PT425 Lift Arm and Center Link Arm

[tlb]

Can anyone with a PT425 answer a few questions for me. I just replaced the lift arm assembly and center section link arm. I ordered the replacements from PT and dropped off the tractor and parts at a local tractor repair shop. When I got it back, I tried to use the LMB but could not dump it. The lift assembly would not allow the bucket to go past horizontal.

I looked at a PT425 on the PT website and it looks like the repair shop mounted the tile arm correctly, however, it does not allow enough 'throw'
to empty the bucket. I'm guessing one of several things could be wrong: 1) the repair shop mounted the center link arm where the lift assembly link arm should go (they are not the same length), 2) The lift arm throat assembly is backwards, or 3) power trac welded the lift arm throat backwards.

I have attached two photos of the areas in question. I also have another question about bolt size. Can anyone tell me the size wrench needed for the bolt in photo labeled A?. Can anyone tell me the length of the lift assembly link arm labeled B? Can anyone tell me if the lift arm throat assembly is correct or backwards? The throat assembly has a long side and short side. It also has a flat side and angled side. Which end should be connected to the quick attach plate? Can someone tell me the length of the center link arm in the second photo labeled D?
Thanks,
-Tim

 

[J_J]

Can anyone with a PT425 answer a few questions for me. I just replaced the lift arm assembly and center section link arm. I ordered the replacements from PT and dropped off the tractor and parts at a local tractor repair shop. When I got it back, I tried to use the LMB but could not dump it. The lift assembly would not allow the bucket to go past horizontal.

I looked at a PT425 on the PT website and it looks like the repair shop mounted the tile arm correctly, however, it does not allow enough 'throw'
to empty the bucket. I'm guessing one of several things could be wrong: 1) the repair shop mounted the center link arm where the lift assembly link arm should go (they are not the same length), 2) The lift arm throat assembly is backwards, or 3) power trac welded the lift arm throat backwards.

I have attached two photos of the areas in question. I also have another question about bolt size. Can anyone tell me the size wrench needed for the bolt in photo labeled A?. Can anyone tell me the length of the lift assembly link arm labeled B? Can anyone tell me if the lift arm throat assembly is correct or backwards? The throat assembly has a long side and short side. It also has a flat side and angled side. Which end should be connected to the quick attach plate? Can someone tell me the length of the center link arm in the second photo labeled D?
Thanks,
-Tim

I believe that they welded it on upside down. Small end should be at the bottom to give you a longer throw with the quick attach. You can fix some of it by making a tilt bar with more holes for attaching. My 1445 came with two holes on one end. It doesn't have to be round, two pieces of 1/2 steel about 2 in in width welded together, and as long as you want. You can have three holes if you want. The logic is that a short throw on the bottom will give a longer throw at the top and tilt the quick attach plate more. The only other option is to cut it out and weld it right. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[KentT]

I think JJ may be on the right track with the difference in the "throw" between the top and the bottom. However, couldn't you just unbolt the hydraulic cylinder and the link that goes to the QA, rotate it 180 degrees and then reattach the cylinder and link?

 

[kmaz]

I think kent is correct, it looks like you can just spin it around, grease zerks should be on top.
Kris

 

[NJBill]

You have 3 correct answers, here's a 422 showing the straight side being front and upper.
Bill

 

[J_J]

I think JJ may be on the right track with the difference in the "throw" between the top and the bottom. However, couldn't you just unbolt the hydraulic cylinder and the link that goes to the QA, rotate it 180 degrees and then reattach the cylinder and link?

Just from looking at it , I think the cross member will prevent you from rotating it around. Also, the forward side might not be symmetrical. The froward might side might be flat, and the backside might have an angle built in. My 1445 does. Just a thought for you to consider.

 

[J_J]

Just from looking at it , I think the cross member will prevent you from rotating it around. Also, the forward side might not be symmetrical. The froward might side might be flat, and the backside might have an angle built in. My 1445 does. Just a thought for you to consider.

There could be a big difference, believe or not. Check out photo.

Neither one is symmetrical. It does make a fifference in how it is set up. Lessons learned by me, but to late.

 

[J_J]

Here is a picture of a 1430 tilt arm, showing flat side forward, and long side down. Go figure. It seems like this arrangement would give a shorter tilt.

 

[Bob999]

Here is a picture of a 1430 tilt arm, showing flat side forward, and long side down. Go figure. It seems like this arrangement would give a shorter tilt.

JJ--Are you sure that is a 1430? It looks more like a 2400 series tractor.

 

[RegL]

Here is a picture of a 1430 tilt arm, showing flat side forward, and long side down. Go figure. It seems like this arrangement would give a shorter tilt.

The tilt arm on my 1430 is longer on the bottom but is symmetrical. No flat side.

 

[MossRoad]

On my 2001 PT425, the flat side of the assembly faces forward while your pictures show it facing backwards. As KentT stated, you can probably just unbolt the dump/curl cylinder and the linkage and rotate it around 180 degrees. That is, as long as the longer side of the assembly ends up connected to the cylinder and the shorter end is attached to the linkage, as mine is(I can't tell from your picture which side is longer). If it does not, then the assembly is welded on incorrectly and will have to be taken off and swapped left to right.

I also measured the length of the long side of the assembly and it is about 1 inch shorter than the distance from the center pivot to the cross member, so it should be able to slip it through when you disconnect the cylinder and linkage and rotate it around. Try it and see if it works. I'll bet it will.

 

[tlb]

Well, it seems everyone is right. I have seen pictures with the flat part facing forward and backward, as well as the short side facing up and down. I measured the length of the pivot arm and got the same result as MR. I looked
at the old lift arms and the flat side faces foward with the short side connected to the link arm.

I went ahead and rotated the arm 180 degrees so the short side is connected to the piston and long side ot the link arm. It seems to work ok and I can dump the LMB, although I am not sure it curls as much as it did before. I have not tried any other attachments yet to see if the curl has been affected.

Thanks for all the replys.
-Tim

 

[J_J]

J--Are you sure that is a 1430? It looks more like a 2400 series tractor.

You are right, that is a 2430, last picture on the PT web site, for the 2430.

 

[J_J]

Well, it seems everyone is right. I have seen pictures with the flat part facing forward and backward, as well as the short side facing up and down. I measured the length of the pivot arm and got the same result as MR. I looked
at the old lift arms and the flat side faces forward with the short side connected to the link arm.

I went ahead and rotated the arm 180 degrees so the short side is connected to the piston and long side ot the link arm. It seems to work OK and I can dump the LMB, although I am not sure it curls as much as it did before. I have not tried any other attachments yet to see if the curl has been affected.

Thanks for all the replays.
-Tim

Tim, The tilt arm assembly that you just replaced, was it identical to the old one. I know you said that you rotated it 180, but if you don't have the same curl, that means that it should also have been reversed . Like I said before, I found this out to late, didn't know any better, so I welded it so it looked right. I lost some of my curl. I compensated for some of that by using a longer tilt bar. They didn't have a tilt arm for my old PT, so they sent a close match, and didn't tell me about the long and short side and the flat side. I wasn't about to cut out that new shaft.

 

[tlb]

JJ,
Yes, it is the same as the old one except the pivot arm is reversed. I went ahead and reversed it. I lost a few inches of curl but it is acceptable, plus I do not want to remove everything again, order a new one, then reinstall it.
-Tim

 

[J_J]

JJ,
Yes, it is the same as the old one except the pivot arm is reversed. I went ahead and reversed it. I lost a few inches of curl but it is acceptable, plus I do not want to remove everything again, order a new one, then reinstall it.
-Tim

As long as you can curl the bucket enough to scoop up a load of dirt, and dump it, is good. I had to make corrections in the length of the tilt arm to give full dump. I am just sorry that I didn't know about the geometry of the tilt arm before, and no one offered any help, mainly because not many people had not changed out the tilt assembly. Unfortunately, I can not roll my tilt arm around because of the extra support bar in the way, and the fact that PT sent me a different one. They didn't have any of the old ones like mine. Bummer.