Power Trac Factory Visit

[marrt]

Earlier this week, I was able to visit the Power Trac factory. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I arrived late in the day and did not have a lot of time for the visit. So, I didn't get to ask as many questions as I wanted. However, I do have a few observations.

First, the factory is small but very neat and orderly. There were lots of spare parts and a good inventory of product. All the attachments look EXTREMELY well built. I know this point has been made before. Even with my substantial expectations, I was still impressed.

Overall, I would have no reservations about PT staying in business or getting good service from the factory. My impression is that these people are "good country folk who will do what they say and recognize the value of a satisfied customer." Since most of PT's "marketing" is by word of month, I'm sure they are very sensitive to their reputation.

On my way back to the Interstate after the visit, I happened to spot a PT for sale at a John Deere dealer. I didn’t stop but I took note of the dealer. Later, I discovered this machine was available on eBay as follows: “This is a 1997 Power Trac 1425 tractor and several attachments. It has a 25 hp Kohler Ind/Comm. engine and is a true 4wd. all wheels pull. It has a roll bar and canopy, dual wheel attachments, loader bucket, pallet forks, 60" mower deck, 60" power broom, and a cable layer.” It’s basically a 425 with dual wheels. It sold for eBay’s “Buy It Now” feature at the asking price of $7,500. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1724821598> Link. </A> Therefore, I think there is a resale market for the products. Heck, I would love to find a used on myself!

I only had time to test the bucket and mower on the PT422. The 422 is very powerful and PT has been using the Robin (i.e., Subaru) engine for a number of years. They are very satisfied with the engine and find it to be reliable with excellent low end torque. The gentleman demonstrating the product indicated he could not tell the difference between the 422 and 425 and even choose a 422 for his personal tractor. Said the difference was personal preference and availability of local service for the engine. I got the impression that he prefers the Robin engine but that many customers are more comfortable with Kohler due to its larger distribution of service centers and known reputation. I was originally leaning toward the 425 myself but now wonder if I should save some money and get the 422.

I was not very successful with my attempt to use the loader. I think this was primarily due to my inexperience. I couldn’t take a very significant bite out of the dirt pile they had without the tires spinning. Also I think teeth would help a lot (MossRoad, any opinion on how much the teeth help the bucket to dig). The quick attach is great.

The mower also works great. Rear discharge is a very nice feature as you don't get wind rows. Also, the front of the mower is "open" slightly. Therefore, when mowing tall grass, the blades have a chance to cut the grass better.

I asked PT about new stuff they were working on. Basically, everything mentioned here was confirmed. I didn’t get a chance to probe much on this question. Sorry.

My only disappointment was with the ride. This is a general problem with tractors but with the PT, I felt the ride was very harsh over rough terrain. Perhaps a better seat with suspension (about $100 from Northern Tool) would help a lot. Also, because the PT can mow so fast, I think I had a tendency to go faster than I normally mow. This perhaps contributed to the rough ride.

My overall impression confirmed everything I have read here. This is a awesome machine with tremendous versatility. However, the ride issue does concern me personally and I'm still considering a larger Kubota to get a better ride. No final decision yet.

 

[MossRoad]

Great information, thanks.

I use both buckets very often. They are easy to use since the small one nests inside the big one. I can take both anywhere in my yard without making a second trip, dump the little bucket off to the side, then switch if I have to. When I'm done, I just scoop up the little bucket with the big one and head back to the garage. PLUS, they only take up the space of one bucket in my garage.

The teeth are a must, in my book. Here's why;

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/19-139587-3.jpg> This picture shows what the little bucket with teeth can do </A>. I had to slowly rock the bucket back and forth while using the forward and reverse pedals, and down pressure and it took a little patience, but I was able to dig down about a foot into heavy grass roots and pop out a good chunk of sod. With no teeth, I feel that I would have had little success getting through the root system. Kind of like a butter knife VS a steak knife.

The big bucket also has its place. I used it to haul big loads of loose dirt that was already piled up in my back yard from years of project leftovers. I also use it to turn my leaf pile for faster composting, and to level out final grades. It would probably work well for snow removal also.

They are both so inexpensive and the teeth are only a hundred bucks, I think that they are both worth every penny.

I saw that 1425 on ebay also. Someone posted a link to it last week. It looked like a mean little machine with 8 tires! No quick attach though.

You are right about the bouncy ride over bumpy terrain. I jsut mowed my lawn this morning and noticed that I was going too fast. My yard is very uneven and you can feel it at high speed. However, it felt just as bumpy on my lawn tractor, which only runs at half the speed of the Power Trac. I would like to see if anyone has gone to a different seat. The longest I've spent on it in one stretch was 5 hours, about 1/3 of that in reverse, 2/3 of it at top speed over turf, and I was not worn out or tired.

I've heard severl comments regarding the differences between the Robbin and Kohler engines. The only good reason that I went with the Kohler was that I can get parts and service easier on the Kohler around here. The bad reason, was that I wanted the biggest, baddest model in the 400 series(although that's debatable) /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif.

As far as considering a larger Kubota, they are fine machines and I doubt that you could go wrong with one. Just get the machine that you feel will do the best for you. And test drive as many as possible. Not only can you learn alot, but IT IS GREAT FUN!!!

 

[kcook]

MossRoad makes a good point, you need to ask your self what Im I buying this for? Main reason and other reasons. More reasons will come up after you purchase the tractor. Kubota is a great tractor, look around ask your questions and ask questions on this board.

Good Luck!

KCook

 

[pajoube]

Thanks for this update on your visit. It appears to have been a fruitful day.
PJ

 

[Reds]

Marrt, thanks for the observations. I never actually visited the factory so i like to hear others opinions ... especially the positive ones.