OK, here goes, new guy with long question.

[jbman]

New guy, almost no experience with tractors, looking for advice.
I've been reading here for a while, researching for a bit, and I am learning quite a
bit from you all, but I have a long way to go. I would like some help with a
decision, you have probably all been through this before, but I would surely
appreciate any words of wisdom - or just words - that you might care to share. I
am sorry for the long length here, I just can't seem to get my question into a
shorter length.

I am pretty well convinced the PT-422 or PT-425 would be great for what I
want, and maybe even need.... I am sure you understand that.

So the bottom line is that I would like to ask opinions to help me decide
whether I should get the 425, or can spend the 2500 less and get the 422 and
be happy with it.

My situation: We have about 30 acres, mostly wooded, about a 1/4
mile gravel driveway, have a few farm-type animals, and generally spend all our
free time outdoors doing things, some of which my body is starting to protest about.
So the PT will be used for all that typical stuff with this kind of a
living arrangement. Some haulin, pullin, pushin, diggin, draggin, a bit of
mowing and trenching, and anything else that means I can stop pretending I am young and strong. I'd need to get bucket(s), love to get the mini hoe, etc, etc. This is obviously
not a commercial venture, I don't see needing tons of power, but I don't want to
get something that won't work for me either. Then again, I'm not rich, so I naturally don't want to spend more than I have to.

I do live close enough to Tazewell to go up for a demo, and I will, but I would appreciate if I could get opinions here before I do that. I have read enough here to be able to tell there are some very decent and knowledgable folks here, and I value your opinions. I can't tell what
the significant differences are between the 422 and 425 that would determine
if I should part with the extra 2500 for the 425 over the 422.
For those of you have an opinion :^) I would really appreciate hearing those
thoughts an opinions.

I'm actually right down the road from you Fourteen, in Hurdle Mills, so I may
try to con you into letting me stop by some time for some knowledge transfer, as
obviously you have plenty of it, and I have almost none. ;^)

Again, sorry for the rambling length here.. any input will be greatly
appreciated. Thanks for your time.

 

[MuncyBob]

Welcome jbman! I too was in the same situation as you some 2+ years ago. I "settled" for the 422 mainly due to budget reasons. I certainly would have liked the additional lift height, the extra horsepower and the higher torque wheel motors...but with that all said I have yet to regret the 422 decision. There has not been a job to date that the 422 has not been able to handle. As an example, to overcome the lift height into the manure spreader I made a "ramp" out of earth/rock and old abandonded telephone poles.....there's normally a way to overcome any potential shortfalls of this machine. What type of terrain do you have? If there are numerous steep grades that you will be covering frequently the additional HP and torque of the 425 would be useful....I try to hit any steep grades while the oil is still cool and I don't have any problems....just another "work around". I think you'll be happy with either model.

 

[Phils]

Welcome jbman!

Everything Farmall140 said goes for me too. Yes, the extra power and torque of the 425 would be good but the difference in price bought attachments for my 422. Altogether I have: LMB, minihoe, brushhog, stumpgrinder, box blade, forks, grapple bucket and ramps.

My wheelbarrow has been untouched since the PT arrived a couple of years ago. I use a shovel to dig VERY rarely now, and never for more than a small hole. Every winter I clear a lot of brush and now most of it gets hauled to the bonfire with the grapple bucket instead of me dragging it. When I take out a tree, I can remove the stump with the grinder. My 1/4 mile driveway has never looked better since I got the box blade (I've been there 30 years) . I lift loads into and out of my pickup with the forks and pallets. My aging back has been saved from numerous strain injuries (priceless!!).

Our forest trails and the acreage within a 750' circle of our house look great now that decades of stumps are gone and it is mowed. My place would be too "rough" for a finish mower but the brushhog works great.

And then using the ramps I can haul the PT and an attachment or two in the pickup. I have done projects for friends, clubs and local civic organizations. [utmost caution here: EVERYBODY wants to 'drive' it, but it can get out of control quickly for an untrained operator.... remember, NO BRAKES. And when they instinctively slam their left foot down to stop, the PT immediatly reverses direction at full speed)

The ROPS on the 425 would have to be removed to operate in MY wooded acreage or the PT would be constantly be hanging up on low branches. THAT benefit of the larger unit would be wasted money for me. You said "mostly wooded" but that can be very different than someone else's "mostly wooded". My "wooded" initially was so thick that it was only passable crawling on your haunches. It's better now, but there are still many acres that are untouched and unseen by me ever.

You ARE LUCKY indeed that you are close enough to Tazewell to go for a demo. If you are that close you should be able to save $$$$ on shipping too.

Phil

 

[pairodime]

Get the 425. Working in the woods should have overhead protection. Someone has posted about a branch falling on them and were saved by the overhead protection. You can add it to the 422, (I think it was around $700), but you'll always appreciate the extra power. I have a 425 for only 3 acres and sometimes wish I'd gone larger. I can't imagine smaller on 30 acres. Good luck.

 

[jbman]

Farmall140 - That's a great reply, thanks for taking the time. I'm not in any kind of a wickedly hilly terrain, and, considering I have no tractor at all, I am used to improvising, so your response is encouraging. I'll need to learn more to understand your statement about hitting steep grades while the oil is cool, but I am learning every time I come here so I expect the light will come on for me on that one as I learn.

Thanks again, I'm getting closer to having one of these little buggers.

Welcome jbman! I too was in the same situation as you some 2+ years ago. I "settled" for the 422 mainly due to budget reasons. I certainly would have liked the additional lift height, the extra horsepower and the higher torque wheel motors...but with that all said I have yet to regret the 422 decision. There has not been a job to date that the 422 has not been able to handle. As an example, to overcome the lift height into the manure spreader I made a "ramp" out of earth/rock and old abandonded telephone poles.....there's normally a way to overcome any potential shortfalls of this machine. What type of terrain do you have? If there are numerous steep grades that you will be covering frequently the additional HP and torque of the 425 would be useful....I try to hit any steep grades while the oil is still cool and I don't have any problems....just another "work around". I think you'll be happy with either model.

 

[MossRoad]

Welcome to TBN and the Power Trac forum.

If you are going to Tazewell I would suggest that you ask them to let you demo all the different buckets and mini hoe on both a 422 and 425 and see if there is any significant difference for what you need to do. Take it on some hills, dirt piles, etc...

 

[BobRip]

Farmall140 - That's a great reply, thanks for taking the time. I'm not in any kind of a wickedly hilly terrain, and, considering I have no tractor at all, I am used to improvising, so your response is encouraging. I'll need to learn more to understand your statement about hitting steep grades while the oil is cool, but I am learning every time I come here so I expect the light will come on for me on that one as I learn.

Thanks again, I'm getting closer to having one of these little buggers.

The extra torque on the wheel motors also helps get you out of ruts. With my 422 I initially got stuck quite often. My fixes were a thicker oil in the transmission (which PT now has standard) and steering left and right while applying power. As the oil heats up you do loose torque, even now. Remember you not only have to move the machine but push dirt and other items with it.

I feel with 30 acres you can easily justify the 425.

The ROPs will give you that protection from falling branches and tree tops when you bump a dead tree. Don't underestimate the need for this.

Remember you can always buy attachments later, but it is not reasonable to upgrade wheel motors, wheel motor pump, and engine.
I have used the brush mower to clear trails through the woods as it will cut tress up to an inch diamter without much problem. Larger trees can be cut, but it is much slower.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[jbman]

Thanks very much everyone for the advice. I fully expected to get differing views on this, and all of your advice is very much appreciated. It's still not going to be an easy decision, but I believe I'll be able to make a wiser decision with all the help here. I'm going to continue lurking here trying to learn, and when the weather breaks a bit I'll head up to Tazwell. That way I can make it a combo tractor demo/motorcycle trip. Doesn't get much better than that!

Thanks again very much to all.

 

[MossRoad]

You are doing the right thing by taking time in your decision making process. Many folks seem to jump on stuff and regret it later.

 

[jbman]

While I would like to seem like I am wise and patient, my patience has more to do with being a tightwad at this point in my life than any real wisdom. But I sure do appreciate the thought.

You are doing the right thing by taking time in your decision making process. Many folks seem to jump on stuff and regret it later.