Bad Power Trac Experience

[woodlandfarms]

I went with Stubby metal and it seems to help some. I have broken the metal as well.

A concern about your melted cable. If there is lube on the inside it is fried. Cable will get sticky here shortly...
Carl

 

[J_J]

Most of us have had to do something to fix those stupid inner valve stems. Fixes run from welding up the holes in the rim to putting in stubby metal valve stems. It's a royal pain. I have no idea why PT continues to use those rims.

Good luck with the engine. That plastic coating melting doesn't sound good.

The reason there is two valve stems is this. It is designed this way to allow you to switch tires from the one side and put it on the other side, and when you are using two tires side by side, and there will always be a valve stem on the outside for filling. The only way to avoid the inner valve stem from being ripped off is to install a steel stubby, or install the stem inside out, or plug it . Sooner of later, with the bar tires, a situation will come up with the tire pointed in the right direction, and the stem will be on the inside. I don't know if the turf tires have a directional pattern, like the bar tires.

 

[J_J]

Chris, as far as the grass being thrown on the tire and rim, I would cut up a car tire and build a baffle to deflect the grass down, or to the side. Make it long enough to deflect, but not get caught up under the deck when backing

 

[Killer_B]

So back to the shop it went..... Talked to them Friday, they ran it without an air filter and they said it didn't overheat under that condition, seem to be hoping the air filter got soaked with oil on the first engine death and that that is causing poor airflow and hopefully the overheating. So hopefully today or tomorrow we will have a new air filter and that will solve it. Maybe, but I'm skeptical......

Wish me luck.

Chris

Chris,

You may want to question their theory a bit. A partially plugged air filter on a carbureted gas engine would tend to richen the mixture, which would tend to LOWER the operating temp.

 

[SnowRidge]

The reason there is two valve stems is this. It is designed this way to allow you to switch tires from the one side and put it on the other side, and when you are using two tires side by side, and there will always be a valve stem on the outside for filling. The only way to avoid the inner valve stem from being ripped off is to install a steel stubby, or install the stem inside out, or plug it . Sooner of later, with the bar tires, a situation will come up with the tire pointed in the right direction, and the stem will be on the inside. I don't know if the turf tires have a directional pattern, like the bar tires.

The PT-425 rims are not equilateral. Putting the rim on the other side by moving it without flipping it over reverses it, what you have been preaching against. PT doesn't approve reversed rims and also doesn't offer or approve dual wheels on the small machines. The extra valve stems don't belong there. All they do is result in flats.

 

[Central_PA_Chris]

Chris, as far as the grass being thrown on the tire and rim, I would cut up a car tire and build a baffle to deflect the grass down, or to the side. Make it long enough to deflect, but not get caught up under the deck when backing

Thanks for the input, I saw a baffle/guard system on one of the mower decks posted in another thread here. I will definitely implement that one. Thanks!

 

[Central_PA_Chris]

A concern about your melted cable. If there is lube on the inside it is fried. Cable will get sticky here shortly...
Carl

Hmmm, haden't considered that. Anyone know if the recent stock throttle cables on a PT 425 are lubed? It did stick the next time I fired it up, I figured melted plastic got into the joints and onto the cable. Seemed to break free and be fine.

Ah, for the record I have 4 welders and about 1/3 of a small fabrication shop so I think I meet minimum PT ownership requirements. Though my shop is about to be constructed and all tools and tractor (when it's not in the shop) are living in shipping containers. I just don't expect good tools to come broken and when they do I do expect companies (especially small American ones) to go the distance to make it right. I own a small company and I know I do go beyond my legal duties to make sure any issues are corrected, not because I have to but because it's the RIGHT thing to do. I'll call power trac again (It's been a while.) this week if the filter trick fails and see if they will lean on Robins for a new engine.

I'm keeping a good sense of humor about the situation. I'm pretty easy going, but I'm not going to keep quiet about it.

 

[J_J]

The PT-425 rims are not equilateral. Putting the rim on the other side by moving it without flipping it over reverses it, what you have been preaching against. PT doesn't approve reversed rims and also doesn't offer or approve dual wheels on the small machines. The extra valve stems don't belong there. All they do is result in flats.

I never said anything about flipping the tire. On the turf tire you take it to the other side, and it bolts on with the stem out. If you have a spare bar tire built up, there is a 50/50 chance that it is mounted wrong. If you move a bar tire to the other side, the bars will be pointing in the wrong direction. You have to break the tire down and remount. Reversing rims is not good, and I don't recommend it. If you build up a set of bar lug dually's, you need to pay attention to the stem placement and the direction of the bars. With dual stems, it works out that you can put air to both tires, without taking one off. This may be good for some people and not so good for others. Gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[Bob999]

One of the reasons for two valve stems is that the 1845 and 1850 use dual wheels and the way they are mounted requires a valve stem on one side of the wheel for the inner tire and on the other side of the wheel for the outer tire.

 

[Central_PA_Chris]

Reversing rims is not good, and I don't recommend it.

Why? The extra offset is only a few inches. Now dullies, that's another story, but going a bit wider by reversing rims (while paying attention to tread directionality) shouldn't radically change torque on the studs. I ask because I have the one wheel nearest to the grass discharge in that position for the added clearance. Might have to reverse that one back after I get a discharge block and extra height wheels on that puppy.

Thanks,
Chris