 Mike, I do custom Rotavateing, and i have (3) Howards. Other makers have copyed some of Howard designs, and i've looked at a lot of them. None are built as well as a Howard! Maybe those "other" companys should do what John Deere is now doing, just give up, and buy Howards and have them painted "their" own colors!! BTW, i hear JD gets even more for their "green Howards" than Howard dealers get for the same model of "orange Howard"! I all so looked quite a long time for a bigger Howard, and this spring i finally found exactly what i was looking for! A nice HR 30 7', with slectatilth gear box in nice condition. Don't buy one with out the slectatilth gear box! (see picture) My brother says Howards are too expensive, so he bought one of those "other" brands. It held up pretty good in his sandy ground, but then he tilled some ground for a neighbor. The first big stone he hit he bent his tiller!! Doing custom rotavating, i've hit about every thing you can think of, and i've NEVER bent or broke my Howards, but it can be hard on rotor blades to do so. I've had my 6 footer for over 15 years now!! "If" you want a tiller that can do it all, and will "last" in tough conditions you better hold out for a Howard! Might as well pay a little more now, and get something that will handle what ever comes along. Just be sure to get the right size Howard for the PTO HP tractor you have! I've seen some bigger Howards fore sale around here, so don't give up! Hope this helps, Robert
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