4500P
- Thread starter johara1
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Machinery Poor
New member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2016
- Messages
- 24
- Location
- Mid Missouri
- Tractor
- Ventrac 4500P, JD 770, Kubota KX41-2 mini exc, 2015 Kubota SVL90-2 Tracked Skid Loader.avator
Congratulations Jim. I know it's a big financial decision, but I don't believe you will regret it. I've had my 4500P 4 months now and love it more everyday. I've added some mods to mine that make it even more special. Glad you decided on the 4500P. Good luck to you!!!.
Mike
Mike
murphy1244
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2011
- Messages
- 16,335
- Location
- Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota 1120 RTV Kioti DK-40, MF-135, Ventrac 4500Y
Ok Give, what cool mods you done? Us owners need to know. Would love to see some kind of tool box mount. Maybe start a thread on Ventrac mods?.
Machinery Poor
New member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2016
- Messages
- 24
- Location
- Mid Missouri
- Tractor
- Ventrac 4500P, JD 770, Kubota KX41-2 mini exc, 2015 Kubota SVL90-2 Tracked Skid Loader.avator
Hey Murph. My 4500P is equipped from the factory with dual front hydraulics (running bucket with grapple and snowblower). It also has the 12vlt front plug for snowblower chute deflector. I have added an led bar light to the front of the snowblower to try to escape the glare of snow dust. The headlights on the Ventrac are pretty much blocked by the snow thrower so other owners have also modded some sort of light source. Got my tractor in April, 2016 so I have not used the snow thrower yet but it is ready when the time comes. I added another bracket to hold another front 12vlt plug and put the other plug end not the snowblower so when I hook up to plow I just plug in both 12vlt plugs and everything looks as if it came from the factory. I also wired a rear led light bar on top of the rope and it interchanges with a compact strobe light when working or mowing by the roadway. I will attempt some pics. Hope this makes sense. I added a switch just like the factory headlight, work light and strobe switches to operate the light on the snow thrower. I placed it in the dash where there are three blanks covers for extra switches.
Machinery Poor
New member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2016
- Messages
- 24
- Location
- Mid Missouri
- Tractor
- Ventrac 4500P, JD 770, Kubota KX41-2 mini exc, 2015 Kubota SVL90-2 Tracked Skid Loader.avator
/Users/joncole/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/Masters/2016/06/17/20160617-171140/IMG_2247.JPG
murphy1244
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2011
- Messages
- 16,335
- Location
- Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota 1120 RTV Kioti DK-40, MF-135, Ventrac 4500Y
I put on a Femco top and a rear 12 volt for a sprayer. I use a golf cart rain guard in the winter and hit the trans fan reverse switch for some heat.
MountainBuck
Silver Member
I just finished 3 hour mow on my 4500P with the rear discharge rough cut mower deck, which brings me up to a total of 10 hours so read my impressions based on I'm new to this tractor.
I also wanted the Kawasaki engine because I have very steep slopes on my property. The dealer heavily suggested the Kubota engine because of a slight HP advantage but I went with the Kawasaki anyway.
When the dealer delivered, he said he didn't sell many of these engines but remarked that the engine was very smooth and it was nice not having to deal with a choke.
While mowing today I finally had the courage to mow my steepest hill which is 30 degrees and in one area goes slightly steeper. I felt so secure that I was going across and not up and down when it started a light rain. Right at the very end I could feel a slight slippage in the rear but I don't think I slid more than a few inches. That is when I started mowing up and down and not across. I had the weight transfer lever engaged all of the time at the fullest extent.
Final impression. Way more power than I needed. The Kawasaki engine is very powerful, does not "hunt" or "surge". When mowing at these slopes, the engine does need to be almost at full throttle or the hydraulics whine a bit.
One observation is that the engine manual says to change oil at 8 hours but not filter, so that is what I did. Oil drain is repositioned to a nice location which I liked. However, when the oil came out it had a slight "sheen" through it like there was a suspension in it. At first I thought this was just metal left over from machining, but now my best guess is that it is part of the break-in oil that had possibly a polishing media in it. Dunno. Tried searching for that on web but came up empty. Contemplated changing oil again this time with filter but then again, don't want to second guess the design engineers. Whatever the case, I would certainly recommend following the manual and changing at the 8 hour mark.
I also wanted the Kawasaki engine because I have very steep slopes on my property. The dealer heavily suggested the Kubota engine because of a slight HP advantage but I went with the Kawasaki anyway.
When the dealer delivered, he said he didn't sell many of these engines but remarked that the engine was very smooth and it was nice not having to deal with a choke.
While mowing today I finally had the courage to mow my steepest hill which is 30 degrees and in one area goes slightly steeper. I felt so secure that I was going across and not up and down when it started a light rain. Right at the very end I could feel a slight slippage in the rear but I don't think I slid more than a few inches. That is when I started mowing up and down and not across. I had the weight transfer lever engaged all of the time at the fullest extent.
Final impression. Way more power than I needed. The Kawasaki engine is very powerful, does not "hunt" or "surge". When mowing at these slopes, the engine does need to be almost at full throttle or the hydraulics whine a bit.
One observation is that the engine manual says to change oil at 8 hours but not filter, so that is what I did. Oil drain is repositioned to a nice location which I liked. However, when the oil came out it had a slight "sheen" through it like there was a suspension in it. At first I thought this was just metal left over from machining, but now my best guess is that it is part of the break-in oil that had possibly a polishing media in it. Dunno. Tried searching for that on web but came up empty. Contemplated changing oil again this time with filter but then again, don't want to second guess the design engineers. Whatever the case, I would certainly recommend following the manual and changing at the 8 hour mark.
prs
Platinum Member
The oil supplied with the engine is almost certainly the same oil recommended for you to use in the engine manual. Ventrac, in your owner's manual, makes a strong pitch for their private label oil. However, if there was a sheen of metallic glitter in the engine, you need to report that to the dealer.
I also run the tough cut on slopes that exceed the suggested max by quite a bit. I found that the wheel kit was a costly, but appreciated addition and I have settled on having it set to cat at about 5" height. The rough cut is not all that heavy and I get less bounce on rough ground with the weight transfer at one or even two notches lower than max.
prs
I also run the tough cut on slopes that exceed the suggested max by quite a bit. I found that the wheel kit was a costly, but appreciated addition and I have settled on having it set to cat at about 5" height. The rough cut is not all that heavy and I get less bounce on rough ground with the weight transfer at one or even two notches lower than max.
prs