Useful attachments adapted to PT ?

[MossRoad]

Yes the commercial remote controlled mowers have been pricey; $5k for a lawn mower size mower, and the larger ones seem to be PT-1860 cost, for not a lot of utility. E.g. this one

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View attachment 872825
While this claims up to 50 degree slopes, the Kawasaki FX1000V has a limitation of 25 degrees. There's no claim for an enlarge oil pan or dry sump, or nothing that might help the Kawasaki run well, but perhaps it is a man behind the curtain thing...It lists new for more than an 1860.

All the best,

Peter

Needs an aerobatic rated radial engine.

 

[ponytug]

I'm already at the point of being uncomfortable going sideways on my slopes. If there were a way to add robotic controls...... Other times, I think about taking a self powered trail mower and winching it up and down the hillsides.

This is why I bought chains. It won't make a 1445 into an 1860, but the chains helps me feel more in control in my opinion. Also, in my opinion, chains plus draft control on the brush mower on the 1445 is actually pretty amazing.

Don't forget just backing up a slope and mowing downhill.

All the best,

Peter

 

[2manyrocks]

Downhill orientation is the most comfortable for me, but the PT tires are slipping trying to back up the hill.

Would you suggest chains on all 4 wheels? There's enough clearance between the PT body and the tires?

 

[woodlandfarms]

What’s the 1860???? I want one whatever it is

 

[ponytug]

Downhill orientation is the most comfortable for me, but the PT tires are slipping trying to back up the hill.

Would you suggest chains on all 4 wheels? There's enough clearance between the PT body and the tires?

There is a ton of clearance.

Yes, two pairs of chains for chains on all four wheels. The ones that I have are pretty easy to put on. Lay the chains down with the adjustment side away from the tractor. Drive on a bit, connect the inside ring as short as possible, tucking the extra couple of links inside, then connect and tighten the outside ring. Drive around for a bit, and retighten the outside ring. The first time, you may need to retighten the inside links if it was too short for your chains or wheels. In my book, you can never have chains too tight.

Thistles, more specifically thistle sap, are my nemesis. As a friend says, "it's slicker than snake snot". Chains give me enough grip not to slip sideways (much) while mowing thistles. Before getting chains, I had a couple of incidents of the tractor sliding sideways downhill several feet on the slick sap covered mulch from mowing. Nothing bad happened, but the slide was definitely uncontrolled.

@woodlandfarms Oops. Nice catch. Yes not "1860", 1850... fat fingered typing. (Although I'm sure that you could turbocharge yours. With a muffler wrap and a turbo cover, you might not have much extra heat in the engine area, but then what would you use all the extra ponies for? Curious minds want to know... )

All the best,

Peter

 

[SpringHollow]

The chains I use the most are my studded net style. When I bought them way back when, they were not too bad, Last time I looked, they were crazy expensive. But I use them the most for use on ice.

Ken

 

[woodlandfarms]

In regards to the chains. I do use them but they really don’t help with sideways traction. Greatly reduced tire pressure provides the best stiction. Do you see Rock crawlers with chains? Arctic tundra trucks with chains? Heck do any farmers use chains? I honestly ponder if chains aren’t harder on our wheel motors. I have to replace my second one (seals blew). Wonder if the bighting traction doesn’t impact the motors. That said like I said in the winter i chain up and if I forget they ten to ride year round.

 

[ponytug]

Around here, I find chains are hard to forget, what with a few paved surfaces, and noise.

I've tried lowering the tire pressure on the 1445 that I have, and I don't see any obvious improvement. I do roll the tires off the beads at lower tire pressures. I run mine around 24psi, which is, IIRC, where Carlisle (now Carlstar) suggests the pressure for the loads on the tractor (+/-).

I wonder if the effects of lower tire pressure is different due to the different tires on an 1845 (R1, 4ply) vs 1445 (R4 6 or 8ply).

I don't see too many rock crawlers with standard size or type tires. The tires that I have seen tend to be large diameter, very very soft sidewalls, and often with bead locks. Not that I haven't thought about them for my 1445, but I have my doubts whether those types of tires would survive the sharp stumps from mowing brush around here.

All the best,

Peter

 

[woodlandfarms]

Yeah Peter. On my machine it’s 4psi max on soft 4 ply tires. Your situation the trains probably due increase your traction.

 

[2manyrocks]

Current status is I installed the 15" laminated wheels after using a wire wheel brush to knock off the paint on the 1 1/4" yoke.

Next, fabricated new wheel mounts at the rear wide enough to mount 15" laminated wheels. Thought I could use 3/4 axle. Wrong. Not enough metal in the OEM 5/8 to bore out comfortably so I bought hubs with a 5/8 bore.

While I had the mower off the PT, decided to fabricate a debris guard. I meant to use chain, but wasn't comfortable with measuring the clearances needed to make sure the chain could never impact the cutting blade in any position. With the blade being so close to the deck anyway, I made a temporary guard just to see if it made any difference and how it might affect cutting performance.