PT 425 Kohler 25 HP Engine

[MossRoad]

Moss Road

Great detail and information from a 20 year PT425 owner and operator. I hope to call Terry and get to PowerTrac this fall. Appreciate your information and know if I get a PowerTrac this group and PT are always willing to help.

Thanks

You are welcome.

My only advice would be to make sure you sit on a few and put them through their paces and talk to a lot of owners. Also, realize that you can't take it down to the dealer easily, so you either have to work on it yourself, of find someone that will.

 

[MossRoad]

I wonder why they don't just use a less expensive, more reliable, Briggs & Stratton engine.

Briggs & Stratton 44S977-0015-G1 25 HP Professional Series Engine

This genuine 724cc Briggs & Stratton twin cylinder engine offers dependable power for your equipment needs. With a power rating of 25 horsepower, this engine features a premium Dual Clean air filtration system, electric starter, and maintenance-free Magnetron electronic ignition. With a...

shop.briggsandstratton.com

That's a vertical shaft engine. Do they make it in horizontal?

 

[Goose1776]

Goose
Appreciate the information and nice to see a new purchaser make the PT 425 choice. I have been looking at a Ventrac 4500 for a few years to mow fields that have some slope sections that are beyond my comfort level on a traditional tractor with 3 point rotary cutter.

This PowerTrac site has caught my interest and expanded my search to PowerTrac equipment. I think the PT design Front End loader is an advantage over Ventrac 4500.

Thanks

I also bought a 1430.
I will admit to being a bit enamored with the PowerTrac platform.
Like Moss said, be sure you go sit on a couple and operate them.
The 1430 is much larger than the 425, and seems to have considerably more torque, but is less maneuverable in tight places.
The value of a PowerTrac is its versatility, it’s not the greatest for everything,
but it does a bit of everything better than anything else I’ve owned. If that makes sense. LoL
I’ve used the 425 every day since I brought it home.
It just works well for so many things
Including, stopping mowing the yard and doing
the very sad duty of pushing my beloved 2001 Chevy Tahoe down the drive, that my son wrecked this morning. ):
(He is only 17, and ok,)

 

[TractorGuy]

That's a vertical shaft engine. Do they make it in horizontal?

That came up under a horizontal search so I didn't realize it wasn't. They ARE showing a bunch of horizontal listings as "out of stock".

SOO I'm not sure if they make a good 25 HP horizontal that is available now.

I just suggested Briggs and Stratton because I have had excellent service out of that brand and seen plenty of issues reported with Kohler engines.

 

[MossRoad]

On my 2001 model year PT425, Kohler Command CH25, I have the two gear pumps mounted to the engine shaft.

On the other side of the engine, the screen has been removed and an auxiliary stub shaft is mounted the flywheel. That drives the variable volume pump.

So I'd need a replacement engine to be able to do that.

Looks like this:

 

[Spanky100]

You are welcome.

My only advice would be to make sure you sit on a few and put them through their paces and talk to a lot of owners. Also, realize that you can't take it down to the dealer easily, so you either have to work on it yourself, of find someone that will.

MossRoad

Great advice that I will follow with one concern. When I set on the PT1850, which is what I WANT but do not NEED, I will likely start to rationalize the PT1850 purchase for my lovely wifes' next Birthday Present. She has been a great wife and has put up with me for years but I am not sure I should spend that much on her next present.

She reminds me that she has never driven her tractor or her ZTR Mower.

 

[oldnslo]

Some of the older Kohler Command CH and CV series motors had issues with head gaskets going bad and leaking oil either into the cylinder or externally. This is a nuisance time consuming repair but rest of the engine is bullet proof.

 

[Spanky100]

I also bought a 1430.
I will admit to being a bit enamored with the PowerTrac platform.
Like Moss said, be sure you go sit on a couple and operate them.
The 1430 is much larger than the 425, and seems to have considerably more torque, but is less maneuverable in tight places.
The value of a PowerTrac is its versatility, it’s not the greatest for everything,
but it does a bit of everything better than anything else I’ve owned. If that makes sense. LoL
I’ve used the 425 every day since I brought it home.
It just works well for so many things
Including, stopping mowing the yard and doing
the very sad duty of pushing my beloved 2001 Chevy Tahoe down the drive, that my son wrecked this morning. ):
(He is only 17, and ok,)

Goose

Glad your son is safe. He has received an early life learning lesson he will likely not forget at your loss of the Tahoe. Tahoe's will run forever with low cost parts until a major issue that is not worth repairing. I too have experienced that with my son. The phone to dad call was funny - Dad I am ok and think the truck is drivable if you can pull me out of the snow. Son had an optimistic view of damages after hitting glaze ice on a bridge overpass.

I want to use The PT for field mowing with some slope areas that are above my comfort level with a conventional tractor. Thinking the PowerTrac front end loader might be better than my conventional tractor front end loader work. I just have to get over what a tractor should look like

Thanks

 

[cqaigy2]

Goose
I just have to get over what a tractor should look like

Thanks

Ha ha, i know what you mean. I really wanted to NOT be impressed the the PT, but my wife talked me out of a conventional tractor platform. She'd not been brought up around farming and such, so had not preconceived ideas about tractors, she just looked at what we would be using the PT for. BTW i still think tractors are cool looking.

 

[MossRoad]

I agree. I'd much rather drive an old tractor in a parade than my PT425.