to the lower nut. I removed the two screws and the nut holding the belt cover in place. after removing the cover I saw where the transmission pulley had rubbed against the inside of the cover. No big problem. After checking that the transmission pulley was not bent or misaligned with the front pulley, my decision to fix the problem would be to reinstall the belt cover a little further away from the pulley(s). The "play" in the screw holes in the cover allowed me to keep the cover farther away from the pulleys. Also, when tightening the nut on the lower part of the cover I did not tighten it as much as when it was previously installed (at the factory?). I think this actually was the main culprit of the problem. This nut is a type of lock-nut that has a nylon insert that prevents vibration from loosening it. actually, these nuts should be replaced with brand-new ones, as the nylon insert gets deformed on the initial installation and this compromises the locking ability of the nut and might allow the nut to loosen and fall off. So I wiil will replace it with a new lock-nut A.S.A.P.
Husqvarna would do well if they would use a bolt in that location that has a built-in shoulder that the cover would go against to prevent the cover from getting too close to or against the transmission pulley.
It was an easy fix and the tiller is awesome to use.
May 9, 2013
my back feels good
iv tilled with several tillers some that hop arround and dont have adjustable handles and now iv tilled with the drt900 i set my depth dig in an walk allong side it no back brakeing hopeing around no bending down to run it and no luging and tuging it has all the power it needs and the dule rotating tines to eather till or cultivate and it really makes a differince when it comes to digging in fresh soial im vary impressed
April 27, 2013
Big motor but shifts hard at times.
The DRT900 is a awesome tiller to break ground or larger tilling jobs. It had no problems on hard packed clay when using the tines in reverse direction regardless of depth selected. It is a big tiller to to do small jobs but then again you didn't buy this for your flower garden. The only issue I have is sometimes it will hang in gear and wont shift without a little bit of extra force. Then only question I had prior to purchase is whether to spend the extra money on the Honda engine which I didn't. Hope it continues to work as well as it does now.
April 24, 2013
Starts on one pull
The tiller starts on the first pull and is economical to operate. On my first use I was amazed at the small amout of fuel I had used. Operates good and easy to control.
Only complaint is having to hold the lever to operate. My hand gets kind of tired. Also the exhaust should exit the front instead of the back of the tiller.
February 15, 2013
Gas saver
My rear yard is over 1 acer. The tiller only take about 1/2 gal to tilling 1 time. Super gas saver.
January 25, 2013
Excellent for the price,and features
Had it all put togather in less than a half hour. check it all out and gave it a try, my 90 year mother also gave it a try she liked it very much. Very easy to use on her close to 1/4 acher lot. It is well worth the price of $749.00
October 13, 2012
Power
This product has the power to handle any garden task. The tines cut through the all types of soil with ease,even the hard compact soil cultivates with ease....
October 12, 2012
Drt900
AMAZING machine !
Now you have to use it as a machine and get used to how to use it . We have TOMBSTONE clay around here . No Problem .
It powers thru the toughest "soil" If it is wet then it will work different than if it is dry soil.
I think the tines are what makes the machine work so well . Other similar tillers don't have the design to make the poorest soil into better than screened top soil that I have purchased .
I have a steep hill and it still does a great job , up or down.
A lesser Machine would not do what this tiller does...
It is not a toy and Wife can operate it . With a few minutes of careful instructions she was away and happy in her garden.
One has to be careful operating the gear selector , and be sure that is is where you want it to be .
Of course you need to be paying Full attention ...
Our neighbours and the members of the local Horticultural Society are interested in using it.
So looks like I willl be busy .
Makes FAST work out of a hard job, and does it VERY well.
I am Really Impressed with the great job it does ...
Easy starting .
October 4, 2012