More Newbies

[valjo]

Hi guys,
My husband has spent many hours reading posts from this forum over the past couple of months, so I wanted to thank everybody for all the info shared here. It has given us the confidence to believe we have a pretty good feel for the pro's & con's of the Power Tracs, and (drum roll please....) we took the leap on Friday and placed our order!
We have a 1430 coming sometime this week, along with an embarrassing number of attachments, and are currently scrambling to figure out where we are going to store our new investments.
Neither of us would call ourselves 'mechanically inclined', and we have no prior experience with hydraulics, so this will certainly be a learning experience for us both. I'm not sure who is more excited.
We purchased an 88acre 'farm' in '99 which we have struggled just to maintain, and we have dozens of 'dream projects' which will now be attainable with our new tool. The attachments that I am most excited about right now are the mini hoe and the utility grapple.
Yeeeeeehaaaaaaaa!
Valerie (& Brad)
Future owners of an ugly red beetle tractor

 

[woodlandfarms]

Wooo Hooo!!!!!.. So, pictures are required along with a list of what implements you bought now and what you intend to buy.

For me the big thing is not to be afraid to get in and pull it apart when it is not working. I am not afraid of the wrench, just afraid that I will do something that will require bringing an expert in or me trying to load a dead tractor and take it to the shop. I have found that fear to be for the most part unfounded, and the PT really simple to maintain.

You are lucky, you not only have the factory close, but I believe a lot of PT owners in your area. I am sure if you get jammed up someone will be close by to help.

The hoe takes some getting used to, but is amazingly handy. The grapple is killer and I would say my most heavily used implement.

Carl

 

[valjo]

Thanks, Carl.
I updated the signature w/the attachments we ordered. I'll post pics when they arrive. We ordered just about everything we could imagine wanting up front, so that we could get the 10% discount on it all, and save on transportation. Hopefully, we won't regret that strategy.
There are a couple of things on our wish list yet that we are still shopping for . . . one is a dump trailer that will also haul the PT. Another is something to vacuum and shred leaves for mulch. Another is a log splitter. Sad that PT stopped making those things. We ordered a spare attachment plate & are researching options.

 

[kcook]

Thanks, Carl.
I updated the signature w/the attachments we ordered. I'll post pics when they arrive. We ordered just about everything we could imagine wanting up front, so that we could get the 10% discount on it all, and save on transportation. Hopefully, we won't regret that strategy.
There are a couple of things on our wish list yet that we are still shopping for . . . one is a dump trailer that will also haul the PT. Another is something to vacuum and shred leaves for mulch. Another is a log splitter. Sad that PT stopped making those things. We ordered a spare attachment plate & are researching options.

I am sure someone at Power Trac has a smile on there face as well

KC

 

[cqaigy2]

SuWeet!! sp?

We'll all be waiting for all those before and after pictures.

 

[pajoube]

Congratulations on your new baby. I will get you posted in the owners list by state.
PJ

 

[MossRoad]

Welcome to TBN!

 

[ldabe]

Congrats and welcome aboard.

You will kiss it a lot when it is running...
And want to kick it when it isn't ;~)

Have fun.

 

[AndrewB]

Welcome. I also knew nothing about hydraulics before getting my PT 425 this winter. This forum has been great help, and it's not really been too hard so far. We'll have the folks on the forum to help us, and also empathize when one of us has our first truly major problem! Looking forward to the pictures.

 

[MossRoad]

The neat thing about hydraulics is it is just a circuit. The pump is always pushing the juice and it just recirculates until you divert it with some sort of valve. Then it goes to the diversion, does its work, and comes back to the pump. The work can be done by spinning a hydraulic motor or pushing a hydraulic ram cylinder. If the work is too hard, a bypass valve sends the fluid around the work and back to the pump. Once you understand that very basic explanation, everything starts making sense.

 

[valjo]

Yep, when you put it that way, it's not very intimidating. But when I read woodlandfarms 'first year report', I say 'huh?' I have NO idea what most of that stuff means!
I can't wait to get it here just so I can stare at it for awhile.
Brad and I have also been having the 'project list obsession sleep disorder' now. The good news is that now when we see a nagging project that has gone undone for years, instead of feeling bad and overwhelmed, we get excited about how fast and easy it's going to be to get it done with the PT.
We spent yesterday cleaning out the garage and getting everything up off the floor to make room for attachments. Brad wants to build some racks on casters to hold implements double-decker style. He has read some posts about other people building heavy-duty shelving for this purpose.
I am not looking forward to all the repairs, trouble-shooting, and maintenance. But since we knew about it going in, it will be that much less aggravating, I hope.
Thanks for the welcomes, everybody.
Valjo

 

[MossRoad]

A caution on shelving for implements...

When putting an implement up on a shelf with the loader arms, be very careful. The unit has power down. That means you can apply hydraulic pressure in the downward motion to the loader arms. You can bring the weight of the entire tractor to bear down on an implement with a simple slip of the joystick. It is very easy to bring down or damage the shelving, so just be careful.

My advice for any new owner is to take lots of hours to get used to it. Drive slow, stay away from the house and cars, etc... it takes a few hours to get used to steering with articulation. It is kind of like steering a slinky from the middle. When you are sitting completely still and turn the steering wheel, the unit can swing an implement a couple feet to each side without going forward or backward. So, take it out into a clear area, play around with it. Make yourself an obstacle course and practice.

#1 rule is don't travel with an implement held up high, especially on any hils. Only raise the implement as much as needed to clear the ground. Especially buckets full of heavy material. This applies to all tractors, not just the PT.

 

[PTOuser]

I'm pretty new too .... I'll be learning the PT with you and your other half. After reading your list of attachments, now I don't feel too bad about picking up yet one more attachment when I go to Taxwell tomorrow.

 

[ponytug]

To second MR's comments on safety- I agree 100%.

Go slow in the beginning, (always?) and read the tips here on how to get used to the treadle. It works great, but it is easy to over compensate. I drive with my toes on both treadles for better recovery from operator goofs. (or bumps).

If you are on slopes, I highly recommend that you get at least one inclinometer, preferrably two. They are invaluable in learning how to use the tractor and as a warning for when you are getting the tractor into areas that are unsafe.

They're great machines, and we have found them very easy to use, more so than standard tractors, but you do have to get used to the benefits and repercussions of articulated steering. (e.g. the tractor turning on a curve, but the implement turning well outside of it).

Have fun,

Peter

 

[woodlandfarms]

Remember that my tractor was used when i bought it. I was intimidated to say the least but it is a breeze to operate, and an amazing piece of equipment. it is fairly easy to work on, and you have a HUGE source of info here as well as from Terry at the factory.

Make sure you park your cars far away and do not drive near the house nor attempt to park it and put away implements in the first week. It drives like nothing you have ever driven and you have to think differently.

When backing up, steer the rear. It makes no sense what I am saying now but it will when the tractor arrives.

Watch for trees on slopes. There is a thing called Tree Wrap that we all experience. I had to cut down 3 trees to get unstuck. It is worse on the 1850 with dual wheels but you can still do it easy with singles.

So what is the list of things to do? Got pictures?

 

[valjo]

Make sure you park your cars far away and do not drive near the house nor attempt to park it and put away implements in the first week. It drives like nothing you have ever driven and you have to think differently.

When backing up, steer the rear. It makes no sense what I am saying now but it will when the tractor arrives.

Watch for trees on slopes. There is a thing called Tree Wrap that we all experience. I had to cut down 3 trees to get unstuck.


LOL!!! LOL!!!! "Stay away from the house and cars" LOL!!! Yeah, from my tiny experience playing around in Tazewell, I understand this advice, hee hee. I will do that, thanks for the reminder, you guys. I'm still sitting here giggling about what I could accidentally do to the house and cars. I wouldn't have thought of that. I would like to hear more about "Tree Wrap". Is the PT stuck because it is bent around the tree on the uphill side of the tree? Thanks for the tips!

 

[valjo]

A caution on shelving for implements...

When putting an implement up on a shelf with the loader arms, be very careful. The unit has power down. That means you can apply hydraulic pressure in the downward motion to the loader arms. You can bring the weight of the entire tractor to bear down on an implement with a simple slip of the joystick. It is very easy to bring down or damage the shelving, so just be careful.

My advice for any new owner is to take lots of hours to get used to it. Drive slow, stay away from the house and cars, etc... it takes a few hours to get used to steering with articulation. It is kind of like steering a slinky from the middle. When you are sitting completely still and turn the steering wheel, the unit can swing an implement a couple feet to each side without going forward or backward. So, take it out into a clear area, play around with it. Make yourself an obstacle course and practice.

#1 rule is don't travel with an implement held up high, especially on any hils. Only raise the implement as much as needed to clear the ground. Especially buckets full of heavy material. This applies to all tractors, not just the PT.

Thanks for the advice, MR. I'm all ears.

 

[valjo]

I'm pretty new too .... I'll be learning the PT with you and your other half. After reading your list of attachments, now I don't feel too bad about picking up yet one more attachment when I go to Taxwell tomorrow.

Have fun tomorrow!

 

[ponytug]

Do a quick search in the forum on it. Both Woodlandfarms and Mike OConnor have posted proof, I mean photos.

All the best,

Peter

P.S. My own version was to get the PT stuck just above a retaining wall dropoff while trenching. I was watching the trencher, and didn't realize the PT was digging itself in. Presto, I had dug one rear tire in deep enough to raise the front off of the ground. The PT waggle wasn't an option because of the dropoff. (well, I tried, and it made a bad picture worse.) Two and half hours, many rocks, and lots of work with a farm jack, and I was able to creep the PT out of its self made jail.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I forgot... Go by a spinner nob. A nice one. One that wraps around the spoke of the wheel and the wheel, not just the wheel.