I am new to the PT-422 world, Bought a used one off ebay and I am quite happy with it so far. The robin motor was bad,main bearings were out,so when I replaced It I used a kohler ch25 25 hp and I am really happy with the change. Was a lot of work because the mounting height from the base to the crank shaft center was higher. Had to modify the mounting plate. The only thing I am not happy with is the pushing power when I use the bucket. It seems like if you get a wheel off the ground the rest feed the power to that wheel and it won't push. I also have to run at a pile of dirt to get any in the bucket. If I push into a pile of dirt it makes a humming sound like the pressure is bleeding off. It won't spin the wheels while they are on the ground,no pushing power...It won't go up a steep hill with any speed. Is there a pressure release valve that may be stuck or a weak spring in it that can cause this problem? I have no owners manual to look for these things... Thanks...
PT-422 Pushing Power
- Thread starter NormPT422
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pajoube
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2001
- Messages
- 2,225
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- Montana (Near Bozeman)
- Tractor
- Former Owner PowerTrac 425 (September 2003)
Norm,
Welcome to TBN and the PT forum. I agree with you, your 422 should be able too push that bucket into a dirt pile without any problem. I know others will chime in with what they think may be the cause. I would suggest you call PowerTrac and talk with Terry, he should have some ideas for you. Thy fact that you bought a used machine should have no bearing on getting information from them.
Good luck and keep us informed of what the problem was and what you did to correct. By the way, were do you live that the dirt piles are not frozen? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
PJ
Welcome to TBN and the PT forum. I agree with you, your 422 should be able too push that bucket into a dirt pile without any problem. I know others will chime in with what they think may be the cause. I would suggest you call PowerTrac and talk with Terry, he should have some ideas for you. Thy fact that you bought a used machine should have no bearing on getting information from them.
Good luck and keep us informed of what the problem was and what you did to correct. By the way, were do you live that the dirt piles are not frozen? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
PJ
MuncyBob
Platinum Member
Norm...again welcome! It's been strange winter so far in Pa.!!(I'm not complaining!!)...no doubt you should be doing better with that machine...I have the 422 with the Robin 22hp engine and rarely have to "run" into anything that's not frozen to pick it up & hill climbing with the PTO off is no problem either...hope you can find the cause and hope it's any ea$y fix!
BobRip
Elite Member
I wish my PT422 had more pushing power, however there is a way to make it work better. I looked at a Kubotoa manual. Their techniques was to push in and curl up the bucket while doing so. The curling uses the hydraulic cylinders to do the work and not the weight of the machine. Also it helps to lift. The lifting action puts more pressure on the wheels so they won't slip. This helps with any tractor. The tractor digs better while lifting up. It also helps to put teeth on the buck. This concentrates the force in a small area and breaks up the pile.
I hope this helps. Yes the tractor has limitation, but you can overcome many of them.
Bob Rip
I hope this helps. Yes the tractor has limitation, but you can overcome many of them.
Bob Rip
BillCroasmun
Gold Member
Welcome Norm! Do some searching on this board and you'll see one of the more common complaints of the PT line up is power on hills. At least for the lower end models and older ones were worse since the wheel motors have been upgraded along the way on some models.
As far as pushing power goes it's hard to judge without being there if your seeing abnormally weak power or if your expectations are just more than a 422 is designed to do. Is your mound of soil pretty hard packed right now? on the 4XX series teeth really make a difference on penetrating the soil. PT's with their light weight are definitely not a Bobcat when it comes to things like pushing. As Bob and I'm sure others will mention PT's can do a lot given the right technique and attachment for the job! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Many stories and pictorials on this forum so please take the time to search around a bit.
Those with more experience than me may correct me on what I'm about to say but I think your upgraded HP may help in certain PT tasks but not others. With things like lifting the relief valves are probably set to protect the machine from surpassing it's design/construction limitations (cylinder strength, lift arms and welds, weight distributions) so even though you have more HP you wouldn't want to increase this settings and you'll have the same lift capacity as a 22 HP machine. On the other hand if your doing something like running a mower while driving on a slope you may see improvements there since your added HP may keep up better with the work (which isn't maxing out the components just being diverted multiple ways).
I'm a newbie to hydraulics though so I welcome corrections from the wiser ones on the list. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
As far as pushing power goes it's hard to judge without being there if your seeing abnormally weak power or if your expectations are just more than a 422 is designed to do. Is your mound of soil pretty hard packed right now? on the 4XX series teeth really make a difference on penetrating the soil. PT's with their light weight are definitely not a Bobcat when it comes to things like pushing. As Bob and I'm sure others will mention PT's can do a lot given the right technique and attachment for the job! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Many stories and pictorials on this forum so please take the time to search around a bit.
Those with more experience than me may correct me on what I'm about to say but I think your upgraded HP may help in certain PT tasks but not others. With things like lifting the relief valves are probably set to protect the machine from surpassing it's design/construction limitations (cylinder strength, lift arms and welds, weight distributions) so even though you have more HP you wouldn't want to increase this settings and you'll have the same lift capacity as a 22 HP machine. On the other hand if your doing something like running a mower while driving on a slope you may see improvements there since your added HP may keep up better with the work (which isn't maxing out the components just being diverted multiple ways).
I'm a newbie to hydraulics though so I welcome corrections from the wiser ones on the list. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
FFC_Fencing
Member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2003
- Messages
- 26
- Location
- Northwest Indiana
- Tractor
- New Holland TL90; New Holland TN65; two PT 425; One PT 422; Swinger 2000; Bobcat 773
Norm: We have run into that problem on a couple of our 422's. It sounds like the main pump is bad. The PT has a main pump and a PTO pump. the main pump is what pushes the oil to run the wheel motors and work the bucket arms. When that wears, the pressure that it is able to generate is greatly reduced. So no power to the wheel motors. The last one that we took care of wouldn't even crawl up the ramps of a trailer anymore. Remove the pump and take it to a good hydraulic shop. They will rebuild it for a few hundred dollars and you'll be back in business.
It is pretty important to change the hydraulic filter when called for to keep the pump in good shape. Maybe the previous owner missed that point.
It is pretty important to change the hydraulic filter when called for to keep the pump in good shape. Maybe the previous owner missed that point.
Thanks for the reply, I've been around quite a few tractors and this one seems to be lacking, that's why the post... I just wanted to find out if this is normal for this machine or a problem. It will not spin the wheels when digging into the pile of dirt. The pile is loose 2b limestone and dirt mixed, Not frozen. I piled it there and then moved it a couple of days later. I had to get a run to get a half a bucket of dirt using the bigger bucket, the smaller bucket I can get about a full scoop if I run at it. It just doesn't seem to want to push. It'll go in so far then sit there humming,even if I lift and curl the bucket until I get free of the pile then it'll move forward to the tires hit the pile. I thought maybe that a pressure release valve was leaking off. I put the 25 hp motor on it because it wasn't much more for it over the 22 hp. I went with a Kohler because it has ball bearing main bearings both side and not one likt the robin. I have a pump on the work side of the motor and the hydro tranny on the fan side of the motor. Thanks again for the input.. Norm
BillCroasmun
Gold Member
Great Norm, sounds like your well versed on the tractor side so like FCC said maybe it's a case of a weak pump.
It's not a direct comparison but your always welcome to see my new 180 (spring 2005) in action. Should you be N.E. of home I'm about 100 miles up 76 from you. A little ways away but it is a straight shot. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Good luck!
It's not a direct comparison but your always welcome to see my new 180 (spring 2005) in action. Should you be N.E. of home I'm about 100 miles up 76 from you. A little ways away but it is a straight shot. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Good luck!
J_J
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2003
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- 18,952
- Location
- JACKSONVILLE, FL
- Tractor
- Power-Trac 1445, KUBOTA B-9200HST
If it were mine, I would take it by a hydraulic shop and let them put a gpm gage and a pressure gage on it to see if it is leaking internally. The wheel motors might also be worn out and leaking internally. Those pumps are not cheap, some where in the $1200 to $3000 range. The relief valve might not be set right. Someone might have mixed hyd fluid in with the motor oil that is used in the hyd system. I would estimate that the diagnostic check out of your hydraulics system would be around $75. That is labor, and for that amount they should check out every thing. I hope every thing comes out in your favor.