Power Trac PT425

[MossRoad]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

I'd surely feel safer on slopes on my PT425 than on a conventional tractor. However, I've never used a conventional tractor of the same size as my PT for dirt work, so I can't compare the two.

I have turfs and can spin the tires pretty easily if I take a too agressive bite. You might consider R4s instead of turfs. I plan on ordering a second set of rims with R4s to compliment my turfs when I start doing work in the woods on the slopes in a few years.

Did you see my video on the parking space that I installed? It shows the PT425 with turf tires and the small bucket with teeth. It did an excellent job of digging up turf and topsoil that had been compacted by cars and trucks for years. Also, the ground was partially frozen. You might want to check it out.

I also considereed the JD4100, however, my knees hit the steering wheel and it felt like I had to climb up on it. That gave me a feeling of top heavyness, which I never get on the PT425.

My advice is test drive all of the different brands in person. See what they can do in undisturbed soil. See how you like the cut of the mower. See how you like changing implements, etc... You might find a better machine for your needs. You might chose the PT400 series. Good luck on your tractor hunt.

 

[PTRich]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

I have the PT425 and use the small bucket with teeth to dig. It works very well. I have the bar tires and my ground is very rocky. We also have a Yanmar that weighs about 3600lbs, it does not dig as well but the bucket is slower and has no teeth on it. I mow with my bar tires, they leave no impressions on the grass (possibly because they are so wide). I have been very happy with my machine and hope to help Reds so he is also happy with his. Keep watching this site, I hope to be able to put together my "grademaster" and will share my findings with everyone.

 

[MossRoad]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

"Grade master" ? Sounds interesting. I'll watch for your posts. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

Dear MossRoad, PTRich, ernemats, and other PT Guys,

Thanks for the valuable feedback. The information on the PT425 and dirtwork is encouraging. I will continue to watch for your experiences relating to PT425 dirtwork capability. I will be heading to a meeting in the Northeast at the end of May and am planning a visit to the PT place in Virginia. I think the chance to actually try out the PT425 will make the decision for me. Over the past year I have looked at and tried a bunch of tractors and spent tons of time on the net researching tractors. My wife thinks I have become obsessed. I am taking her with me so she can try the PT425 herself, since she enjoys mowing our property. I pretty much had her talked into a new NH TC29 when I found the PT discussions and realized the PT is what I have been looking for. Her only problem with the P425 is that it looks like a golf cart instead of a tractor. I need to convince her that the machine can really do what we need regardless of the golf cart look. I was looking at close to $20k for the NH with fel, mower, bushhog (same as brushhog) and a few other goodies, so $12-$13k for a PT425 with more functionality looks real good. I am hoping that my visit to Power Trac will end a long and somewhat frustrating quest for the "right tractor." Your honest and informative comments are much appreciated. Thanks again. Ken in Mississippi


P.S. By the way MossRoad, a few weeks ago I downloaded all your videos so I could analyze carefully the digging sequences. It looks good, but my dirt is concrete-like red clay, so its hard to make a direct comparison.

 

[kcook]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

Ken, like your self, I have been looking for some times look at all the machines on the market. The big selling point I liked was the quick change, my wife like to mow and us my old tractor, the quick change will assist her in working around the yard as it is so easy to remove and replace different attachments!

KCook

 

[bubenberg]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

ken, the golf cart look is not a selling point of pt but a virginia state requirement that vehicles over a certain horsepower rating must have a rops system installed.

on the other hand, if you work ever around tree work, you will be happy to have that canopy above your head. hope that will help to make another selling point or two to the proper authorities.

 

[Reds]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

I took the tractor out friday night ... no attachments ... drove across the hill out front of the house. PT was just fine. Only the slightest hint of wheel lift in one or two places. So PT passed this test with flying colors.

Today i cut the rear yard. Almost finished cutting the rear hill before the front wheel lifted off the ground. The joystick seemed to be in the float position. So i raised the mower deck, which lowered the wheel, put the joystick back into float and finished mowing the yard. No more problems.

Next i venture back out to the front yard, make sure i'm in float, start across the front hill, get about 30' out, the wheel comes off the ground. When i lift the mower deck, the tractor drops back down. If I put it in float again, the mower deck actually puts enough pressure on the ground to lift weight off the front wheels tractor. You can feel and see the front of the tractor lift up. This does not happen on level ground unless you put the joystick in lower instead of float. In your experience is this normal? Is it possible for the incline to cause the float to malfunction ? If i drive forward from this position ... the front wheel will lift up. It seems like the loader arms are pushing down on the mowe deck and lifting the tractor up. Not both wheels, just the front (uphill side) wheel. Now, if i go in reverse ... the wheel comes back down. I can drive in reverse as long as i want without any problems. I don't really want to cut my hills in reverse.

So ... i can drive across the hills with no problems with no attachment. I can drive across the rear hill with almost no problems with mower deck attached . The front hill is a big headache! Backwards seems to be no problem except for the small fact that the mower deck is on the front.

Opinions ... comments ... please!!!???

 

[Sedgewood]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

<font color=green>Is it possible for the incline to cause the float to malfunction ? If i drive forward from this position ... the front wheel will lift up. It seems like the loader arms are pushing down on the mowe deck and lifting the tractor up. Not both wheels, just the front (uphill side) wheel. Now, if i go in reverse ... the wheel comes back down. I can drive in reverse as long as i want without any problems. I don't really want to cut my hills in reverse.
</font color=green>
Reds, this description reminds me of something I've found with my 1845 that may be relevant to your problem. I can backdrag all day long with the bucket or rake or whatever in float. If I try to "forwarddrag" in float the tractor starts to try to climb over the attachment, lifting the front wheels off the ground. I'm a bit annoyed by this since I used to "forwarddrag" fairly often with my old 484 and FEL with no problem. It would be nice to be able to push debris with the rake over uneven ground in float but alas it's not possible. I think the climbing must be related to the arm geometry. My guess in your case is that on the side hill your mower is for some reason not rolling easily enough to keep this forwarddrag/lift action from happening. When the front lifts up the front of the tractor will pivot around the pivot point the mower hangs from and will roll toward the downhill side keeping the downhill wheel on the ground and lifting the uphill wheel. So, what's keeping the mower from rolling freely? High grass against the deck? A wheel digging in. The attachment plate not centered so mower can swing forward enough. I seem to remember seeing at the factory an older model 1845 with a stabilizer running from the mower deck back to the tractor frame to keep the mower from swinging back. You might start by watching carefully for clues to whatever it is that is keeping the mower from rolling freely. Hope this helps.

 

[Sedgewood]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

<font color=red>If I try to "forwarddrag" in float the tractor starts to try to climb over the attachment, lifting the front wheels off the ground.</font color=red>

Like this.

 

[kcook]

Re: Power Trac Mowing Performance

You guys will have all the little problems figured out buy the time I get a PT, Thanks
KCook