Power-Trac purchase

ToolcatWonka5610 · Mar 19, 2009

Well I thought me and my Dad were going to get a Ventrac but then we came across Power-Trac. Were going get a PT1430 and a Trailer package

. You guys have any advice or anything?

SnowRidge · Mar 19, 2009

Is it a new or used machine?

Phils · Mar 19, 2009

Do some searches of this PT section if you have some specific questions. Before I bought my 422 I went all the way back to page 1 and started skimming through all the PT threads that sounded like they might apply. Yes it took awhile (days, off and on).

Once you've done that (if you haven't already) you should have some specific questions for us.

And welcome to the PT club!

Phil

MossRoad · Mar 19, 2009

ToolcatWonka5610 said:
Well I thought me and my Dad were going to get a Ventrac but then we came across Power-Trac. Were going get a PT1430 and a Trailer package . You guys have any advice or anything?

Hello!

First bit of advice.... don't rush into anything.

What types of jobs are you going to tackle with this equipment? The Ventrac is better at some things and the Power Trac is better at others.

coolconnection · Mar 19, 2009

The only 2 things I can even think of that a Ventrac or Steiner would be better at is really serious hill climbing and costing lots of money for attachments. I had a steiner for 4 years and was not greatly impressed with it. Short wheel base make them tipsy going straight up or down on hills unless you have the weight kit on back and an attachment on the front. My buddy rolled his down his front yard with his mower deck on it. Not to much damage just sheet metal. If you are using the mower deck on a slope and the tractor is sitting flat and the deck tilts in the front you will start smoking the mower deck drive belt. The deck is not meant to flex up or down to much. Just lots of little things they should tell you before you buy one. I am tall and the steiners are not meant for long legged people. When you turn you are basically sitting on the back half and the front half turns side to side so not only are you using the steering wheel with one hand the other hand on the accelerator, the steering wheel is then crooked and your knees are hitting or getting caught and pinched on the steering column, very awkward I always thought. I am glad the steiner is gone and I really like the Power-Trac. But to each his own. Thanks you all, I think I just needed to vent.

marrt · Mar 19, 2009

Is this for professional work? If so, I'd think twice about PT. I have the 1845. I love it. However, I don't think it's anywhere near up to "professional" standards in terms of quality control, reliability, durability, dependability, etc... Again, I love them. But I wouldn't use one to make a living.

Just my opinion. Search the forum. PT owners here are very honest about our love (and some hate) relationship with PT and the factory.

Good luck.

shvl73 · Mar 20, 2009

There has been a 1430 on craigslist in New England with low hours and many attachments for 17K. It seems like a good deal.

RegL · Mar 20, 2009

If anyone is near Michigan, There's a project 1850 on ebay. I asked the seller what happened to it, as it looks like a train ran over it. He said it rolled over into a lake. Seems one would have to have big ones to drive on a bank steep enough to roll an 1850. It does have a good looking cab on it though.

woodlandfarms · Mar 21, 2009

Hmmmm... Very interesting. I have never seen a cab option, and 95 hours and a roll over? They say you can roll an 1850, I have never felt I was close... I guess this is proof?

It must also be an older version. Mine has internal brakes (not the external as this does) and the electrical is not by the engine but alongside it. The wiring is where the draft control is now.

Wow, what a wreck. Worse than what mine started out as...

ToolcatWonka5610 · Mar 21, 2009

SnowRidge said:
Is it a new or used machine?

New 1430

ToolcatWonka5610 · Mar 21, 2009

RegL said:
If anyone is near Michigan, There's a project 1850 on ebay. I asked the seller what happened to it, as it looks like a train ran over it. He said it rolled over into a lake. Seems one would have to have big ones to drive on a bank steep enough to roll an 1850. It does have a good looking cab on it though.

I live in Michigan. We got some steep hills here.

woodlandfarms · Mar 21, 2009

The upside of the PT is its versatility, speed of the versatility (you don't spend a lot of time messing with attachments) and its stability on slopes.

Downsides are that it does not have a ton of ground oomph or front end lift (A bobcat would have more). It can come from the factory poorly put together (generally an easy fix but after shelling out 30K you kinda begin to wonder). You are your own repairman (things break on all tractors, so I don't think discussing reliability is fair). There are some long standing design flaws that to owners should be simple for PT to implement but they seem stuck on the same design.

IMO, if you are the sole operator (or you and your dad) and you do not mind turning a wrench the PT would be fine for your business. The 1430 requires a bit of maintenance due to the design of the engine cooling system. This maintenance is critical, and in an environment where you let the machine be operated / maintained by someone else, you are probably asking for trouble.

The trailer system appears to be quite nice, and reasonably thought out. I have not seen other tractor systems set up as effeciently.

One thing about PT's implements. They are good, but sometimes you can find better cheaper (or maybe just better).

But for me, the PT is the only way I could have taken my property from the mess it was to the way it looks today.

ToolcatWonka5610 · Mar 21, 2009

That one thing that caught my eye was the trailer package. We being Landscapers need that transportablitiy and ease of attachment changes. We wouldn't mind turning a wrench on one. Me and my Dad are both in the mechianical field so it shouldn't be a problem.

SnowRidge · Mar 21, 2009

woodlandfarms said:
(things break on all tractors, so I don't think discussing reliability is fair).

Of course it if fair. Why do you think we are here?

woodlandfarms · Mar 21, 2009

I was thinking about the whole reliability thing. I mean, we have maybe 90 people on our who owns what where list. Clearly (although I have never seen another one) PT sells enough of these to keep their doors open. We never seem to hear from that many new people, so maybe either their machines suck so much, or they don't have reliability issues.

I guess I am saying I am not sure what the cross section of this group really is compared to the real world uses of the PT.

Only brought up for discussion...

SnowRidge · Mar 21, 2009

woodlandfarms said:
I was thinking about the whole reliability thing. I mean, we have maybe 90 people on our who owns what where list. Clearly (although I have never seen another one) PT sells enough of these to keep their doors open. We never seem to hear from that many new people, so maybe either their machines suck so much, or they don't have reliability issues.

I guess I am saying I am not sure what the cross section of this group really is compared to the real world uses of the PT.

Only brought up for discussion...

Mostly home users, a couple of ag/forestry users (moi), and maybe three or four commercial users.

ToolcatWonka5610 · Mar 24, 2009

MossRoad said:
The Ventrac is better at some things and the Power Trac is better at others.

I like the Ventrac a lot. To us it seems like it's too small a machine for OUR landscaping jobs. Plus, Power Trac you get more bang for the buck (Ventrac wants too much for a smaller machine). Plus it's got better versatility and you got the front loader. The PT 1430 seems like a good enough sized machine for us but I want to talk to the people at Power-Trac (I tried to contact them today but there way no answer at sales). I'm still looking into the 1445 but does anybody know the about price of the 1430 and/or 1445 and Trailer Package?

J_J · Mar 24, 2009

PT-1430

http://www.power-trac.com/pdf2009/tractordieseldeutzT12price010109b.pdf

PT-1445

http://www.power-trac.com/pdf2009/tractordieseldeutzT18price010109b.pdf

ToolcatWonka5610 · Mar 24, 2009

I got the prices of the the Tractors and Attachments, I just need the prices for the Trailer packages for both machines. If anybody has any idea, let me know.

J_J · Mar 24, 2009

ToolcatWonka5610 said:
I got the prices of the the Tractors and Attachments, I just need the prices for the Trailer packages for both machines. If anybody has any idea, let me know.

The price of the trailer pkg will depend on what attachents you add.

http://www.power-trac.com/t12class.htm#tr12

Make up a list and give them a call.