Given the current prices in 2025, what are your thoughts on PT422 over PT425?

[yim]

$4,300 spread over 20 years of ownership would be $215 per year not considering the net present value of how those funds might have been otherwise invested.

But I really want to emphasize using the search tool to read prior discussion threads because they may contain some very useful insights that have already been posted. Some of those members may be no longer active, but their insights are still valuable.

Those old threads are very helpful and still very relevant since the machines haven't changed drastically over the years. 10-15 years ago it seemed like an easier choice to go with the 425 because it was only $2k more. Now that it's $4.3k more it's maybe a little closer but you make a good point about the cost spread over 20 years.

 

[MossRoad]

Those old threads are very helpful and still very relevant since the machines haven't changed drastically over the years. 10-15 years ago it seemed like an easier choice to go with the 425 because it was only $2k more. Now that it's $4.3k more it's maybe a little closer but you make a good point about the cost spread over 20 years.

If you pay $1.85 for a 20 ounce soda from a vending machine every weekday for 50 weeks a year over 20 years it'll cost you $9,250.

Hope that helps!

 

[yim]

Everything depends on your specific needs and circumstances, like most things in life. For perspective, I own two 425s and an 1845, all purchased used. On one of the 425s, I upgraded both the wheel motors and the engine (to 35 HP).

On hilly terrain (which you don't have, but others will read these comments) using the 60" mower, I find the standard 425 to be a bit underpowered. That assessment comes from personal experience as well as extensive calculations. But would a 422 with a 48" mower be worse? Hard to say. On level ground, you might not even notice the difference.

Regarding lift height, those extra 8 inches can make a big difference in certain situations—like loading material into a trailer or using forks to unload cargo from a tall trailer such as an 18-wheeler.

When it comes to attachments, you may not need many. For me, the sweet spot includes the mower, a bucket, and a set of forks. Everything else tends to sit mostly unused. Although I own other machines now, I’m considering this from the perspective of when I relied on the 425 for everything.

Personally, I’d definitely choose the 425 again—for the extra horsepower, larger wheel motors, higher lift capacity, ROPS (I'd had several branches fall on the ROPS), and dual steering cylinders (assuming that hasn’t changed). For the work I do most often, I’d prioritize those built-in features over collecting more attachments. I have lots of attachments, as part of the used package deal, that have never been used.

In the end, it's a difficult choice if you have level ground (as you mentioned). If you don't, then it's an easy choice in my opinion.

Appreciate you sharing your experience. You make a good point about the attachments. It's easy for me to get caught up in thinking about all the different things I could do with a bunch of attachments but in reality I'd probably only use a handful of them regularly.

 

[MossRoad]

Hi guys, I've been reading a lot of great information on Power Trac on this forum so thanks to everyone that posts here. Most people are recommending that if you are going to buy new you might as well upgrade to the PT425 but seems like most of the comments on here are from some years back when the price difference was only a few thousand. Currently, the PT425 is $4,300 more than the PT422... that could buy a lot of attachments. I was planning on get the 425 but I'm leaning more and more to the 422 now.

The 425 has
- Bigger wheel motors
- 8" higher lift
- ROPS
- Can use the 60" mower

I think you can add the ROPS to the 422 and I'd use the 48" mower because I'm mowing areas with a boatload of trees to get around. That leaves the higher lift and bigger wheel motors. I'm on 4.5 acres that is pretty flat and I'll just be using it around the property for basic mowing, landscaping, etc type stuff so I'm not sure those 2 things are worth the extra 4,300. What do you guys think? When would you choose the 422 over the 425?

Did anyone say welcome to TBN?

If not, Welcome to TBN!

 

[yim]

If you pay $1.85 for a 20 ounce soda from a vending machine every weekday for 50 weeks a year over 20 years it'll cost you $9,250.

Hope that helps!

Add a bag of chips and a cookie everyday and that's enough money to buy all 40+ attachments!

 

[2manyrocks]

Hard to swallow, but the price of most durable assets has doubled over the past 10-15 years.

Think about the kind of work you actually intend to do with the machine. A rotary cutter and a front bucket probably cover most use cases, but what specific work do you need to get done?

 

[MossRoad]

Appreciate you sharing your experience. You make a good point about the attachments. It's easy for me to get caught up in thinking about all the different things I could do with a bunch of attachments but in reality I'd probably only use a handful of them regularly.

Here's what I bought back in 2001...

60" finish mower
48" brush cutter
Pallet forks
Small rock bucket with teeth
Large light material bucket
60" power angle snow plow with gauge wheels.
I bought the armrests and loading ramps as well.
The arm rests are great! The loading ramps were necessary because I used to remove my pickup truck tailgate and back the PT425 into the bed with either the mower or brush cutter attached. OR, I'd nest the forks in the small bucket and then the small bucket in the large bucket.
We eventually bought an 18' car hauler trailer.

Total package was around $13K. Yikes!

d

The forks are very handy for moving logs for firewood and prying out bushes and small sapling stumps. And the occasional giant clamshell move...

I added the backstop to the forks I got from a friend. You can't see it from this image, but there are two yellow forks attached the same width as the backstop. Great for unstable things.

I also bought a blank Quick Attach plate. To that, I've added a 2" receiver tube. This is great for putting in things like a trailer ball hitch to move trailers around, a hitch ring for attaching chains and straps, etc... it's kind of unlimited as to what you can put in that receiver. I made a soil slicer from a plow share and use it to edge my driveway, and I made an 8" wide sod remover for stripping sod from the edges of our flower beds out of some more plow shares. A boom pole will be next on my list.

The mower gets used once a week now. The brush cutter a few times a year to mow a few miles of trails. It destroys anything in its path.

We don't get much snow anymore, but when we did, the power angle snow blade is fantastic! Not only does it angle left and right, it dumps and curls like a bucket. You can stack snow 6' high easily. It is so much faster than a bucket.

The small bucket with teeth is great for pushing in to loose material like larger rocks, and breaking sod. The large bucket with straight edge is great once you get a break in the sod, to get under it. Also makes quick work of gravel, crushed limestone, sand, mulch, etc...

It's just as fast going forward as in reverse, so that's when the arm rests really come in handy. Kinda like a locomotive engineer looking backwards out the window.

Anyhow, after 23+ years of owning it, if I had to buy another one, I would.

If I had one regret, I should have gotten the grapple bucket. It is the same as the rock bucket with teeth, plus a grapple. Other than that, I'm good.

Good luck in your decision making process.

 

[2manyrocks]

I would consider buying the T8 quick attach plate and welding it to a SSQA mount so you can use SSQA attachments or fabricate your own using blank SSQA plates. This opens up your options to add pallet fork attachments, trailer hitch adapters, etc. without necessarily having to buy PT specific attachments provided you don't go too heavy with the SSQA mount/attachments.

edit: I also agree with Moss Road to consider buying some kind of grapple and/or grapple bucket since you mentioned having trees to mow around. I use my tractor grapple much more than a bucket.

 

[2manyrocks]

Also, while mini skid steer attachments might be better suited to being adapted to PTs due to being lighter in weight than SSQA counterparts, the mini skid attachments seem to be higher in price. SSQA plates are very affordable if the OP wants to build something specific to his needs without spending a fortune.

I don't own a PT425. Guessing it would be easier to use the PT425 quick attach hydraulic control to control a grapple cylinder than having to add something to the PT422?

 

[bel422]

Hi guys, I've been reading a lot of great information on Power Trac on this forum so thanks to everyone that posts here. Most people are recommending that if you are going to buy new you might as well upgrade to the PT425 but seems like most of the comments on here are from some years back when the price difference was only a few thousand. Currently, the PT425 is $4,300 more than the PT422... that could buy a lot of attachments. I was planning on get the 425 but I'm leaning more and more to the 422 now.

The 425 has
- Bigger wheel motors
- 8" higher lift
- ROPS
- Can use the 60" mower

I think you can add the ROPS to the 422 and I'd use the 48" mower because I'm mowing areas with a boatload of trees to get around. That leaves the higher lift and bigger wheel motors. I'm on 4.5 acres that is pretty flat and I'll just be using it around the property for basic mowing, landscaping, etc type stuff so I'm not sure those 2 things are worth the extra 4,300. What do you guys think? When would you choose the 422 over the 425?

Hi, newbie here. Bought a Pt 422 new last november, and I added the ROPS for $500. The extra $ for the pt425 did not seem worth it then, and still doesn't seem necessary, but I suppose a little more power is always good. I live in a very hilly area, and the 422 gets the job done.

 

[2manyrocks]

Hi, newbie here. Bought a Pt 422 new last november, and I added the ROPS for $500. The extra $ for the pt425 did not seem worth it then, and still doesn't seem necessary, but I suppose a little more power is always good. I live in a very hilly area, and the 422 gets the job done.

Which attachments did you buy?

 

[bel422]

Stump grinder, 4 in 1 bucket, brush cutter, and adapter which I bolted to a 4' snow blade.

 

[marrt]

Below are some quick thoughts on the attachments I own (excluding the cement mixer):

1. Buckets:
   I have every bucket available. I mostly use the Light Material Bucket because it’s the largest. If you plan to load material into a truck, consider using the 4-in-1 bucket. The 425’s lift height isn’t quite enough to dump into a truck bed without some effort. Since the bottom of the 4-in-1 bucket opens, it makes unloading easier. You can also use it to grab and lift logs for cutting or to move them. That said, it's small and heavy.
2. Potato Digger:
   Very helpful for loosening soil. The 400 series doesn’t have the weight or power to dig well in undisturbed ground—at least not where I live. The plow does a good job of loosening soil beforehand. I’ve occasionally used the forks for this too, though they can be damaged if you're not careful.
3. Forks:
   In my opinion, these are a must-have. Once you own them, you’ll find many uses—especially as you get older and prefer to avoid heavy lifting.
4. Backhoe:
   I’ve never used it. This attachment puts a lot of stress on the lift arms, and several users have reported damage to their arms. However, with a thumb attachment, it could be useful for picking up logs for cutting, if that’s something you do regularly.
5. Snow Blade:
   I haven’t used it. I have a gravel driveway and 4WD vehicles. Snow usually doesn’t stick around long enough here to be a problem. Same goes for the snow blower—I’ve never used it, and neither did the previous owner.
6. Brush Cutter:
   Works better than I expected, and is useful if you need it.
7. Tiller:
   I rarely use it. It tends to shake the machine if the ground is rocky or hard. Rocks also get stuck between the tines and the housing, which brings everything to a halt.
8. Post Hole Digger:
   Works OK in soft soil. Doesn’t clear dirt very well, so you’ll need to keep pulling it out of the hole while spinning.
9. Grapple Bucket & Utility Grapple:
   These are great for brush cleanup and holding logs while cutting.
10. Box Blade:
    Used it once and didn’t like it. I get better results with a bucket.
11. Trencher:
    I haven’t used it.
12. Stump Cutter (Wheel Trencher):
    Haven’t used it yet, but I can see how it could be handy for laying low-voltage wire or shallow tubing.
13. Rake:
    Haven’t used it. I’m not sure what I’d use it for.
14. Lift Boom:
    Very handy at times. I would definitely buy it again.
15. Fertilizer/Salt Spreader:
    Haven’t used it.
16. Trailer:
    Seems useful, but I haven’t needed it since I already own a regular dump trailer.
17. Trailer Towing Adapter:
    Occasionally useful, especially for moving empty trailers.
18. Sweeper:
    I haven’t used it, but I imagine it could be handy for leaf cleanup or light snow removal.

Cement Mixer:
I don’t own this one, but it seems like it would be useful. You can adjust the position for easy loading and then transport the mix directly to where it’s needed.

 

[ponytug]

@bel422 @yim Welcome!

@marrt great list! Like you, I have a couple of implements that didn't pan out (fertilizer spreader for us, as I used it once (worked great), and decided to change our land use practices), and some that really did, e.g. forks, the LMB, post driver, trencher, and rototiller

I am more of the cost/benefit mindset, and I think it depends on individual needs and uses.

When we bought this property, I could see that it had a number of projects that were in need of either repair or building. Of course, a bunch more emerged after the fact. After a broken main water line (I do not recommend excavating fully saturated wet clay soil by hand, misery) that the 4n1 bucket made pretty quick work of, and a large drainage project that was a hoof saver for the horses, and to me, mentally, the tractor paid for itself very quickly. Had we outsourced a number of those projects, several would have been close to the purchase price of the tractor, redoing the wood fencing more. Overall, I know we are way ahead, but I didn't buy it just to mow, or rototill, or any one thing, I bought it as a force multiplier to enable me to do more projects, more quickly, and at a lower cost to me.

All the best,

Peter

 

[bel422]

Below are some quick thoughts on the attachments I own (excluding the cement mixer):

1. Buckets:
   I have every bucket available. I mostly use the Light Material Bucket because it’s the largest. If you plan to load material into a truck, consider using the 4-in-1 bucket. The 425’s lift height isn’t quite enough to dump into a truck bed without some effort. Since the bottom of the 4-in-1 bucket opens, it makes unloading easier. You can also use it to grab and lift logs for cutting or to move them. That said, it's small and heavy.
2. Potato Digger:
   Very helpful for loosening soil. The 400 series doesn’t have the weight or power to dig well in undisturbed ground—at least not where I live. The plow does a good job of loosening soil beforehand. I’ve occasionally used the forks for this too, though they can be damaged if you're not careful.
3. Forks:
   In my opinion, these are a must-have. Once you own them, you’ll find many uses—especially as you get older and prefer to avoid heavy lifting.
4. Backhoe:
   I’ve never used it. This attachment puts a lot of stress on the lift arms, and several users have reported damage to their arms. However, with a thumb attachment, it could be useful for picking up logs for cutting, if that’s something you do regularly.
5. Snow Blade:
   I haven’t used it. I have a gravel driveway and 4WD vehicles. Snow usually doesn’t stick around long enough here to be a problem. Same goes for the snow blower—I’ve never used it, and neither did the previous owner.
6. Brush Cutter:
   Works better than I expected, and is useful if you need it.
7. Tiller:
   I rarely use it. It tends to shake the machine if the ground is rocky or hard. Rocks also get stuck between the tines and the housing, which brings everything to a halt.
8. Post Hole Digger:
   Works OK in soft soil. Doesn’t clear dirt very well, so you’ll need to keep pulling it out of the hole while spinning.
9. Grapple Bucket & Utility Grapple:
   These are great for brush cleanup and holding logs while cutting.
10. Box Blade:
    Used it once and didn’t like it. I get better results with a bucket.
11. Trencher:
    I haven’t used it.
12. Stump Cutter (Wheel Trencher):
    Haven’t used it yet, but I can see how it could be handy for laying low-voltage wire or shallow tubing.
13. Rake:
    Haven’t used it. I’m not sure what I’d use it for.
14. Lift Boom:
    Very handy at times. I would definitely buy it again.
15. Fertilizer/Salt Spreader:
    Haven’t used it.
16. Trailer:
    Seems useful, but I haven’t needed it since I already own a regular dump trailer.
17. Trailer Towing Adapter:
    Occasionally useful, especially for moving empty trailers.
18. Sweeper:
    I haven’t used it, but I imagine it could be handy for leaf cleanup or light snow removal.

Cement Mixer:
I don’t own this one, but it seems like it would be useful. You can adjust the position for easy loading and then transport the mix directly to where it’s needed.

Nice list!
Just a note about the stump grinder. Very useful to grind stumps to ground level or lower. Can also dig holes. Quite messy, however, and it fills the front of the 422 with debris. I wear a full clear face mask as you can hurl stones inward. I've also hung a piece of an old tarp from hooks band clamped to the ROPS for more protection.

 

[kmaz]

Welcome bel422! A past member “fourteen” was a big fan of reversing many things PT related, the stump grinder being one. He turned the blade around and reversed the hoses so the chips flung forward. I’m not saying to do it! He swore by it.
Kris

 

[m5040]

Backhoe:
I’ve never used it. This attachment puts a lot of stress on the lift arms, and several users have reported damage to their arms. However, with a thumb attachment, it could be useful for picking up logs for cutting, if that’s something you do regularly.

I searched and couldn't find any info, any chance you saved the post on operators that damaged their arms while using a front excavator (backhoe) attachment? I use Titan brand hoes on my tractors which is larger and more elaborate then the PT model and haven't noticed any damage yet. I use them for digging out large rocks and with the thumb and it is probably one of the most used attachments!
This is obviously important to me as I don't want to damage the machines. But until I read this, I thought them to be pretty solid machines that can only be damaged by lack of proper maintenance.
Maybe this should be a new post?
Thanks in advance.

 

[marrt]

I couldn't find the post with a quick search either. From what I remember, it involved breaking welds on a center pivot—the part that curls the bucket. I think Terry mentioned that the backhoe puts a lot of stress on the arms, probably due to leverage.

 

[MossRoad]

I couldn't find the post with a quick search either. From what I remember, it involved breaking welds on a center pivot—the part that curls the bucket. I think Terry mentioned that the backhoe puts a lot of stress on the arms, probably due to leverage.

From the amount of times I've had the rear wheels off the ground just by prying too hard with my forks, I could see that.

On that note, I dug out my septic tank lids yesterday, and only lifted the rears once or twice.

 

[m5040]

I couldn't find the post with a quick search either. From what I remember, it involved breaking welds on a center pivot—the part that curls the bucket. I think Terry mentioned that the backhoe puts a lot of stress on the arms, probably due to leverage.

I don't get that. When you use a loader bucket and drive into a material pile or virgin earth, then curl the bucket back to lift and fill the bucket as your driving in, I stall out the hydraulics (relief valve opens). To me that puts as much stress on everything. When Leverage comes into the picture (longer attachment), it just makes the relief valve open with less weight, you don't get to work it harder/lift more utilizing the leverage. It works against your capabilities. Using arbitrary numbers, if the relief opens at 100 psi, the front end loader linkage sees a consistent pressure in relation to the 100 psi of hyd pressure. It is the same with a bucket, forks or excavator. The only time this would be an issue is if there is no circuit relief, that is needed when the control valve is in the closed position (oil locked into lift cylinder, hose and deadheaded at valve) and you apply greater force. Like when carrying a rock and you hit a pothole. Machines like John Deere have a relief valve to unload this force. Not sure if PT has this and when I think they engineered leakage into the system, this may be the reason (this is why a raised bucket will be on the ground in a short period of time).