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

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

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

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.

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"!

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.