Back from Tazewell!

[dannygw]

We got back home from Tazewell with our PT425 and attachments late Saturday night. I have just been to tired and too busy to post. We drove about 1600 miles to Tazewell, spent a half day at Power Trac and drove another 1600 miles home, all in 4 days time. I do not have any major projects scheduled for the PT425 as yet, but still have plenty of small things to do. So far I have been hauling some sand and dumping it into a foundation for my garage I started last fall, then got caught by cold weather and was unable to have the concrete poured. That should be done in about 2 weeks. Then I will start building the garage/storage barn (30' by 50'). I should find some uses for the PT425 during that project.
I met SMJ and his wife last Friday at Power Trac. They was there looking at the diesel's and ended up ordering a PT1445. I'm sorry I didn't have more time to visit with him and his wife, but we went separate ways for our tour/demo/service class.
The Power Trac plant is very impressive and very professional. We met Scott, Christie and Eddie, but did not get to meet Terry. Scott took us out to the PT demo area they had set up, and we tried out several implements for the PT425. The tractor and the implements, with the exception of the rotary tiller, were better even than my expectations. I went ahead with the purchase of the tiller, but with some reservations as to how well it will perform. Every rear mounted tractor rototiller I have used works very well because you can slow down the tractor speed and really till the soil. With the PT, it is difficult to go slow in reverse. Also, Scott told me not to use float when tilling, that it did not work well. So, if the float does not work well, then if will be difficult to till on any kind of uneven ground because you will have to continually adjust the depth manually. I will have to try it out and will post my results.
Picture attachments to follow.

 

[dannygw]

This first attachment is of the Power Trac demo area. The red trailer is the diesel demo trailer set up for SMJ to try out and the green demo trailer is of the PT425 unit I was able to demo.

 

[MossRoad]

Whew! That's a marathon drive! I'll check out your pictures a little later. Congratulations on your purchase. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[dannygw]

Picture #2 is of the PT Rotary Tiller.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Danny: Congratulations, both on your purchase and surviving the drive.
The tiller on my 1845 is bigger, but I think quite like the 425 version. I also was advised that it tilled better if not in float, but I found that not to be true. [425 tiller users, please chime in.]
I have found that a slow pass forward, followed by an even slower pass backward, all in float, and I'm usually at max depth and well tilled, and have erased my tire tracks. You'll find that you can creep either way really slowly when you get used to the pedals, but may be more comfortable after you put in some heel blocks (described in one of the recent threads.)
The fun's just beginning.

 

[dannygw]

Picture #3 is of the PT425 and attachments loaded on the trailer just outside the Power Trac warehouse.

 

[dannygw]

Picture #4 is the same as Pic #3, just a closeup of the trailer and tractor/attachments.

 

[dannygw]

Just in case anyone was wondering why I am in the house on the computer doing these posts instead of out playing with my new toy, it is because the temp in Bismarck, ND right now is 37 degrees with light rain.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Bismarck, ND right now is 37 degrees with light rain. )</font>

Now I know some folks who'd think that was a poor excuse to stay inside, but I'm with you. I never liked motorcycles or tractors unless it was dry and 40 degrees or better. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[FOURTEEN]

Congratulations!! You'll soon be out tearing up the countryside!! Meanwhile, go out to the PT-425 and go over it from stem to stern. Check everything! Tighten everything! Check all fluids (my battery fluid was very low!)! Grease it! Consider the items I detailed at :

this post !

Have fun! By the time the weather clears both you and your new PT-425 will be truly ready to go!!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


EDIT: I shortened the appearance of the long link. MR

 

[pajoube]

Congratulations and for making it home safe.
I never considered that I was not supposed to work the tiller out of float. I have used the tiller on only one major project so far. It was for making a 48 inch wide path for planting a hedge 90 feet long. I put the tiller into float and tilled backward the entire length and then tilled going forward in float the entire length. Worked great but then the ground was almost flat.
PJ

 

[blackwell]

We use the tiller in reverse in float with good results.
EB

 

[eambrose]

Hey Danny - I have the 48 inch tiller and found that it does a good job - especially for the cost of the attachment - some other units out there are nicer with a flap to leave the soil really smooth but they are more money - with respect to tilling in reverse - I find that it works great in either direction -and in float or with down pressure - you will find in reverse you kind of stop / creep and it really works good.

My only complaint is that it seems to get rocks caught fairly easy - maybe due to narrow clearance between the tines and the housing - and the PT does not have a reverse switch on the PTO to clear it - so you have to stop - turn off the PTO and put downpressure on the tilller and back up to get the rock out - seems it would be nice to have a reverse switch - wonder why nobody here has made that mod yet? hmmm

PS that is one heck of a trip you made - Good luck with your new PT!!!

 

[ernemats]

Congratulations on your purchase. I have a 422 with the tiller I find that it works well if you do not have many stone. I also use it in float most of the time and in reverse, you can creep as slow as you want once you get used to the petals. Good luck and have lots of fun using it.

 

[dannygw]

Thanks to all for the encouragement and tips about the rototiller. I will try float as soon as I get around to tilling my garden.
More picture attachments form the trip.
This first pic is of Scott demonstrating the PT425 with the 10 cu. ft. bucket.

 

[dannygw]

This pic is of me testing the 48" Finish Mower at the Tazewell demo site.

 

[dannygw]

This is another pic of Scott, with the 10 cu. ft. bucket loaded full.

 

[pajoube]

Scott will be going on his honeymoon very shortly.
PJ

 

[dannygw]

Another pic. Here is a row of diesels ready to be put to work.
Sorry about the picture quality, my Sony Mavica is only 1.2 MP and does not do well with either too much or too little light.

 

[dannygw]

Here is a row of PT422's with Scott, myself and my wife Betty in the picture. My 16 yr. old son, Derek is the cameraman.