Parking outdoors

[catsco]

However, I know that I have stored my PT in the basement for the last 5 years, and it still looks to be in extremely good condition.
Rob

I used to store mine in the basement, but my wife mentioned something about being irritated at tracks on the carpet, and the difficulty of watching videos through the lift arms.

M.H.

 

[smartguyz]

I used to store mine in the basement, but my wife mentioned something about being irritated at tracks on the carpet, and the difficulty of watching videos through the lift arms.

M.H.

If you use the 5 gallon gas cans to prop up the arms, it's not so bad.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I just don't get rid of my empty beer cans,, excellent armwrests when the pile is high....

 

[bbabineau]

curiousity - my kubota never goes indoors, why is it so hard on power trac? design?

My question exactly. My neighbors all have some kind of tractor be they green, blue, orange or red. Some are older than I am but none are parked in a barn or garage. I have been reading PT posts for years and there is always talk of a barn for storage. I just assumed I too would need to park indoors but am now coveting the space for another project and I am trying to see the downsides of parking the PT outside. I have read many posts so far and all seem to want to park inside so is the PT really not as well adapted to the elements as are all of the other colors?

 

[toy]

I have the pt 425 and I know with any equipment left outside the weather will cause some deteriation, that can be minimised if you keep on top of it . I keep my pt inside a garrage partly to protect it from the elements but more so because it is so cute, somebody might fall in love with it and elope with it, without telling any body about it. Because of its smaller size someone could hop right on it start it up and drive it up in the bed of a pickup and drive right off. On power Trac's web sight about a year or two ago someone had one stolen. To add insult to injury I beleive he had it loaded on a trailer infront of his house with his attachments loaded on the trailer with it. Don't get a false sense of security because you take the key out of it everytime you park it that it is safe, I can start your pt I beleive without your key as fast as you can start it with your key. Just something to consider but you might not have that problem in your neighborhood, I hope you don't though. In fridays paper they said that they arrested a man with 400 ft of wire rolled up behind his house and the way I understood it the electric poles in front of his house was missing about 400 ft of wire, two were electricuted about a month or two ago working in a power substation I don't think they worked for the electric co.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I am going to step out on a limb and say that very few PT owners are more than gentleman farmers. I was raised on a ranch in wyoming, nothing was ever put in a shed / barn... Mostly where ever the day ended is where you parked, and that could be a day or a year.... I would venture even further to say that maybe 10% of anyone on this site leaves there tractor out. In the PNW I notice that the rate of heavy equipment in a lean-to or barn is much higher than it was in Wyoming. Rain is a killer up here.

Its a mentality thing. And I, who was raised around big farm equipment, is just as guilty. My wifes 35K car sits outside while my PT sits inside, including its non moving implements. No way would I leave my PT out in the brush overnight, even at our remote house. Not because of theft, but because who knows what might happen to my precious....

Other than the possible water in the oil tank, there is no reason that it is any more susceptable than a regular tractor to water damage.

Carl

 

[MossRoad]

Well, let's take a look at how the PT is constructed VS a normal tractor.

PT has a hydraulic cooler (similar to a radiator) right on top of the hood. Water will rain down through that radiator and directly onto the engine.

A conventional tractor has a full hood over the engine, protecting it from rain.

PT has a semi-horizontal dash board where the keys and switches are also exposed to any rainfall that comes in under the canopy.

Most farm tractors that I have dealt with had the key and switches mounted on a vertical panel, under a drip tray, that would channel rainwater away from them.

Those two things, rain on the engine and keyswitch, are the two things that would make me tarp it if left outdoors.

Let's face it, the sheet metal is not sheet metal. It is plate steel and is crazy thick. It will last for eternity and, although it gets surface rust when scratched, I just take a grinder to it, spray on a little primer and JD green and it is good as new.

 

[MrJimi]

Always remember this !!
When you put a tarp/cover on a painted surface outdoors in the wind.
It will wear the paint off..
Expect it ​

 

[RegL]

My question exactly. My neighbors all have some kind of tractor be they green, blue, orange or red. Some are older than I am but none are parked in a barn or garage. I have been reading PT posts for years and there is always talk of a barn for storage. I just assumed I too would need to park indoors but am now coveting the space for another project and I am trying to see the downsides of parking the PT outside. I have read many posts so far and all seem to want to park inside so is the PT really not as well adapted to the elements as are all of the other colors?

Steel rusts and plastic don't.lol. My PT stays out in the open as much as it is under cover. All of the attachments are lawn ornaments. I don't think their any worse for it. The PT gets used almost every day. I guess if the tractor was going to sit idle for a long period of time I would want to keep it under cover. If the tractor is left outside, it's a good idea to protect the instrument panel to keep rain out of it. I have not had a problem with the oil tank allowing water in. Occasionally, I even give it a bath with a pressure washer. Don't ask me why the oil seeps out but water not in.

I will probably never get around to it, but I figure a good paint job would do the PT a world of good.

 

[Marks481]

PT has a hydraulic cooler (similar to a radiator) right on top of the hood. Water will rain down through that radiator and directly onto the engine.

I don't think that will hurt the engine at all. I hose off my engine and engine compartment after every use with a garden hose.

But you will probably end up with some standing water on the floor of the engine compartment, which could cause some rust (although most people have a nice coating of protective oil on the bottom of the engine compartment...)

And I also park my PT indoors and my $25k Dodge Dakota out in the rain.... but I think my PT will last me for the rest of my life, and I will probably swap trucks every 10 years...

I think only the PT ition switch would be affected by long term exposure to the rain.... and that would be easy to replace.