The Power Trac 422 is a versatile garden tractor that can handle many jobs. It is frequently described as the "Swis Army Knife" of garden tractors. The hydraulically operated quick attachment plate allows the operator to quickly switch between up to 40 attachments, often without leaving his seat. The exchange can take less then 30 seconds. The tractor is simple in design, and everything is hydraulically operated: hydraulic steering, PTO, and individual hydraulic wheel motors. The articulated design allows a much tighter turning radius then a tractor with an equivilent wheelbase, and allows the tractor to turn without causing damage to your lawn.

Click on any of the thumbnails for a larger view.

The PT422 uses articulated steering.  The center of the tractor is hinged, which allows the front of the tractor to swing left or right by 45 degrees, and allows independant tilting on th eplane of the front or rear wheels of 12 degrees.  This ensures all the wheels stay on the ground as you drive over rough terrain.

An individual hydraulic motor on each wheel provides 4WD under all conditions.  The lifting arm on the front allows use of up to 40 attachments.

The forward lifting arm has a quick attachment plate that cen be swiveled up and down.  The quick attachment plate has hydraulic locks on it, which allow changing out of accessories in less then 30 seconds.

The PT422 uses a Robin-Suburu 22 HP gasoline air cooled engine.  It is directly coupled to two hydraulic pumps: a variable one for control of speed and a fixed pump used for stearing and auxiliary hydraulics.

The joystick on the right controls up and down motion of the lifting arm by moving forward and aft, and the tilt function of the quick attachment plate by moving left and right.  The lever down low operates the hydraulic lock on the quick attachment plate.  A switch on the dash energizes the PTO solenoid to provide hydraulics to the PVO connections.

The two large quick disconnects provide hydraulic power for PTO attachments (such as the mower, brush cutter, and post hole digger).  The small quick disconnects usually are attached to the hydraulic latches on the quick attachment plate, however can be disconnected to operate auxiliary features of some of the attachments (such as the bucket curl on the mini-hoe or bucket jaw on the 4 IN 1 bucket).

There is a hydraulic cooler with an exhaust fan mounted on the top of the engine compartment hood.  The PTO solenoid is visble in the front left corner of the engine compartment.

A closeup view of the wheel motor and hub with the wheel removed.

The minihoe has a 9" bucket and can dig a hole 4' deep.  In this picture, I have just scraped a rock that weighs 500# out of a 3' deep hole (after excavating it with the minihoe).

A close up with the minihoe in action.

And here is the 500# rock on the forklift.  The PT422 is rated at 800# at the quick attachment plate.  I estimate this rock is 500# based upon the COG about 18" off the quick attach plate, and the fact that the PT422 rear wheels came off the ground whenever I articulated the tractor (which moves the COG forward, which can result in the tractor taking an unexpected nose dive if you are carrying something heavy... an event known as the "PT Pucker" move.

Picking up a 100# rock straight out of a post hole after loosening it with the backhoe.

And the front view of the same rock.