A Power Trac in North Central Texas

[Bird]

Roughly 20 hours a year. Not much usage for an expensive piece of equipment. I would have expected a lot more.

Yeah, I stopped by there expecting to see at least 10 times that amount of usage. It's a 2004 model but I didn't ask when they got it, so I don't know whether it's 4 or nearly 5 years old, but either way it's less than 28 hours a year.

 

[Bird]

Yeah, I know . . . this thread is two and a half years old. But I had occasion this morning to visit about something entirely unrelated with the city's "Street, Drainage, Fleet, and Storm Water Operations Manager" in the Public Works Department and he said he did a lot of research before they bought the Power Trac and it's the best slope mower he could find. He said even on terrain where you'd sink in over your ankles walking and the Power Trac tires would sink in halfway to the axles, you just can't stick it. He said his only complaint is that it's slow or difficult to get parts since no one in this part of the country ever heard of them.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, I know . . . this thread is two and a half years old. But I had occasion this morning to visit about something entirely unrelated with the city's "Street, Drainage, Fleet, and Storm Water Operations Manager" in the Public Works Department and he said he did a lot of research before they bought the Power Trac and it's the best slope mower he could find. He said even on terrain where you'd sink in over your ankles walking and the Power Trac tires would sink in halfway to the axles, you just can't stick it. He said his only complaint is that it's slow or difficult to get parts since no one in this part of the country ever heard of them.

You gotta LOVE working on machinery to own a Power Trac. They are kinda like some folks' brother-in-laws... rude, crude, lewd, and totally socially unacceptable. But they work hard and get the job done if you can put up with them. :laughing:

 

[Bird]

You gotta LOVE working on machinery to own a Power Trac. They are kinda like some folks' brother-in-laws... rude, crude, lewd, and totally socially unacceptable. But they work hard and get the job done if you can put up with them. :laughing:

The city has a number of other mowing machines and I think the Power Trac is used exclusively for the steep sides of drainage ditches, which this city has quite a number of. So it doesn't get a lot of hours put on it, but is used where they're afraid to use the other machines.

 

[Gravy]

He said his only complaint is that it's slow or difficult to get parts since no one in this part of the country ever heard of them.

Bird - thanks for the follow up. Tell him that there is a simple answer. It's easy and reasonably quick to get parts if price isn't the most important issue. It's just that there is only one viable source and it might be a bit spendy. Don't bother with the usual suppliers. Call Keith at Power Trac...

I do have to wonder what parts they could have needed with so few hours. Maybe the operators are named Bubba and Mongo?

 

[SpringHollow]

I am quite talented - i have had no problem getting my PT 1850 stuck a few times.

Ken

 

[Bird]

I am quite talented - i have had no problem getting my PT 1850 stuck a few times.

Ken

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[cqaigy2]

I've only managed to do it a few times. Much to my Wife's delight!

 

[MossRoad]

I've only managed to do it a few times. Much to my Wife's delight!

You know, spouses get a special sense of satisfaction out of watching their mate fail at something they enjoy...

In my younger days I had a habit of running down aluminum cans with my car to smash them. I would swerve all over the road to get them (when no other traffic was around, of course). I took particular enjoyment in this sport and the ones that were rolling across the road with the wind were my favorite. I had been dating my wife for 6 years before we got married, and, about 3 years after that we were driving through Chain O Lakes state park in Albion, Indiana down a gravel road to a boat launch. I remember it like it was yesterday. The sun roof is open on our '83 beige Chevy Cavalier. The sun is out. Gorgeous day. A gust of wind comes up. A can launches out of the brush and starts blowing across the road. I stomp on the gas and draw a bead on it using a little trick my mom taught me... use the ridge in the hood as a gun sight (mom meant to keep the car near the right shoulder, but I used it to run stuff over). I blasted across the gravel road and with great satisfaction waited for the inevitable crunch of flattening aluminum.... except there was no crunch. There was just the silence of rolling gravel, followed by a scream of "YOU MISSED!!! YOU MISSED!!! You finally MISSED!!! You don't know how long I've waited for that. I HATE it when you do that and you finally MISSED!!!" She actually had tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. I never knew how much it bothered her.

Well, it took me several months to attempt that maneuver again. I got my confidence back and still do it when she is not in the car. I don't miss very often. If she's in the car I hold the wheel steady if a can or paper cup runs out in front of us. Once in a while one commits suicide and rolls right under the tire on its own and she looks at me and I say "I did not try to hit that" and she says "Uh huh, sure" and I remember back 25 years ago to that beautiful sunny day. :laughing:

 

[cqaigy2]

"Uh huh, sure" and I remember back 25 years ago to that beautiful sunny day. :laughing:

Ok that one made me belly laugh! I'm wondering how many other TBers would admit to running over cans, in public, much less missing one.

Still love the crunch sound, when i "accidentally" run over one.