Power Trac PT425

[MossRoad]

I went outside and it strted turning to rain. Then it truned back to wet snow. I couldn't bear to get my Power Trac wet and dirty. So I waited until today. I dropped the snow plow and pulled out the forks and small tooth bucket. The tree was a large mulberry that we had taken down after storm damage several years ago. All that was left was the lower trunk cut into two pieces. The first piece that I attempted to move was 27" in diameter at the fat end and 24" at the narrow end and about 5' long with a big narly branch stub sticking off the narrow end about a foot. The forks pushed under it easily. As I rolled the forks back and lifted a little, all seemed well. I took it about 2" off the ground. As I started to drive forward at a gradual right turn I felt like I was slowly tipping forward. I was. I'm glad common sense had me stop the lift at 2". I was tempted to see how high I could lift it. Glad I didn't or I would have been testing the seat belt capacity to hold me in. So there I was with the back tires a few inches off the ground, and the back half of the unit cocked over to the right. Now all of this would have felt pretty rotten to a novice, but I used to drive an articulated wheel horse tractor with no front axle, the seat on the hood, the steering wheel between your legs and the attachment to move airplanes out in front(back of the unit) of you(it was called an air horse). It had a tendancy to do the same thing and I knew what to do to get out of it. So I turned the wheel back to center, the unit slowly sat back on all fours with the log still 2" off the ground. I lowered it to 1" off the ground and took it to the back of the yard with no troubles.

The second piece of the log was 27" at the narrow end and 37" at the stump end. It was 53" long, but no branches sticking out. I did the same thing with this piece and had no problems. I videotaped the whole thing and will post it as time permits(probably tomorrow night).

I wish I knew how much these logs weigh. I have no way of estimating them. I know that I can barely rock one end an inch or so with a long steel pry bar and my 200 pounds on top of that. That is why they stayed there for the past few years. I couldn't get them off the ground to saw them up without driving the chainsaw into the dirt.

Anyway, I now know the limits of my little tractor. The hydraulics never strained and the engine made no complaints. So I am very happy. And the wife is happy that the logs are gone. I also popped off the forks and put on the small tooth bucket and leveled the area off where the logs were, so that grass can be planted there next year. Total time on this project(including camera work), about 40 minutes from garage door opening to closing.

 

[MChalkley]

MossRoad - Clearly, I need to offer you my condolences. First, for your finding out your PowerTrac has such wimpy hydraulics. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif And, second, and most importantly (as well as slightly more seriously), because it took you so little time to do the job. When you get that euphoric sensation of power, it's kind of a bummer when it's over so quickly... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Glad to hear the PT is working out so well - it's an amazing machine, for sure.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah. I kind of messed up. Now my wife knows it doesn't take very long to switch implements, get a job done, put the plow back on and put it away. I now have fewer excuses for spending quality time on the tractor. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif NUTS!

 

[MChalkley]

MossRoad - Try this: Remember that you need to grease the FEL and other fittings every 10 hours, so make sure you do the maintenance either before or after getting the work done. That'll add to the time it takes to do things.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, uh, yeah honey. I needed to perform maintenance on the tractor. That's why I was driving around the yard and leaning over the fence shooting the bull with the neighbor. I was asking him about grease specifications. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

 

[MChalkley]

MossRoad - Nobody ever accused you of being slow. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif You're definitely on the ball! I knew I was preaching to the choir in that last message... /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[MossRoad]

Here's the
It is in Windows Media Format.
It is 475K in size and took me 5 minutes to download at 28.8, so be fore warned.

The log is 27" at the narrow end facing the camera and 37" at the stump end. It is 53" long. Watch as I had little trouble pushing the forks under the log at a pretty good angle. The soil was not frozen under the log, but was frozen everywhere else. The turf tires spin a little on the wet and snowy grass, but not much. Listen to the sound of the hydraulics. Not much strain at all as I roll the forks back and snatch the log off of the ground. As I back up a little to clear a large clod of dirt that I noticed under the log, you can see how the right rear tire comes up off of the ground. As I turned the wheel back to the right and head forward the rear end came down. I moved forward a little, lowered the log to about an inch off the ground and proceeded to haul it off at a snail's pace for safety reasons. I would never attempt to move something this large any higher off of the ground than need be. If you had the load high off the ground and hit even the smallest object on the ground, you would, at best, tip the tractor on its nose, and at worst, roll over on your side.

 

[MasonDixon]

OK It's time for me to ask a question or two about the 400 series Power-Trac. I recently sold my place in town and bought a couple acres in the country where I plan to build a new house. There are several pole barns already on the property. I am need of a bigger tractor than the JD 265 mowing tractor that I now have. There is a really clean little Kubota 7100 w/ belly mower that is availabe here at a local dealer. I was searching for info on the Kubota when I came up on this thread. I am thinking now that the PT would a better choice for house construction and pole barn repair and mowing etc.
I am a tall (6' 5") long legged guy. My main concern is leg room on the PT. I have not seen one personally. My only reference is MossRoad's videoes. Is it possible for a person my size to be comfortable on the machine?

 

[MChalkley]

Cool, MossRoad! Amazin' what that "little" machine will do, ain't it?

 

[MossRoad]

I'm 6', 200 pounds. I fit nicely. However, if your feet are size 13 or larger, you might have some problems with the foot wells. When I get in or out of the unit, my feet will occasionally push or pull the direction pedals. If the tractor was running and the brake was not set, you could possibley run yourself over. Power Trac specifically tells you to shut off the engine and set the brake EVERY time you get off the machine with good reason. I had the oportunity to test sit one that belongs to a landscaper and everything fit well for me. I would not have bought it without first sitting on it.