Steiner??? Ventrac???

[Jon93091]

Anybody here ever heard about or own/run/ran stieners or ventracs? Dad has one I use alot and I love it so mant attachments itll make your head spin. I'd like to get some feedback if you have any experience with them.

[MOW PRO LAWN SERVICE]

Never run one there is a local walmart here, they have 2, looks like front mount mowers high end very expensive looking, there are two big trucks that pull up with two box trailers and about 20 Mexicans get out and cut about 20 minutes and there gone.

[Jon93091]

thanks for the reply. Never heard of walmart carrying them though the newer ones ar4ent as good as the oldeer ones but the decks are nice ours has a 72". Needlesss to say,, itll cut some grass! haha throws grass 10-20 feet out the chute too.

[John Gamba]

Anybody here ever heard about or own/run/ran stieners or ventracs? Dad has one I use alot and I love it so mant attachments itll make your head spin. I'd like to get some feedback if you have any experience with them.


The owners of ventracs was the owner of stiener.

[gorrell]

I've got 5 of them. An ST18(older utilimax w/dumpbed and cab) A 430 max w/dual wheels, and 3 230 Kubota diesels w/72" decks. Uncompromised cutting ability, striping second to none, and nearly bulletproof. The 230 isn't a zero turn machine, but has a 14" turning radius so it works for me. If you've never driven a front mount machine you don't know what you're missing. The only disandvantage to the front mount is the space it takes on the trailer......Lynn

[John Gamba]

I've got 5 of them. An ST18(older utilimax w/dumpbed and cab) A 430 max w/dual wheels, and 3 230 Kubota diesels w/72" decks. Uncompromised cutting ability, striping second to none, and nearly bulletproof. The 230 isn't a zero turn machine, but has a 14" turning radius so it works for me. If you've never driven a front mount machine you don't know what you're missing. The only disandvantage to the front mount is the space it takes on the trailer......Lynn


Lynn do you know the blade speed and does yours have the roller across the back of the deck??

[Jon93091]

ours has a roller, the deck is 72" and the machines a 420

[MOW PRO LAWN SERVICE]

These guys are cutting retention holes.

[muddstopper]

I own the Steiner 430 max and a Ventrac 4200. The attachments will swap between the two machines. Really hard to compare the two, the Ventrac being 32hp turbodiesel and the Steiner being 20hp Onan. As for the controls and ease of operation, the Ventrac has the Steiner beat hands down. The Steiner will go in ruffer places than the Ventrac before it gets stuck, and its smaller in size and weight. Almost all of my attachments are Steiners, but because of the Hp, the attachments work better on the Ventrac. The Ventrac has more ground clearance so the Steiner Dozer Blade doesnt line up exactly right for grading, And the Steiner trencher doesnt auger all the dirt to the side quite as well when on the Ventrac, but nothing I cant live with. the Ventrac harley rake is to heavy for the Steiner, its almost to heavy for the Ventrac, even with extra weights. I like the Steiner stump cutter on the Ventrac better than the Ventrac stumpcutter. I now use my Steiner mainly for mowing my own grass, but the Ventrac will do it better and faster, again the Hp factor.

[Mikes Machines]

The Steiner is a very tough handy little tractor that is way stronger than it looks. It is almost a mini skid steer. All the attachments are well thought out and work very well. They are a do all machine. I dont know of another machine that is so versatile and can do so many things. The Ventrac people are the originators of the Steiner. They sold the Steiner company then regrouped and made the Ventrac. The Ventracs are very similar, if you didnt know better you would swear they are made by the same company. The Ventrac is a little newer updated Steiner. This does not make the Steiner bad in any way. The Ventracs do have optional powerplants that are stronger than the Steiner. I had the good fortune to work at a Steiner dealership for a few years and got to see all the attachments and tractors up close. They work very well and if you are considering one dont hesitate you will not be disapointed.

[bmh1202]

I used an old steiner 420. Had the 20hp Onan. I used to cut some steep hills with it. Had duals on all 4 wheels. That thing would climb like a goat. Only limit was my nerve. Attachments were ok at that time. We used blade and bucket alot. I would love to have my own, but not with the price tag:dizzy:

[cutbetterthanyou]

thanks for the reply. Never heard of walmart carrying them though the newer ones ar4ent as good as the oldeer ones but the decks are nice ours has a 72". Needlesss to say,, itll cut some grass! haha throws grass 10-20 feet out the chute too.

Have you seen the people that do the ponds at walmart they have them. I am assuming they do salsbury to . They do cammbridge and came from your way but there truck said they were from over the bridge.

[nosteiner4me]

jon93091.....Never used a ventrac tractor, never really liked the looks of them but got to use 3 steiners in the past 2 years ,230 with a 28hp kubota deisel, 430 with kubota gas, and brand new 2006 230 with kubota 28hp deisel with no accumulator on it(new changed design). They all were very strong machines,but had many problems with them all and the hydraulics on the new ones are weak.....had trouble picking up 72 inch deck and when hot the 230's would not pick up the deck at all......Heard from the factory that the new 230's will not pick up 72" deck off the assembly line...The new 230's do not have accumulator pressure to help you lift anything...and the steiner was sold to the owners of the Mantis Corportation in PA last fall. Jacobsen/textron no longer ownes Steiner. The machines i used were brand new from the factory....I think the older steiner products are worth every penny....and your best bet (if you were buying one)would be an older deisel only unit...It has the hp with no drop in rpms at all to use all the attachments. Tried the 430 gas with 72 inch deck....had to slow down or it bogged down in normal,tall grass when mowing and it had no foot pedals.
Good machines when they run properly.

[logorhea]

I've been using Steiners since 1978. 7 brothers started the company, sold out when they realized the liability insurance was costing them $1000 per machine, then 4? of them started Ventrac when their no-compete contract ran out. I prefer the Steiner because I do a lot of landscaping and I run out of traction before I run out of power. The 230s are no longer available since the latest buy-out, only the good 4wd models. I got in the habit of buying new, running it 2 years, selling it for 1/2+ the price of a new one, and getting a new one so I had less maintenance and downtime.

[cantoo]

I've ridden a Steiner once or twice.
http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=185239