New PT-180 owner
- Thread starter curtjeep
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agjones
Platinum Member
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- May 4, 2010
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- 619
- Location
- Jessup Mill, NC
- Tractor
- Rk55HC, Kubota kx040, power-trac 425d, Bobcat L23, Yanmar 401w, bx1880, IHI 30 and Fiori D40 dumpers, Magnatrac mh5000, Dew-eze ATM72LC Slope Mower, Terramite t6 4wd, DR Power brush mower
If I was there I'd offer to install the gas cap for ya....I'm that generous. ;-)
MossRoad
Super Moderator
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- Aug 31, 2001
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- 66,145
- Location
- South Bend, Indiana (near)
- Tractor
- Power Trac PT425 2001 Model Year
WOW! :laughing:
agjones
Platinum Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2010
- Messages
- 619
- Location
- Jessup Mill, NC
- Tractor
- Rk55HC, Kubota kx040, power-trac 425d, Bobcat L23, Yanmar 401w, bx1880, IHI 30 and Fiori D40 dumpers, Magnatrac mh5000, Dew-eze ATM72LC Slope Mower, Terramite t6 4wd, DR Power brush mower
Give an inch they'll ask for a mile. :-}
Hope you are rolling again.
Hope you are rolling again.
airbiscuit
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- Aug 28, 2004
- Messages
- 7,622
- Location
- NW Wisconsin
- Tractor
- New Holland T2310 (40hp), Kubota L3010 GST, New Holland TC21DA *** Previously - Farmall H, 1941 John Deere B, Shibaura SD1500, John Deere 850, Bobcat 642, New Holland 1925
I know that Power Tracs are supposed to be better than any CUT ever made, but it sure seems that owners have to work on them more than a little.
I get that they are unique, convenient, productive, etc., but robust? I'm not so sure.
I get that they are unique, convenient, productive, etc., but robust? I'm not so sure.
agjones
Platinum Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2010
- Messages
- 619
- Location
- Jessup Mill, NC
- Tractor
- Rk55HC, Kubota kx040, power-trac 425d, Bobcat L23, Yanmar 401w, bx1880, IHI 30 and Fiori D40 dumpers, Magnatrac mh5000, Dew-eze ATM72LC Slope Mower, Terramite t6 4wd, DR Power brush mower
I hear that, airbiscuit . Keep in mind that you're seeing a fair amount of the issues encountered rep'd here since there's no local dealers. We're each other's support to an extent. I think you especially see the freak stuff on here when ppl are looking for an answer but also some confidence that the little family owned company making these is solid.
I can say without question that the 3 PTs I have save time, money and tail feathers while doing things that would send my cut, skid, bh or dingo to the grave w or wo me attached.
IMO These machines basically operate (and shine) beyond the terrain envelope available to conventional equipment. I can not do with a tractor or ss what I routinely, safely accomplish with a power trac. It's become a business model for me.
Cheers
I can say without question that the 3 PTs I have save time, money and tail feathers while doing things that would send my cut, skid, bh or dingo to the grave w or wo me attached.
IMO These machines basically operate (and shine) beyond the terrain envelope available to conventional equipment. I can not do with a tractor or ss what I routinely, safely accomplish with a power trac. It's become a business model for me.
Cheers
airbiscuit
Super Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2004
- Messages
- 7,622
- Location
- NW Wisconsin
- Tractor
- New Holland T2310 (40hp), Kubota L3010 GST, New Holland TC21DA *** Previously - Farmall H, 1941 John Deere B, Shibaura SD1500, John Deere 850, Bobcat 642, New Holland 1925
You have quite an eclectic assemblage of equipment. I would love to see a pic of all of them lined up next to each other.
MossRoad
Super Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2001
- Messages
- 66,145
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- South Bend, Indiana (near)
- Tractor
- Power Trac PT425 2001 Model Year
Yep, it does get disappointing to have something break like that. Especially at low hours. Normal wear items I can see, like hoses, tires, etc... getting caught on stuff, that kind of thing. But things like the cold starting issues on the Robin engines, tram pumps, wheel motor seals, are frustrating.
Issues on my own machine have been exhaust port stud snapping off (have to remove muffler to replace batter on mine, which is downright goofy), two valve rocker bolts have backed out in about a month's time on different cylinders, two valve cover bolts have snapped off during removal to repair that, and the throttle cable has frozen up and needed to be replaced. Starter motor went out at about 10-12 years. Those have all been Kohler engine issues. PT issues haven't come up for me yet, but are inevitable. I do have some hose fittings starting to leak, so maybe time to go through those. I have about 1000 hours on the machine.
I had a crack in the brush cutter deck. This is most likely stress related, as others have had the same cracks. The area should be beefed up from the factory. I did it myself, but it's a design issue for sure.
The sensor that detects hydraulic temp and turns on the cooling fan is also a weak choice. It died about 5 years into it. I could replace it for about $30, but I just hard wired it in. Don't see a reason to not run the cooler fan all the time.
Other than that, I can't think of anything else major on my machine off the top of my head. I still enjoy it and would purchase again today if I needed a machine.
Last week I used it to shuttle 4 yards of concrete from the truck in front of the garage to the new slab behind the garage for an addition we're putting in. Truck couldn't go to the back due to abandoned septic tank and drywell. Went really fast.
agjones
Platinum Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2010
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- 619
- Location
- Jessup Mill, NC
- Tractor
- Rk55HC, Kubota kx040, power-trac 425d, Bobcat L23, Yanmar 401w, bx1880, IHI 30 and Fiori D40 dumpers, Magnatrac mh5000, Dew-eze ATM72LC Slope Mower, Terramite t6 4wd, DR Power brush mower
I share your dream.
If they ever all run at the same time, you'll get the pic.
I'm not easy to work for claims the internal combustion crowd. :thumbsup:
If they ever all run at the same time, you'll get the pic.
I'm not easy to work for claims the internal combustion crowd. :thumbsup:
woodlandfarms
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- Jul 31, 2006
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- 6,149
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- Los Angeles / SW Washington
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- PowerTrac 1850, Kubota RTV x900
So on my machine i bought it used and while i would jump at a moments notice to defend and aid the previous owner i had the initial fear of buying a lemon as i did not know him. So anyway the machine shows up on the back of a flatbed and is unloaded with all its implements. I start driving each one up the mile long driveway while my buddy stands guard over the remainder. It drives ok but it is weird at first. Anyway on my third trip i turn to grab the next implements but i go straight. No matter how i turn the machine won’t turn. I freak out. Busted hose. Steering valve failed. I honestly loose my ****. My biggest fear comes true as i feel i have been totally ripped off. My buddy comes up to see the drama. Asks me to get off the seat. He drives it a foot unable to make it turn (wheel spins - nothing happens). He looks around at the steering wheel. Then goes to his truck. Digging around in the bed he comes back with a rusty nail and jams it through the hole between the steering wheel and the steering valve. The cotter key had vibrated out . I think my pt has been with me for over 12 years and i will tell you that nail is there still to remind me of a whole bunch if things.
MossRoad
Super Moderator
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- Aug 31, 2001
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- 66,145
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- South Bend, Indiana (near)
- Tractor
- Power Trac PT425 2001 Model Year
NICE!!!! :thumbsup:
Thanks for the story. I'm not gonna lie I have felt like i got a lemon... However, Mr. Terry is there to help me out with parts. I just hate that I have had so much downtime. It has less than 30 hours on it and I just spent all day swapping the tram pump, haha. Plus my brush cutter broke after maybe 3 hours of use over a week. On the bright side. I have a functioning tractor again and maybe I can test it tomorrow if weather permits.
ponytug
Super Member
Well, if it is any consolation, I blew a wheel motor seal at five hours, and a second motor at ninety or so hours, (getting my rebuilt first motor back as a replacement), and I had thoughts of lemons, but my PT is at almost 1100 hours, and it has been a champ ever since.
So...hang in there, and hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on out. I had a JIC fitting (hydraulic line end piece) crack early on, but again it was a one off and I have not had any issues since then with hoses. I chalked that up to s**t happens, the same with second motor, and the first motor to operator error.
All the best,
Peter
So...hang in there, and hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on out. I had a JIC fitting (hydraulic line end piece) crack early on, but again it was a one off and I have not had any issues since then with hoses. I chalked that up to s**t happens, the same with second motor, and the first motor to operator error.
All the best,
Peter
m5040
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- CT
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- Kubota M6040 L2250, JohnDeere 310D, Ford 841 Elenco, Ford 961, Trapmaster, PT180 w/LM bucket and 45" brush cutter, PT1430 Deutz w/grapple bucket, Antonio Carraro Tigrecar 6500. John Deere 5300. Former owned Steiner 430 max, Goldoni REV Maxter 7
When you think about it, the components are not made by Power Trac, they are off-the-self commercially available parts. If a Kohler engine blows up, it is not the fault of PT or whatever it is installed in, it is only Kohler's fault. However the machine gets the bad rap. (Your mower deck is a different story)
Well at least you are the tram pump changing expert on the site...
Well at least you are the tram pump changing expert on the site...
Really, tram pump changing expert, huh??? Well,. Few pointers:
Go ahead a drain your hydraulic fluid into a container (or containers) where it can be reused.
I tried to only drain about 2 gallons and I still ended up making a mess... I left a hydraulic line in the bottom that steadily oozed fluid out all over the floor of the tractor and my garage while I was working on getting all of the fittings off my old tram pump. Then when I realized it I rushed over to move the hose so it wouldn't dribble all over the place and slipped in the fluid and busted my @55 and knocked over the hydraulic fluid I was attempting to save... I had to replace it with roughly 3 gallons to get the fluid level back up.
Disconnect and REMOVE the battery at least you will want to on the 180. I was on a zoom call with my reserve unit for training classes when I accidentally touched my wrench to the positive end of the battery while tightening the bolt to the new pump... The light show was noticed and ironically a COL in my unit was just discussing the types and signs of shock...
You can change it without disconnecting the PTO pump... I did this... However, it would have been much faster to just remove the PTO pump and get it outta the way.
Dry sweep or cat litter, keep some on hand.
Also,
I have terrible luck when I buy anything. I always get the lemon, haha. I had a brand new Stihl chainsaw break the first time I tried to use it. My last jeep had the rear diff rebuilt with new gears and everything before I hit 10k miles on it because water got into the diff because there wasn't a breather hose attached to the rear axle. And numerous other things. It has made me a pretty decent shade tree mechanic, though.
MossRoad
Super Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2001
- Messages
- 66,145
- Location
- South Bend, Indiana (near)
- Tractor
- Power Trac PT425 2001 Model Year
When life hands you lemons...
make grape juice.
Then sit back and watch as what world wonders how you did that.
