General Questions

[bmac]

I have been contemplating the purchase of a compact tractor. I have a small (1 acre) lot now with no immediate plans to move. However, we have always wanted a house on some acreage (5-10) and in 3 years or so may take the plunge.

I have been seriously thinking of getting a Kubota BX22. I have some work to do now that I'm sure would be easier with a backhoe, but after I complete these projects, I wll probably have to look hard to finds things to do with that attachment. Some folks have advised me to just rent a backhoe when I need it and scale down my pruchase to a BX 2200. Well, I really dislike renting equipment (almost always something is wrong with the stuff I rent, I tend to have time for projects in small increments, the hassle of pick-up and return, weather uncertainties, etc.) Plus, it looks like a BH would be fun (can't let my wife see this comment).

So, I happen upon this forum and start to learn a little about the Power Trac. Looks like a versatile line of products with all of the attachments they offer. However, I would like to confirm my understandings with you pros.

It looks like anything in thier lineup can mow. But it seems that the 2400 series would not be the ideal machine for residential mowing. I base this comment only on the pictures from their website - the geometry of the 2400 series just doesn't look like a mowing machine.

Secondly, I didn't see a backhoe as an option for 400, 1400 or 1800 machines. So, am I correct in assuming that the BH is not available for these series of Power Tracs?

The lack of a dealer network scares me. Is it safe to conclude that Power Trac machines are not well suited for those of us who aren't mechanically inclined enough to do repairs themselves? I just don't have the experience to troubleshoot and repair hydraulic/electrical/engine problems that are likely to pop up. Can a conventional tractor dealership work on these things?

As I look over the Power Trac website, I don't see a section on implements/attachments. Am I missing something? The only thing I found is the options listing on the price quote forms. It would be nice to see photos of these things.

And, finally (for now), how about shipping? I assume these come on a flatbed trailer. How does one unload a machine this size without a loading dock? Do you have to take a trailer to the freight line terminal to pick it up there or do they have a mechanism to deliver it to your house?

Thanks in advance for any information/advice you can share. I'll keep reading the posts here to learn as much as I can on my own about this interesting line of products.

Edit: As I re-read this post I wonder if other readers would perceive it as negative. I certainly did not intend it to be. Rather, I want to make sure that I understand the features of the different models, that I don't buy a product that requires more expertise than I have for maintenance and repairs, and that I understand the limitations of ordering heavy equipment that requires shipment. I hope the Power Trac faithful on this forum were not offended by the wording of my queries above.

Thanks you.

Bruce

 

[Steven]

I think you should also look at resale value if you decide to get a larger tractor when you move if the lot size is much larger than you thought. I personaly think that the bx-22 would hold it value more just because it has the backhoe. the backhoe always comes in handy, I use mine more than the loader. but the bx-22 may be to small for 5+ acres if you have to mow that much. don't limit your new home purchase on the size of the tractor you have, get something that works for you now, then sell it and upgrade to a larger one when the time comes. just get something that will hold it value.

 

[bubenberg]

if you do a search on this site you will find answers to almost all your questions. shipping alone in this calendar year has been discussed many ways .... for sure.

i see kubota owners still love to get their two cents in and the old resale value is here again. am amazed that just a few month back, people got angry at each other and out bit each other for the only, and at that vintage model pt available this whole year.

would love to buy a used one to add to my landscaping business, they are just not around ....does that not explain RESALE VALUE ?!?!?!?!?!?!?

if you have specific questions that are not already available, please contact me anytime.

good luck

hrl

 

[bmac]

Well, maybe I should not have prefaced my original questions with the comment about the Kubota. Just wanted the reader to know what I was considering so that the Power Trac users could make an arguement for the PT over the BX. Certainly did not want to fuel what sounds like an on-going feud.

As owners of what I would call an unconventional tractor, I'm sure that you have good reasons for owning the PT. I posted my questions here in hopes of getting responses from PT users only (I've asked enough questions in the Kubota and NH forums about those brands).

From searching as you suggested for shipping information, what I learned is that most people had their PTs shipped by Overnight and that there was almost always some superfical damage (scratches) that occurred in transit. I also learned the shipping prices to several areas of the country. I did not learn how one accepts delivery from the shipping company, something I have no experience with.

From my search on backhoes, I eventually did learn that only the 2400 series are backhoe compatible. However, there seems to be some hope that a backhoe option for the other series might be possible. Anything new in this area? Also, there seems to be some disagreement as to whether or not the 2400 series would make good mowers. Has anyone who has visited the factory and tested the various models formed an opinion about using the 2400 series for lawn care?

Regarding the maintenance/repair issues. While it looks like many PT owners are quite adept at modifications and are skilled in things mechanical, at least one post stated that repairs are (or should be) simple because of the design/engineering of the PT. What do you think? Should a newcomer to tractors steer clear of a machine like this if they don't have a technical/mechanical background?

So, thanks for the suggestion to do a search on these items. While it was informative, it was also very time consuming and still left unanswered questions or incompletely answers. Nevertheless, it was fun reading.

 

[deadstick]

Hi bmac,

I chime in on the shipping and maintenance issues..

Shipping: Cost me around $550 to ship the PT-425, 2 buckets and tiller to Austin TX. I shipped via Overnite but could have used a private shipper who would deliver to my door but it was more expensive. The only issue I had was they slightly ripped the seat and I just filed a claim and received a new one after a couple of weeks.

Overnite ship to there distribution centers (or whatever they are) and not to your door. The way I got my PT home was I called up as tiltbed tower to come pick it up from Overnite and then deliver to my home. The tiltbed was the exact height of the dock so they just drove it right on and their forklift put the pallet containing the other attachments on. When we got home we tilted the bed and drove it off. Couldn't have been simpler...

Maintenance: I am by no means an expert at things mechanical so I was a bit worried in that dept before buying but I knew fromn reading here that there was good support with the members here.

Power-Trac's documentation is lacking in my opinion and I rely totally on this group to help me through any issues. So far, the small problems that I have encountered I've tackled with ease from info gleened here and talking to Power-Trac. Maintenence is the same with all the info I needed coming from these forums....

I haven't had any experience on any other tractor, so I have no comparison, but this PT is one heck of a machine....

 

[bmac]

deadstick,
Thanks for the reply. When you mention a tiltbed tower are you referring to a wrecker-type truck? Sounds like a good idea. How far was the distribution center from your home? Cost of the tiltbed?

So, the PT owners manual is not as complete as you would like? Do they have a seperate, more detailed shop manual available? As they are a factory-direct outfit, I guess they would have no need for a shop/service manual.

As I was mowing my yard tonight with my conventional Craftsman lawn tractor, the idea of a front-mounted mower is sounding more and more appealing. Just too much area in the corners of my fence that the mower can't reach. Of course, for $150 I guess I could get a cheap push mower to get these areas. But where's the fun in that?

I'm not familiar with the soil conditions in Austin, but here in georgia we are cursed with hard, red clay. Do you know if the PT 425 FEL dig in hard clay? I have a landscaping project around a newly installed pool that will required a substantial amont of excavation. Obviously, if I go with the 425, a backhoe won't be an option, so I would need to have a machine that could muscle its bucket into this clay. Any thoughts here? Also considering the planter auger for installing trees. Do you thing this thing could drill a 30" hole in hard clay?

Thanks again for the reply.

 

[deadstick]

bmac,

Yes, by a tiltbed tower I mean the wrecker type that they normally use for cars. Worked out great. The distribution center was about 50 miles from my place (I live in Dripping Springs, they were in Round Rock) so it ended up costing me $130 to get it to my door. To ship it through the private shipper (not Overnite) it would have cost me $1200. I shopped around as some of the towers wanted upwards of $250 /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

The manuals I got were the Kohler Engine manual and the Power-Trac manual. The PT manual has information such as each part on the machine, with picture, electrical schematics etc. There are a couple of pages related to maintenance which I think are a bit lacking. The attachments appear to not come with any manual (Ididn't get any) which I think they should or atleast some documentation that states what kind of regular maintenance is needed. The fix for all this is just to call them up and most instructions are fairly simple but I'm the type that hates calling someone up each time I have a question when a manual could have explained it.

I too moved from a craftsman riding lawnmower to the PT, and let me tell ya, the mowing is 100 times better. Sure, the 60" mower helps make it go quicker from the 42" but it is the maneuverability that amazes you. The mower out front lets you get under places I couldn't before and the HST allows me to go backwards/forwards instantly. I actually enjoy mowing now /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

The soil here in Dripping Springs can get very hard as well. When it doesn't rain for a while it is like cement. I bought the PT primarily for clearing part of my land and it is working out great. Here we have the hard soil and also those [censored] rocks. I've dug out 5'x3' rocks that have been completely buried. If I was buying again, I would get the bar tread tires rather than the turf. There were some cases I would have liked extra grip on the tires.

I don't have an auger or PHD so I can't comment on those. Maybe someoone else can chime in.

 

[MossRoad]

Good questions. Your post can in no way be taken as negative so here I go /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I also live on 1 acre. The mower and tractor are a little big for this and the neighbors always get a chuckle when I mow. However, they also know that I have 20 acres and am planning to move there some day.

I also considered the BX. It is a fine machine. The dealer is the important part of your purchase. If you have a good dealer you won't be sorry when it comes time for service that you can't perform on the BX. A bad dealer and you are going to slow burn.

No backhoe for the PT400 series. That's OK as I couldn't justify $4000.00 for a backhoe. I have rented a tracked excavator and it was more versatile than a backhoe. It was only $265.00 per day delivered to the worksite. I rented it for 8 hours to dig a garage foundation and it only took 2 hours. I used it to clean up the jobsite and turned it in for a half day rental. If you plan your backhoe projects well, you can maximize your rental dollars and only rent the machine once or twice a year. However, if you have the money, i would get a backhoe just for the convenience of having it when I wanted it. That's why I am considering a cad plans backhoe in the distant future. I can power it from the PT hydraulics and it is about 1/2 the price. Also, it puts no stress on the PT, as it is a stand alone unit. You could also consider the bucket-on-a-stick option that has just the backhoe bucket and the first section of the backhoe (dipper stick?) that attaches to the quick attach. You can dig like a backhoe, but have to use the PT to drive back and to the side to dump it. It would be a good compromise if you are not going to do a lot of back hoe work. And it is much less expensive.

Shipping damage was just rubbed off paint on my unit. Shipped Overnight. I bought the loading ramps and drove the unit off of the loading dock, across the parking lot and into the back of my pickup truck. Before loading into my truck, I used it to load the implements into a friend's pickup(I bought the pallet forks /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif ).

There aren't many pictures on the PT website of all the implements. Read the price sheet and you'll get an idea of the wide range of attachments that are available. It is alos great for comparrison shopping. The prices are firms, they won't deal, but at least you know that up front. I like it.

As far as maintaining the unit... I purchased a Kohler shop manual at a local small engine house. They will honor any Kohler warranty work. Besides the engine, there is only hoses and linkages. They are very simple to maintain. Two grease guns(regular and high-speed grease) and a can of spray lube, one ratcheting box end wrench, and a roll of paper towels is all I need.

The only downside taht I see to the PT400 series is the height of the lift. It only goes 52" andyou cannot load a pickuptruck from the side. Be forewarned.

The driving force behind my purchase was the quick attach. After busting my knucles and back on 3PT equipment, it is the only way to go.

 

[bmac]

MossRoad and deadstick, Thank you for your help. I am attaching a series of pictures and diagrams of my most pressing project - finishing the area around my pool. The first pic is showing the current view from the back of ny yard towards the house. Sitting on top of this mound of clay is the pool and surrounding concrete decking. I'm posting this to see if you think the PT425 is an appropriate piece of equipment for this task.

 

[bmac]

This is from the side with my thoughts on the excavation plan. The actual depth marked as 2 ft could really be closer to 3 ft.