Newbie here!

[MuncyBob]

Was the height adjustment on the mower answered??..if not then here it is: It's adjusted by moving the front and rear wheels...front are very easy by removing a pin to raise/ lower. Rears take a few minutes more due to a bolt needing to be removed on each wheel. I think they are apprx 1/2" increments? After initially playing with the height on the mower I find that I now leave it at a constant setting(next to lowest). I also find windrows of grass only when I miss a "scheduled" cutting due to weather, etc. The valve stem getting clogged with debris is the right front tractor tire. I almost bought a dedicated finish mower but really needed 1 machine for multiple tasks...so I settled for a good mower and a great tractor!

 

[MossRoad]

The valve stem getting clogged with debris is the right front tractor tire. I almost bought a dedicated finish mower but really needed 1 machine for multiple tasks...so I settled for a good mower and a great tractor!

As I sit in my driver's seat, looking down at the mower deck, the blades turn clockwise. That throws my clippings out the rear to the right side of the deck, but they continue on towards the inside of the left front tire on the tractor. That is where they pile up and clog around the wheel and wheel motor on my tractor.

 

[NJBill]

The clogging area seems wrong.
Remember the right hand side of any vehicle is determined from the drivers seat.
Then again, maybe I misunderstood !

 

[MossRoad]

The clogging area seems wrong.
Remember the right hand side of any vehicle is determined from the drivers seat.
Then again, maybe I misunderstood !

The righthand side of my front, left tractor wheel is where the stuff from the mower and the brush hog pile up the most.

 

[ddonnell]

Everyone, thanks so much for all the input! You've made me feel like part of the group, and I don't even own a PT - yet!

Many of my initial questions were answered and really nothing I've heard has steered me away from the PT. Finish mowing is a large part of my routine, but it sounds like the PT's 60" finish mower would do fine for my 2+acre meadow area as long as I stick with my normal mowing routine. Prolonged wet weather will screw up anybody's mowing cycles and my Simplicity mower can't fix that anymore than the PT's. As for my lawn around the house, believe it or not, I often use a Jacobsen's greens mower I rebuilt for that. Now there's an awesome look when your done.

There are a couple of questions that weren't answered yet so if anyone could shed light on them I would appreciate it.

1. Does the 425 have any of the cooling issues that I've read about?

2. Are the cycle times of the lift and tilt cylinders reasonably quick?

3. I read something about some minor electrical problems with solenoids etc. and also about ROPs lights causing a drain on the battery. I'm assuming the engines have adequate battery re-charging and these are more isolated events. Any comments?

4. Is the power steering adequate?

5. How much does the broadcast spreader hold and does it "fling" the fertilizer a reasonable distance? My tow-behind holds 200# of fertlizer and it would be nice if the PT version held at least that much.

6. It has been suggested that I get a thumb for the mini-hoe. Sounds like a good plan but PT doesn't offer this, correct? Is this something you guys could hook me up with when the time comes?

7. Has anyone found or made a cab that could be either bought or duplicated?

That's pretty much it. Once again, thanks for everything. This information has been very helpful, and I really want one. It may be time to sell some Simplicity stuff.

Dave

 

[KentT]

There are a couple of questions that weren't answered yet so if anyone could shed light on them I would appreciate it.

1. Does the 425 have any of the cooling issues that I've read about?

No, not that I've encountered. Note, however, that you can create cooling problems for ANY tractor if you're using a rough-cut mower in dry weeds/grass and creating a lot of airborne chaff... That said, I haven't experienced nor heard of any unusual cooling problems with 425s. There have been a few reports of vapor-locking due to heat, but not over-heating...

2. Are the cycle times of the lift and tilt cylinders reasonably quick?

The hydraulics are so quick that they take a bit of adjusting to in order be gentle with them. You won't complain about the speed of the hydraulics, unless it is to say they're too quick when you first experience them.

3. I read something about some minor electrical problems with solenoids etc. and also about ROPs lights causing a drain on the battery. I'm assuming the engines have adequate battery re-charging and these are more isolated events. Any comments?

The engines have a 15 Amp alternator on them, and you just have to be sensitive to that. It is the addition of extra ROPS lights that can put you in a situation of draining the battery -- but if you use two additional 55 watt lights (instead of 100 watt lights) you still shouldn't have a real problem.

4. Is the power steering adequate?

Absolutely -- at least with the 425, which has two articulation cylinders, you can't tell any real difference whether the bucket is loaded or not.

5. How much does the broadcast spreader hold and does it "fling" the fertilizer a reasonable distance? My tow-behind holds 200# of fertlizer and it would be nice if the PT version held at least that much.

No experience with this one....

6. It has been suggested that I get a thumb for the mini-hoe. Sounds like a good plan but PT doesn't offer this, correct? Is this something you guys could hook me up with when the time comes?

You can get aftermarket thumbs from eBay or a variety of other sources, then have them welded on. A thumb on the minihoe is as "handy as a pocket on a shirt..." Seriously, they add a whole new dimension to what you can do with the implement...

7. Has anyone found or made a cab that could be either bought or duplicated?

I haven't -- but I haven't looked either. I've seen a couple of pictures of cabs for larger PT machines, but not the 422/425. BarryH, a regular poster here made one for his 180. I think someone else made one for a 180 also...

 

[ddonnell]

Thanks Kent for your answers. One other question: I keep reading about some owners "reversing" the wheels presumably to get a wider stance. Just from looking at pictures, it appears to me that the hubs are already offset toward the inside or tractor side so I don't quite get how you could reverse them and even have the lugs protrude through the holes. What am I missing here? Is this something guys are doing more for hilly terrain? (I'll probably look like an idiot when I get the answer).

 

[KentT]

"Reversing the wheels" means taking the wheel from the left rear and putting it on the right rear, etc.

The center of the wheel, where it bolts to the hub, is offset (i.e. not in the center of the rim). From the factory, the deepest part of this wheel offset is on the inside of the tire, keeping the tires as close to the frame as possible. If you reverse them, you move this deep offset to the outside, beyond the hub and away from the frame. This makes the tire stick out about 2"-3" more on each side, i.e. widening your stance about 4" - 6".

This adds much more stability for working on sloping ground. It also provides more lateral stability with the bucket loaded and raised in the air -- on ANY terrain. However, it does add a bit more stress to the bearings (and seals) in the wheel motors. Consequently the factory doesn't recommend it, and it could violate your warranty on a new machine if they knew you'd reversed your wheels.

Due to the hillsides where I use mine, I've reversed them and wouldn't consider putting them back to original. But, then, I've also loaded all my tires for additional ballast, stability and traction -- another thing the factory doesn't recommend.

Pic of my PT-425 with reversed wheels using mini-hoe with thumb

 

[BobRip]

SEE MY ANSWERS IN CAPS

Everyone, thanks so much for all the input! You've made me feel like part of the group, and I don't even own a PT - yet!

Many of my initial questions were answered and really nothing I've heard has steered me away from the PT. Finish mowing is a large part of my routine, but it sounds like the PT's 60" finish mower would do fine for my 2+acre meadow area as long as I stick with my normal mowing routine. Prolonged wet weather will screw up anybody's mowing cycles and my Simplicity mower can't fix that anymore than the PT's. As for my lawn around the house, believe it or not, I often use a Jacobsen's greens mower I rebuilt for that. Now there's an awesome look when your done.

There are a couple of questions that weren't answered yet so if anyone could shed light on them I would appreciate it.

1. Does the 425 have any of the cooling issues that I've read about? NONE THAT I HAVE HEARD OF. THERE IS NO GUAGE SO WHO KNOWS. I BLOW COMPRESSED AIR ONTO THE FINS AT THE 50 HOUR MAINTENACE

2. Are the cycle times of the lift and tilt cylinders reasonably quick? I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THE SPEED. STEERING DOES TAKE PRIORITY OVER LIFT, SO IF YOU ARE AT STEERING LOCK YOU CANNOT TILT, OR RAISE/LOWER. NO BIG DEAL JUST SOMTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. BACK OFF ON STEERING A LITTLE AND YOU ARE BACK IN BUSINEES.

3. I read something about some minor electrical problems with solenoids etc. and also about ROPs lights causing a drain on the battery. I'm assuming the engines have adequate battery re-charging and these are more isolated events. Any comments? I HAVE TWO 55 WATT LIGHTS ON THE FRONT AND MY TEST INDICATE THAT THE CHARGING SYSTEM WILL KEEP UP WITH THEM AND A FLASHING LIGHT ON THE TOP (VOLTAGE STAYS ABOVE 13.7) AT FULL ENGINE SPEED. I ALSO KEEP A FLOAT CHARGER ON THE PT WHEN NOT IN USE, BUT I DO THAT ON ALL VECHICLES AND ENGINES THAT DON'T RUN EVERY DAY.

4. Is the power steering adequate? NO ISSUES. THE MANUAL STEERING DOES NOT EXIST.

5. How much does the broadcast spreader hold and does it "fling" the fertilizer a reasonable distance? My tow-behind holds 200# of fertlizer and it would be nice if the PT version held at least that much. DON'T KNOW, DON'T HAVE ONE.

6. It has been suggested that I get a thumb for the mini-hoe. Sounds like a good plan but PT doesn't offer this, correct? Is this something you guys could hook me up with when the time comes? PEOPLE HAVE MADE THEM HERE. I WILL MAKE ONE SOON, I HOPE. PT DOES NOT HAVE ONE.

7. Has anyone found or made a cab that could be either bought or duplicated? SOME PEOPLE HAVE THEM.

That's pretty much it. Once again, thanks for everything. This information has been very helpful, and I really want one. It may be time to sell some Simplicity stuff. CONSIDER KEEPING IT UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD THE PT FOR AT LEAST A MONTH IF POSSIBLE. OF COURSE I HAVE NEVER MISSED BY KUBOTOA, SO PROBABLY NO BIG DEAL. I STILL USE AN OLD 12 HP SEARS RIDING MOWER FOR FINISH MOWING. IT DOES A POOR JOB OF MOWING, I AM HOPING IT WILL FAIL SOON, BUT WITH ALL OF THE TOOLS I HAVE I JUST KEEP FIXING IT.


Dave

 

[ddonnell]

Re: Wheel offset
In the pictures I've seen, it looks like the offset off the rims is way toward the inside or tractor side. You're saying that this is a photo illusion and actually the rim offset is more to the outside of the wheel/tractor from the factory?

 

[KentT]

Re: Wheel offset
In the pictures I've seen, it looks like the offset off the rims is way toward the inside or tractor side. You're saying that this is a photo illusion and actually the rim offset is more to the outside of the wheel/tractor from the factory?

What I was trying to say is that from the factory the offset is toward the inside (tractor side) -- by swapping the wheels to the opposite side, you move this offset to the outside, widening the stance.

Note how far the tires are from the frame on my PT-425 above...

 

[MossRoad]

Re: Wheel offset
In the pictures I've seen, it looks like the offset off the rims is way toward the inside or tractor side. You're saying that this is a photo illusion and actually the rim offset is more to the outside of the wheel/tractor from the factory?

Yes. That is correct. If you take the left side tires and mount them on the right side and vice versa, without turning them 180 degrees when you walk around the tractor, you will get a wider wheel stance.

 

[J_J]

What I was trying to say is that from the factory the offset is toward the inside (tractor side) -- by swapping the wheels to the opposite side, you move this offset to the outside, widening the stance.

Note how far the tires are from the frame on my PT-425 above...

I believe that the tires come from the factory with the offset to the outside. Which means that the tire is about 1 in. from the frame. When you reverse, them, unbolt each tire and spin it around 180 and re-bolt. this now places the offset to the inside and therefore gives more clearance between the frame and the tire. If you have the lug tires, and you reverse them, you have to dismount them and spin the tires 180 so that the lugs are pointing in the right direction.

 

[KentT]

JJ -- I don't know if I'm using the term offset correctly then...

So, I'll just say that swapped the side of the tractor that the wheels were originally mounted on, and it widened the stance...

I didn't remove the tires from the wheels, nor did I change the direction of rotation of the tires (the lugs still point in the same direction) -- I just moved them one side to the other and bolted them back on.... The deeper part of the wheels were originally toward the tractor, now the deeper part is pointed outside.

You guys are making this far more complicated than it really is...

 

[J_J]

JJ -- I don't know if I'm using the term offset correctly then...

So, I'll just say that swapped the side of the tractor that the wheels were originally mounted on, and it widened the stance...

I didn't remove the tires from the wheels, nor did I change the direction of rotation of the tires (the lugs still point in the same direction) -- I just moved them one side to the other and bolted them back on.... The deeper part of the wheels were originally toward the tractor, now the deeper part is pointed outside.

You guys are making this far more complicated than it really is...

The offset is the distance from the center line. The shallow side will give you the smallest width of the tractor. Deep side to the outside will give you the widest stance. Some people say that is the only to go, but most don't
reverse. Basic physics dictates that the wide stance will give better stability, but you have to accept the consequence. Wide does look better.

On the PT's that come from the factory with lug/bar tires, they are mounted with lugs pointed forward, and shallow rim to the outside. If you just turn them 180, the lugs will be pointed to the rear. Also, they figured that someone would be reversing the tires and rims, and provided two valve stem per wheel. If you only have one valve stem and you reverse the rims, it is difficult to put air in the tires, because the valve stem is on the inside.

 

[bbabineau]

Everyone, thanks so much for all the input! You've made me feel like part of the group, and I don't even own a PT - yet!


6. It has been suggested that I get a thumb for the mini-hoe. Sounds like a good plan but PT doesn't offer this, correct? Is this something you guys could hook me up with when the time comes?


Dave

I had a thumb made for my mini hoe - attached are pictures. If you want any information on it when you are ready I will provide measurements etc. I designed it to be bolted on as I did not want to weld as there are times I want to remove the thumb but it does fold to store when not in use.


Bob

 

[KentT]

BTW, if there is only a single valve stem, and it is on the inside, it is more difficult to inflate the tire -- but the valve stem is MUCH more protected and less susceptible to possible damage by catching on something...

This is a common problem with using PTs in the woods. I've broken one valve stem, on the outside of the wheel, working in the underbrush. My PT has two valve stems per wheel -- they're the only garden tractor wheels I've ever seen with two valve stems. From discussions here, I think all the 422s and 425s have two, but I'm not certain.

All my Simplicities came from the factory with a single valve stem on the inside for this reason... to protect the valve stem. It also allows you to put nice, shiny hubcaps on them and still inflate the tires!

 

[Phils]

Altlhough I haven't measured exactly, I think that if you reverse the wheels on a PT, it won't fit between the wheel wells in a standard pickup bed. That's the ONLY reason I haven't done this myself: I take my PT other places sometimes.

And if my PT ever sees those photos of the PT on Virginia Beach, I'll catch h*ll for taking mine to do work when others take theirs to play on the beach.

Phil

 

[ddonnell]

Another question,

Have any of you found Power Trac to be, shall we say, very reluctant to deviate from their standard offerings? Specifically, I am (and now maybe was) interested in their 425 trailer without all the attachment weld-ons (just the flat bed and ramps) so that I could pick it up, bring it home, and then have a sweet utility trailer for mulch, top soil, etc.. Since I am not in a landscaping business, I don't need to trailer the 425 plus attachment all over and all the tie-down brackets welded all over the bed would defeat the "utility" value of the trailer. I got the "no-can-do" answer from them. Don't quite understand why they wouldn't sell one of the pre-PT'd trailers which they get from an outside source to accomodate my ultimate goal. Seems like it wouldn't cost them a dime to do this unless they are trying to make a heafty markup on their trailer modifications. Any comments?

 

[woodlandfarms]

I am just guessing, but I doubt they make or modify the trailer at there shop. Also, looking around there are tons of trailers out there that cost less and do more for your application (not needing all the compartments). Ones that tip, have removeable wall and rails...

PT modified one guys 425 allowing 1430 wheel system, so they will do some things not stock.

Carl