Making the decision to buy a Ventrac

   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac #1  

Mosby2015

New member
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
11
Location
Front Royal, Virginia
Tractor
Ford 8N
Hopefully this is the right forum to post this in, I am currently trying to decide between a compact tractor and a Ventrac. I own about 5 acres in a rural area. My land is mostly flat with a few steep bank areas I need to mow, but with a large area of wet field that I currently need to wait for a fairly dry stretch of time to bush hog. Usually I can usually do that once a year, although the past few years it has rained too much so it has been about 3 years since it got bush hogged. It is a mess right now. But this is the longest stretch it hasn't gotten mowed. A Ventrac could mow it just about anytime I think, and mow the rest of the property with a finish mower.

As far as I can tell the 2 largest differences for me between a CUT and a Ventrac are the CUT will still need to wait for the field to dry out before I mow it, and I will need to get another mower for the rest of the property. It isn't spread out enough to mow with a CUT and a finish mower, Even a Mid mount, mostly due to height. A good part of the property is a small orchard. A tractor couldn't mow that area for me. The Ventrac could mow all of my property but the bucket seems to be a stop gap because that is the biggest con people have with the Ventrac as a replacement tractor.

I do have some projects in mind for the property, a few out buildings, possibly another smaller pole barn ( has a large pole barn on site now) Every thing I read says having the bucket is a game changer and even though I can only think of a few things to use it on, it seems like those who have one feel once they have it they can't imagine not having it.

So anyone on here with experience owning/operating both what are you feelings about them? Have you gone from a CUT to a Ventrac and not looked back? Or did you end up going the other way? Ventrac is as expensive as a CUT so cost wise I think it is a fair comparison. I will need to buy a stand alone mower if I go with the CUT so cost wise the pendulum does swing a bit towards the Ventrac, I think. And a zero turn for most of my mowing would probably do better than a Ventrac anyway. And they are available used pretty reasonably. So for a zero turn I would go that route. Ventrac's are harder to come by used and usually aren't enough of a price difference to make sense to buy a used unit with no warranty vs a new unit.
 
   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac #2  
I can do a lot with the bucket, no I can't load a pick up but I'm not that stupid to have to shovel it off. it will out mow any CUT...... and go places the CUT wouldn't think of..... I put a 3 point hitch on my 4500P and have a ripper I made I use to loosen up the dirt if I need to...... jim
 
   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac #3  
As you are located in Virginia, consider Power Trac simultaneously with Ventrac. Power Trac production is located in Tazewell, Virginia.

POWER TRAC VIDEOS:





Anyone here with experience owning/operating both? What are you feelings about them?

VIDEOS ADDRESSING ABOVE QUESTIONS:
 
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   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac #4  
I own a Ventrac because the previous owner of my property flipped 3 different pieces of equipment mowing a hill. Specifically they were a compact tractor, a walk behind mower and a regular box store riding lawn mower.

The last time he flipped, he had to go to the hospital, but was okay.

When I mow that area on the Ventrac, I don't worry about flipping but I do slide from time to time. The grass really has to be dry.

I don't like mowing the flat areas that are wet. I prefer to let them dry out. Mud all over the tractor isn't my thing plus the clay will pack between my dual wheels and that is VERY difficult to clean out.

I wish the attachments were easier to attach.
 
   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac #5  
I have 4 acres and I've had a Ford 1900 4wd with a 72" finish mower deck. I've cut high grass with it in the past and mostly in the last 10 years I cut finish grass with it. I too have a section of grass that is swamp land and does dry out when the weather allows it to get dry. Otherwise it stays uncut. Unless I use my Steiner 420 on it. That's different as it can float over the wet areas much better. But mostly that area doesn't get cut unless dry as it's just a pia and muddy to boot. I do have a Simplicity Citation XL with a 61" deck and 27hp engine on it. That thing actually has like M 60 tires on it that float over the swampy section pretty well (go fast and don't stop) and can cut it without too much hiccups and mud slinging. I too have a full front loader for the Steiner that can lift pretty high but with a heavy load it gets tippy. I usually carry heavy loads low so that isn't as much of an issue. It does have good down pressure and I can dig some with it but there are no scarifiers on it to break up the soil so it's more useful as a bucket to load stuff and move stuff. (which is my primary use of it along with leveling out the material too). But the best use of the Steiner for me is in the winter. I have the rotating brush for it and I easily have the driveway clear and completely dry by 10am in the winter. Without the use of salt or other deicing materials. It really is a great attachment. And the Steiner is a great machine. Mine is a 1994 and I've had it about 20 years now. It's really worked well for me. My property is a variety of hills and flats along with some of my Steiner use at other locations in the woods and at our old family farm for work. It's done the job. And the Simplicity ZTR Citation is a great mower too with FULL SUSPENSION for a great ride at full throttle across the field at 11mph. That's moving ! And btw. I sold the Ford 1900 just because the other machines can do a better job and I don't rut up the yard (in the soft areas) with either of the other machines. So why bother having it around. I haven't missed it other than I loved just having it ! It was a beast of a machine. And I don't miss the Allied 73" giant snowblower I had for it either. Totally unnecessary for Western PA snowfalls. Maybe in Erie Pa or the like but not here.
 
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   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac #6  
If you can get over the relatively high cost of the Ventrac, I don't think you'll ever regret buying one. I am on a very sloped forested property and I have a tough cut and bucket with grapple attachments and they have both been amazing tools that I've used for many purposes.
 
   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac #7  
I can't imagine owing any other tractor for my property. I have a wide variety of terrain on my property (hilly, flat, wooded) and the Ventrac has performed amazing.

The dual wheels allow me to mow a couple of 30 degree slopes around ponds and they also make working on wet ground a breeze. I just mowed some extremely wet ground the other day (large areas of standing water in some places). I did not get stuck and did not tear up the yard.

I have the 72 inch finish mower and can honestly say it cuts as well, if not better than my zero turn. Plus, the out front design means that I can mow right up to the water (and not get stuck).

I use the bucket and grapple to move dirt and brush. Also works as advertised.

The Ventrac videos online are an accurate representation of what it can do. It really can do all the the the things they say it can. Best bet, get your dealer to bring one out and demo it.
 
   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac #8  
Having had both a Powertrac is a great tractor but a sick chicken on a hill when trying to mow and go up at the same time...... jim
 
   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac #9  
Have you looked at the versa loader option for the ventrac? It seems like that might bridge the gap for loader work that a SCUT could reasonably be expected to do. if I recall correctly, it's about 500lbs of lift capacity to 6 ft. No direct experience myself, but it is something I'm looking at for when I upgrade to a Ventrac myself.
 
   / Making the decision to buy a Ventrac
  • Thread Starter
#10  
I know about it, and I have watched some videos on it, however even the Ventrac employee who does their YouTube videos says it was basically a stop gap measure for the people who insisted they needed a loader. Apparently the basic structure of a Ventrac, the articulating frame, front axle etc isn't well suited to carry weight high like that. The hydraulics on the machine could power a much stronger loader, but the frame, etc of the Ventrac itself is the issue.

Hearing the guy from Ventrac explain it like that makes me think I should stay away from that, and just go with their low bucket option if I need that. But it isn't a substitute for a true loader on a Skid Steer or Normal farm tractor type machine.

So just trying to research for the guys who have had both how much they miss having the loader or if they miss it at all.
 
 
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