Power Trac PT425

MossRoad · Mar 13, 2002

Re: Power Trac PT425 4\' Brush Hog Works Great

Color coordinated cleaner, cool!

dummy · Mar 15, 2002

Re: Power Trac PT425 4\' Brush Hog Works Great

Thank you for the no snow, I enjoyed the extra nice winter. How about a rain dance to help us out now?

Charlie_Iliff · Mar 15, 2002

Re: Power Trac Weather Control

Thank you for the no snow, I enjoyed the extra nice winter. How about a rain dance to help us out now? 
I doubt any dancing I might do would cause rain -- its usual result is laughter.
Since buying the snow blade with the Power Trac eliminated snow for the winter, the logical conclusion is that I can cause rain by buying a similarly expensive piece of equipment that only works in very dry weather. A perfect choice, of course, would be an irrigation system. That would be a particularly appropriate choice, since our good governor is about to announce that all use of water, except presumably to mix with bourbon, is prohibited.

dummy · Mar 15, 2002

Re: Power Trac Weather Control

Yea, some of his new ideas are very scary. Maybe a hydraulic broom to sweep the dust off your driveway?

kcook · Mar 15, 2002

Re: Power Trac PT425 4\' Brush Hog Works Great

I will try to send some your way!
KCook from Michigan!

duane · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Dreaming

I am a new registered member, but have been following this forum for some time. I have been actively watching all of the power trac posts. I am patiently, actually impatiently, waiting for my chance to own one. You guys have done a terrific job describing the qualities (many) and limitations (few) of the power trac units. Mossroad, great website and thanks for the answers to my questions.

One of the latest pictures shows the rear tires fairly tight to the frame. What is the clearance between the inside to the rear tires and the frame, enough to mount chains. If you were putting on chains, would you put them on the front, back or on all four tires.

thanks again
Duane

pajoube · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Dreaming

MossRoad, all need to know if the clearance between wheel and frame is such that mud and snow starts building up.
Paul

Charlie_Iliff · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Rubber Blade Edge

PTRich:
I measured the rubber edge on my snow blade for the 1845. It is 3/4 inch thick tire cord reinforced rubber, 6 inches wide. It is held on by a 2 inch wide 1/4 inch thick strip, centered on the rubber. Holes are spaced about 1 1/2 inches from the edge of the blade, 10 inches or so apart. 3/8 grade 5 bolts are used with nylock nuts. When one edge gets worn, it will be simple to flip the rubber over. This kind of edge certainly saves the asphalt and the blade, but shouldn't cost $200.

pajoube · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Rubber Blade Edge

Charlie,
Did this come stock from PT? or did you install? How far from the metal edge does the rubber stick out?
Paul

Charlie_Iliff · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Rubber Blade Edge

Paul:
Stock from Power Trac, but not a sophisticated design or execution. It is about 1 1/2 inches beyond the steel edge.

pajoube · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Rubber Blade Edge

Thanks Charlie, I have a 125 foot paved driveway that I was going to use the blade on. Is this a must to protect the surface?
Paul

Charlie_Iliff · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Rubber Blade Edge

Is this a must to protect the surface?
I thought so, which is why I got the rubber edge as stock instead of waiting and hunting up the pieces. As it turned out, I only plowed one 2" snowfall. It certainly didn't hurt anything. I think that a steel blade edge will cut the blacktop pretty easily, particularly if an operator is as inexperienced at front blade handling as I am. The blade comes with gauge wheels, however, so a skillful operator can minimize edge contact.

pajoube · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Rubber Blade Edge

With gauge wheels can you set the blade just above the surface in the float position?
Paul

Charlie_Iliff · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Rubber Blade Edge

With gauge wheels can you set the blade just above the surface in the float position? 
Paul :
I only have worked with it a little, but it does float on the gauge wheels, at whatever height you set with the curl.

kcook · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Rubber Blade Edge

I think the gauge wheels are a big advantage, they come standard on Power Trac blades! That says alot about Power Trac!
KCook

MossRoad · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Dreaming

The clearance between the inside wall of the turf tires and the frame of the unit on my PT425 is 1". I recall a conversation with PTRich about chains. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tirechain.com/23X10.50X12.htm>He gave me this link for the proper size. It lists prices and they are pretty reasonable.</A>

If I ever decide that I need chains, I'll get them for all four tires, although I might consider getting really meaty tires and an extra set of rims for working in the woods.

MossRoad · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Rubber Blade Edge

Paul,
I have the sonw blade with no rubber strip. On my paved driveway, it works pretty good. Cleans right down to the pavement. It does get hung up on cracks in the pavement or where the pavement meets the concrete sidewalk. I'm sure that over time, it might start chipping out the cracks.

Now I have all summer to consider a steel or rubber wear strip. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

MossRoad · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac PT425 Bent The Pallet Forks!

OK. I went out behind the garage to pull out a 5 foot 3PT brush hog that had been sitting there for two years. I slipped the pallet forks under it and lifted it up and dragged it out along with all of the weeds and junk that had grown into it. When I lowered it down, I had a little trouble backing away. The brush hog kept following me. I finally got the forks out from under it and found that I had bent the right fork up about 4 inches!! /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Now, I could see bending the forks DOWN if I had too much weight on them, but UP??? And just one of them?? The only thing that I can think of is that I was off center a little and the right fork got pinched between the cutter blade and the top of the frame and when I went to tilt it down, the hydraulics were just too powerful.

So, I got out the torch kit (I just had the gas filled two weeks ago) turned the forks upside down and heated it up where the bend was (about two inches out from the base). Then I proceeded to whack it about 6 times with an 8 pound sledge and it was back to normal. /w3tcompact/icons/clever.gif /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

pajoube · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac PT425 Bent The Pallet Forks!

Seeing a bent fork on a new rig would have set me back, good to hear that it worked out ok.
Paul

PTRich · Mar 16, 2002

Re: Power Trac Dreaming

I have four chains on my machine. I have a very long hilly, gravel driveway and they work great. The chains sometimes barely touch, and yes they have nocked off a little paint. In the summer I will take them off and paint any scratches. I did have some logs in my bucket last week (well over 1,000 lbs) and a tire went flat. Then the tire chain realy rubbed. The metal on the tractor is so thick it only scratched the paint inside the tire.

PTRich