Power Trac vs 4wd Tractor

[farm23]

I have recently moved to the mountaing of NC and am in the market for a tractor. Untill just now I have been looking at 25 to 35 HP 4WD tractors. I will need to keep up about 1/4 mile of road and the ditches, a large garden, an apple orchard, move mulch and compost, plant trees, and move beehives in apiary. The Power Trac is interesting.
1] Factory is less than 90 miles away.
2] American made.
3] Suggestions on how to keep ditch clear. With a tractor I would use a rear blade I could angle and tilt.
4] Advantages of rear engine models like 425 vs mid engine 2425.

I look forware to your input and suggestions.

 

[Spiffy]

If you're doing a lot of pure pulling work, I'd go with a gear drive tractor, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

With the orchard and most of the tasks you list, I'm thinking you'd be quite happy with 425 or 1430 if your tasks are a little bigger or you prefer diesel.

Currently, the real advantage I know of with the 24 (I have a 2445), is the backhoe, but the guys using the minihoe on 425s write plenty of positives even if sacrificing depth. They used to make a 3pt that would mount in place of the backhoe (5 or less minutes change), but I don't think they offered it for a while. It had hydraulics on all three points (allowing tilting). For everything else I'd say the 24XX splits the visability between a conventional tractor and a (1)4XX, but still has atriculated manuverbility.

I really hope someday they offer the 24XX as a true bidrectional machine and bring back the 3pt plus some direct mount rear attachments, but don't see it anytime soon.

Hope that helps! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MuncyBob]

I don;t think you can tilt a blade....but we have a 1/4 mile dirt lane into our property that I keep the drainage ditch fairly clear with the rock bucket. Basically you get one side of the PT into the ditch and use that angle as your "tilt" and push away. We have several fruit trees that have low branches and the 422 w/o the ROPS works just fine under them.

 

[MossRoad]

With the factory just 90 miles away, I'd take a visit and see what they have to offer. Call ahead and make arrangements to test drive the 425 and larger diesel units. Test all of the implements that you think you might ever need to use. Change the implements a few times, too.

Then go test drive some conventional tractors. See if they have a mini hoe /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Try changing the implements on the conventional tractor, too.

Be sure to time yourself when changing the implements and also take stock of the skin off your knuckles and the pain in your back. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Be sure to test drive all types of tractors on slopes that are similar to the ones that you have on your place, too.

Like you've already heard, if you are going to do lots of pulling, lean towards a conventional tractor. If not, take a serious look at the PT.

 

[1bush2hog]

I don;t think you can tilt a blade....


Sure you can - I have a Bush Hog rear scrape and you can angle and tilt it either direction

 

[farm23]

This may the answer to my challenge. 1hog2bush which model PT is your bush hog scrape mounted on? Did it required any special modifications or does bush hog have a scrape to fit the PT?

 

[MuncyBob]

I was just making reference to PT proprietary attachments....I guess there's proabably many tools out there that can work with the PT with minimal modification for most any job. Is the Bush Hog a "manual" tilt?...I would like to find a "scraper/blade" that could be adjusted from the driver's seat.

 

[MossRoad]

From reading his profile, it is a Bush Hog 70-07, which is a 7' scraper blade made for 70HP 3pt hitch tractors. Weighs almost 600 pounds. Costs on e-bay over $800.

Bush hog makes some smaller ones that could be adapted to smaller PT use with the addition of a quick attach plate. The angle and roll look to be manually adjustable.

 

[farm23]

I would not mind it the scrape blade was manual adjustment for tilt and angle.

I am not sure how the bush hog blade would be modified to accept the PT quick connect plate.

BTW MossRoad your homepage is wonderful and your review should be on PT's web site.

Thanks

 

[1bush2hog]

Farm23 -

I was referring to your number 3 statement, regarding use of tractor with tilt/angle scrape. Sorrry - did not mean to confuse things - maybe I was confused by the other gent's statement.

I don't think a PT would handle my scrape /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

It is a tough decision to make and the bottom line for me is I need both a 4wd tractor and a PT - That's why I am always over here in this section drooling and hoping one day to get a PT. Then I would have the best of both worlds.

What part of NC are you from? I grew up in WNC