Wheel Motor Leak

[tlb]

Lowell,
Thanks for the feedback. Yes I bought the one in DS. I picked it up May 2004 and was told it was 2 years old at that time. You know what the terrain is like around here and I have used the heck out of this machine. Knowing what I know now I wish I had gone with at least a 1430. Interestingly, I found a thread posted by the guy I bought the tractor from about a year before I bought it and he recommended the 1430 for this area. I would agree with his assesment. The 425 just doesn't have the muscle to handle the terrain, rocks, and trees. I think this is why the wheel motor gave up the ghost. In the 2 years since I bought the tractor I have had to replace all 4 tires with 6 ply (slime just did not work), have the lift arms re-welded 4 times, replace the mower spindle, re-weld the mower deck, replace 3 mwer blades, and re-weld the small material bucket. I do not think these are quality issues, rather a characteristic of the area we live in. Given a choice between a CUT and a PT I would still choose the PT.
-Tim

 

[lowellw2]

Tim,
Thanks for return of "local" advice. The best advice usually comes from personal experience. The "Texas Hill Country" can eat up a lot of equipment. I love trying to plant a 1 gal shrub. I usually hit "rock" about 2" down and after several more holes I find a place to put it where I really didn't want it.

I've had my eyes on a PT425 for some time now, but given your experience I will have to reprogram my thoughts. I mow about 5-6 acres out near the Saltlick BBQ and my riding mower was getting torn up, deck, blades and spindles, like the PT mower. I just got a 60" Toro Z-turn to handle that chore and figured I'd use a PT for everything else. Having a dedicated mower is more $, but I think it will pay off in the long run. I think Fourteen went that route this past year. Of course, he also reversed his wheels.

These commercial mowers are built to take the punishment I think. So far I've been really impressed with the speed and maneverability. Besides, I now have two hydralic pumps and motors. That's one-half a PT, If I bought another one I could join them with an articulated link, put my Kubota loader on one end or the other and I'd have a 54-hp PT clone. Or else just get a 1430 with a 4 in 1, forks, mini-hoe and a couple of QA plates to adapt some 3-point implements. I'd retire my little Kubota in a heartbeat then.

Good luck on your seal leak. I'll bet the Hydralic House can take care of it.
Lowell

 

[lowellw2]

Tim,
Thanks for return of "local" advice. The best advice usually comes from personal experience. The "Texas Hill Country" can eat up a lot of equipment. I love trying to plant a 1 gal shrub. I usually hit "rock" about 2" down and after several more holes I find a place to put it where I really didn't want it.

I've had my eyes on a PT425 for some time now, but given your experience I will have to reprogram my thoughts. I mow about 5-6 acres out near the Saltlick BBQ and my riding mower was getting torn up, deck, blades and spindles, like the PT mower. I just got a 60" Toro Z-turn to handle that chore and figured I'd use a PT for everything else. Having a dedicated mower is more $, but I think it will pay off in the long run. I think Fourteen went that route this past year. Of course, he also reversed his wheels.

These commercial mowers are built to take the punishment I think. So far I've been really impressed with the speed and maneverability. Besides, I now have two hydralic pumps and motors. That's one-half a PT, If I bought another one I could join them with an articulated link, put my Kubota loader on one end or the other and I'd have a 54-hp PT clone. Or else just get a 1430 with a 4 in 1, forks, mini-hoe and a couple of QA plates to adapt some 3-point implements. I'd retire my little Kubota in a heartbeat then.

Good luck on your seal leak. I'll bet the Hydralic House can take care of it.
Lowell

 

[IrTxRx]

<font color="red"> The 425 just doesn't have the muscle to handle the terrain, rocks, and trees. </font>

I've been trying to decide between the 1430 and the 1445 for my purposes. I thought the 1430 was for me because it would do most of what I needed and I could hire out big equipment for the stuff it can't do with the $$$'s saved by not purchasing the 1445 and implements.

However, if the 1430 isn't rough enough to handle our beautiful, but brutal central Texas landscape...


Maybe a should save a little longer for the 1445 /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

But I can't mow my yard with the 1445 /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

But what if the 1430 can't handle the brush and dirt work I need to do /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Confused in Central Texas /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[IrTxRx]

<font color="red"> The 425 just doesn't have the muscle to handle the terrain, rocks, and trees. </font>

I've been trying to decide between the 1430 and the 1445 for my purposes. I thought the 1430 was for me because it would do most of what I needed and I could hire out big equipment for the stuff it can't do with the $$$'s saved by not purchasing the 1445 and implements.

However, if the 1430 isn't rough enough to handle our beautiful, but brutal central Texas landscape...


Maybe a should save a little longer for the 1445 /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

But I can't mow my yard with the 1445 /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

But what if the 1430 can't handle the brush and dirt work I need to do /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Confused in Central Texas /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[J_J]

Why can't you mow your yard with a 1445 with a 60 in mower deck? Also, why save to get something, if you need it now, put it on a low interest credit card. Any of the machines will work for you, but should only be used to it's capability. Any machine can be over worked and worn out if you try really hard.

 

[J_J]

Why can't you mow your yard with a 1445 with a 60 in mower deck? Also, why save to get something, if you need it now, put it on a low interest credit card. Any of the machines will work for you, but should only be used to it's capability. Any machine can be over worked and worn out if you try really hard.

 

[IrTxRx]

JJ,

<font color="red"> why save to get something, if you need it now, put it on a low interest credit card </font>

Couple reasons, I don't really need the tractor to earn a living. I want/need to do some land improvements that will give me gratification. Secondly the CFO has us on a pretty strict future retirement plan. Cash-on-the-barrelhead only. May not be the best plan...but it has to be better than our previous retirement plan (i.e. Work til the day I die)

<font color="red"> Any of the machines will work for you, but should only be used to it's capability </font>

I guess that is the real question...What is the capability of the 1430 on my property??? If I try to dig a 1 ft deep 100 yard trench in our dirty rocks for water line to the north pasture, will I destroy the mini-hoe? If I try to use the 4-n-1 box blade for my rough driveway, will I destroy the machine after a few times, or can the 1430 handle it? The 1445 72 inch mower is really bigger than I want for my purposes... Is there a 1445 60 inch mower?

As I get closer and closer to purchase, the questions grow.

All thoughts and feedback appreciated

Please hold comments, I'll place a new post this evening titled "1430 capabilites???"

Thanks in advance... Please return to TLB's motor leak question

 

[IrTxRx]

JJ,

<font color="red"> why save to get something, if you need it now, put it on a low interest credit card </font>

Couple reasons, I don't really need the tractor to earn a living. I want/need to do some land improvements that will give me gratification. Secondly the CFO has us on a pretty strict future retirement plan. Cash-on-the-barrelhead only. May not be the best plan...but it has to be better than our previous retirement plan (i.e. Work til the day I die)

<font color="red"> Any of the machines will work for you, but should only be used to it's capability </font>

I guess that is the real question...What is the capability of the 1430 on my property??? If I try to dig a 1 ft deep 100 yard trench in our dirty rocks for water line to the north pasture, will I destroy the mini-hoe? If I try to use the 4-n-1 box blade for my rough driveway, will I destroy the machine after a few times, or can the 1430 handle it? The 1445 72 inch mower is really bigger than I want for my purposes... Is there a 1445 60 inch mower?

As I get closer and closer to purchase, the questions grow.

All thoughts and feedback appreciated

Please hold comments, I'll place a new post this evening titled "1430 capabilites???"

Thanks in advance... Please return to TLB's motor leak question

 

[J_J]

They make a 60 in for the 1430 which would probably work.