When you’re talking about mowers, it’s important to know that there are levels to this stuff. The battery-operated Ryobi push mower on sale at Lowe’s can’t compete with my Hustler, but then again, my Hustler could never touch a Ventrac 4200 VXD like we’re looking at here. It has four wheels per axle, an articulating frame, and, because it was made before 2013, it runs a pre-emissions turbocharged diesel engine with enough power to clear a hillside in a hurry.
Powering these Ventracs is a liquid-cooled three-cylinder Daihatsu diesel measuring 953cc and making 31 horsepower. They use a heavy-duty hydrostatic transmission, which deploys torque and twist to the full-time AWD system. Some 4200 VXDs came with Kawasaki gas engines, but by golly, not all of them.
Just look at that lil’ turbo whirler:
I found one for sale on Facebook Marketplace, and the ad notes that this 2012 model is one of the last turbodiesel Ventrac models built before EPA Tier 4 emissions regulations took effect. Those required machines like this to run a diesel particulate filter (DPF). People like to complain about that acronym more than anything—well, aside from DEF—largely because of the added cost and complexity that comes with the DPF. Reliability can also be a big concern with emissions equipment. No matter how you feel about them, the EPA started mandating those components on compact tractors for a reason in 2013.
And really, that’s what this is: a compact tractor. Sure, it can run a giant mower deck off the power takeoff unit, but it can also handle lots of other attachments like snow blowers or stump grinders. The 4200 VXD is a do-it-all tool that’s small enough to fit where other tractors don’t, while still having huge work capabilities. Thanks to its double-dually setup, it has even better traction and stability when the going gets sloppy or sideways.
Of course, this won’t be enough tractor for everyone. But if you need a machine to mow or brush hog your property that’s made up entirely of steep inclines, it’s a good and specialized tool for the job. You’ll likely have the only one around, too, which is reason enough for a lot of folks to buy. Well, that and the fact that this is kind of like the second-gen Cummins of the compact tractor world.
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