SnowRidge
Elite Member
Careful, you're gonna have the Safety Forum folks down here pretty soon. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Oil & Fuel How about a diesel PT425?
- Thread starter smartguyz
- Start date
- Views: 4842
BobRip
Elite Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">(
I have begun to question the fact that all 4 wheels are powered on the PT. Since all (or most) power will go to the wheel with the least resistance, the idea of "all wheel drive" is lost. I don't think skid steers behave this way (anyone know?). What we need is a smart proportioning valve (or something) that can detect wheel spin (increased flow rate). Ideally, we want all wheels to turn at the same speed all the time but this is not what happens.
Adding a larger engine may make this problem worse.
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I have driven my PT422 with the front wheels completely off the ground when using the aerator. I put downward pressure on the aerator and up lift the front wheels. I had no trouble driving around although steering was very sluggish. The way the wheels are plumbed I think you have to have both wheels on one side in the air. Then most (almost all) of the flow will go to that side. I have not tried this so maybe someone should.
I have put about 65 pounds of weight on the rear hitch and noticed a big improvement in traction. It is my experience that the rear wheels do not have to leave the ground to cause problems. If they are light they will spin and then you loose the torque that they generate. This light tail can occur with a normal load on the bucket. I am much more satisfied with the PT since I added this weight and switch to Mobil 1 15W50. Now, my PT came with 5W30 dino oil and the new ones use something heavier (10W40?), so the impact might not be significant on the later machines. Also I have a 422 with the smaller wheel motors.
Bob Rip
I have begun to question the fact that all 4 wheels are powered on the PT. Since all (or most) power will go to the wheel with the least resistance, the idea of "all wheel drive" is lost. I don't think skid steers behave this way (anyone know?). What we need is a smart proportioning valve (or something) that can detect wheel spin (increased flow rate). Ideally, we want all wheels to turn at the same speed all the time but this is not what happens.
Adding a larger engine may make this problem worse.
)</font>
<font color="blue"> </font> <font color="green"> </font>
I have driven my PT422 with the front wheels completely off the ground when using the aerator. I put downward pressure on the aerator and up lift the front wheels. I had no trouble driving around although steering was very sluggish. The way the wheels are plumbed I think you have to have both wheels on one side in the air. Then most (almost all) of the flow will go to that side. I have not tried this so maybe someone should.
I have put about 65 pounds of weight on the rear hitch and noticed a big improvement in traction. It is my experience that the rear wheels do not have to leave the ground to cause problems. If they are light they will spin and then you loose the torque that they generate. This light tail can occur with a normal load on the bucket. I am much more satisfied with the PT since I added this weight and switch to Mobil 1 15W50. Now, my PT came with 5W30 dino oil and the new ones use something heavier (10W40?), so the impact might not be significant on the later machines. Also I have a 422 with the smaller wheel motors.
Bob Rip
toolz_not_toyz
Gold Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am much more satisfied with the PT since I added this weight and switch to Mobil 1 15W50. Now, my PT came with 5W30 dino oil and the new ones use something heavier (10W40?), so the impact might not be significant on the later machines. Also I have a 422 with the smaller wheel motors.)</font>
Yeah, mine has a sticker at the hydraulic tank that says 10w40. I've been wondering about that too since there were discussions here about what might be best to use. The cooler sure does dissipate a lot of heat. It's nice and toasty!
Yeah, mine has a sticker at the hydraulic tank that says 10w40. I've been wondering about that too since there were discussions here about what might be best to use. The cooler sure does dissipate a lot of heat. It's nice and toasty!
toolz_not_toyz
Gold Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
PS: Remember that even with the seatbelt on, the seat still will tip forward!
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Now there's a tip to remember! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
To answer a couple of points here...
SnowRidge: The slippage I've been experiencing is while reversing up a hill on soft sandy loamy soil or while plowing into a pile of that stuff. It's the kind of soil that would pack the treads of your turf tires. The soil conditions are like that most of the time here thanks to the level of precip we get. That's why I chose bars. Thanks for the reminder on the plumbing. I had completely forgotten that. And since I had made that last post I had thought about this more (while on the tractor of course). It really comes down to finessing the treadle control. The better you are at that, the better you can control the torque.
14: I was barely moving at all when I experienced the pucker. I was pointed downhill and was getting ready to dump a full bucket of moist soil....when I thought to myself...as I was raising the bucket....hey I think I'd rather dump this over there....and I absentmindedly turned the steering wheel a bit... Well, hey, you can picture how this scenario unfolded. The scary part was that I've been building this trail to gain access to a lower part of the property with the PT. At the moment, the trail is only a about 8-12 inches wider than the PT on each side. If the PT had tipped over I would rolled another 2 feet down the side of the trail. After lowering the bucket, I looked back and noticed that my left rear wheel was right on the edge. Yikes. Anyway, the episode wasn't that big of a deal. It wasn't as crazy as your picture. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
PS: Remember that even with the seatbelt on, the seat still will tip forward!
)</font>
Now there's a tip to remember! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
To answer a couple of points here...
SnowRidge: The slippage I've been experiencing is while reversing up a hill on soft sandy loamy soil or while plowing into a pile of that stuff. It's the kind of soil that would pack the treads of your turf tires. The soil conditions are like that most of the time here thanks to the level of precip we get. That's why I chose bars. Thanks for the reminder on the plumbing. I had completely forgotten that. And since I had made that last post I had thought about this more (while on the tractor of course). It really comes down to finessing the treadle control. The better you are at that, the better you can control the torque.
14: I was barely moving at all when I experienced the pucker. I was pointed downhill and was getting ready to dump a full bucket of moist soil....when I thought to myself...as I was raising the bucket....hey I think I'd rather dump this over there....and I absentmindedly turned the steering wheel a bit... Well, hey, you can picture how this scenario unfolded. The scary part was that I've been building this trail to gain access to a lower part of the property with the PT. At the moment, the trail is only a about 8-12 inches wider than the PT on each side. If the PT had tipped over I would rolled another 2 feet down the side of the trail. After lowering the bucket, I looked back and noticed that my left rear wheel was right on the edge. Yikes. Anyway, the episode wasn't that big of a deal. It wasn't as crazy as your picture. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
FOURTEEN
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2004
- Messages
- 1,042
- Location
- Efland - Triangle of North Carolina.
- Tractor
- 2004 Power Trac PT-425
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Anyway, the episode wasn't that big of a deal. It wasn't as crazy as your picture. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif )</font>
<font color="red"> My point exactly! Although it looks like my PT is on the verge of doing a somersault or some such nasty thing, in reality it seemed to be anchored to the ground! The rear section is just not heavy enough or high enough to overcome the combined weight and low C of G of the load and front section. (Like a ship which is most stable when fully loaded with cargo and ballast. An empty ship is in much more danger of capsizing.)
Now if the PT were going diagonally across and down a slope, that might be a different story. Or, if speed or change of direction is involved, such as a fast sharp turn or stop with the loaded bucket held high. Also, of course, a wider track makes any vehicle more stable. I am sure that if we really tried, we could capsize a PT, but it just isn't as easy as it seems, or as easy as it is with a typical CUT.
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<font color="red"> My point exactly! Although it looks like my PT is on the verge of doing a somersault or some such nasty thing, in reality it seemed to be anchored to the ground! The rear section is just not heavy enough or high enough to overcome the combined weight and low C of G of the load and front section. (Like a ship which is most stable when fully loaded with cargo and ballast. An empty ship is in much more danger of capsizing.)
Now if the PT were going diagonally across and down a slope, that might be a different story. Or, if speed or change of direction is involved, such as a fast sharp turn or stop with the loaded bucket held high. Also, of course, a wider track makes any vehicle more stable. I am sure that if we really tried, we could capsize a PT, but it just isn't as easy as it seems, or as easy as it is with a typical CUT.
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