Power Trac Future

[lfbaumgart]

We've been looking for a tractor and looking at various types when I came across Power Trac which seemed to be an ideal solution for us, with some great reviews. Accordingly, I sent in a request for information regarding owners, or perhaps rental companies here, in the Pacific Northwest. When I never got a response, I phoned and spoke with someone in sales who said they would e-mail me some information. That was two weeks ago and no follow up. With the trend being towards sustainability given the current economic situation especially towards smaller acreages, one would expect that Power Trac would be advertising in magazines catering to that trend, or at least have a Facebook page, like Ventrac, which is free.
Just wondering if we should be investing in this product or just going with John Deere's new Series 1 sub-compact?

 

[PTWannaHave]

Hello Lfbaumgart,

I am a residential owner; planning a PT purchase; haven't pulled the trigger yet. This forum has been invaluable for info, much better than Power-Trac themselves. I'm sure other forum members will pipe up soon.

I understand your frustration, but that appears to be the norm with PT. As a residential owner, I am willing to put up with near-zero after-sale support, if I am getting a reliable machine that can mostly be fixed with off-the-shelf parts, by myself or someone locally who is handy with welding and hydraulics.

If I was betting my business on this equipment line, I'm not sure that I could convince myself to take the risk(s). (Apparently, things almost completely shut down at PT for two weeks during the local hunting season...)

In my humble opinion, PT could be an American Success Story, but there simply does not seem to be the interest or the drive within PT for that...

When I'm ready to buy, I will simply call PT and tell them I am ready to charge my credit card for a package of my choosing. I am assuming they will return that call.

Hope this helps,

 

[SpringHollow]

There is this link that will help with some of what you are looking for (a nice resource that pajoube is kind enough to keep up to date):

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/power-trac/190503-powertrac-owners-state-dated-12-a.html

Ken

 

[lfbaumgart]

Thanks gentlemen for the quick response!

 

[woodlandfarms]

I live just north of Vancouver, WA. If you want to take a spin on one please give drop me a note. Which machine are you considering?

PT is not going anywhere soon. They make a ton of money off of mining equipment and this is a strong secondary business to them.

PT is crap about advertising, and publicity. They have internet, although I don't think there is one person in the office who knows how to use it.

But, they do know how to use the phone (which you will NEVER get from any of the big companies). You will speak directly with a mechanic, engineer, or sales person.

You should read through this forum. PT is a blessing and a curse. You either need to know a good mechanic, or be comfortable turning a wrench as if you need any repairs you are pretty much on your own (PT Will get you parts, and will talk to your mechanic for hours but you have to ship back). The PT are very, very simple as tractors go. Most of the work can be done by you if you just trust yourself. They are very, very versatile. But that said, they do everything good but nothing brilliant. If you are looking for plowing, look elsewhere, but if you are looking for a good do everything tractor PT is quite amazing. PT's have a fit and finish issue when they first arrive. If you decide to buy new, a flight to Tazwell and testing your machine would be a good idea. PT tends to sometimes miss tightening hoses and stress testing pumps. Once you pass the first 40 hours they become extremely reliable.

I am so very, very glad I bought my PT. I treat it like crap and it keeps going. It is a simple machine, engine pump and motors. It is highly manueverable, highly uncomfortable (no suspension seat). We all modify ours and buy implements from 3rd parties.

I think for most small farms this is an ideal machine, much better than a Kubota or Deer due to flexibility and ease of maintenance. It moves quicker, does more and is a nice all around machine. But, as I said, it does not do everything great. Lift is a bit low and anemic, ground moving is not great, it has one speed and it is slow and bumpy. It is low to the ground....

But if you know all this and can live with it you will be a happy bunny.

Carl

 

[lfbaumgart]

Looking at the PT-425; but may need to put more emphasis on plowing than versatility. Don't know yet as we've taken the horses off the property to move towards sustainability and wondering what to do with ten acres here in Maple Valley, Washington. Just put some hives on the property and now looking at converting part of the small hay barn into a chicken coop. Now considering what kind of crop, if any, if possible, on about 6 acres. We have about 3 additional acres in trees, conifers, alders and maples and quite often needing to cut up and move trees which come down in wind storms. We've got a DR grader as we have a long drive and pole barn as well as a DR brush mower both needing to be pulled by something more powerful than our garden tractor.

If I was younger I would be considering dumping the engines and getting a couple of draft horses. At least then we wouldn't be mowing the pasture.

Having been in sales and marketing most of my career, I worry about lack of response from a manufacturer and commitment to their products.

 

[SpringHollow]

If you mean plowing ground verses snow, i doubt the PT is for you. It is good for lots of other things though. If i was only plowing a few acres, I would be tempted to hire that out and have a tractor that met my needs better for the rest of the year.

Terry is great at helping you when something breaks

Ken

 

[woodlandfarms]

Sustainability in what form? Or what level of comfort do you want to live in? I forget, but I thought it was 3 acres per person if you planted right...

 

[lfbaumgart]

I like the thought about renting a tractor to plow.

We're just moving towards sustainability, never intending to attain it, although I did marry a farm girl whose family pretty much did it all and now abhors the thought of killing chickens and smell of turkeys.

Regardless, I really like the PT-425 for its cost-effective versatility.

I appreciate the information. Thanks!

 

[MossRoad]

If you are looking at planting a crop, PT425 is not for traditional plowing. It doesn't have the traction of a tractor of the same weight. If, however, you are looking at planting a large garden to sustain your family with many different crops, I would consider the tiller on a PT425 over a traditional plow. (Also, get the book by Mel Bartholomew titled Square Foot Gardening. It will show you how to optimize space and crops for maximum production with minimum labor. A great read! :thumbsup Throw in a large material bucket and the grapple bucket and you can haul all the garden mulch, soil, etc... and gather tons of firewood with ease. Since you have a DR brush cutter stick with towing that behind the PT. There was a TBN member here that mowed with the PT425 60"mower and towed a self powered acre eaze mower offset for a 9' wide cut! I do not know how the DR grader would tow, but if a lawn tractor can tow it, the PT425 can tow it, in my opinion. I'd also get the pallet forks. They are very handy.

 

[lfbaumgart]

Earlier it was suggested to hire out the plowing or perhaps renting a tractor to do the plowing.

Just put the book "Square Foot Gardening" on hold at the library. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Kent]

Last month (June 2011) I bought a PT-425 with tons (literally) of attachments to save on shipping (private carrier to the door, $2200 to mid-vermont) and found the PowerTrac people to be very responsive by phone, fax, and email.

While they were waiting for my check to arrive they immediatly set aside the tractor and all the attachments (two mowers, snowblade, snowblower, forks, LMB, 4+1 bucket, utility grapple). Everything was in stock! The same day they got my check (Friday) the contracted driver hit the road and on Sunday morning he was in my driveway unloading the gear. The shipment was perfect to the bolt, all tightly banded to three pallets and securely anchored to the back of the tilt bed truck. The driver was superb, knows and vouches for the Powertrac owner (and his daughter who took my order) and couldn't say enough good things about their products (he delivers their mining equipment as well).

I have 18 hours on it so far and it has exceeded my expectations in all respects (mostly brush and finish mowing time). Previously I sold my 2001 New Holland TC-40D and attachments, which just about covered my Powertrac purchase price including the shipping. I am very happy to now have a nible, stable, versatile, easy-to-swap attachment carrier, and surprisingly powerful little tractor that I can drive over the lawn. All the things I couldn't do with the larger tractor. I am a homeowner with 15 hilly acres, not a farmer or lumberjack. (I did do quite a bit of logging and land clearing with my NewHolland at my old place so the NH made sense there).

So Powertrac the company is alive and well. I am not concerned at all about not having a local dealer, in fact feel better because now there are many places where I can have the various pieces of the thing fixed.

By the way, the utility grapple (a new attachment) was a last-minute decision and wow, it is fantastic. The wind took down a huge 4-trunk box maple right before I finalized my order. You couldn't believe how fast this little tractor with grapple moved all the piles of branches a hundred yards down to my brush pile and carry all the wood across the street to the neighbor who was most eager for free wood. Not a scuff mark on his finely groomed gravel driveway!

 

[lfbaumgart]

Can't see from photos but was wondering if the rear is just a clevis hitch mount or does the PT-425 come with a 1 1/4" receiver like an ATV? I know that there is a 2" optional ball mount for the front but just wondering how versatile the rear is.

 

[Clumber]

Can't see from photos but was wondering if the rear is just a clevis hitch mount or does the PT-425 come with a 1 1/4" receiver like an ATV? I know that there is a 2" optional ball mount for the front but just wondering how versatile the rear is.

Its just a typical garden tractor hitch. However, lots of folks here have welded on a 2" hitch.

 

[MossRoad]

Its just a typical garden tractor hitch. However, lots of folks here have welded on a 2" hitch.

I'm still toying with that option. It would be helpful for me to use a 2" drop hitch on the back as my garden tractor attachments are a little too low for the factory PT425 pin hitch.

 

[lfbaumgart]

I'm surprised that a 2" hitch is not standard on the rear to add to the versatility.

 

[Clumber]

I'm surprised that a 2" hitch is not standard on the rear to add to the versatility.

I just recalled a forum post that suggested that PT will weld-on tie-downs if requested at time of purchase. It would be easy for them also to swap the standard hitch with a receiver. It doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[lfbaumgart]

I noticed a few of you use the '29" utility grapple' which according to the price list is T3424. Unfortunately, when I try to correlate either of these to the attachments, T8 Attachments, I can only find a 45" grapple bucket. Unfortunately there are no model numbers associated with the product descriptions for the attachments. Sorry but the lack of these basics infuriates a marketer.

Can anyone tell me where I might see a picture please?

 

[Clumber]

I noticed a few of you use the '29" utility grapple' which according to the price list is T3424. Unfortunately, when I try to correlate either of these to the attachments, T8 Attachments, I can only find a 45" grapple bucket. Unfortunately there are no model numbers associated with the product descriptions for the attachments. Sorry but the lack of these basics infuriates a marketer.

Can anyone tell me where I might see a picture please?

Look under New Attachments link in the middle of the PT webpage:

NEW

The Utility Grapple is the most useful attachment I use during non-winter months. In addition to carrying brush piles it can grab just about anything you can think of. Much more useful than a grapple bucket.

 

[smartguyz]

We've been looking for a tractor and looking at various types when I came across Power Trac which seemed to be an ideal solution for us, with some great reviews. Accordingly, I sent in a request for information regarding owners, or perhaps rental companies here, in the Pacific Northwest...

Hi there, welcome to our forum. Where are you located? I have a PT425 and you are welcome to come and check it out and even play.

To answer your question, PT has nonexistent marketing, at least to us homeowner types. I purchased my PT based on Mossroad's website, I kid you not. I bought mine back in the 2003 era. It's been better than anything else I have tried or looked at. I used to have a Deere 318, which was probably the best garden tractor Deere ever made, in my humble opinion, and this is worlds and worlds better. My neighbor has an X4xx series Deere, and I need to come help him out on numerous occasions, because the PT is so much more capable, has a front loader bucket, etc.

Although the initial expense is rather steep (especially with how prices have gone up over the last 10 years) I would not trade this thing out for anything else. Not even a brand new Deere of any description. The PT is just so much more versatile, powerful, nimble, and adaptable.

Sincerely,

Rob