PowerTrac "NEW" Button

[MossRoad]

Re: PowerTrac \"NEW\" Button

Man, that would be great. Tilt and swivel leaf blower.

 

[bubenberg]

Re: PowerTrac \"NEW\" Button

PTrich, your ideas and inputs are great. I am still contemplating to make a rake like yours. I could not wait to get an answer from pt, on the blower subject, so i went ahead and modified a Little Wonder, 11 horse power blower for my multi quick attach plate. this is a 2 inch tubular iron to fit into a trailer hitch receiver, welded to a pt quick attach plate, such as Charlie has pictures on this site. now no one wants to push that thing around except the pt425, IT IS TOO HEAVY ... they all say

 

[Scott_F]

Re: PowerTrac \"NEW\" Button

<font color=green>To me, this means that the lift capacity is due to the weight of the PT425, not the strength of its hydraulics</font color=green>
MR,
Did you ever weigh that stump? I had an experience last weekend that makes me question this assumption. I had 12 40lb. bags (480lbs.) of pelletized lime in the big bucket. As I backed away from the garage and turned to head toward the spreader, I suddenly had a strong diving sensation. Fortunately I only had the bucket about a foot off the ground. Straightned out the backend and it settled back down to the ground. Tried again (very slowly) on some level ground - I had to go almost to the full limit of the steering, but the back end started to come off the ground. The hydraulics never complained a bit. Be careful out there folks - the 4xx's will clearly start to tip well before you get the full 800 pound load on the front end if you don't watch the center of gravity.

Happy PTing,
Scott

 

[MossRoad]

Re: PowerTrac \"NEW\" Button

I agree. Maybe the 800 pounds is the breakout capacity of the hydraulics and not the lift capacity. We might not be able to hit 800 pounds because the rear wheels come off the ground before we hit 800 pounds. When I lifted the stump I started to go forward but the unit wasn't turning. I looked behind me and the rear tires were off the ground and to my side. I straightened the unit out and it came back down. The center of gravity certainly changes as you turn the wheel. That's why I'm very careful to keep the load as low as possible.

I think this re-inforces my theory that the lift capacity is limited by the weight of the machine and not the strength of the hydraulics. When you tipped yours forward, the hydraulics didn't fail, the weight of the load tipped you forward.

Also, I was lifting the large bucket heaping with granulated limestone. It was running right around a ton a yard. The large bucket is 0.333 of a yard, so I figure I was close to 700 pounds. I could lift it as long as I kept the wheels straight. I had to transport it about 250 yards, so I just went in reverse. It went just as fast, and if it wanted to tip it would just skid on the bottom of the bucket and keep going. Worked really well. This is the only time that I really enjoyed having the armrests. Now I haul all heavy loads in reverse. It just feels safer.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Re: PowerTrac \"NEW\" Button

Scott:
The syndrome you describe is a function of the articulation. When you bend the PT in the middle, weight on the front end no longer is picking up all the weight of the back. In fact because the front and back can roll relative to each other, the front tilts forward and thus rolls relative to the back instead of picking it up. PT calls the relative roll "oscillation" although I'm not quite sure why they picked that word.
Unless the machine is pretty straight, weight on the front first rolls the front relative to the back, then tilts the back over the inside wheel, which takes a lot less leverage that picking it up straight with the front wheels as the only fulcrum.
Of course, my understanding isn't only theoretical. Exciting when it starts to go, isn't it? Fortunately, unless you have it high, the bucket hits before you tilt too far. If you have the bucket up, you qualify for a Bubenberg set of PT test pilot wings. (He doesn't talk much about how he got the first set.)

 

[duane]

Re: PowerTrac \"NEW\" Button

Scott,

It's like the old kids playground teter-toder (sp?). When you bend in the middle, you shorten up one side of the balance point, the front wheels, and the lift capacity dimishes. The first time it startled me, but now I can feel happening and control it.

Duane

 

[Scott_F]

Re: PowerTrac

<font color=green>think this re-inforces my theory that the lift capacity is limited by the weight of the machine and not the strength of the hydraulics</font color=green>

I guess this depends on how you define "lift capacity". I guess I would define it as how much weight you can lift before the tractor starts doing something it ought not to, like riding on less that four wheels. I wonder exactly what PT was thinking when they defined the lift capacity.

Good idea - moving really heavy loads backwards. I'll try that next time.

Scott

 

[Scott_F]

Re: PowerTrac

Charlie,
Interesting dynamics for sure. I was thinking the rear end rolled first because the CG shifts forward and to the inside of the turn. The "oscillation" feature lets the back start to roll onto the inside wheel before it lifts completely off the ground. Probably the same thing you're saying only different.

Of note - when I did it "accidentally" the first time, I felt no tendency of the front half to tip at all. I suspect the CG of the front half combined with the the load is low enough to counter the side load of the backend even if it's all the way over to the side. I'll let Bubenberg define the performance envelope of forward tilt vs. side loads, and I'll stick to testing airplanes. They're supposed to roll. Still, I'm glad I got the ROPS.

Scott

 

[MossRoad]

Re: PowerTrac

I would recommend the ROPS and seatbelt usage combo to anyone considering purchase of this machine. Any tractor, for that matter. Safety first /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[duane]

Re: PowerTrac

Scott,

Have you used your boxblade much. I am considering getting one. I can't decide whether a boxblade or scraper blade would fit my uses better. I would use it to level some uneven areas that have compacted soil. I could break up the ground with a bucket and then use the scraper blade. I like the scraper blade since it has a wider variety of uses.

Any thoughts PTrs
Duane