Power Trac and grass cutting

Schultz · Apr 26, 2004

One other thing that might add some weight as to how well the PT's cut grass is the blade speed.
We figured out that the 48" & 60" decks are both above 17,000 ft/min, which is much faster than most lawn & garden tractors, this speed and above is where commercial mowers are.

Search on blade speed, you should find it.

Tim

MuncyBob · Apr 26, 2004

Does this faster speed also mean a "finer" cut....in other words, can I retire my lawn rake...currently if I let the grass get a little too high it looks like I was making hay in the yard when I'm done and to keep it from tracking into the house I need to grab my rake...a beer or 2, the radio and spend about an hours raking it all up....even with a "mulching" blade on the push mower!

toolz_not_toyz · Apr 26, 2004

( Continuing to operate a hydraulic system when the fluid is over-temperature is similar to operating an internal combustion engine with high coolant temperature. Damage is guaranteed. Therefore, whenever a hydraulic system starts to overheat, shut it down, identify the cause, and fix it.
)

So for those of us that don't know, what exaxctly are the symptoms of overheated hydraulic oil? Is lift capacity reduced? Will the PT motors have a tough time turning? And so on.

Schultz · Apr 27, 2004

You pobably wont retire your lawn rake completely but a mower with higher blade speed will do a better job of cutting the grass. My Ingersol has a blade speed of 12,500ft/min stock. In heavy grass it use to wind row large blades of grass (hay field like) and a day later grass would pop up on the tire tracks, because it wouldn't completely suck up the grass the front tires ran over. I changed the pulley so the speed is now 15,000ft/min. What a difference. Yes it still wind rows the grass but it's chewed up a little better and it sucks up the grass the front tires run over, so the next day the lawn still looks mowed. I would imagine having the deck out front would only improve this. Besides I'm throwing 60" of cut all to one side, the PT distributes 60" out the back of the mower, the pile of grass shouldn't be as condensed, and maybe that rake will get even more of a rest. Then you can just drink the beer or two anyway.

smartguyz · Apr 27, 2004

( Does this faster speed also mean a "finer" cut....in other words, can I retire my lawn rake...currently if I let the grass get a little too high it looks like I was making hay in the yard when I'm done and to keep it from tracking into the house I need to grab my rake...a beer or 2, the radio and spend about an hours raking it all up....even with a "mulching" blade on the push mower! )

OK - here's my story. I originally purchased a John Deere 318 (the legend), with a 50" deck. I then completely restored the tractor, upgraded the deck (with high-speed pulleys, new blades) and put a power-flo bagger kit on it. I thought it did a really good job mowing. Little did I know. When I got the PT, I assumed that the JD would still be used, mostly because I assumed that I couldn't mulch year round. Wrong.

The PT has such high blade tip speed that it pretty much obliterates any grass in its path. Not only that, but the PT makes it so easy to mow, and so easy to clean up afterwards (don't forget, you can lift the deck 60" off the ground and the pressure washer will make mighty quick work of any errant clippings) that there is little reason NOT to mow every week - it's a great pleasure.

So, the ease of mowing (no, it's not a terrific as a ZTR mower, but it is still fun), coupled with the excellent cut (no, probably not as good as a dedicated ZTR, but I wouldn't trade it - it's far more flexible and useful and easy-to-clean) make it really easy to call the PT my mower of choice. So much so that I am going to clean up the JD and probably sell it - even though it has all these attachments, has been restored, and has a Johnny Bucket on it - and is gorgeous. I'll sell it and just keep my beloved PT.

That's how I see it.

Sincerely,

Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MuncyBob · May 2, 2004

Well...I think the PT is a great machine and very versatile....I'm concerned about not having service support nearby(I'm somewhat mechanically inclined but still like the idea of service if needed) and I really don;t know anything about Robin engines as for reliability...repair record, etc etc. I'm thinking about a trip to PT in Va. this month..and who knows, maybe I'll come home with a new toy. Was wishing I had a PT this week-end while moving boulders and large stumps! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

smartguyz · May 3, 2004

( I'm concerned about not having service support nearby(I'm somewhat mechanically inclined but still like the idea of service if needed) )

You know, I totally agree. I was pretty spooked about this as well before my purchase. However, I figured that the absolutely worst thing that could go wrong is an engine failure (which I hope is pretty rare - but SnowRidge's experience has me a bit concerned), and that the possibility of that was remote.

The more routine failures, I reckoned, was failure of hoses and motors, all of which I thought would be pretty straight-forward to repair. I did take a hydraulics class in High School (one of my favorite classes, really) and I love the whole concept of running everything off hydraulics. I would have loved to see the whole thing running off an electric motor as well - but perhaps another model!

There is a lot that can't break - no transmission, no transfer case, no drive shafts, no locking hubs, no power steering assembly, no cooling system (at least on the 425) to speak of, a LOT fewer parts than the 318, actually. That is what tipped me to the PT425 - I had done quite a few little niggling repairs on the JD318, and many of them, while straightforward, were irritating. I realized that many of these repairs would be completely unecessary on the PT425, and I still believe that to be the case. There are no conventional brakes, for example, so I wouldn't have to do any brake work. There is no power steering - so I don't need to worry about that. It's great.

Also, seeing how machines like Dave Sisk's have held up under long time and arduous use have me thinking as well. A few hoses here and there, a motor here and there - I can deal with those.

I am NOT trying to push you in to any decision you are not comfortable with - I am simply replaying my own decision-making in ordering a PT425, sight-unseen. I've been quite happy with my purchase.

Sincerely,

Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SnowRidge · May 3, 2004

( There is no power steering - so I don't need to worry about that. It's great. )

Not to quibble, but you may get some folks to thinking steering is of the Armstrong variety. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

I would call the PT's setup power steering; can't think of anything else to call it. It is actually quite similar to the steering on my Branson, which has a hydraulic pump, a steering valve connected to a steering wheel, and a steering ram (double ended versus two single ended).

The only real difference is that on the PT the rams turn the front half of the machine, while on the Branson it turns the front wheels. I suspect most modern tractors work this way.

SnowRidge

MossRoad · May 3, 2004

Yep. My late 70's IH3500B has a hydraulic ram that moves the rod conecting both front wheels together. If the tractor isn't running, you can't turn the wheel.

MuncyBob · May 25, 2004

OK...I'm just about convinced on the PT(of course, I had to wait for the prices to increase..duh! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif...probably looking at the 422 due to $$and the 425 is out of stock for apprx 4 weeks!)..I think the 422 will do all I need...but another question I have is your opinions on 48" mower deck vs 60"?? Seems the 48" deck barely covers the width of the wheels(which are 45", right?)...and I DO want to cut all grass in front of me before I roll over it...but, with the uneven terrain I have will the 60" deck be too wide to give me a good finish cut? I would rather the wider deck with the 4 acres or so I need to cut every 4 days, but the belly mower on my Farmall is 60" & sometimes I need to recut a pass just to even it out...any thoughts on this...got a feeling I'll be part of the PT Owners club this week...thanks again to all for your input!