Power-Tracs are not cheaper in my opinion

[IslandTractor]

May you be happy with whatever your own.

I want both. A big CUT for fields and a medium sized PT for the honey do list.

 

[Rivco]

Well ....Island Tractor,
I would say that is an accurate dollar to dollar comparison!! Now if I might indulge myself a little here... I'd like to compare the lowly little 2004 PT 180 I sold. (I still have access to it anytime I need it ) to Mr's 425, Kent's 425, Bob rips 422 ?, and Snow ridge's (425 corrected )It seems the lowly 180 has the same size wheel motors. Gee I wonder if that means they all have the same size pumps??? ( maybe just a lower pressure setting on the 180... 2000 PSI VS. 2500 PSI. ). I am willing to state hands down that I could out dig the PT mini hoe with my custom mini hoe ( on the lowly little 180 ) both in speed and depth any day of the week!!!! Now... chew on that bacon awhile all you big bad pre-wheel motor upgrade 422 /425 owners !!! HA. HA. HA.

 

[curly]

... I'd like to compare the lowly little 2004 PT 180 I sold...

OK, so once in awhile someone sales one. Get much for it...that's what this thread is about

 

[SnowRidge]

I want both. A big CUT for fields and a medium sized PT for the honey do list.

Yes, exactly, if money were no object.

 

[SnowRidge]

Well ....Island Tractor,
I would say that is a pretty good dollar to dollar comparison!! Now if I might indulge myself a little here... I'd like to compare the lowly little 2004 PT 180 I sold. (I still have access to it anytime I need it ) to Mr's 425, Kent's 425, Bob rips 422 ?, and Snow ridge's 422?... It seems the lowly 180 has the same size wheel motors. Gee I wonder if that means they all have the same size pumps??? ( maybe just a lower pressure setting on the 180... 2000 PSI VS. 2500 PSI. ). I am willing state hands down that I could out dig the PT mini hoe with my custom mini hoe ( on the lowly little 180 ) both in speed and depth any day of the week!!!! Now... chew on that bacon awhile !!! HA. HA. HA.

Ahem, SnowRidge tried to buy a 422, and Power Trac nixed it for "commercial use." I have it on good authority that he has a PT-425.

Assuming you are comparing the 180 to the 425, the pumps appear to be completely different brands, so there goes that theory.

 

[Rivco]

Ahem, SnowRidge tried to buy a 422, and Power Trac nixed it for "commercial use." I have it on good authority that he has a PT-425.

Assuming you are comparing the 180 to the 425, the pumps appear to be completely different brands, so there goes that theory.

Ah yes but I believe the wheel motors are all 12.5 ci. for those model years and the 2004 180

 

[Barryh]

Well ....Island Tractor,
I would say that is a pretty good dollar to dollar comparison!! Now if I might indulge myself a little here... I'd like to compare the lowly little 2004 PT 180 I sold. (I still have access to it anytime I need it ) to Mr's 425, Kent's 425, Bob rips 422 ?, and Snow ridge's 422?... It seems the lowly 180 has the same size wheel motors. Gee I wonder if that means they all have the same size pumps??? ( maybe just a lower pressure setting on the 180... 2000 PSI VS. 2500 PSI. ). I am willing state hands down that I could out dig the PT mini hoe with my custom mini hoe ( on the lowly little 180 ) both in speed and depth any day of the week!!!! Now... chew on that bacon awhile !!! HA. HA. HA.

Hmmm...

If you look at my avatar on the upper left, you will notice a very large tree stump up in the air. I know for a fact it had to weigh in at a very close 600 pounds with dirt still attached to the roots. Every time I turned to fast, the business end of my 180 would come up off of the ground.

As you can see I just used my forks to lift it up and out no grapple needed. I dug it out using just my rock bucket with after market teeth. I had to chop a few roots and it took a long while but in the end, the little PT 180 took care of it. I'm sure the PT mini hoe attached to a nice 422 or 425 would have cut that time in half.

Add the custom hoe that Rivco made, and you have even more muscle, in a compact digging machine.

 

[catsco]

Regarding operating costs, here is my experience:

Fuel use; in 550 hours, I've averaged just under one gallon (0.945) per hour.

At our nearly 8,000 ft. altitude that's not too bad. I had thought about diesel, but in the past have had some issues with diesel powered equipment that sits unused for 4 weeks and is difficult to start, especially in the heinou weather when minus 10 is a heat wave.

Something I haven't seen mentioned in forums, at least the ones I've read, is that for the last four years I've claimed and received a tax credit for the federal road tax that doesn't apply for non road use of gasoline.

The 18.4 cents per gallon is not much, but $2.56 per gallon sounds almost good compared to higher prices earlier this year.

I've become 'brainwashed' I guess, since I nearly expired when the price hit $1.95/gal., and now feel that less than $2.60 is a bargain!

But I digress!

Other costs in 550 hrs:

$195+$180 to repair rollover with heavier one now used
(This nearly $400 was something I don't think I should have had to pay)
$138 for two tires (includes shipping and mounting)
$45+$5 shipping for 3 Hydraulic Oil filters
$55 for 8 Hydraulic Oil Filters (after I went to NAPA 1551)
$41 for 11 Engine Oil Filters
$3 for Spark Plugs
$34 for 22 or so Quarts of Engine Oil
$9 for 2 Fuel Filters
$44 for 4 Engine Air Filters
$18 for 4 Engine Air Prefilters
$1,000 worth of aggravation for hand carrying flat tires out of inaccessible places several times (Not included in grand total below)

Grand total is therefore $767 for maintenance and repair, $1,163 for fuel for a total of $3.50 per hour for 550 hours.

Total delivered price with all implements was $12,450 (bought snow blade later and paid pretty high shipping).

Cost per hour including purchase and operation would therefore be $26.15, a number that would become $7.65 per hour including purchase and operation if I get to 3,000 hours without replacing the engine or pumps.

I'll probably reach that number as the engine starts and runs fine with minimal maintenance.

Repair costs in the next year will probably include a number of the large bolts in the lift mechanism.

All this is to say that the PT has been pretty low cost to buy and operate to this point.

Regards,
Mark H.

 

[KentT]

Ah yes but I believe the wheel motors are all 12.5 ci. for those model years and the 2004 180

My PT's wheel motors won't be 12.5ci as soon as I can get the 22.7ci ones installed...

 

[KentT]

I do agree that for around the house and suburban yard that the PT425 is the handier tractor ...

Maybe that would explain why my best friend who's storing MY PT-425 at his place in TN (9.5 acres) has put over 150 hours on it during the last two years, while HIS 30 HP Kioti has only had about 50 hours put on it -- and almost all of that with his RFM...

He mows about 4 acres of wide-open space with his Kioti and 6' RFM. Other than that, "the toy," as he refers to the PT-425, gets used about 3:1, even though he has a comparable set of 3-PT implements for his Kioti...

Now that I've demonstrated to him how well the rough-cut mower works on the PT, and he's tried it for himself, that ratio may get even more lopsided, regardless of how much fuel it burns in comparison...

I still don't believe that those who haven't lived with a PT for a while can't really understand their value...

But, I've ranted enough in this thread already...