PowerTrac Customizations

[pajoube]

It's been 30 years since I have done any welding. I have the desire, now I need the time. I just came back from Northern Tool and they have the three way hitch. Cabelas as you mentioned is only a few miles from where I live so will check them out.
There is so much out there to learn but then the search is half the fun.
Paul

 

[pajoube]

When test driving the 425 I really didn't pay much attention to the back end hitch. I assume it is stout enough to take the hitch you mention. I like your feet concept, would the unit need to be wider at the top of the tee?
Paul

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

MossRoad:
I think that would work. My only hesitation would be the possibility it would dimple the rear steel with a side load. I know that is heavy stuff, but even with your design, you have some leverage.
I have a 2" receiver in a 3 or 4" cross tube, with side plates that used to go to the car frame. I plan to move the side plates so they can be bolted to the PT, and then bolt the center to the current hitch.
Incidentally, you suggested I make up a red and black signature. I took a shot at it, but can't get the size right with Paint or PowerPoint, so far. How do you do dat?

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, I was wondering about the side loads, but it will only be for small stuff at first(boat trailer, snowmobile trailer). If it starts to push in the rear, I'll weld the T to a quick attach plate and be done with it.

As far as the signature goes, I saw yours, looks great. I made mine by taking a picture of the unit from the side, then using paint shop pro to draw over it and erase the parts I didn't need(like me standing next to it!). I just stuck with the simple 16 colors. I eyeballed each implement. Then saved all the pictures as gifs in the size that I wanted completed. Then used gif animator to put them together with a 5 second delay between frames. As I get more attachments, I'll add frames.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

MossRoad:
I did considerable measuring and head scratching over the weekend (except when I was scraping our minuscule snowstorm off the road). I had hoped to adapt an old Reese hitch from a Cadillac to bolt on the back of the 1845, without disturbing the current pin hitch. I couldn't come up with a way that seemed appropriate and spread the loads laterally without a lot of cutting, welding and drilling, moving engine cover hinges, etc. My pin hitch has 2" clear between the ears, so I could just use a section of insert, weld it to a section of receiver tube and brace it per your drawing. I think that would work fine, but I think it will be a lot easier and stronger just to weld the old hitch all the way across the back of the PT, and add some simple triangular braces. That loses the factory hitch, but will make a pretty hefty installation. The guys at Power Trac said just to weld a receiver tube end to the back plate. They didn't even think braces were needed, so what I am planning will be overkill. Certainly anything rated for an 8000 lb trailer load on full braking on the highway will not be strained by anything we hook to the Power Trac. The particular hitch that I am using suffered no ill effects from a 360 degree excursion with Cadillac and horse trailer with two horses on the Baltimore Beltway. A lot of stuff on the trailer bent, but not the hitch.
It's appropriate to the Power Trac, however, to overbuild modifications as they did the basic machine.
I'll post pictures someday, I hope.
For my signature, I merely stole a logo from the Power Trac website and played with it through several programs until it came out the right size. I haven't any idea how I did it, since the size problem just disappeared at some point in Photoshop.
Maybe some day I'll find out how to do a more useful graphic than

, but for now I am focused on the hardware.

 

[MossRoad]

Sounds like a sturdy setup. Glad the Power Trac folks approve.

Before you weld on your equipment, are you going to disconnect all of the electrical stuff? I've never welded on a "live" vehicle with an in-tact electrical system. I've heard that you could damage the alternator, etc... ever heard of this?

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

MossRoad
I have heard of damaging the electrical system, by welding to a "live" vehicle, but have not experienced it or talked to anyone who had actually seen it. I hadn't thought of it until you mentioned it. I'll think about it, but suspect all I can do is unhook the battery. I can't guess what induced currents may run around, but assume that if there is a good ground close to the weld, major current goes back to the welder.
I have welded on cars and tractors without any problem, but can't say that the possibility of damage is an old wives' tail. I will start a new thread to see if anyone on the board knows.
Thanks.

 

[MossRoad]

Re: PowerTrac Customizations-Loading Ramps

When we purchased our PT425 we also purchased the 7' loading ramps from Power Trac. They are very sturdy. However, I had to come up with a way to attach them to our pickup truck, so that they could not slip off of the rear bumper. Here is what I came up with. See attached diagram.

I bought a 4' piece of 3/4" iron pipe.
Welded a piece of the pipe to the underside of the ramp.
Welded another piece of pipe to the top of the steel step bumper near the outside edge.
Repeated for the other ramp.
To secure the ramp to the bumper slide a piece of rebar through both pieces of pipe.

It works great.
After I get it cleaned up and painted, I'll take some pictures, as my welding is very ugly /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Re: PowerTrac Customizations - 1845 hitch

I tried to hitch to an old manure spreader. The Power Trac hitch wasn't deep enough. So, I took a smoke wrench and grinder to the factory hitch. Photo attached is after removal of lower ear of hitch.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Then modified an old rusty Reese hitch and welded it on. Don't be too critical of the welds, please. They are designed for strength, not beauty.