Finally Pulled the Trigger on a PT 425!

[Clumber]

After six months of study I decided on a PT 424 plus numerous attachments. It should arrive next week. I thought long and hard about which attachments were necessary. I was surprised at the total cost, but I justified multiple uses through-out the year for each attachment.

We have 42 acres consisting of woods, pastures, fenced areas for dog runs, lots of cedar trees, mile long private road... The property needs lots of work. I know that I will need a larger machine eventually, but for now I rely on paying neighbors with large farm equipment to do the really big stuff. I wanted something now that was smaller and agile that my spouse could also use for gardening. Also, some of our dog runs (approx 1/8 th acre each) have tight areas that require a smaller machine. I think the PT 425 will perform adequately on snow removal on the road using the blower, sweeper, blade, and buckets. I plan to keep my Sears 24 HP garden tractor to do finish mowing on about an area about 1 acre around the house and dog runs.

My wife is not very mechanical. Her only understanding of tractors was watching my neighbors M-class Kubota. Trying to explain the concept and advantages of Power Tracs was as difficult as explaining the theory of television to a three year old. Eventually it sunk-in, I think.

 

[ArtMech]

After six months of study I decided on a PT 424 plus numerous attachments. It should arrive next week. I thought long and hard about which attachments were necessary. I was surprised at the total cost, but I justified multiple uses through-out the year for each attachment.

We have 42 acres consisting of woods, pastures, fenced areas for dog runs, lots of cedar trees, mile long private road... The property needs lots of work. I know that I will need a larger machine eventually, but for now I rely on paying neighbors with large farm equipment to do the really big stuff. I wanted something now that was smaller and agile that my spouse could also use for gardening. Also, some of our dog runs (approx 1/8 th acre each) have tight areas that require a smaller machine. I think the PT 425 will perform adequately on snow removal on the road using the blower, sweeper, blade, and buckets. I plan to keep my Sears 24 HP garden tractor to do finish mowing on about an area about 1 acre around the house and dog runs.

My wife is not very mechanical. Her only understanding of tractors was watching my neighbors M-class Kubota. Trying to explain the concept and advantages of Power Tracs was as difficult as explaining the theory of television to a three year old. Eventually it sunk-in, I think.

First of all - what is the difference between PT-424 and PT-425 machines according to Your classification?
Secondly, please formulate a concrete question?
Thirdly, believe TBN'ers. We may really help You.
Regards to Your non-mechanical wife

 

[Marks481]

Congrat! At least you are close enough (5 hours) to make the trip down there at least once. I was in CT when I bought my pt422, and bought sight unseen.

What attachments did you decide to get?

It is hard to know when to stop making your list of attachments... There just always seems to be one more that would be great to have.

Keep in mind that shipping on individual attachments is very expensive. I live 7 hrs from Tazewell, and it would cost about $300 for them to ship the $450 snow blade to me... I would have bought one, but not at those kind of shipping rates. So if you think you might need it someday, you mightwant to bite the bullet and add another attachmen to your list...

You want to throw an extra snow blade and LMB on your trailer for me when you get there?

 

[Clumber]

First of all - what is the difference between PT-424 and PT-425 machines according to Your classification?
Secondly, please formulate a concrete question?
Thirdly, believe TBN'ers. We may really help You.
Regards to Your non-mechanical wife

The 424 is a typo, should be 425. I really did not want to ask a question -- Just letting the helpful folks on this forum know what I finally decided to do. I have received lots of helpful advice here and reading through the archive. I like the fact that both the good and the bad are discussed here along with workarounds. Thanks folks!

Patrick

 

[cqaigy2]

The 424 is a typo, should be 425.

:confused2: I bet there really wasn't any confusion here.

Welcome to TBN and Congrats on the purchase!! :thumbsup:

Now the waiting begins.

 

[Clumber]

Congrat! At least you are close enough (5 hours) to make the trip down there at least once. I was in CT when I bought my pt422, and bought sight unseen.

What attachments did you decide to get?

It is hard to know when to stop making your list of attachments... There just always seems to be one more that would be great to have.

Keep in mind that shipping on individual attachments is very expensive. I live 7 hrs from Tazewell, and it would cost about $300 for them to ship the $450 snow blade to me... I would have bought one, but not at those kind of shipping rates. So if you think you might need it someday, you mightwant to bite the bullet and add another attachmen to your list...

You want to throw an extra snow blade and LMB on your trailer for me when you get there?

Tim, I will trade an LMB for your M1 Abrams turret. =:-0

I really bit the bullet this time. They are charging $655 to ship. I live 5 hours north of Tazewell just off I81. Here is the list:

PT 425 Tractor

T3233 60" Snow Blade
K164 Caster wheels
K147 Cutter Bar
T3239 Snow Blower
T3228 Power Sweeper
T3229 Spreader
T3424 29" Utility Grapple
T3026 48" Brush Cutter
T3317 Power Dumper
T3319 Mini Hoe
K175 Thumb
T3151 Forks
T3062 10 Cu FT LM Bucket
T3061 5 Cu ft Bucket
Short Teeth
T3293 Box Blade
T3325 4N1 Bucket
Custom T8 Attach Plate
QA adapter with 2" receiver hitch

 

[MossRoad]

Tim, I will trade an LMB for your M1 Abrams turret. =:-0

I really bit the bullet this time. They are charging $655 to ship. I live 5 hours north of Tazewell just off I81. Here is the list:

PT 425 Tractor

T3233 60" Snow Blade
K164 Caster wheels
K147 Cutter Bar
T3239 Snow Blower
T3228 Power Sweeper
T3229 Spreader
T3424 29" Utility Grapple
T3026 48" Brush Cutter
T3317 Power Dumper
T3319 Mini Hoe
K175 Thumb
T3151 Forks
T3062 10 Cu FT LM Bucket
T3061 5 Cu ft Bucket
Short Teeth
T3293 Box Blade
T3325 4N1 Bucket
Custom T8 Attach Plate
QA adapter with 2" receiver hitch

YIKES!!! I just drooled on my shirt! :drool:

Congratulations! :thumbsup:

 

[Marks481]

That should be a lot of fun.

If we get another 2' of snow this year, you will be ready (hence my desire for a LMB and snowblade). Last year, like an idiot, I didn't keep my bucket on the tractor, but had it in a shed in the backyard. No way to get it, had to shovel all that snow by hand. I am moving in a couple weeks, and the new place has a 300' driveway....

 

[Clumber]

That should be a lot of fun.

If we get another 2' of snow this year, you will be ready (hence my desire for a LMB and snowblade). Last year, like an idiot, I didn't keep my bucket on the tractor, but had it in a shed in the backyard. No way to get it, had to shovel all that snow by hand. I am moving in a couple weeks, and the new place has a 300' driveway....

I was also an idiot last year. Last year we had 40 inches in a 24 hour period. We were kinda stranded for a few days as my neighbors with large tractors had to dig themselves out first and tend to their livestock before digging us out. I have a large walk behind snow blower. When the snow reached 20 inches, I made several tunnels in the dog exercise areas so they could do their thing. The next morning there was another 20+ inches to deal with. This time the blower kept getting stuck and I had to man handle it a lot to make more tunnels for the dogs. I spent the next 2 days taking advil several times a day trying to recover. It was 2 days later when a neighbor finish digging out our mile long driveway/road. This situation has occurred three times in the last eight years. This year I decided that we needed a capability to dig ourselves out that did not involved manual labor. I am not a spring chicken anymore! I made a list of projects and capabilities that we wanted to achieve in 2011. That list drove the attachment list. The cost of these attachments was a real shock. (My purchase will keep Power Trac in business at least until February.) It would probably cost less to hire contractors to do those jobs in the short term. However, there has always been a little child inside that likes to play with tractors. As I enter my second childhood, I plan to have some fun. My spouse is also drooling about using the tractor to start a garden.

 

[Clumber]

Hey Tim, I sent you a private post regarding adding attachments.

Patrick