My First Tractor will be a Ventrac 4500Y.

[John Joseph McVeigh]

Thank you for the warm welcome.

I look forward to long and productive relationships both with Ventrac and with Jim and Roy Hutchins of J&R Sheds & Equipment.

I will tell you a little anecdote about the relationship among Jim and Roy and their customers. I had already seen a Model 4500Y in the flesh before contacting them. I asked them if they had one in stock as I might want to see a model again. Jim's model was temporarily off-site in Virginia, but another customer was willing to lend his own Model 4500Y for my purposes. Obviously, there is a good relationship between customer and dealer.

If I am ever again in the Buckeye State, I would very much enjoy scheduling a visit to the factory.

Looking forward to getting my machine, and I never thought that I would say it, but I am looking forward to some big snow storms this winter. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

 

[John Joseph McVeigh]

Update: My dealer called today and said that a rotary power broom would apparently not be available until mid-February. We discussed various options, and he suggested that he see if he could locate one at another dealer. Ventrac's regional sales manager got involved and located a broom down South a bit... somewhere in Virgina or North Carolina. The regional sales manager is driving down to pick up the broom and will deliver it to J&R Sheds and Equipment within the next few days. Now that is what I call service. So I should have all items ordered in a single delivery within the next week or so. I'm looking forward to their arrival. Snow is forecast overnight tonight (but only an inch), changing over to rain tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a blizzard to end early on Christmas Eve, although I realize that that could cause much inconvenience to people who travel for family Christmas get-togethers.

 

[Raw Dodge]

It's nice to hear your dealing with top notch people as well as a top notch company with Vemtrac...

 

[JackIL]

You state that you have a " relatively small area varies between 25 and 30 degrees, and most of the rest is about 15 degrees." You did not mention getting the 3" axle extensions or dual wheels. With neither the maximum slope is 20 degrees, with the wheel extensions it increases to 25 degrees, and with duals it increases to 30 degrees. So you will have to determine what to do about mowing your slopes greater than 20 degrees.

Your selection of Ventrac is well considered for your requirements. The Ventrac Excavator Bucket and Stump Grinder on your wish list are both outstanding attachments. A Ventrac without either a Slip Scoop or Excavator is considered incomplete by most Ventrac owners. It sounds like you are also likely to be a good candidate for a cab to use in the winter.

Congratulations on joining the Ventrac family. Keep us informed of your adventures.

 

[John Joseph McVeigh]

Hi, Jack.

Thank you very much for sharing your observations. I have seen your clips at Youtube, and your testimonial at the Ventrac web site. It is a pleasure to communicate with you. Your demonstrations of your machine played a significant roll in convincing me that Ventrac was the way to go.

I have considered getting the wheel extensions, and have discussed that issue with the dealer. One of the reasons I am thinking of getting the wheel extensions is to provide adequate clearance for tire chains. I think it would be prudent to have a set of such chains in case we get hit with a layer of ice on the driveway and then snow on top of that. I'm also thinking of a tow-behind broadcast spreader for ice-melting compound. If I hit the lottery, I would get the Ventrac SS575 Broadcast Spreader.

(If anyone has experience with tire chains on the 4500 series, I would be obliged if you would share your insights as regards the size and type of chains that you use, and whether the wheel extensions are needed to avoid fouling. For the Ventrac HDAPs (22x12-8), I see that there are 2-link v-bar chains available that look pretty formidable. <http://www.tirechain.com/atv22X12X8.htm>. The one thing about using the extensions is that they would widen the footprint of the tractor to just about the width of the mouth of the snow blower if the front wings of the snow blower are set for the wider position, but I guess that the tires would just miss passing over unblown snow, assuming no cave-ins of snow side walls.)

If I hit that lottery which I mentioned above, a cab would also be in the cards. It looks very nice, and I'm sure that the extra weight would help with traction, even if it does raise the center of gravity and derate the maximum slope a bit.

In the meantime, I may try the Poor Man's Cab that (I believe) you suggested in another thread... the use of a Femco Tuff-Top canopy and a canvas golf-cart cover with clear PVC windows. One issue with taking that approach is that I have ordered the amber safety strobe and a pair of work lights for mounting on the ROPS. I want the safety strobe so that people in vehicles can more easily see me when I am blowing or sweeping snow on the apron of the driveway, down near the two-lane road that is our access to the wider world.

As regards mowing on the steepest slopes with which I have to deal, The areas that vary between 25 and 30 degrees (according to my digital level) are relatively small... two of them, each perhaps 80 feet wide by ~ 35 feet deep. I believe that the slope was created when the site preparation was underway for the construction of the house. It does not look like a natural slope.

There is a longer area with a similar slope and the same depth that is between those two mowable areas, but that middle area has been planted with a ground cover (vinca), and rhododendrons, so it does not need mowing.

The areas that need periodic mowing are small enough that, for now at least, I do not think that they warrant investing in duals. The two mowable patches are relatively mossy. Not all that much in the way of "mowables" grows there. I may simply take care of the relatively sparse grass and wild plants that grow on those two sections using my Honda walk-behind mower or my Stihl string trimmer.

Thank you again for your comments and for the opportunity to chat with you.

With best regards,

JJM

 

[murphy1244]

I have Turf tires and I never needed chains with this machine. The Jacks Poor mans cab works for me.

 

[John Joseph McVeigh]

That's good to hear, Murph.

The only issue I see with Jack's Poor Man's Cab is accommodating the ROPS-mounted amber safety strobe (Ventrac No. 70.4114) and work lights (Ventrac No. 70.4113). I guess that I would either have to cut slits in the top of the canvas golf-cart cover so that the lights could pop through. Otherwise, I could not use the lights while blowing or sweeping snow. I (obviously) would not use the work lights while blowing or sweeping snow during the daytime, or if wind conditions would make using the work lights counterproductive (e.g., whiteout conditions). However, I would like to have the ability to use the lights, especially when blowing or sweeping snow down near the road, even during the daytime, to make myself and the machine more visible to others.

 

[murphy1244]

John when you get down to it the big deal is to have a windshield. That would stop the blowing snow a lot..

 

[John Joseph McVeigh]

Yes, good point, Murph. I have eaten my share of snow when walking behind my Honda treaded snow blower and the wind has shifted. (The fact that the Honda has a hand crank for the chute rotation and a hand lever for the deflector flap hasn't helped.)

Perhaps I should inquire of Femco whether one of that company's weatherbreaks would be a reasobly good fit for the Ventrac.
<http://femcomfg.blogspot.com/2008/08/femco-inc-tractor-weather-breaks.html>

 

[murphy1244]

Yes, good point, Murph. I have eaten my share of snow when walking behind my Honda treaded snow blower and the wind has shifted. (The fact that the Honda has a hand crank for the chute rotation and a hand lever for the deflector flap hasn't helped.)

Perhaps I should inquire of Femco whether one of that company's weatherbreaks would be a reasobly good fit for the Ventrac.
<http://femcomfg.blogspot.com/2008/08/femco-inc-tractor-weather-breaks.html>

Inquiring minds want to know..:scratchchin: