Howdy Folks - Aaron here.... This video was a long time coming so, a few notes: -Of course we had about 4 hours of footage - so there's a lot of missing content for brevity.... if there's something we missed that you REALLY want to know, just ask in the comments. -I truly appreciate when somebody asks this question. I know it's an honest curiosity that leads somebody to question which machine to buy. However limited the information in the video may be, I hope it's helpful in your consideration. -I'm incredibly proud of the Ventrac team and all that we do to support this tractor. We're not perfect. Nobody is. But we are committed to this platform and making it a positive ownership experience. -Sorry about the audio quality issue in the middle of the video. We were having hardware issues but couldn't stop shooting. Also, please recognize that my primary video editor had to watch me talk on screen for about 1 zillion hours in order to edit this beast down.... so.....anything about this edit that you like is all her and anything you hate about this edit is undoubtedly my inability to stay focused for 8 hours in the sun. Thanks, and enjoy!
@@ventrac I'm in Pinehurst NC. I'm surprised you don't have a dealer in Moore county with all the golf courses! Before your rebate special ends I'm hoping to find a 4520 Y Pro. BTSouth in Greensboro comes up as the closest dealership. I've reached out and expect a conversation to start soon as we go through the holidays. I'm very impressed after watching hours and hours of videos from a dozen creators. I'm excited to experience a Ventrac!
Hey Aaron! Any plans to build and release a fence line mower by chance? I have miles of fence lines to maintain and would rather purchase a Ventrac Fence Line Mower than any of the other brands out there if you think it’s something Ventrac could produce.
I'm not a Ventrac fanboy, but after seeing each of them in person, the Ventrac has the best controls and highest quality construction. That's why I use them and continue to speak so highly of them.
My wife doesn’t like big decks either, which definitely helps me feel better about mine! Hearing this from another Ventrac user is a real confidence booster. While their deck may be larger, I take pride in the way I use mine-it's truly superior!
I’m a Texan and have never seen a Ventrac down here. I watch these videos because I find them interesting though my modest and mostly flat two acres doesn’t demand a Ventrac. My in-laws are in Ohio and one year I did get to spot a Ventrac in the area. I have been back a few times and wondered how they managed to cut the inclined bank of Shelby Reservoir #3 and was pleasantly surprised that they did it with a Ventrac. Perhaps my life will change and I will be in the market for a Ventrac. In the meantime, keep up the good work!
Ventracs biggest flaw is not wanting to deal with customers directly. Why can't we order parts on the Ventrac website rather than dealers? I have a 4200 and 3400. 😢
Thank you for making this video. I own a Steiner 430 max, but I got to see both of these machines at the 50th anniversary swap meet this year. I was very impressed by the bob cat air FX deck. If you mow a lot of low quality turf, over grown areas, or climb a lot of curbs the air FX deck is for you. The rollers featured on these decks can be a liability and they only work on dense, healthy turf. The chain suspension, in combination with float detent is a really good combination, I would like to see both companies refine this approach and offer a chain suspended deck with no roller. A lot of high end zero turn mowers use chain suspension and leave great results. The air fix deck is something like 570 pounds, which is pretty heavy for these machines, but for $35,000 I expect these machines to adequately address that weight. The ventrac 4520 is a much higher quality tractor than the bobcat, Aside from the air FX deck. The bob cat is a poor imitation of ventrac quality. The SDLA lever is great, the dealer support is pretty solid, and the fuel injected Kubota gas engine is wonderful. When I purchase a newer unit it will be a 4520n. I would like to see ventrac take another crack at the utilimax. For $35,000 a dump bed, cab and forward shifted operator station would be cool. I would like to see some of our arm chair engineers create cad models for bolt together accessories that could be cut out of sheet metal at a fabrication shop and assembled at home without welding for a fraction of the price.
Steiner was the original platform built in Orville Oh until it was sold to ransome and now doosan. Ventrac was able to start building tractors in 1996 and are now owned by Toro. Still made in Orrville.
I like Ventrac and I've always enjoyed Aaron in all the videos. I purchased a used Steiner 450 with a Kubota gas engine with 60 hours that came with a lot of attachments and some upgrades. When I tried the Ventrac my feet only touched in the raised middle section. On the Steiner my feet are flat on the floor. I couldn't get comfortable with the controls on the Ventrac. The Steiner's controls were instantly comfortable. I use the foot pedal for forward and the hand control for reverse and very small forward movements. I have the prior 72 inch finish mower and would choose it over this newer model. It mows and stripes beautifully. But I would rather have the Ventrac finish mower Aaron showed. No bolts on the bottom, and a much simpler flip up procedure. I love the look of it as well. If these were given away free I might choose the Ventrac and adjust to it, but having to pay for it, cost was a factor for me. After I sold the attachments I didn't need, I kept the mower, canopy, and dump box and had $20,300. in it.
Moving from a Steiner MD460 deck to an OEM deck on a Ventrac, I sort of miss how the rough edges of the former allowed me to more easily attach accessories. Like front mount light bar, discharge chute flipper, a storage tote on top that acts as a temporary carry all. The Ventrac design is much better but the sleek nature leaves few easy mounting points without drilling or welding in tabs for mounts.
give a comparison of the ventrac tough cut vs the bobcat/steiner tough cut please. how to solve the problem of cutting the grass that the front casters mash down and does not stand back up in time for the blades to cut.
use air less tires, like the do for bobcats and backhoe's, only instead of a solid tread pattern, make it full of holes, octagons.... I saw them recently on a snow blower or something, I forget.. too many you tube video's since then :)
I'd like to make a suggestion, a track system for snow and deep mud, sand etc... a " drop type " sidewalk sander like the ones Epoke made for sidewalks. A model for municipal use, like they do with Holder machines... I suggested a track system to Holder too, few years back... but you if you make a model for municipal use, it must be able to withstand a 4 year old on a bad day... if you get my drift, cause some guys I work with, just dont give a crap.. in fact Champion told the City where I live, to go " fck their hat " because the leased graders they got back, where just beat to crap and no good... it's the same with the sidewalk machines... you see, I remember the days of city sidewalk plowed with Bombarier tracked machines, and man, those could push 10 times what the holders do. Wing blade attachment for those with larger driveways, push/pull type blowers for rear, basically a big box, with gates on each end and a blower in the middle BUT put the blower chute off to one side, so you can throw the snow in front of you if needed. Cabin with more lights, flashers yellow and blue.. THEN make an electric model :) using tesla cells but you MUST be able to change battery packs quick and easy, must be able to SERVICE battery pack unlike the Tesla trucks.... Radio for in cab, mount for CB... Oh if you do make an electric model, please put motors on all 4 wheels, not one central one... share the load and redundancy.... up too 2 motors can break down and you can still work/move, traction control when stearing etc.. use hall sensor to track steering like they do in Segway machines for motor speed control with a cut out so you can have full speed 4 wheel drive when you want no matter what way the steering it turned. have a nice day !
I kind of skipped through the video, so maybe he mentioned it and I didn’t catch it. But the Bobcat has only 11 attachments. Ventrac has I think 40. No comparison. I’d buy this over those miniature Deeres and Kubotas any day.
@@ventrac I wish yall would figure out a better way to grease that u joint. I have to remove the oil filter to have access to grease with my fat hands. Also some of the access holes for greasing don't meet up with the zerk so you have to take some panels off (on 4520z). I was personally cussing you Aaron when I had to change out the u joint zerk, lol. But on the flip side, I have to take off the roller on my Steiner finish deck to grease it because of the angle of the zerk, which is a pain.
The place I'm working just bought a steiner and it has been nothing but a disappointment. Between poor access to grease points, weak heater, loud whining, poor cab construction, and more, I'm really wishing we went with ventrac. Also just so you know bobcat is no longer part of doosan group.
A fine job and clearly a fair amount of work put into making this video! However, I’d suggest a learning little less on the subjectively biased opinions next time, the sales pitch here clearly comes across as biased towards the ventrac. We get it, your baby is always the cutest. A thinly veiled attempt to dissuade customers from the Bobcat. No I do not own a Bobcat. If you’re not worried about the competition, then you shouldn’t have to sell your product so hard, it should sell itself. If the product is so far superior, it will be totally obvious in the market share. If this is hitting a nerve with you, I’d suggest getting an unbiased professional to help make your videos next time and all the viewers will see an actual comparison of each platform and its features. Again, your team clearly put a lot of work into this video but you will have a better result if you let someone unbiased do your testing and reporting, it comes across to your potential customers as more genuine. the proof will be in their results and your product is the best, it will show in real world scenarios for your customers, and you will sell as many as you make. Thanks, Ventrac is an amazing machine and good luck!
Steiner is just an old Ventrac based copy, with no product future…I have a Ventrac and manny equipment accessories, and having been an old Gravely commercial 12 owner, reliability was my bias, and Ventrac is clearly built with heavy duty metal and parts…yes I would love more diesel horsepower. That said, it’s one tough bugger.
He did hit on the need for this video. The competition says they are just like a Ventrac, but cheaper. This shows why it's worth spending the extra money.
I had the exact experience with Steiner/Bobcat. The dealer couldn't even contact Bobcat/Steiner for weeks at a time. I've been able to contact Ventrac mechanics directly, just by calling the National phone number.
just a bit over 120 hrs, and nothing yet. My friend has one 2 years old just under 400 hours and no issues. But if I did I have an awesome dealer with onsite repairs if needed. Professional Turf Products has been awesome. I think they cover several states.
Only 1,000 hours on my 4500Z, but only one blown fuse, a few ripped by branches belts, and one ignition module. It does tend to overheat in very hot weather and heavy load.
Call up your dealer. If you can't reach them, call us. If somehow you managed to miss us both then please try again - things slip through the cracks occasionally but we're available to help.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Howdy Folks - Aaron here.... This video was a long time coming so, a few notes:
-Of course we had about 4 hours of footage - so there's a lot of missing content for brevity.... if there's something we missed that you REALLY want to know, just ask in the comments.
-I truly appreciate when somebody asks this question. I know it's an honest curiosity that leads somebody to question which machine to buy. However limited the information in the video may be, I hope it's helpful in your consideration.
-I'm incredibly proud of the Ventrac team and all that we do to support this tractor. We're not perfect. Nobody is. But we are committed to this platform and making it a positive ownership experience.
-Sorry about the audio quality issue in the middle of the video. We were having hardware issues but couldn't stop shooting. Also, please recognize that my primary video editor had to watch me talk on screen for about 1 zillion hours in order to edit this beast down.... so.....anything about this edit that you like is all her and anything you hate about this edit is undoubtedly my inability to stay focused for 8 hours in the sun.
Thanks, and enjoy!
@@ventrac I'm in Pinehurst NC. I'm surprised you don't have a dealer in Moore county with all the golf courses! Before your rebate special ends I'm hoping to find a 4520 Y Pro. BTSouth in Greensboro comes up as the closest dealership. I've reached out and expect a conversation to start soon as we go through the holidays. I'm very impressed after watching hours and hours of videos from a dozen creators.
I'm excited to experience a Ventrac!
Hey Aaron! Any plans to build and release a fence line mower by chance? I have miles of fence lines to maintain and would rather purchase a Ventrac Fence Line Mower than any of the other brands out there if you think it’s something Ventrac could produce.
I'm not a Ventrac fanboy, but after seeing each of them in person, the Ventrac has the best controls and highest quality construction. That's why I use them and continue to speak so highly of them.
You are a fan boy on steroids...lol
My wife doesn’t like big decks either, which definitely helps me feel better about mine! Hearing this from another Ventrac user is a real confidence booster. While their deck may be larger, I take pride in the way I use mine-it's truly superior!
I’m a Texan and have never seen a Ventrac down here. I watch these videos because I find them interesting though my modest and mostly flat two acres doesn’t demand a Ventrac. My in-laws are in Ohio and one year I did get to spot a Ventrac in the area. I have been back a few times and wondered how they managed to cut the inclined bank of Shelby Reservoir #3 and was pleasantly surprised that they did it with a Ventrac. Perhaps my life will change and I will be in the market for a Ventrac. In the meantime, keep up the good work!
I have been waiting for this video for a long time. Great job,Aaron!
Ventracs biggest flaw is not wanting to deal with customers directly. Why can't we order parts on the Ventrac website rather than dealers? I have a 4200 and 3400. 😢
Thank you for making this video. I own a Steiner 430 max, but I got to see both of these machines at the 50th anniversary swap meet this year. I was very impressed by the bob cat air FX deck. If you mow a lot of low quality turf, over grown areas, or climb a lot of curbs the air FX deck is for you. The rollers featured on these decks can be a liability and they only work on dense, healthy turf. The chain suspension, in combination with float detent is a really good combination, I would like to see both companies refine this approach and offer a chain suspended deck with no roller. A lot of high end zero turn mowers use chain suspension and leave great results. The air fix deck is something like 570 pounds, which is pretty heavy for these machines, but for $35,000 I expect these machines to adequately address that weight. The ventrac 4520 is a much higher quality tractor than the bobcat, Aside from the air FX deck. The bob cat is a poor imitation of ventrac quality. The SDLA lever is great, the dealer support is pretty solid, and the fuel injected Kubota gas engine is wonderful. When I purchase a newer unit it will be a 4520n. I would like to see ventrac take another crack at the utilimax. For $35,000 a dump bed, cab and forward shifted operator station would be cool.
I would like to see some of our arm chair engineers create cad models for bolt together accessories that could be cut out of sheet metal at a fabrication shop and assembled at home without welding for a fraction of the price.
Steiner was the original platform built in Orville Oh until it was sold to ransome and now doosan.
Ventrac was able to start building tractors in 1996 and are now owned by Toro. Still made in Orrville.
I like Ventrac and I've always enjoyed Aaron in all the videos. I purchased a used Steiner 450 with a Kubota gas engine with 60 hours that came with a lot of attachments and some upgrades. When I tried the Ventrac my feet only touched in the raised middle section. On the Steiner my feet are flat on the floor. I couldn't get comfortable with the controls on the Ventrac. The Steiner's controls were instantly comfortable. I use the foot pedal for forward and the hand control for reverse and very small forward movements. I have the prior 72 inch finish mower and would choose it over this newer model. It mows and stripes beautifully. But I would rather have the Ventrac finish mower Aaron showed. No bolts on the bottom, and a much simpler flip up procedure. I love the look of it as well. If these were given away free I might choose the Ventrac and adjust to it, but having to pay for it, cost was a factor for me. After I sold the attachments I didn't need, I kept the mower, canopy, and dump box and had $20,300. in it.
Well done Aaron!
Moving from a Steiner MD460 deck to an OEM deck on a Ventrac, I sort of miss how the rough edges of the former allowed me to more easily attach accessories. Like front mount light bar, discharge chute flipper, a storage tote on top that acts as a temporary carry all. The Ventrac design is much better but the sleek nature leaves few easy mounting points without drilling or welding in tabs for mounts.
4500, now 5yrs old, 600+ hours, 7 or 8 attachments, used only on my own property. I would do it all again if I had to.
I'm about get one of these pro units
Where's that video on the power bucket grapple
coming soon...
give a comparison of the ventrac tough cut vs the bobcat/steiner tough cut please. how to solve the problem of cutting the grass that the front casters mash down and does not stand back up in time for the blades to cut.
use air less tires, like the do for bobcats and backhoe's, only instead of a solid tread pattern, make it full of holes, octagons.... I saw them recently on a snow blower or something, I forget.. too many you tube video's since then :)
The only pro with the bobcat or Steiner I can see are that they might have a touch better lift height from the lift arms… that could come in handy
I'd like to make a suggestion, a track system for snow and deep mud, sand etc... a " drop type " sidewalk sander like the ones Epoke made for sidewalks. A model for municipal use, like they do with Holder machines... I suggested a track system to Holder too, few years back... but you if you make a model for municipal use, it must be able to withstand a 4 year old on a bad day... if you get my drift, cause some guys I work with, just dont give a crap.. in fact Champion told the City where I live, to go " fck their hat " because the leased graders they got back, where just beat to crap and no good... it's the same with the sidewalk machines... you see, I remember the days of city sidewalk plowed with Bombarier tracked machines, and man, those could push 10 times what the holders do. Wing blade attachment for those with larger driveways, push/pull type blowers for rear, basically a big box, with gates on each end and a blower in the middle BUT put the blower chute off to one side, so you can throw the snow in front of you if needed. Cabin with more lights, flashers yellow and blue.. THEN make an electric model :) using tesla cells but you MUST be able to change battery packs quick and easy, must be able to SERVICE battery pack unlike the Tesla trucks.... Radio for in cab, mount for CB... Oh if you do make an electric model, please put motors on all 4 wheels, not one central one... share the load and redundancy.... up too 2 motors can break down and you can still work/move, traction control when stearing etc.. use hall sensor to track steering like they do in Segway machines for motor speed control with a cut out so you can have full speed 4 wheel drive when you want no matter what way the steering it turned. have a nice day !
Ventrac hands down!
I do believe the ventrac and Steiner are the same family that own both models at one time in ohio.
I kind of skipped through the video, so maybe he mentioned it and I didn’t catch it. But the Bobcat has only 11 attachments. Ventrac has I think 40. No comparison.
I’d buy this over those miniature Deeres and Kubotas any day.
I agree with your marketing statement, but I think we all have seen your equipment do everything you said it can which is different that most.
How does Steiner/BobCat have us greasing that damned front U-joint? Or changing the alternator belt. lol
haha - it doesn't matter who you are - those are just tough!!
@@ventrac I wish yall would figure out a better way to grease that u joint. I have to remove the oil filter to have access to grease with my fat hands. Also some of the access holes for greasing don't meet up with the zerk so you have to take some panels off (on 4520z). I was personally cussing you Aaron when I had to change out the u joint zerk, lol. But on the flip side, I have to take off the roller on my Steiner finish deck to grease it because of the angle of the zerk, which is a pain.
The place I'm working just bought a steiner and it has been nothing but a disappointment. Between poor access to grease points, weak heater, loud whining, poor cab construction, and more, I'm really wishing we went with ventrac.
Also just so you know bobcat is no longer part of doosan group.
Everything I can find says they are. What's your source?
A fine job and clearly a fair amount of work put into making this video!
However, I’d suggest a learning little less on the subjectively biased opinions next time, the sales pitch here clearly comes across as biased towards the ventrac. We get it, your baby is always the cutest. A thinly veiled attempt to dissuade customers from the Bobcat.
No I do not own a Bobcat.
If you’re not worried about the competition, then you shouldn’t have to sell your product so hard, it should sell itself. If the product is so far superior, it will be totally obvious in the market share.
If this is hitting a nerve with you, I’d suggest getting an unbiased professional to help make your videos next time and all the viewers will see an actual comparison of each platform and its features.
Again, your team clearly put a lot of work into this video but you will have a better result if you let someone unbiased do your testing and reporting, it comes across to your potential customers as more genuine. the proof will be in their results and your product is the best, it will show in real world scenarios for your customers, and you will sell as many as you make.
Thanks, Ventrac is an amazing machine and good luck!
I think Aaron did a pretty good job on this. Just the presentation on the decks would be enough to sway me to Ventrac.
@ I agree, He did a fine job.
However, did you notice the comparisons from the ventrac deck to the Steiner deck?
Steiner is just an old Ventrac based copy, with no product future…I have a Ventrac and manny equipment accessories, and having been an old Gravely commercial 12 owner, reliability was my bias, and Ventrac is clearly built with heavy duty metal and parts…yes I would love more diesel horsepower. That said, it’s one tough bugger.
He did hit on the need for this video. The competition says they are just like a Ventrac, but cheaper. This shows why it's worth spending the extra money.
Except a ventrac will break down every 20ft.
And
ZERO CUSTOMER SUPPORT
I had the exact experience with Steiner/Bobcat. The dealer couldn't even contact Bobcat/Steiner for weeks at a time. I've been able to contact Ventrac mechanics directly, just by calling the National phone number.
just a bit over 120 hrs, and nothing yet. My friend has one 2 years old just under 400 hours and no issues. But if I did I have an awesome dealer with onsite repairs if needed. Professional Turf Products has been awesome. I think they cover several states.
Only 1,000 hours on my 4500Z, but only one blown fuse, a few ripped by branches belts, and one ignition module. It does tend to overheat in very hot weather and heavy load.
Call up your dealer. If you can't reach them, call us. If somehow you managed to miss us both then please try again - things slip through the cracks occasionally but we're available to help.