Wanted dead or alive Power Trac

[ncstriper]

Hello everyone and thank you in advance. I'm looking for a power trac that needs work and a new home. So if you know of one let me know please. Thanks again

 

[MossRoad]

Welcome to TBN! :thumbsup:

keep an eye on the Power Trac website used machine section, ebay, craig's list, etc... good luck in your search.

 

[ernemats]

Welcome. Some more information would help, like what size PT , where are you located and how far you are willing to travel.

 

[ncstriper]

I apologise for not being able to respond. I appreciate everyones help and patience. I'm looking for recommendations. I currently have and enjoy a 420 steiner 21hp kubota. I've always wanted to try the Power Trac because it looks to be as perfect in concept as possible. If the group could help me I would greatly appreciate it. Some things I know I want that my 420 dual wheels want deliver affordably. More vertical lift, and easier customized attachments its a curse, more pulling power. Thanks.

 

[ncstriper]

Im in NC. Willing to travel .

 

[ncstriper]

One more thing on the list cut heavy brush up to 4" trees 30 hours a week. Trail making/cutting basically. Remove a cut down reasonable tree.

 

[MossRoad]

You're looking more like a commercial user with that many hours per week cutting that much brush that large, maybe you should be looking at a tracked skidsteer with a mulching head.

 

[ponytug]

I agree with MossRoad. If you are going to be cutting brush 30 hours a week, you may be happier with a mulching head on a tracked skid steer, like an ASV RT-75, if the slope isn稚 too bad. If it is, a 1445 will take you to 25 degrees or so, or an 1850 to 45degrees, but they don稚 have the weight that a skid steer has, so they aren稚 as good at earthmoving for trails, but better at floating over soft ground.

My 1445 with a 6 brush cutter goes through brush faster than a skid steer with a mulching head, but leaves behind bigger pieces, and the stumps are a couple inches high. A mulching head will totally remove the stumps.

Can you help us out? What are you using now? When you say trail, is it flat, sloped, or really steep? Is it mainly brush removal? Grading? Adding base rock? Are they trails for humans? Horses? Bikes? Cars?

All the best,

Peter

 

[ncstriper]

Thanks for all the help. I'm currently using a 420 steiner 21hp standard belt drive setup. The cutting head is one I built. It destroys brambles, vine, grass and saplings no problem. Can drop 6" trees no issue no feed back on the tractor either. Cuts and shreds flush with the ground up to steiners limited lift height. Terrain that I play on is diverse swamps and woody hillside. The hills are uncomfortable and a bit much for tractors. Belts and limbs dont mesh well royal pain. I really like my small foot print it makes trail making easy, avoid the 2.5" and bigger trees as much as possible. The trails when finished range from 6 feet to 10 feet in width depends on the clients needs. Soil range peat to clay. My issue with steiner and ventrac are implement weight and square footage on the trailer, lifting height, periodic belt destruction due to debris. Want to keep low stance easier for me to get on and off. I really like the weight and lift of the pt425. Would like to drop a 38hp efi kohler in it maybe seeing how I got one on the shelf. I do alot of sub work for landscapers that have skid steers and mulchers. Either because of soil conditions and or small scope jobs.

 

[SpringHollow]

I would not want to use my 1850 to drop 6" trees.

Ken

 

[airbiscuit]

i would like to see a pic of your cutting head, or even better of your rig in action.

I can't imagine cutting 4" trees. I won't cut anything over 1 1/2" with my rotary cutter.

 

[ncstriper]

Here is a picture of a recent project before and after. With my belt drive 420 Steiner with only 21hp it took me around 5hrs to clear just under .5 acre. Running the motor 2/3rd throttle. Had a couple 6" trees and a quite a few over 2"to cut down with the cutting head as well. The lot had been bush hogged 20+ years ago. I feel if I had this cutting head on the pt425 I could shave an easy hour off. Just by being able to raise the cutting head 4' up from the base and chewing to the ground like you would do with the toro dingo and a blue diamond brushcutter. The cutting head that I made does not jar, bounce, or vibrate when used. Absolutely no impact on the equipment or operator. After I'm done cutting with my cutting rig I switch to my 350 pound finish mower for a final ground cleaning. The I load the tractor two implements, my crippled self and leave. No chainsaw work at all for me. The only thing left is about a pickup truck load of big limbs, and a few rotten logs that they generally burn.

 

[airbiscuit]

Nice. How about a few pics of the cutter?

 

[ponytug]

Nice job. It is hard to judge the size trees from the photo, but it looks like the 6 brush cutter could take those saplings down. However, your cutter seems to cut below grade like a mulching head, removing the stumps, and a normal brush cutter won稚 do that. Flail mowers can get to ground level, but I don稚 know how big a tree the PT flail mowers will mulch.

I would love to see photos of what your cutter looks like and how it gets things below grade.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ncstriper]

I would like to show the pictures of the cutting head, but I have to keep it under wraps for right now. I will bring it out for more people to enjoy later this year. When I get a PT and fit up to it properly. It does an awesome job on all types of grasses, bull rushes, catails, black needle rush, honeysuckle, and other vines with no wrapping or cleaning needed. It makes a cutting width of 54". It is lightweight so not to increase ground pressure by much. Typically I cut to the grade staying off the soil. I will run it subsurface in areas where I'm wanting to create a drainage swale with the cutterhead while cutting. Once I get my new to me Power trac I will be releasing a build diagram unless Power Trac wants to manufacture it. With all my rambling. I believe I need to be searching for a pt422 to a pt1430 in size for maintaing my farm. I enjoy design and fabrication to. So please keep an eye out for a PT for me. I don't care if it runs or not. I will go through it completely all the way to a new paint job. I really don't want to build a mini front loader from scratch if I dont have to. The toro dingo and skid steers are rough on the body especially mine.

 

[ponytug]

Totally understand. Good luck with it.

All the best, Peter

 

[ernemats]

Did you look at the power-trac web site under used power tracs or call and talk to Terry, as sometimes he knows of used power tracs for sale that is how I found my 1845.

 

[ncstriper]

Thanks for everyone's help. I will call Terry in the morning. He was out sick last week.

 

[airbiscuit]

A smaller version of this?

 

[airbiscuit]

Or this?