Power Trac in Michigan

[Schultz]

I've sold my Ingersol and now I need to make a decision. Get a new PT-422, 425 or the used 1430 posted on the PT web site. Thinking the 1430 is too large, I'd really like to see one to make sure. Does anyone have a PT in the lower MI area?

The 1430's turning radius is similar to my Ingersol, but I imagine it would be much more maneuverable since it's articulated. I would have to buy a mower and that would costs about 1k more than the 400 series, is it worth it? Any opinions of the two tractors? My main or my wife's main function for the tractor would be mowing 3 of our 7 acres every week in the summer. Chores, garden work, wood gathering, snow removal would be it's other duties. My yard has lots of trees, many are low limb trees, but mostly flat to rolling hills.

 

[MossRoad]

I'm over in South Bend, IN., which is about 175 miles from you. If you're ever planning to drive to Chicago, it isn't that far out of the way. An easy 3 hour drive.

Call the folks at Power Trac and see if there is someone closer to you that would be willing to demo.

 

[toy]

Do you live close to where they manufacture south bend metal lathes? Is south bend lathe still in business? I know a man that lives close to where I live that has a 1940s south bend lathe , I was wondering if you could still get parts for that old of a lathe. I wonder what you could make for the pt with a metal lathe.

 

[maujer422]

Did you see that Power-Trac has a used 422 with a mower and a small bucket for sale?

 

[MuncyBob]

1 of the reasons I opted for a 400 series(got the 422 due to $$ constraints) was we also have low limbed trees that I must mow around......I can get under all our trees including the very low limbed apple trees.....but, I do not have ROPS on my 422.

 

[Schultz]

No I didn't, I just looked and didn't see it either. Could you show a link?

Thanks Moss, I go to Chicago every so often for work stuff. Mybe I'll have to make an excuse to head out there again.

Tim

 

[maujer422]

It was there yesterday but Scott must have sold it. I keep checking www.power-trac.com under used equipment I got a good deal on an almost new snow blade.

 

[MossRoad]

The one and only... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

http://www.southbendlathe.com/

Looks like they still have a parts department.

 

[MossRoad]

We're about 25 minutes south of where I94 goes through Benton Harbor.

 

[Rip]

Benton Harbor....thought that sounded familliar.... built many a HeathKit from an outfit based there. The first when I was about 10 years old.

 

[MossRoad]

Heathkits were phasing out when I was growing up. My dad and I built a few, though /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

However, they are still in business and are still in Benton Harbor.

Heathkit Company web page

And a neat site...

heathkit-museum.com

 

[maujer422]

Power-Trac has 3 used PT422's on their used equipment page.

 

[MuncyBob]

good pics! I had forgotten what a cleaned up 422 looks like! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Rip]

Mossroad, Yeah... times have changed. I built a lot of kits in 60s and into the 70s including perhaps the best for me, an automotive engine o'scope. I got to compare it with several big Snap-On and others and it was even better in a number of aspects. Now I probably pick up a soldering iron 4 times a year. Sure learned a lot though!

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> Now I probably pick up a soldering iron 4 times a year </font>

That's about 2X as much as me.

I went to school back in the early 80's for TV and radio repair and industrial electronics... right about the time the TVs were phasing out individual components for circuit boards. I was making more money pumping gas at the airport than any jobs were paying in TV repair at that time. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif However, I got in with my current employer working the industrial side of my degrees. I did pretty well, so they asked me to work on these newfangled comuters. Computers were considered machines back then, so it was a natural. Lots of boards, power supplies and motors to troubleshoot. That's where I'm still at, although I've migrated to the operations side of the computers. Repairing them is just about unheard of. We just order a board and swap it out. The biggest hands-on job I've had to do so far this year was last week. Someone touched an Okidata printer, got a static shock and all the printer power was lost. I had to open it up and change a fuse... OOOOoooo, now that's troubleshooting! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[maujer422]

There is a used 425 listed in Power-Trac used equipment

 

[Schultz]

I saw that and I'm talking with the guy tonight. He has very nice tractor, the only problem is it's a two day road trip.

Tim