425 - model year changes and price check

[spechols]

Chris,
Did you go see the 425?
If so, how was it?
Thanks
Stuart

 

[MossRoad]

A 425 is rated for 800lbs, but will lift 1000lbs. At least mine will. For a 1300lb machine, that is an exeptional lift capacity to weight ratio. I have set boulders in retaining walls with this machine that were most likely pushing 1200lbs. The "PT Pucker" allows you to lift more than the machine should be able to.

The center section of the machine is composed of a top linkage rod and a bottom ball joint. The bottom ball joint is held in place by two split rings. One top and one bottom. When you lift a load, alot of that stress is transferred to the top split ring. As best I can tell, this is the weak point of the center section. If you try to increase the lift capacity beyond what it will currently do, you might consider welding a bushing in place of the top split ring.

Hope this helps

Mine won't lift 1000. I know this for a fact. I took cement blocks and stacked them in the large light material bucket with the bucket a couple inches off the trailer deck until it tipped forward and the bucket sat on the trailer with the machine's rear wheels off the ground. I then sat on the machine and it tipped back down. I reversed from the trailer, and as I turn the steering wheel, the machine tipped forward again. Straightened it out and it tipped back.

We all know this as the PT Pucker. The center of gravity moves fore and aft as the machine gets shorter and longer due to the articulation when turning.

I weighed one block and multiplied it by the number of blocks in the bucket and it came out to something like 650 pounds. Add to that the weight of the large bucket, something like 100 pounds (don't know exactly, but I can pick it up off the ground and carry it by myself and I'm not THAT strong). Then add to that the distance from the Quick Attach where I believe they measure the lift capacity from without attachments, and I get about 800 pounds of lift capacity.

The dump/curl circuit has some power to it. If you use an implement like a lever, you can move some hefty weight (and bend the implement if you're not careful).

Anyhow, they have some powerful hydraulics, I'm satisfied, and I'd buy one again today if I needed another one.

Someday, I'll repeat the above mentioned experiment and document it with the large bucket AND THEN the pallet forks where I can stack them straight up close to the QA plate.

 

[spechols]

Seems to be sold now.
Did anyone here buy it?

 

[scotts562]

Mine won't lift 1000. I know this for a fact. I took cement blocks and stacked them in the large light material bucket with the bucket a couple inches off the trailer deck until it tipped forward and the bucket sat on the trailer with the machine's rear wheels off the ground. I then sat on the machine and it tipped back down. I reversed from the trailer, and as I turn the steering wheel, the machine tipped forward again. Straightened it out and it tipped back.

We all know this as the PT Pucker. The center of gravity moves fore and aft as the machine gets shorter and longer due to the articulation when turning.

I weighed one block and multiplied it by the number of blocks in the bucket and it came out to something like 650 pounds. Add to that the weight of the large bucket, something like 100 pounds (don't know exactly, but I can pick it up off the ground and carry it by myself and I'm not THAT strong). Then add to that the distance from the Quick Attach where I believe they measure the lift capacity from without attachments, and I get about 800 pounds of lift capacity.

The dump/curl circuit has some power to it. If you use an implement like a lever, you can move some hefty weight (and bend the implement if you're not careful).

Anyhow, they have some powerful hydraulics, I'm satisfied, and I'd buy one again today if I needed another one.

Someday, I'll repeat the above mentioned experiment and document it with the large bucket AND THEN the pallet forks where I can stack them straight up close to the QA plate.

I have measured mine in a similar manner. My 425 was built in 2004.

My preferred wall block weigh 82 lbs each. To move block around the jobsite I typically break them down into pallets of 9. Six block tight to the QA plate and 3 block further out. 738 lbs plus the weight of the pallet and pallet forks. I can drive down moderate slopes with this load if I want to, but have to back down steep slopes.

Sometimes I will load 12 block on a pallet (82lbs x 12 = 984 lbs). I have to watch the turns and back down slopes or the back end will come up. However, when I get to the wall face, I can lift the load to a comfortable work height, get off the machine and start setting wall block provided the machine is straight.

We are speaking of lift capacity in different terms. I am disregarding tipping point and you are not. Your definition of lift capacity is the technically accurate one.

As an interesting side note, my 2015 PT2425 has weaker FEL hydraulics and cannot lift as much as my 425.

 

[johara1]

This is rather funny, my 422 would pick up a heaping bucket of modified stone as i fixed the driveway many times. Modified stone weighs 3000 lb. to the yard and that is 27 cubic ft. so thats 111.1 per cubic ft. times 9+ is a 1000 lb.+ for being heaped. They aren't weak at all, they will bury a CUT with a loader....... jim

 

[MossRoad]

This is rather funny, my 422 would pick up a heaping bucket of modified stone as i fixed the driveway many times. Modified stone weighs 3000 lb. to the yard and that is 27 cubic ft. so thats 111.1 per cubic ft. times 9+ is a 1000 lb.+ for being heaped. They aren't weak at all, they will bury a CUT with a loader....... jim

While I agree that pound for pound, the PTs are outstanding loaders and will run circles around a conventional tractor with a front end loader of similar size, I still don't think the 400 series will lift 1000 pounds without tipping on it's nose. Nothing to do with the strong hydraulics. It's just the leverage of 800 pounds sticking a couple feet out from the front axle centerline will have a pretty good chance of balancing the 1200ish pounds behind the front axle.

Of course, ballast could be a changing factor. A full tank of gas or my fat butt in the driver's seat makes a big difference.

 

[MossRoad]

When it gets warm next spring, and if someone reminds me, I'd be happy to put the large material bucket on my PT and start stacking weighed landscape blocks in it with the bucket a foot off the ground. Then we can see for sure.


Also, the different model years of PT400 series have different configurations in the engine compartment. Some have pumps forward of the engine. Mine has pumps behind the engine, and the battery at the very rear. Some have the battery forward, so all of that has to be taken into effect as well.

 

[johara1]

I guess you don't understand how you rate what a machine will lift. All loaders are rated with two things struck and heaped with the bucket CLOSED not flat on the ground. The newer ones with the longer arms will lift less than the older ones and you put all the blocks you want in the bucket closed it will lift a 1000 lb. You don't carry a load in a loader bucket except closed.... jim

 

[johara1]

One other thing if you want to enhance the power of the bucket shorten the bottom a few inches and add it to the top and you will gain power and lift capacity at the same time. Plus you can keep the back end of the machine down more...... jim

 

[MossRoad]

I guess you don't understand how you rate what a machine will lift. All loaders are rated with two things struck and heaped with the bucket CLOSED not flat on the ground. The newer ones with the longer arms will lift less than the older ones and you put all the blocks you want in the bucket closed it will lift a 1000 lb. You don't carry a load in a loader bucket except closed.... jim

I understand that they calculate the rated lift at the QA plate. My machine will not lift 1000lb in a bucket, even if it's curled all the way back. The rear end will come off the ground first.

We'll do it this summer and find out.

 

[johara1]

not at the plate, at the pin.... when closed that should be the center of the load.... jim

 

[MossRoad]

not at the plate, at the pin.... when closed that should be the center of the load.... jim

There's no way that bucket tips back that much when the FEL arms are all the way down. The QA plat is nearly vertical.

 

[MossRoad]

Here's a picture of the machine shortly after purchase back in early 2002. The QA plate is curled all the way back. There's no place for a bucket centerline to be over the pins. Just not physically possible.

Again, we'll do the load experiments this summer.

 

[MossRoad]

Here's the small bucket curled all the way back at full lift height. Note the position of the pivot pin is still almost completely behind the back of the bucket.

There is just no way to get 1000 pounds over that pin with any of the attachments that PT sells.

I'd really be shocked if my machine could lift 800# in the bucket or on the forks without the rear wheels coming off the ground.

(note the happy operator )

 

[johara1]

It does when raise it up some, but thats what you get with a bunch miners building a loader..... LMAO Without the plate the old set up was superior for digging..... jim

 

[MossRoad]

Geeze, I was only 42 years old back then.

 

[MossRoad]

It does when raise it up some, but thats what you get with a bunch miners building a loader..... LMAO Without the plate the old set up was superior for digging..... jim

I don't think it does. See the picture above with the small bucket at full height and full curl. The majority of the bucket is still fore of the pin.

 

[johara1]

plus it is the dumbest set on a mower going......

 

[MossRoad]

I know you didn't like the mower. I am quite happy with mine. Yes, it could use some improvement. Especially the rear wheels. If those would caster, it would be a lot easier on the lawn. But it worked fine on the ball parks that I mowed, my lawn, the church lawn and ballpark, etc.

It wore out a bearing on the main shaft this fall, so I used that for an excuse to buy a shop press. Pretty easy to work on.

 

[johara1]

My 422 would lift and carry a heaped bucket of modified stone and the engine was between the pumps and the battery was in the rear......