Finally had the chance to cut the zip ties on the snow blade...

[Impulse]

... and it is AWESOME! It took a bit to get the hang of tilting it just right when articulating the blade but after that it made quick work of my driveway. Then I went and did 9 others in the neighborhood. I wasn't accepting cash, but plenty was offered. I did accept getting my fuel topped off and one guy refused to let me refuse his money so he jammed some "beer money" in my flap pocket.

I found that the rubber lip they put on is worth every penny. Those getting a blade, I highly recommend it. I also found that it back-drags fantastically, even articulated. Can pull right up to garages, drag out enough to get turned around and away we go.

I also found that back dragging gravel also works perfect in float while leaving the gravel where it should be. Most driveways here are a mix of asphalt / concrete and gravel.

My buddy has a blade on his 4 wheeler and the PT absolutely runs circles around it. Not to mention I can actually pile snow with mine.

Now for a subject change. Hydraulic heating. I tried searching, but no luck finding if anyone has tried a submersible fish tank heater. They are cheap, could I drop one in the tank and let that keep it at 60° or so? I'm sure a little messy, but may work?

Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEARS to all my PT brethren!

 

[Einthewoods]

That's great! Glad it is working out for you (and your beer fund ). Any info on the rubber lip they put on your blade?

 

[MossRoad]

Yes, I really like my plow, too. Piling snow up to about 6' is not a problem with this little machine. :thumbsup:

As for hydraulic heating, I don't think its necessary in my situation... the Kohler starts to -5F pretty well. It may help with yours, though. But I'd be leery of dropping anything in the hydraulic tank, because that leaves the lid open and a good place for dirt to get in. I'd look at the glue-on pads people are talking about and that Power Trac recommends and put it on the inside of the tub somewhere for protection. Then I'd lay some cheap harbor freight moving quilts over it to hold the heat in.

 

[Impulse]

That's great! Glad it is working out for you (and your beer fund ). Any info on the rubber lip they put on your blade?

I'm not certain what it is made of. It's thick and multiple plys. It is strong enough to not give with enough down force to lift the tractor. I'm guessing it will last a very long time but it is made double-sided so if / when one side wears down, you unbolt and flip it over.

Works great for scraping down to bare concrete without the noise of a metal wear plate and is very easy on you when you hit a raised concrete section.

I also bought the guide caster wheels for the blade but took them off.

I had read on here somewhere one of the PT owners bought horse mats and cut them down to strips with an angle grinder I believe.

 

[Impulse]

For the 60 inch blade, it was $127.50 installed. They list it at $150.

 

[Impulse]

Yes, I really like my plow, too. Piling snow up to about 6' is not a problem with this little machine. :thumbsup:

As for hydraulic heating, I don't think its necessary in my situation... the Kohler starts to -5F pretty well. It may help with yours, though. But I'd be leery of dropping anything in the hydraulic tank, because that leaves the lid open and a good place for dirt to get in. I'd look at the glue-on pads people are talking about and that Power Trac recommends and put it on the inside of the tub somewhere for protection. Then I'd lay some cheap harbor freight moving quilts over it to hold the heat in.

What about -7? That's what I'm sitting at right now.

You wouldn't know it sitting out here in the barn. I'm new to the wood burner and may have over done it a bit. Has to be 80 degrees in here with the upstairs door to the loft open.

 

[coolconnection]

The rubber scraper lip is a rubber kevlar mix. It is what they use in the coal mines for their conveyor belts, same stuff. They get it and cut it down for the blade lip. I have it on mine and it works great, cleans right down to the surface.

 

[MossRoad]

What about -7? That's what I'm sitting at right now.

You wouldn't know it sitting out here in the barn. I'm new to the wood burner and may have over done it a bit. Has to be 80 degrees in here with the upstairs door to the loft open.

We're at a balmy 1F right now.

I heat our house with wood. Yes its easy to overdo it on the heat. :laughing:

 

[ponytug]

You don’t want to go the aquarium heartier route- they break, they don’t have that many watts, and they are quite inefficient.

The glue on silicone heaters are the way to go. There’s a video of a Kubota owner that uses two, one on the tank and one wrapped around the suction oil filter to reduce pump cavitation with cold oil.

All the best, Peter

 

[Marks481]

One of the denizens here retrofitted the lid on his hydraulic tank to add a well with a screw-plug immersion heater in it, as well as some suspended magnets. Very nice job. Too bad I can't find the pictures.

Here was another approach, much easier... if you can weld.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/power-trac/345794-pt-2425-oil-tank-heater.html

 

[Impulse]

Any recommendations on brand for the heating pads? It seems that there is no thermostat on these things and they just keep on pumping heat. Is there any risk to leaving these on overnight? I have been browsing for these and couldn't see where any said what temperature these pads go to.

 

[ponytug]

I seem to recall that the Wolverine brand got great reviews here. There's an eBay listing for one. The listing has a table to help you guesstimate the size pad that you need.

If you follow the installation instructions carefully, they should last a long time.

If you are concerned about overheating, I would just add a thermostated extension cord, and you should be good.

All the best,

Peter

 

[SpringHollow]

There are stainless and titanium immersion heaters for aquariums; not all are glass. But there are also bulkhead heaters like this that would make more sense: Chromalox CARTRIDGE HEATER 51917256: Replacement Range Heating Elements: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific