Aftermarket parts

[scarg]

Is there a need for an aftermarket manufacturer for Power-Trac spare parts and components? I had sent in a post previously regarding used equipment availability and thank you all for the responses. The company where I work has a 422 (or 425 not sure) which is used for grounds keeping etc....

I never really paid much attention to it except that I am erecting a steel arch building at my home which got me thinking. I had originally thought that a Bobcat or similiar unit would be nice to have for light excavation and other duties- however I kept tripping over this small green tractor in our parking lot and started asking about it. Everyone that I have spoke with loves these things except that they are a bit pricey.

That is what brings about my question about an alternate supplier for parts and accesories. We have 2 companies at our location - 1 that builds custom machinery and GE Steam Turbine spare parts, and the division that I run that is a OEM of showering and filtration equipment for the pulp and paper industry and also supplies Direct Replacement (tm) spare parts for other manufacturer's equipment. We specialize in accurately reverse engineering (and typically improving the design of) hard to find or overpriced components.

As far as I am aware there are no patents associated with the Power-Trac units. We would need to review this further however if we pursue.

Just checking to see what kind of potential there is first before doing a full-blown intellectual property investigation.

Please feel free to visit our web sites at www.auxprosys.com and www.seeleymachine.com for additional information or email me directly at steve@auxprosys.com

Best Regards,

Steve

 

[Rip]

Steve,

I think the "a bit pricey" notion relates mostly to initial price, at least in some peoples minds. Once you get your hands on one and see how it is built, most folks consider them well worth the price.

Maintanence and general repair items such as filters, hoses, or even a major hydraulic componant can be expensive if purchaced from the factory. Most of these hydraulic items are standard off-the-shelf componants however, although PT can make life more difficult than it needs to be by making easy identification a challenge.

Since the engines are from major manufactures, service and overhaul parts are readily available all around the country.

Getting to your main point though, the real issue for those few proprietary PT replacement items is volume. PT does not make or sell a large number of any single model, and I doubt if the potential volume for any items in this catagory would be attractive to any third party supplier.

Most any hydraulic shop or supply house can deal with most PT componants if you have a bit of time to let them figure things out. Where you get in a bind is when you are in the middle of a job and HAVE to have a replacement part RIGHT NOW, the quickest but expensive option is to have PT send the OEM part out overnight (which they generally do have in stock and will ship promptly).

Keep in mind, that MOST parts (and there are many more of them) in a conventional CUT of any type and size are strictly OEM sourced.

Attachments are another story. With a bit of inginuity however, many folks have figured how to make or addapt other impements to work with the PTs.

Rip

 

[scarg]

Thank you for the reply. I just did some more in depth review of the attachment prices and they actually seem pretty reasonable. Does anyone have an image of the Model 180? How would this unit work for light duty gravel moving, foundation leveling, snowplowing in upstate NY, bush hogging and lawn mowing?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[davesisk]

Take a look at the URL to my site....the old 1418 I have is very similar in HP, hydraulic pressure and flow, and weight to the current PT-180 (although I believe the frame to mine is a little larger and heavier).

In a nutshell, I think it should be fine unless you have a lot of hills and slopes. So far, I think I've moved around 50 tons of gravel, sand, and dirt with mine! Moving a dump truck load takes a couple or three hours (depending on how far you have to go with each bucket), and it sure beats the heck out of a wheelbarrow and shovel! As I've said before, any tractor (event the smallest and cheapest one) is better than no tractor (regardless of what brand, color, size, etc.)

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dave