Power-Trac PT-1845

Power-Trac PT-1845

Early in 2002 I started searching for a replacement for my aging and never very satisfactory International 484 utility tractor with Bush Hog mower and Westendorf loader that eventually led me to the innovative Power-Trac PT-1845.

The search for a new tractor

I remembered having seen a Ferrari orchard tractor back in the late '60s or early 70s at Columbia Tractor, my local Case IH dealer. It was low, narrow, articulated and 4WD. I thought that might work for bush hogging in my brushy, hilly woods much better than the typical CUT. So I wandered the net looking for such an animal. I didn't find much at all until I landed at TractorByNet.com where on their All Other Brands forum I discovered the Power-Trac (this was before there was a separate Power-Trac forum). The reviews were good and I was hooked. If you haven't been to the TractorByNet.com Power-Trac forum, you might want to check it out. You will find thousands of posts from a dedicated and well informed group of Power-Trac enthusiasts covering every imaginable topic.

The trip to Tazewell VA

Power-Trac only sells factory direct so in April of 2002 I made the trip to Tazewell VA and bought a new PT-1845 tractor and a nice collection of Attachments and had them shipped to me here in NY (here's what I bought). Since then I've been posting information on this site about my tractor, my experiences with it, and technical information that might help me care for it.

Sedgewood

I'm "Sedgewood" on the TractorByNet.com Power-Trac forum.

Pushing up Daisies

A year into my life with the PT-1845 disaster struck. On April 18, 2003 I was out roughcut mowing a field when something in the engine compartment caught fire. The resulting fire caused major damage to the tractor and it was September before I had a tractor to use again. The picture below was taken on June 30. The tractor was still in the field, pushing up daisies, while the insurance company and I work out our differences.

Power-Trac Model Comparisons

While I was in the midst of my negotiations with the insurance company Power-Trac came out with a new model, the PT-1445 which seemed, in its capabilities, even more closely suited to my needs than the PT-1845. I gathered together info I thought might help me make a choice, should the opportunity arise out of the insurance settlement. That info is here. After a lengthy process my insurance company totalled the tractor, we settled, and I bought the carcase from the insurance company and rebuilt it.

It's a jungle out there!

By early September I had the tractor rebuilt and running again and since then I have been, despite a few issues, very happy with the tractor and it's astonishing capabilities.

The rebuild was a success! September 8, 2003 - PT rejoins the working world.

Power-Trac contact info

PowerTrac

 P O Box 539
 Tazewell Industrial Park
 Tazewell VA 24651

 telephone 1 (800) 843-9273
 fax 1 (276) 988-9566
 http://www.power-trac.com

Director of Service & Maintenance

 Terry Estep
 terrye@power-trac.com (Terry doesn't respond well to email - phone is best)

PowerTrac Shop Rate: $45.00 as of 5/29/03

Owners list (other than me)

I've assembled this list from TractorByNet.com Power-Trac forum member profiles

Charles E. Iliff, Jr  
Arnold, MD

 charlie@ilimer.com
 Charlie_Iliff at TractorByNet

Edward DiMaria
Connecticut

 edimaria@hotmail.com
 edambrose at TractorByNet 

Robert Schafer
Schuylkill Haven, PA

 robertschafer@comcast.net
 Bob999 at TractorByNet

 Deutz engine: F3L1011F SN 007377019

Thomas Marr
Northern VA

 tmarr8@aol.com
 marrt at TractorByNet

 Deutz engine: F3L1011F 410 hours

Rip Taylor
Bailey, CO

 Rip at TractorByNet