Ready to Order This Month - But what to order?

[NJBill]

Look out, here's that auto mechanic guy !!
Thinking is the name of the game.
You have a mechanical unit which requires oil, which in turn needs changing at a specific period, in this case, 50 hours. Each time you rest the engine, let's say over night, any particled contamination will find it's way to the lowest point in the engine. When you start up the next time the oil is passed first through the filter before it is allowed to continue on it's journey, and complete the cycle.
The obvious question is, " How do you remove dirt from the engine ?"............
......and the simple answer is change the filter.

So if you want to change the oil at the specified times, do so definitely, but don't forget the filter.
If you want your oil to be used for a longer period, change the filter more often.
When you do the latter, you may need to find out more about molecular breakdown.
Oh Heck, that means more thinking.
Bill

 

[Clarke]

Sorry, I thought we were discussing the oil in the hydraulic tank since it would cost 200-500 $ to replace it. I thought the idea was to give the wheel motors more torque.

 

[blackwell]

Guys,

I was talking about the oil in the hydraulic tank. We change the engine oil and filters every 50 hrs, including the hydraulic oil filter. We have never changed the Mobil 1 in the hydraulic systems on any of our equipment, only added when low, some machines have over 2000 hrs and still preform well. All have origional pumps and motors, only a seal and hose here and there.
EB

 

[smartguyz]

Rich,

One of the main things I was worred about was the PT425 having sufficient traction and power to get up my steep property. I fretted about it, especially since PT doesn't have any quantitative data on things like total hill-climbing ability. Even a call to Tazewell gives no good data, other than 'yes, we put higher-torque wheel motors in - it's better on hills'. Pretty hard to analyze when there isn't any data!

However, after acquisition, this has been no problem, and I am VERY happy with mine. I received one of the 'intermediate' PT425s, with the improved lift, the Kohler Command Pro 25, the higher torque wheel motors, and a few other changes. The gas tank is still plastic, the muffler was improved, but the layout is pretty much the same, with the same treadle linkage design as MossRoads (it's NOT like PJs). Frankly, I like some aspects of the new design, but I really don't think the steel tank is to my liking - you can't tell how full it is, and you tend to spill when refuelling, and the paint is clearly not up to gas-resistant standards, in my view. It could be me, but I think that it's easier to get my hands to various places in the engine bay with the older design.

Overall, I am very pleased with the PT, and have no reservations about recommending to those who have hills, or the challenge of needing a very powerful, versatile machine!

-Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Rip]

Mark,

I live in the Colorado foothills at 8000 ft. and fire mitigation has become a primary concern. I also have quite a bit of brush, beetle-kill trees and slash to remove from steep hill sides.

I have had a NH TC-30 tractor for a year and a half, and while it is fine for what it was designed for, it does not do steep hills.

After much research and deliberation I have just bought a used PT-1845 from EAMBROSE on this forum that I am modifying to more closely meet my needs. This will include higher torque wheel motors, larger tires & wheels, and a grapple rake.

In brief, I felt the low-profile articulated design of the PT and the relative ease to modify made it a good choice.

I would recommend the largest engine you can afford as you lose about 25% of rated power at altitude anyway. Also, the ROPS canopy. To me, the 425 would be the way to go over the 422. The grapple bucket should work well for you as your only bucket as you can remove the grapple arms for straight bucket work.

Keep in mind that the hydrostatic system serves as your service brakes. This will work OK unless you burst a hose or the engine quits. The brake lever is only a parking brake (like "Park" on an automatic transmission). There are several ways you can deal with this if you want, however.

With in this framework, there are various things you can do to further improve performance on hills if you need to.

Oh, I would go with the bar tires for your application.

Good luck what ever you choose,

Rip

 

[pajoube]

No, just oil change. Oil filter every 100 hours.
PJ

 

[smartguyz]

PJ,

Do you really mean to say that you are changing the oil in the hydraulic system (that runs the wheel motors and the PTO, etc.) every 50 hours? Isn't that like 10 gallons?

Sincerely,

Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RegL]

Keep in mind that the hydrostatic system serves as your service brakes. This will work OK unless you burst a hose or the engine quits. The brake lever is only a parking brake (like "Park" on an automatic transmission). There are several ways you can deal with this if you want, however. </font><font color="blue" class="small">( )</font>

HOW?

 

[davesisk]

Nope, change the oil in the engine every 50 hours and change the hydraulic filter every 100 hours. You only need to change the hydraulic system oil if you get dirt, water, or something else bad in it.

Dave

 

[Rip]

Adding "real brakes" to models up to and including the PT-2430 can be done in several ways:

One method would be to add separate external spring-apply/pressure release disk brake units to two or even all four wheels. These act on the fail-safe principal that requires system hydraylic pressure to keep the brake calipers "open" or released, and a strong internal spring to apply the brake when system pressure fails or is lost due to shut-down. Many hydraulic powered machines (including larger PT models) use variations on this principle.

The disk rotors could be welded to a deep-dish hub addaptor that would sandwitch between the existing wheel motor hub and the wheel. A custom bracket would have to be fabricated to mount the brake caliper assembly.

This may be easier to do on some models than others. It may also involve efectivly widening the wheel track somewhat, but this would be benificial in side-hill environments anyway.

Another approach could be taken if one had need to replace all four wheel motors with significantly higher torque units for more extreem hill climbing ability. At this point, you could choose wheel motors with internal "wet disk" brakes that operate on the same principal as described above, but are integrated within the wheel motor itself.

In both cases, this would be a "fail-safe" all-or-nothing type of system, but that is ok, since a properly functioning hydrstatic system will keep the unit under full control otherwise even on hills. Neither of these options is inexpensive, however.

A conventional utility tractor usually has the same independant service brake system whether it has hydrostatic or gear drive. Most hydro system users seldom use the service brakes except for brake-steering in tight or low traction situations, but they are there for emergencies!

I was not trying to alarm those in "normal" to moderate operating environments, but to bring up a point to consider when in severe conditions where a burst hose in the tramming circuit or sudden engine failure could make that "PT Pucker" seem mild indeed!

Rip