Power Trac Power Rake

[Rolando]

I need a Harley-type power rake, but can't justify the $8k+ price, so I've been looking at the Power Trac Power Rake found in about the middle of this page. Is anybody using this implement? And if so, what has been your experience with it?

My understanding is that Power Trac sells everything directly? How do you handle warranty repairs?

They ship the rake without a mounting plate, so you provide your own. I have a Bobcat Toolcat, so I would have to attach a skidsteer plate. I guess it would need to be welded on. Does anybody have any opinions about how well that would work?

I would appreciate whatever comments you can make. I know very little about Power Trac, but everyone seems to be speak very positively about this company.

[woodlandfarms]

I think Ken Simolo has one of these for sale (ksimolo is his handle here). I will vouch for the man so you should drop him a line and get his opinion and see if it is still for sale....

[MossRoad]

Originally Posted by Rolando

I need a Harley-type power rake, but can't justify the $8k+ price, so I've been looking at the Power Trac Power Rake found in about the middle of this page. Is anybody using this implement? And if so, what has been your experience with it?

I do not have a Power Rake.

Originally Posted by Rolando

My understanding is that Power Trac sells everything directly? How do you handle warranty repairs?

Yes, they are factory direct. Warranty is kind of tricky. Depending on the part, they will ship you a new part and you have to supply the labor. Or, you can ship the machine back to them and they will repair it there. If it is the engine, you will have to deal with the engine manufacturer, not Power Trac. You have to realize that when you take on one of these machines, be it the entire tractor or just one implement, you are pretty much resigned to the task of supplying the labor for any warranty repairs. After the warranty runs out, you are going to have to do that anyway, so knowing that beforehand and accepting that makes it easy to deal with when it eventually needs some repairs. Most of the folks here seem to enjoy knuckle-busting and wrench turning, so this is the machine for us. Lower price and lots of bang for the buck if we supply the labor.

Originally Posted by Rolando

They ship the rake without a mounting plate, so you provide your own. I have a Bobcat Toolcat, so I would have to attach a skidsteer plate. I guess it would need to be welded on. Does anybody have any opinions about how well that would work?

The Power Trac implements are made at an angle and the quick attach plates are sometimes connected at an angle. If you are going to weld a Bobcat quick attach plate to a Power Trac implement, be sure to get it at the correct angle before you weld. Otherwise, the implement may not tilt down far enough or up far enough for your needs.

Originally Posted by Rolando

I would appreciate whatever comments you can make. I know very little about Power Trac, but everyone seems to be speak very positively about this company.

The machine is a great concept and works well. I have owned mine since 2001. It is built solidly and has only broken when I abused it, with the exception of some weenie pneumatic tires on my brush hog and the brush hog deck stress fractures. Other than that, I have no complaints.

Power Trac as a company is a bit different from any company I have dealt with. They do not do e-mail or electronic communications very well at all. The machines have little documentation. However, if you call them up on the phone, they answer (except during hunting season and vacation when they are closed for a week) and you get to talk to the people that design and build that machine. They can tell you pretty quickly what needs to be repaired and how to do it. Parts shipping has been outstanding. I place my order and I usually have it the next day, sometimes two. Heck, as I recall, I ordered my tractor on a Friday afternoon and it showed up here in Indiana on Tuesday. So, in my opinion, the company is a little squirrelly as a business model, but the machine does things that other machines can't do for the same price. It fits my needs better than anything else on the market and I enjoy working on it when I need to.