Given the current prices in 2025, what are your thoughts on PT422 over PT425?

[2manyrocks]

Hi, newbie here. Bought a Pt 422 new last november, and I added the ROPS for $500. The extra $ for the pt425 did not seem worth it then, and still doesn't seem necessary, but I suppose a little more power is always good. I live in a very hilly area, and the 422 gets the job done.

Which attachments did you buy?

 

[bel422]

Stump grinder, 4 in 1 bucket, brush cutter, and adapter which I bolted to a 4' snow blade.

 

[marrt]

Below are some quick thoughts on the attachments I own (excluding the cement mixer):

1. Buckets:
   I have every bucket available. I mostly use the Light Material Bucket because it’s the largest. If you plan to load material into a truck, consider using the 4-in-1 bucket. The 425’s lift height isn’t quite enough to dump into a truck bed without some effort. Since the bottom of the 4-in-1 bucket opens, it makes unloading easier. You can also use it to grab and lift logs for cutting or to move them. That said, it's small and heavy.
2. Potato Digger:
   Very helpful for loosening soil. The 400 series doesn’t have the weight or power to dig well in undisturbed ground—at least not where I live. The plow does a good job of loosening soil beforehand. I’ve occasionally used the forks for this too, though they can be damaged if you're not careful.
3. Forks:
   In my opinion, these are a must-have. Once you own them, you’ll find many uses—especially as you get older and prefer to avoid heavy lifting.
4. Backhoe:
   I’ve never used it. This attachment puts a lot of stress on the lift arms, and several users have reported damage to their arms. However, with a thumb attachment, it could be useful for picking up logs for cutting, if that’s something you do regularly.
5. Snow Blade:
   I haven’t used it. I have a gravel driveway and 4WD vehicles. Snow usually doesn’t stick around long enough here to be a problem. Same goes for the snow blower—I’ve never used it, and neither did the previous owner.
6. Brush Cutter:
   Works better than I expected, and is useful if you need it.
7. Tiller:
   I rarely use it. It tends to shake the machine if the ground is rocky or hard. Rocks also get stuck between the tines and the housing, which brings everything to a halt.
8. Post Hole Digger:
   Works OK in soft soil. Doesn’t clear dirt very well, so you’ll need to keep pulling it out of the hole while spinning.
9. Grapple Bucket & Utility Grapple:
   These are great for brush cleanup and holding logs while cutting.
10. Box Blade:
    Used it once and didn’t like it. I get better results with a bucket.
11. Trencher:
    I haven’t used it.
12. Stump Cutter (Wheel Trencher):
    Haven’t used it yet, but I can see how it could be handy for laying low-voltage wire or shallow tubing.
13. Rake:
    Haven’t used it. I’m not sure what I’d use it for.
14. Lift Boom:
    Very handy at times. I would definitely buy it again.
15. Fertilizer/Salt Spreader:
    Haven’t used it.
16. Trailer:
    Seems useful, but I haven’t needed it since I already own a regular dump trailer.
17. Trailer Towing Adapter:
    Occasionally useful, especially for moving empty trailers.
18. Sweeper:
    I haven’t used it, but I imagine it could be handy for leaf cleanup or light snow removal.

Cement Mixer:
I don’t own this one, but it seems like it would be useful. You can adjust the position for easy loading and then transport the mix directly to where it’s needed.

 

[ponytug]

@bel422 @yim Welcome!

@marrt great list! Like you, I have a couple of implements that didn't pan out (fertilizer spreader for us, as I used it once (worked great), and decided to change our land use practices), and some that really did, e.g. forks, the LMB, post driver, trencher, and rototiller

I am more of the cost/benefit mindset, and I think it depends on individual needs and uses.

When we bought this property, I could see that it had a number of projects that were in need of either repair or building. Of course, a bunch more emerged after the fact. After a broken main water line (I do not recommend excavating fully saturated wet clay soil by hand, misery) that the 4n1 bucket made pretty quick work of, and a large drainage project that was a hoof saver for the horses, and to me, mentally, the tractor paid for itself very quickly. Had we outsourced a number of those projects, several would have been close to the purchase price of the tractor, redoing the wood fencing more. Overall, I know we are way ahead, but I didn't buy it just to mow, or rototill, or any one thing, I bought it as a force multiplier to enable me to do more projects, more quickly, and at a lower cost to me.

All the best,

Peter

 

[bel422]

Below are some quick thoughts on the attachments I own (excluding the cement mixer):

1. Buckets:
   I have every bucket available. I mostly use the Light Material Bucket because it’s the largest. If you plan to load material into a truck, consider using the 4-in-1 bucket. The 425’s lift height isn’t quite enough to dump into a truck bed without some effort. Since the bottom of the 4-in-1 bucket opens, it makes unloading easier. You can also use it to grab and lift logs for cutting or to move them. That said, it's small and heavy.
2. Potato Digger:
   Very helpful for loosening soil. The 400 series doesn’t have the weight or power to dig well in undisturbed ground—at least not where I live. The plow does a good job of loosening soil beforehand. I’ve occasionally used the forks for this too, though they can be damaged if you're not careful.
3. Forks:
   In my opinion, these are a must-have. Once you own them, you’ll find many uses—especially as you get older and prefer to avoid heavy lifting.
4. Backhoe:
   I’ve never used it. This attachment puts a lot of stress on the lift arms, and several users have reported damage to their arms. However, with a thumb attachment, it could be useful for picking up logs for cutting, if that’s something you do regularly.
5. Snow Blade:
   I haven’t used it. I have a gravel driveway and 4WD vehicles. Snow usually doesn’t stick around long enough here to be a problem. Same goes for the snow blower—I’ve never used it, and neither did the previous owner.
6. Brush Cutter:
   Works better than I expected, and is useful if you need it.
7. Tiller:
   I rarely use it. It tends to shake the machine if the ground is rocky or hard. Rocks also get stuck between the tines and the housing, which brings everything to a halt.
8. Post Hole Digger:
   Works OK in soft soil. Doesn’t clear dirt very well, so you’ll need to keep pulling it out of the hole while spinning.
9. Grapple Bucket & Utility Grapple:
   These are great for brush cleanup and holding logs while cutting.
10. Box Blade:
    Used it once and didn’t like it. I get better results with a bucket.
11. Trencher:
    I haven’t used it.
12. Stump Cutter (Wheel Trencher):
    Haven’t used it yet, but I can see how it could be handy for laying low-voltage wire or shallow tubing.
13. Rake:
    Haven’t used it. I’m not sure what I’d use it for.
14. Lift Boom:
    Very handy at times. I would definitely buy it again.
15. Fertilizer/Salt Spreader:
    Haven’t used it.
16. Trailer:
    Seems useful, but I haven’t needed it since I already own a regular dump trailer.
17. Trailer Towing Adapter:
    Occasionally useful, especially for moving empty trailers.
18. Sweeper:
    I haven’t used it, but I imagine it could be handy for leaf cleanup or light snow removal.

Cement Mixer:
I don’t own this one, but it seems like it would be useful. You can adjust the position for easy loading and then transport the mix directly to where it’s needed.

Nice list!
Just a note about the stump grinder. Very useful to grind stumps to ground level or lower. Can also dig holes. Quite messy, however, and it fills the front of the 422 with debris. I wear a full clear face mask as you can hurl stones inward. I've also hung a piece of an old tarp from hooks band clamped to the ROPS for more protection.

 

[kmaz]

Welcome bel422! A past member “fourteen” was a big fan of reversing many things PT related, the stump grinder being one. He turned the blade around and reversed the hoses so the chips flung forward. I’m not saying to do it! He swore by it.
Kris

 

[m5040]

Backhoe:
I’ve never used it. This attachment puts a lot of stress on the lift arms, and several users have reported damage to their arms. However, with a thumb attachment, it could be useful for picking up logs for cutting, if that’s something you do regularly.

I searched and couldn't find any info, any chance you saved the post on operators that damaged their arms while using a front excavator (backhoe) attachment? I use Titan brand hoes on my tractors which is larger and more elaborate then the PT model and haven't noticed any damage yet. I use them for digging out large rocks and with the thumb and it is probably one of the most used attachments!
This is obviously important to me as I don't want to damage the machines. But until I read this, I thought them to be pretty solid machines that can only be damaged by lack of proper maintenance.
Maybe this should be a new post?
Thanks in advance.

 

[marrt]

I couldn't find the post with a quick search either. From what I remember, it involved breaking welds on a center pivot—the part that curls the bucket. I think Terry mentioned that the backhoe puts a lot of stress on the arms, probably due to leverage.

 

[MossRoad]

I couldn't find the post with a quick search either. From what I remember, it involved breaking welds on a center pivot—the part that curls the bucket. I think Terry mentioned that the backhoe puts a lot of stress on the arms, probably due to leverage.

From the amount of times I've had the rear wheels off the ground just by prying too hard with my forks, I could see that.

On that note, I dug out my septic tank lids yesterday, and only lifted the rears once or twice.

 

[m5040]

I couldn't find the post with a quick search either. From what I remember, it involved breaking welds on a center pivot—the part that curls the bucket. I think Terry mentioned that the backhoe puts a lot of stress on the arms, probably due to leverage.

I don't get that. When you use a loader bucket and drive into a material pile or virgin earth, then curl the bucket back to lift and fill the bucket as your driving in, I stall out the hydraulics (relief valve opens). To me that puts as much stress on everything. When Leverage comes into the picture (longer attachment), it just makes the relief valve open with less weight, you don't get to work it harder/lift more utilizing the leverage. It works against your capabilities. Using arbitrary numbers, if the relief opens at 100 psi, the front end loader linkage sees a consistent pressure in relation to the 100 psi of hyd pressure. It is the same with a bucket, forks or excavator. The only time this would be an issue is if there is no circuit relief, that is needed when the control valve is in the closed position (oil locked into lift cylinder, hose and deadheaded at valve) and you apply greater force. Like when carrying a rock and you hit a pothole. Machines like John Deere have a relief valve to unload this force. Not sure if PT has this and when I think they engineered leakage into the system, this may be the reason (this is why a raised bucket will be on the ground in a short period of time).