Ordered a new 425 last week

[JD-Beach]

Thanks to all the contributors to this site. I ordered a new PT425 last week. Looking for delivery in a week or so. I'm having PT put on heavier wheel motors and tires from the 1430 (26X12-12's) in order to increase the soil bearing surface area and decrease the soil bearing pressure. I plan on using this machine extensively at and around the beach to remove windblown sand which migrates onto our driveway and around the house during the winter months. I have rented CUT's over the years for this purpose. CUTs are OK, although sometimes too big around the house and the small front tires of the CUT often don't do well in soft sand when the bucket is full of heavy sand. A neighbor a few doors down just accepted delivery of a Kubota sub-compact. We're looking forward to some fun in the sand. Thank you all for your candid comments and for your many contributions to this site. Your information has helped me make an informed decision.

 

[BobRip]

Bigger wheel motors and tires. Will PT do that? Obviously they did. How about a 30 horsepower engine? How custom will PT make a machine? May I ask what the premium for this was and how did you get them to do this? I would think the top speed would be lower. I would love to see a machine in the 425 format to work with the attachments that I already have, but have more horsepower and torque. Maybe a 1430 with a 425 quick attach plate. Of course it might destroy all of my attachments.

 

[pajoube]

Thanks to all the contributors to this site. I ordered a new PT425 last week. Looking for delivery in a week or so. I'm having PT put on heavier wheel motors and tires from the 1430 (26X12-12's) in order to increase the soil bearing surface area and decrease the soil bearing pressure. I plan on using this machine extensively at and around the beach to remove windblown sand which migrates onto our driveway and around the house during the winter months. I have rented CUT's over the years for this purpose. CUTs are OK, although sometimes too big around the house and the small front tires of the CUT often don't do well in soft sand when the bucket is full of heavy sand. A neighbor a few doors down just accepted delivery of a Kubota sub-compact. We're looking forward to some fun in the sand. Thank you all for your candid comments and for your many contributions to this site. Your information has helped me make an informed decision.

Congratulations and welcome to the PowerTrac owners forum.
Interesting about the heavier wheel motors from the 1430 series. This should really generate some discussions.
Keep us posted.
PJ

 

[MossRoad]

Congratulations on your customized purchase and welcome to TBN!!!

 

[Phils]

Welcome to the PT group, JD-Beach! Hope you post experiences and photos as they happen.

I lived in VB in the late sixties (stationed at Dam Neck). I'm guessing it's changed somewhat since then tho....

Phil

 

[MossRoad]

I just remembered we spent a couple nights of our honeymoon in Virginia Beach back in early October, 1985. They had the Neptune Festival going on. I think it was delayed by a hurricane that went through a couple weeks before. As I recall, one of the piers was smooshed. The Holiday Inn messed up our room reservation, so they told us they'd fix it and sent us to dinner on them. When we came back, we had a room on the top floor with a nice view and a bottle of champagne on ice waiting for us. I popped the cork on the balcony and it flew towards the boardwalk between the hotel and the beach, where a couple happened to be walking. I yelled "Heads up!" They stopped and looked up just in time to see the cork bounce at their feet. They gave me a not-so-friendly hand gesture, and I yelled "Thanks!", held up the bottle and waved. I was a very happy man that day and no one was going to ruin my honeymoon!

 

[Piedmont3]

Welcome to the owners club.
I will be interested to see how well the stronger wheel motors work, with the 25 HP engine. I have wondered about changing mine for some stouter ones.
Keep us updated on how you like it.

 

[JD-Beach]

Thanks for the welcome.

BobRip, ... Yes PT will customize. I'm not sure of the limits. I called them with the request to go to dual wheels on the 425, and Terry went to "engineering" (probably Mr. PT himself) and called me back with the suggestion to use the 1430's wheel motors and wheels. The premium cost was approx 25% of the base tractor price. Perhaps a little expensive, ... but, hopefully worth it.

Phils, Yes the Dam Neck area has changed from the late sixties. Come back and check it out, you'll be impressed.

MossRoad, ... Great story about your honeymoon in VaB. The Neptune festival is thriving and growing each year. Thank you for your website. I visited often while making my decision.

I heard of a muffler modification to quiet the 425 down a little. Is it loud? Does it need work in this area?

Is is hard backing up on the ramps to load it into a pick-up?

I'll let everyone know about the operation in sand when it arrives. Thanks to everyone.

 

[BAGTIC]

Is the 425's performance limited by the size of the wheel motors or the size of the pump?

Customizing wheel motors uses a product PT already has in stock. Changing engines to a non-stock 30 hp might be more expensive. I imagine PT would get a better OEM price on motors it buys in volume.

I would not miss a little speed. It is very seldom I am able to run wide open. High speed off road with only the low pressure tires for suspension is hairy enough as is.

I would see the main advantage of a SLIGHTLY larger engine would be more power and torque at partial load where rpms and fuel consumption are lower.

Surprisingly gross horsepower is not always the end all and be all. In checking the B&S site for performance curves in the 25 hp and up class it was not the largest engine that gave the best torque and sfc performance.

 

[MossRoad]

Is is hard backing up on the ramps to load it into a pick-up?

I'll let everyone know about the operation in sand when it arrives. Thanks to everyone.

I ordered the PT ramps. They were only a hundred bucks and are very stout. I took my tailgate off my pickup, as I didn't trust it to support the weight of the PT and me. The only caution I would give you is to be sure to somehow secure the ramps to the truck so they cannot slip off and drop you to the ground, or worse, tip over and crush you.

I ended up welding pipes across the ends of the ramps, and pipes on my steel step bumper next to where the ramps would lay. I then ran a 6' piece of rebar through the pipes on the ramps and bumper to tie them all together. No way it could slip. Just be careful, use commone sense, and try to find a small berm or slope to lessen the degree of angle on the ramps. I had no problems going up the ramps, but it sure was steep and I only had a low riding 1/2 ton truck. A taller "normal" pickup would make for a steep ride.