waiting for pt425

toy · Sep 7, 2003

Has anyone talked to pt folks recently about when the next batch of 425 will be completed. Do they usually have them ready pretty close to when they say they will. They first said the first of sept, then the first week of sept, then they said the second week of sept. I don't want to bug them.

pajoube · Sep 7, 2003

I was told they would have them ready mid September.
PJ

jol1269 · Sep 7, 2003

i just spoke to scott on friday and it should be done by this friday for thier first run and then they are planning another run of 425's then lo and behold probabley some 180's but this is just what i was told

pajoube · Sep 7, 2003

The 425 is one of the most popular units. PT will have to bite the bullet and get the 180 line started soon. This will come about by cutting back on a run of 425's.
PJ

toy · Sep 8, 2003

I saw two power tracs in my area when I first considered a power trac, and was later told of a third one ,at the time I didn't know what sizes they were. One of them was on a trailor and it looked like what I had been wanting so I talked to the man that had it and he had nothing but praise for his, another one was mowing grass at a Kmart looked like it was doing a fine job I never thought at the time to see what size they were since I didn't know anything about them. After making the trip to Tazwell. and trying out the 422 and the 425, I went to one of the local owners and asked him what size he had and he said it was an 18 hp one and he still had praise for it, he said he had bought it used , so he has had his at least 2 years. In the forum it sounds like the 18 hors power pt is just now coming out Is the 180 you are talking about a new version of the 18 hp pt, or that you haven't seen one yet. A friend told me about the third one and I know the man that has it, both my friend that saw it in action and the man that owned it gave it high praise, the man that owns it said that it was an 18 hp also. I haven't saw this one but the owner of it put his own oil cooler on it with a fan and an additional 5 gal oil tank, rops, and lights front and rear. my friend said that he saw the owner of it move 12' long logs about 12" in diameter with no problem. This machine was bought in 1998, and he said that he hadn't had to do anything to it not even a busted hose. That sounds pretty strong, and that sounds pretty durable to me. If I had known theirs was an 18 hp I would have considered a smaller one. But when I need extra power for a hard job I will be glad that I'm getting the pt 425.

MossRoad · Sep 8, 2003

<font color="blue"> But when I need extra power for a hard job I will be glad that I'm getting the pt 425. </font>

You won't regret it, no matter which unit you get. They are really little workhorses.

Over the weekend I cleaned up the area around our septic tanks. Over the years they had been dug out for cleaning several times and there were large ruts of soil and sod. The PT ripped it out and leveled it with no problems. I am rather fond of the large bucket now. It is my main tool. It has a flat blade all the way across. If I run into something tough and the wheels(turfs) start to spin, I just waggle the steering wheel back and forth and this causes a cutting action on the bucket blade. It moves through sod pretty well for such a light unit.

toy · Sep 20, 2003

I 'm no longer waiting on the pt425 ,got it this week. They used it to load my attachments, and then backed it on the trailor. When I got it home I tried to start it, it wouldn't turn over just made a click sound like it was trying to kick in but then nothing. I tried it several times, getting a little frustrated with it, with my wife , and a neighbor watching , and no action from the machine. Leaned back in the seat, the impressing factor had done left and a what to do now feeling kicked in. Decided to try it again, I never knew how beautiful a cranking engine sounded until then. It started right up, backed it off the trailor with the brush hog attached , dropped it off and continued to unload the trailor . Put the end loader bucket on looked at a pile of gravel that had been setting in my yard for about three months needing to be put in a metal building, before the floor can be poured . That was about 22 tons of rock and a need to impress to justify the buying of this machine., and away we go . Between my neighbor and myself we put about 17 tons of gravel in this building and leveled it. I cut the machine off and looked at the hour meter, 4 hours. That was with the small bucket and traming the machine about 100 foot each way. My wife says she likes it, and knows a lot of things we can do with it. Happy

duane · Sep 20, 2003

Toy,

Congratulations on your new machine. Any idea why the problem trying to start at first.

Duane

pajoube · Sep 20, 2003

That is great news, congratulations.
The feeling of those first few hours on a new tractor is hard to explain but sheer joy would be close.
What other attachments did you get? What projects are planned?
PJ

jol1269 · Sep 20, 2003

well im glad all turned out well for you ... i too would like to know what the issue was no cranking it up . ill be going up on thursday or friday this week if i can survive the 2 - 20 hour days to get the three days off i hopefully will get a 425 and attachments im interested in thinking of the 4-1 bucket maybe the bigger bucket and post hole digger 12 inch auger stump grinder and forks and not sure of the brush hog or the mower will the brush hogg cut the grass as well any input on these items anyone have these with any problems theyd like to share your experience is appreciated here

MossRoad · Sep 20, 2003

Congratulations!

You might want to check the battery cables. Loosen them up, give them a few twists back and forth, then tighten them down again. Check the other ends, too.

<font color="blue">Between my neighbor and myself we put about 17 tons of gravel in this building and leveled it. </font>

How's your wheelbarrow feel about this? Mine got upset and hid under the deck for a year and a half. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bubenberg · Sep 20, 2003

Congratulations! wish you good luck .....wise choice

dbetts · Sep 20, 2003

Congratulations! I hope to join the ranks of PT owners soon. Hopefully the starting problem was something simple like loose cables as MR suggested. Jay, honk when you drive past Cleveland...no, I won't hear you, but it will be a milestone after a couple hours on the road.db

toy · Sep 22, 2003

The starting problem was only the first start up,since then it has started every time. I never done anything to get it to start except wait for a few seconds deciding where to start tracking down the problem, before I started checking the battery cables to see if they were lose I decided to try it again and it started right up. since then it has started up every time. The man that loaded it at the factory cranked it for a long time trying to get it to start to put it on the trailor, the battery may have been just about run down. There is one thing I was wondering about , there is three or four leads coming out of the engine that is not attached to anything does anyone know what they are for.

toy · Sep 22, 2003

I got the small bucket with teeth, the dozer blade, the pallet forks, mini hoe, brush hog with filled tires, spare tire, attachment plate cutter bar for dozer blade and the lip kit for snow. Eventually I would like to get the tiller, 60 inch finish mower, and the large bucket , but the wish list may grow as I learn more about the machine.

MossRoad · Sep 22, 2003

I purchased a Kohler Engine Manual through a local small engine shop. It was less than $15.00. It shows what the extra wires are for. It is at home and I don't remember what all they are for... I think a couple are for 12V and so on. I suggest getting the owner's manual and the service manual from a shop in your area. You can also get them on-line through Kohler, but they were a few dollars more and you had to pay shipping as well.

toy · Sep 23, 2003

I figured my wheel borrow would be upsetbut I watched it and it didn't seem to mind very much. I think the last time it was used though it was thinking enough already can't you see I am wobbly and old