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Bob_Skurka
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I'm hoping to have everything done within the next 30 days, if the dealers & the weather cooperates!!!
Steiner Front-wheel-drive versus PT AWD
- Thread starter Bob_Skurka
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MossRoad
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Do you have a digital camera? We'd love to see your hills.
Bob,
Just a reminder that when you or anyone else is driving the Ventrac with the mower deck attached, make sure that the Weight Transfer System is engaged and set for the Maximum Transfer. You first raise the deck fully, set the amount of "strength" of transfer (usually maximum), and then lower the deck. Easy to do but also easy to forget for those unaccustomed to operating a tractor with a weight transfer system. You will be amazed at the effectiveness of this system in increasing traction and steering control on slopes.
Then on the other side, if you remove the deck in preparation for connecting another attachment, be sure to first raise the deck fully, disengage the weight transfer system, lower the deck, and then disconnect. It is physically possible to disconnect while leaving the Weight Transfer Engaged, but the lift arms will tend to snap up. Then when you approach another attachment, you will find it difficult to get the lift arms to lower and stay down to complete the connection.
After connecting and disconnecting a few times, this will become second nature to you. However, in the beginning, you may tend to forget when connecting or disconnecting. If you do forget to engage weight transfer, the tractor / deck system will tell you by its less than stellar performance on slopes.
If you haven't done so already, get the video or DVD from Venture Products that shows all of the equipment in operation. It is very well done. There are separate videos for the 3000 and 4000 series, but the DVD contains both.
Let us know how it comes out.
JackIL
Just a reminder that when you or anyone else is driving the Ventrac with the mower deck attached, make sure that the Weight Transfer System is engaged and set for the Maximum Transfer. You first raise the deck fully, set the amount of "strength" of transfer (usually maximum), and then lower the deck. Easy to do but also easy to forget for those unaccustomed to operating a tractor with a weight transfer system. You will be amazed at the effectiveness of this system in increasing traction and steering control on slopes.
Then on the other side, if you remove the deck in preparation for connecting another attachment, be sure to first raise the deck fully, disengage the weight transfer system, lower the deck, and then disconnect. It is physically possible to disconnect while leaving the Weight Transfer Engaged, but the lift arms will tend to snap up. Then when you approach another attachment, you will find it difficult to get the lift arms to lower and stay down to complete the connection.
After connecting and disconnecting a few times, this will become second nature to you. However, in the beginning, you may tend to forget when connecting or disconnecting. If you do forget to engage weight transfer, the tractor / deck system will tell you by its less than stellar performance on slopes.
If you haven't done so already, get the video or DVD from Venture Products that shows all of the equipment in operation. It is very well done. There are separate videos for the 3000 and 4000 series, but the DVD contains both.
Let us know how it comes out.
JackIL
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Bob_Skurka
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Well I talked to the Ventrac people.
There are no dealers in Illinois. The only dealer in Indiana is on the opposite end of the state at least 300 miles away.
I was put in touch with a guy who sets up dealerships for Ventrac. He said he would coordinate getting a demo unit out to my house for a test drive. I told him I wanted a unit before summer grass cutting season starts, but there was no other rush. He is hoping to have something at the house in a couple of weeks for me to test but was unsure he could do it that quickly. I am going out of the country for a week in April, so it is possible the demo might not occur until the middle or end of April.
There are no dealers in Illinois. The only dealer in Indiana is on the opposite end of the state at least 300 miles away.
I was put in touch with a guy who sets up dealerships for Ventrac. He said he would coordinate getting a demo unit out to my house for a test drive. I told him I wanted a unit before summer grass cutting season starts, but there was no other rush. He is hoping to have something at the house in a couple of weeks for me to test but was unsure he could do it that quickly. I am going out of the country for a week in April, so it is possible the demo might not occur until the middle or end of April.
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Bob_Skurka
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If there is any dealer in Indiana other than one is Jasper, IN then Ventrac is unaware of them. It is my understanding that Jasper is in the extreme southern portion of Indiana near the Indiana/Kentucky border.
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Bob_Skurka
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The rep from Ventrac called back. He is arranging for a dealer up near Wisconsin Dells to bring a Ventrac 3000 down to my house at the end of this month. The unit will come with a 60" mower deck and a 30" slip scoop for the demo. If I like it, I'll buy it on the spot.
They seem very accomodating about my concerns for the test drive and testing it on my hill. In fact, I'm surprised at how accomodating they are. In this day and age when finding good customer service seems to be unusual, the Ventrac rep has been knowledgable and helpful and his response time is far better than I would have expected.
I'll report back with how it goes.
They seem very accomodating about my concerns for the test drive and testing it on my hill. In fact, I'm surprised at how accomodating they are. In this day and age when finding good customer service seems to be unusual, the Ventrac rep has been knowledgable and helpful and his response time is far better than I would have expected.
I'll report back with how it goes.
MossRoad
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Amazing that some companies still go out of their way for the customer, isn't it? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
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Bob_Skurka
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Moss . . . customer service so bad that I am surprised when retail stores take CA$H.
And one of the main reasons for NOT going with the PT was the lack of ability to try before I buy. They seem like they are helpful, but they won't send a PT for Indiana for me to try, and I can't blame them given their direct to consumer sales approach. But guys like me need a little hand holding and romancing before we give it up!
There is a PT owner who lives about a mile away along the same river I live on, he offered to let me try one of his PT 422s. But it seems like the PT425 is probably the one I'd need/want because of the higher torque wheel motors so trying a PT422 when it will be different than a PT425 seemed sort of pointless, especially since the one I really would like would be a PT180 but with a larger mower deck (but that is not available on that size unit).
The Ventrac 3000 is small in size with 21hp so it is more like a PT422, but with a 10" tighter turning radius than the PT180 and a wheel base that is 12" shorter than the PT180 while the overall length is 10" shorter than the PT180 but only 2" narrower than the PT180 making for a short but wide footprint for stability. It also weighs about 40% less (710 pounds versus 1260 pounds).
The rep I talked to is very confident that it will climb my hill with lots of power to spare because that is one of the primary design functions of the Ventrac.
And one of the main reasons for NOT going with the PT was the lack of ability to try before I buy. They seem like they are helpful, but they won't send a PT for Indiana for me to try, and I can't blame them given their direct to consumer sales approach. But guys like me need a little hand holding and romancing before we give it up!
There is a PT owner who lives about a mile away along the same river I live on, he offered to let me try one of his PT 422s. But it seems like the PT425 is probably the one I'd need/want because of the higher torque wheel motors so trying a PT422 when it will be different than a PT425 seemed sort of pointless, especially since the one I really would like would be a PT180 but with a larger mower deck (but that is not available on that size unit).
The Ventrac 3000 is small in size with 21hp so it is more like a PT422, but with a 10" tighter turning radius than the PT180 and a wheel base that is 12" shorter than the PT180 while the overall length is 10" shorter than the PT180 but only 2" narrower than the PT180 making for a short but wide footprint for stability. It also weighs about 40% less (710 pounds versus 1260 pounds).
The rep I talked to is very confident that it will climb my hill with lots of power to spare because that is one of the primary design functions of the Ventrac.
MossRoad
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<font color="blue"> one of the primary design functions of the Ventrac </font>
That's the problem with trying to find one machine to do everything very well. It is hard. There's much to be said for dedicated machines. The Ventrac is very good at mowing. So add a dirt scoop to it and it is still very good at mowing and OK at moving dirt around. Add a snowblower. It is probably very good at that too. So now you have a really good lawn mower/snow blower that can also move dirt around. You see where I'm going with this. The PT is the same way. It can do most tasks very well, maybe not as good as a dedicated machine, but very close. I don't think there is any one machine that can do it all perfectly, but these articulated machines really do a fantastic job for most applications. The articulated platform is a very versatile base to start with and build from. I think it's here to stay.
That's the problem with trying to find one machine to do everything very well. It is hard. There's much to be said for dedicated machines. The Ventrac is very good at mowing. So add a dirt scoop to it and it is still very good at mowing and OK at moving dirt around. Add a snowblower. It is probably very good at that too. So now you have a really good lawn mower/snow blower that can also move dirt around. You see where I'm going with this. The PT is the same way. It can do most tasks very well, maybe not as good as a dedicated machine, but very close. I don't think there is any one machine that can do it all perfectly, but these articulated machines really do a fantastic job for most applications. The articulated platform is a very versatile base to start with and build from. I think it's here to stay.
