First TBN Power Trac Owner

MossRoad · Nov 24, 2004

Somone mentioned WillingtonPizza in the "owners by state" thread. I thought I'd share this with you all...

PTRich was username WillingtonPizza back then. WillingtonPizza is listed as the first Power Trac post on TBN four years ago this month! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif That was before the Power Trac forum had it's own forum. And here he takes delivery!

So, any of you that blame me for your Power Trac fever need to know that it is his fault(and Mark Chalkley, too /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ) because I started reading their posts and got hooked! Sooo glad I did. Thanks, guys! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

pajoube · Nov 24, 2004

Thanks MR, those attachments really brought back memories.
PJ

bmac · Nov 24, 2004

Sure did. But MR can try to place the blame on PTRich and MChalkley all he wants. As far as I'm concerned, however, he's the real culprit of infecting others with PT Fever. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

pequeajim · Nov 24, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Sure did. But MR can try to place the blame on PTRich and MChalkley all he wants. As far as I'm concerned, however, he's the real culprit of infecting others with PT Fever. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

I can speak to that one myself! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MChalkley · Nov 24, 2004

I think I said this before, but it's probably worth saying again, with all the raving I did about the Power Trac: I didn't end up buying an EarthForce machine because I thought less of the Power Trac. Rather, because EarthForce ended up being more versatile for me, given the tight quarters I often work in. That and the fact that the EarthForce is a lot more powerful (because it's less conservatively set up, most likely - I think I/R has "tamed" it a bit, from the specs they list) and the only Power Trac big enough to do what I needed was one of a pair and there weren't any plans to build more.

Of course, the way things turned out, I almost ended up with the last of a product line, anyway. I really thought for a while that I/R bought EarthForce just to kill the product line to end the competition, but from their latest full and double-page ads in some of the equipment magazines, it seems they really plan to market them. We'll see.

PowerTrom425 · Nov 24, 2004

Having PT Fever is great ain't it bmac!! Hope they never find a cure! Happy Turkey Day.....

MossRoad · Nov 25, 2004

That's one of the neat things about these machines. They are great when you buy them, but in a year, they are better, and another year, better and so on. But if you keep waiting, you'll never get your feet wet. You gotta jump in sometime. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The Earth Force drive system interests me. I recall your engine does not run full throttle as does my PT when operating. It throttles up and down for needed power. That is just amazing for HST. And that fuel economy with the turbo diesel is increadible, too. I think this post on the Earth Force EF5 should be read by all folks considering tractors or construction equipment that are HST. It has great technical explanations and the EF5 has lots of things that we wish the Power Trac had. Truly great reading. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hey, hope your holiday weekend goes well. Best to you and yours.

David G.

MChalkley · Nov 25, 2004

That thread is longer than most folks would want to read in a week. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

The Bosch-Rexroth HST system is pretty amazing, but very simple. The disadvantage to it is that you have to have a separate means of controlling ground speed if you want to use a rotary cutter, tiller, power rake, or other attachment that requres plenty of flow from the hydraulic PTO. The EarthForce didn't have a way of accomodating that, so one of my enhancements was a hand-lever-controlled valve that manually regulates the pilot pressure in the system, which is used to determine pump and motor displacement. So I can use the hand throttle to run the engine up to the speed necessary to get the flow for the implement, but still control how fast the machine goes with the hand valve. It's not as convenient as a normal system, but it works fine. And for the majority of the time that I'm not using that type of implement, the "automotive" control system works a lot better.

I'd say the Kubota 56hp engine in the EarthForce only runs half to two-thirds throttle most of the time. Basically, from a standing start, you push down on the foot throttle, just like you would in a car and it selects the continuously variable "gearing" for the pump and motor automatically. The less resistance there is for a given engine speed, the faster it goes. It's practical and effective, quieter and more efficient. I still can't believe how little fuel it uses. Another of my enhancements was to change the orifice sizes in the pilot pressure control system so it ramps the pump and motor displacements faster, i.e. at lower engine speeds. That made a neat system work even better.

PowerTrom425 · Nov 25, 2004

MossRoad.....thanks for your dedication to the PT forum. Your website cemented my decision to buy a PT a few months ago....Best to you and yours, Happy Thanksgiving,,,,,,, /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

ernemats · Nov 25, 2004

MR< do you always run your pt at full throttle? I very seldom run mine at more than half to three quarter throttle, the only time I use full throttle is when climbing a steep hill or mowing thick grass.