PT ABUSE?!!?

[BobRip]

My modified boom lift puts less strain and abuse on my attachment plate and the tilt/curl function.

Could you give us a closeup of how you attached this to the PT to reduce the stresses? I can't quite see it.

 

[Beechwood]

Could you give us a closeup of how you attached this to the PT to reduce the stresses? I can't quite see it.

When I first built my boom lift I did it the same way as you are showing in your avitar picture. I found out that this was not the best way to use a boom lift, When you lift weight at the end of your boom you are using your tilt/curl function, putting undue stress and strain on your tilt/curl piston ( and yes I was putting more strain on the machine using the boom lift then using my backhoe ) unless you just want to use your lift arms to lift the load, I don't think that would be a wise move suspending a load 7 +/- feet out in frount of your machine.

With my modified lift I rest the boom frame ( which has caster wheels mounted on the bottom now )on the ground or surface I happen to be driving on , and just use the boom hydraulics to lift the load, that way I don't have to use the tilt/curl very often. Same M O as using an engine hoist in your shop. ( hoist frame sits on the floor and the hydraulics do all the work )

I hope this makes sense to you.

 

[Barryh]

When I first built my boom lift I did it the same way as you are showing in your avitar picture. I found out that this was not the best way to use a boom lift, When you lift weight at the end of your boom you are using your tilt/curl function, putting undue stress and strain on your tilt/curl piston ( and yes I was putting more strain on the machine using the boom lift then using my backhoe ) unless you just want to use your lift arms to lift the load, I don't think that would be a wise move suspending a load 7 +/- feet out in frount of your machine.

With my modified lift I rest the boom frame ( which has caster wheels mounted on the bottom now )on the ground or surface I happen to be driving on , and just use the boom hydraulics to lift the load, that way I don't have to use the tilt/curl very often. Same M O as using an engine hoist in your shop. ( hoist frame sits on the floor and the hydraulics do all the work )

I hope this makes sense to you.

Pretty clever again, thinking outside of the box.

 

[BobRip]

When I first built my boom lift I did it the same way as you are showing in your avitar picture. I found out that this was not the best way to use a boom lift, When you lift weight at the end of your boom you are using your tilt/curl function, putting undue stress and strain on your tilt/curl piston ( and yes I was putting more strain on the machine using the boom lift then using my backhoe ) unless you just want to use your lift arms to lift the load, I don't think that would be a wise move suspending a load 7 +/- feet out in frount of your machine.

With my modified lift I rest the boom frame ( which has caster wheels mounted on the bottom now )on the ground or surface I happen to be driving on , and just use the boom hydraulics to lift the load, that way I don't have to use the tilt/curl very often. Same M O as using an engine hoist in your shop. ( hoist frame sits on the floor and the hydraulics do all the work )

I hope this makes sense to you.

Yes, that makes sense and is a really slick idea. The PT is just a carrier of the boom, it does not take much of the load. I feel my boom pole is there to lift only relatively light loads, less than 200 pounds at its end. That is enough for most of my loads. Do you have any idea what you can lift with yours.

 

[BobRip]

A few years back, I got a call from my neighbor about his small John Deer tractor (20 hp diesel) being stuck in the snow and could I pull it out. Of course I did, no big deal. I was talking to a rep at Power Trac a few weeks later and described the incident. He asked "Did you get a picture". I am sure PT would have loved than one. Too bad I did not get a picture. Is this abuse of my PT, making it pull out an inferior tractor?

 

[Beechwood]

Yes, that makes sense and is a really slick idea. The PT is just a carrier of the boom, it does not take much of the load. I feel my boom pole is there to lift only relatively light loads, less than 200 pounds at its end. That is enough for most of my loads. Do you have any idea what you can lift with yours.

I bought the boom cyl. from powertrac, it's the same 14" lift arm cyl. that barry and I have on our 180's. Our lift capacity is rated at 600 lbs. There have been two times that I have far exceeded that capacity with my bucket and ended up doing the old PT pucker. The boom lift will easily lift 600 lbs., but is that a smart or safe move ? NO!!

 

[MossRoad]

A few years back, I got a call from my neighbor about his small John Deer tractor (20 hp diesel) being stuck in the snow and could I pull it out. Of course I did, no big deal. I was talking to a rep at Power Trac a few weeks later and described the incident. He asked "Did you get a picture". I am sure PT would have loved than one. Too bad I did not get a picture. Is this abuse of my PT, making it pull out an inferior tractor?

I know this is tongue in cheek.

I have the suspicion that if we hooked our PTs up to something like a Kubota BX, the little BX will pull the little PT all over the place. Different machines for different purposes... However, for what I do, I wouldn't trade my PT for any conventional cut, no matter what the pulling power. It just works so much faster performing the tasks I do and I do not require that brute force that a geared down CUT can provide.

I would have liked to see that picture, though!

 

[Barryh]

I know this is tongue in cheek.

I have the suspicion that if we hooked our PTs up to something like a Kubota BX, the little BX will pull the little PT all over the place. Different machines for different purposes... However, for what I do, I wouldn't trade my PT for any conventional cut, no matter what the pulling power. It just works so much faster performing the tasks I do and I do not require that brute force that a geared down CUT can provide.

I would have liked to see that picture, though!

Your right, it can be a little deceiving. Our machines can lift more than the little BX, but when it comes to digging with the bucket, or towing the extra power of gear drive on the BX will shine. It can dig deeper and get a full bucket with less effort.

Of course the PT has many other advantages, more versatile. Both machines have their Plus’s. I have just enough power in my PT to dig in hard packed WV clay or tow just about anything I want to move.

I think it’s really all in how you work with the machine. For extra stubborn clay / rock I’ll just slap on the tooth bar. I am curious though as to how much more power the larger wheel motors on the 425 will put out. Mine has plenty of power, so the added punch of the larger motors must be more than adequate.