To buy 425 or 1430-that is the question?

[hogi]

I'm getting really close to making the trip to VA. but I am still torn between the 1430 and the 425. Of those of you who own the 425, how many of you wish, if you had it to do all over again, and if money was not a major obstacle would buy a 1430 instead? Do any of you 1430 owners wish you had bought a 425 and saved money, or wish you had the maneuverability of the 425? How does the extra weight of the 1430 affect the practicality of transporting it to other jobs on a small trailer pulled by a p/u truck and how much does the extra weight help when working with the machine? Does the added weight of the 1430 tear up or rut turf in the winter when the ground is soft? 425 owners, if you knew you could never trade up later and had one chance to make the right choice would you still choose the 425 over the 1430?
One last thing guys , if both 425 and 1430 owners could give any known approximate weights of attachments that would really help as I am thinking of buying attachments made for the 3 pt. hitch and converting them. Sorry for such a long post but this decision is killing me. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[MossRoad]

If I had to do it over again, I would stick with my PT425. It is the right size tool for my jobs. No regrets.

You have to decide which is the right size tool for your jobs. That's the hard part.

We originally purchased a very large tractor/loader with cab(8000 pound fully loaded. Here's a picture of it going to the scrapper). We used it to do all the major jobs at our property, including cutting in a road to prep the area for a future home. Once that big work was done, we downsized to the PT425 for all the rest of the chores that will need to be done, like brush hogging trails and fields, mowing the lawn, plowing the drive and hauling firewood out of the woods. The PT425 could have done the jobs of the large tractor, but it would have taken a lot longer and put undue stress on the machine.

 

[pajoube]

There is no question that my purchase of a 425 was the right one. The mistake I made is not buying it sooner.
Like MossRoad stated, you have to size the machine to the jobs. I am retired so a little longer on a project is no problem as I tend to push the 425 beyond its limits, see my post "Why I bought a 425".
Doing it over again I still would buy a 425 as it will go places no other CUT can go and not tear up the lawn.
PJ

 

[BobRip]

Your are right in that it is a choice that you can only make once. I now have more money in the attachments than in the PT422. I would prefer the 425 to the 422 and plan to upgrade when my 422 is about 10 years old. I still like the 422, but at 10 years, I project about 1000 hours and I will keep the 422. Maybe by then it will be a 430 with fuel injection.

If you plan to use 3PT attachments, the 1430 might be a better choice, but I do not think that is a good idea. If you don't already own them, why not buy the attachments made for the PT. They are right sized and I think reasonably priced. With most 3PT attachements you pull, with the PT you push. This sounds like a mismatch. Others please chime in as I don't have experience in this area. When I sold my small Kubota, I got rid of all of the attachments with it. I have never missed them.

Which PT to buy. It depends on what you are planning to do. Please discuss this here. With the small size of your lots, the 425 sounds like a good choice. However your task dictate this more.
I drove both at Tazewell in January, and still perferred the 425 over the 1430, but I have a lot of 425 attachments and am biased.

Finally go somewhere and try both. You could go to Tazewell and they will let you try out both, with all of the attachments you want to try. Maybe there is somebody local who will let your drive theirs. This is not uncommon.

Good luck with your decision, I am sure you will be happy with either one, but not sure you will be happy with 3pt attachments on a PT

Bob Rip

 

[MossRoad]

I think it was Blackwell(who has many Power Tracs in his business) who reminded us several times....

If you are going to do big jobs, get the bigger unit.

We all tend to push the limits of the 400 series units and a few of us have broken them. We have lived and learned, but the bigger unit would have done the job with less stress on the unit and probably faster and safer. Just a thought to muddy the water. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[bbabineau]

HOGI

I made the trip to Tazewell in January. I too debated long and hard over which PT to buy. I came home with the 1430 for various reasons but not sure that I have proven to myself as yet why this is the right one for me. After driving both I think the 425 is more manueverable. The 1430 certainly has more weight and substance for the big jobs. I have a 4 in 1 bucket and it has two lift cylinders vs one for the 425. I also have the mini hoe and think it is probably identical to the 425.
My reasons to selecting the 1430 probably gravitate more to the ability on the slopes and the grunt of the diesel. I have a hill side to cut that has 22 degree slopes and the boss mandated the 1430 after talking with the PT people about which would be preferrable on the slopes. I have also started to work on attachments that will start a life as a 3 pt tractor attachment. The first will be a landscape rake. I'm on the central coast still up to my eyeballs in wet ground so not doing much yet but look forward to start my many projects soon.

 

[Bob999]

I think that slopes are a consideration in deciding between the 425 and the 1430.

My understanding is that the Deutz diesel in the 1430 is rated to work on 30 degree slopes because of the larger oil pan and the oil pick up arrangement, while the 425 is rated to work on a lesser slope.

When I discussed slope capability with the PT folks they did differentiate the ability of the two models but my recollection is unclear whether it was based on the oil pickup, general stability as a result of the center of gravity, or both.

I tried a 1430 on a 25+ degree slope at Tazwell and the individual demonstrating the unit's reaction was that if I wanted to work on slopes that steep he thought I should get an 1845.

I ended up with the 1845.

 

[MossRoad]

I know the Kohler engine in my 2001 PT425 is rated at 25 degrees, so that is the limitation of the tractor, wether it will hold that slope or not. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[toy]

Has anyone ever thought about making an adaptor so that the motor would fit on it and so that it would swing from side to side so that when you went on a incline the motor would self level that would give you a little more steeper slope that you could run it on if you hade the nerve. If you did that and it worked it would be definitly a time to reverse the wheels.

 

[Spiffy]

If slopes were the largest challange, I'd sure want both the brakes and the pivot seat on the 1845.

I've seen them close up, but didn't test an 18, so just my two cents anyway......

 

[funpilot]

Do the attachments for the 425 fit the 1430?

 

[MossRoad]

I don't think so.

 

[tracdoc]

While it would not be a big deal to make up an "adapter-adapter" plate to facilitate attaching 425 attachments to a 1430, another ?bigger issue is the hydraulic flow mismatch between the 425 (8GPM) and the 1430 (12 GPM). That might be a problem for some implements.

 

[BobRip]

I think the adapter-adapter would work, but the extra power behind the 1430 might damage the 425 attachements. The hydraulic problem is easier to fix, you do a bypass line so that some of the flow goes around the attachment. I wish someone would try this. I might buy a 1430 in five years if it works out.

Bob Rip

 

[Bob999]

<font color="red"> you do a bypass line so that some of the flow goes around the attachment. I wish someone would try this</font>

At the time I bought my PT 1845 PT sold a hydraulic bypass system for the fertilizer spreader that had a moter rated for the hydraulic flow of the 425. The bypass system allowed the spreader to be used on the 1430/1845.

I ultimately opted for an electricly powered fertilizer spreader sold by Earthway--It was less than half the price of the PT unit and utilized a plastic bin rather than steel used by PT--an advantage when working with corrosive materials like fertilizer.

 

[BobRip]

How do you like the Earthway spreader? I saw an electric one at Northern Tools that sounds similar. I wonder if anyone has experience with it on a PT.

Bob Rip

 

[Bob999]

I have been satisfied with the Earthway spreader. It holds a 50 lb (15,000 square foot) bag of fertilizer and the electric motor works fine for the spreading action. The on/off is via a lanyard that controls a spring loaded plate.

Earthway makes the same model with stainless motor housing and metal parts for a lot more money but I bought the standard painted steel version. I have had mine for three seasons and with washing after each use corrosion has not been an issue.

The model I bought has a 2in trialer hitch mount adapter available so I purchased a quick attach plate and had a 2 in receiver welded on.

The Earthway spreader comes with a cigarette lighter plug so I installed a cigarett lighter outlet below the dash that can also be used for other electric supply purposes.

 

[Piedmont3]

To answer your original question.
I own a 425, I think it is plenty of tractor for our 5 acres. I also own a 1/2 ton 2wd F150, I don't need 3/4 ton or 4wd in a truck. So based on this you may realize I don't like to waste my money on things/extras I don't need. I think the 425 will do everything I need it to do now and for the short term to mid term future as well. That's why I got it instead of the 1430. The only complaint I have with mine is I don't get to use it enough. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[weaver]

I have a 1430 and tow it with a 18 ' carmate trailer with a single wheel f-350. Pt Rich put his 425 in a pick up bed. but I like the 1430 because of the diesel, size, gpm . I use it commercially that why I went with larger model. I put turf tires on it and it went pretty well in the winter. I also used chains but sometimes they would slip off and I would not notice and take out the inside valve stem on the tire . But when I have a tire malfunction I take it off the rim and weld 2nd valve stem hole shut . When it thawed in january I worked in a sheep field and got around decent but I think every machine has it limitations. on tearing up turf in normal conditions it doesn't, the 1430 does not tear up turf only if i really force the machine it only burns the grass I have never driven a 425 but the 1430 get into preety tight spots