Power Trac vs 4wd Tractor

Bob999 · May 3, 2006

30 degree slopes are tough to work on and there is always the possibility, however remote, of a mechanical failure. The 1430 depends upon the hydrostat drive system for operating brakes. The parking brake is not suitable for stopping a moving machine. I recommend the 1845 if you are going to work on slopes of 25 to 30 degrees. It is extremely stable on slopes of this magnitude and has an excellent emergency braking system. However, even the 1845 with dual wheels will slide on a 30 degree slope.

farm23 · May 3, 2006

Most of my work will be 25 deg or less. The problem is if the engine should fail evidently it would not be covered by any warranty and the engine mfgr is the one with an insufficient oil sump. I think the 425 itself would be ok for my task.

ernemats · May 3, 2006

I have a 422 and much of my land I mow is 10 to 20 degree slope with some as much as 25 degree slope. I have had no problem mowing 20 degree slope sideways, when it gets to 25 degree the pt front wants to slide sideways a little if the mower is in float position. Lift the mower up a little and no sliding. 25 degree mowing sideways feels a little uncomfortable. I currently have 870 hours on my 422 with no problems.

pequeajim · May 3, 2006

I mow a portion of my property at 18-20+ degrees sideways. One stripe across the hill only lasts about 15-20 seconds. I would not feel comfortable mowing anything steeper than the 20 degree slope for any extended period of time. I've had no problems at all.

BTW: I use the 60" finish deck on mine.

MuncyBob · May 4, 2006

I pretty much echo the same as the above..but we do have some very steep slopes that I will run downhill only on...and that's exciting enough for me! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

farm23 · May 4, 2006

Thanks for the input. I have a Wright zero turn mower made in Maryland with a Kawasaki sp? engine. It is a mountain goat of a mower and the engine does not have limit angle. The practical limit for me is about 25 deg. So I will not be mowing with the PT.

One of my first projects will be to dig a ditch from my shop to my garden. Which will mean digging across a slop that is between 20 and 25 deg. Most of the time I will have to transverse the slops to get to work areas.

The majority of the work will be done on slope of less than 20 deg but should I be concerned about the few times when I will be working for an hour or so on a slope of 20 deg or more.

MuncyBob · May 4, 2006

The center of gravity changes with the PT articulation.....I have raised my wheels several times when needing to turn one way or the other while traversed on a slope...somewhat exciting but nowhere near tipping.....but it's something you need to be very careful about! I learned to be very careful on slopes with running the Farmall tractor for a number of years before getting the PT. I go VERY SLOWLY while traversing any steep slope!!!!!!!!!!

KentT · May 4, 2006

( One of my first projects will be to dig a ditch from my shop to my garden. Which will mean digging across a slop that is between 20 and 25 deg. Most of the time I will have to transverse the slops to get to work areas.
)
IMO, digging across a steep slope is a dangerous venture for any machine other than perhaps a very few (like the Spider) specifically designed for such a task. Stabilizing a conventional TLB to dig across a slope is a challenge, even with its hydraulic stabilizers on the back because the front axle pivots and the FEL's bucket is the only way to prevent that....

None of the PTs have "outrigger" types of stabilizers, and the 4XX and 14XX machines have no stabilizers at all...

Could you perhaps rethink the routing of the ditch to allow you to dig down the slope then turn it at the bottom to get to the ultimate destination?

Bob999 · May 4, 2006

Most of my work will be 25 deg or less. The problem is if the engine should fail evidently it would not be covered by any warranty 

From a safety standpoint the potential problem is loss of hydraulic pressure, for example a burst hose or failed connection, that would allow the machine to run away on a steep slope. Neither the 425 or the 1430 have a braking system that will stop the machine in this situation. The parking brake is not designed to stop a moving machine, and the service brakes are the hydrostat which will not operate with a broken hose.

Marks481 · May 5, 2006

How about when the engine stalls when you are mowinng up a steep slope... with your foot clamped down on the treadle, which elimintaes the hydraulic lock, my 422 has on a couple occasions immediately started drifting backward... not a good feeling, especially with no brakes. Quick restart of the engine solves it, but I wish that Powertrac had spent the extra $100 or so to get the wheel motor with the built in disc brake.

Maybe I will retrofit (at least the front wheels) some day.