She's Fnlly Home - 3520 Cab w/300cx

[Nuru]

Nuru....To be perfectly honest with you if I knew exactly what I paid I'd tell you. Because it was part of the whole "shootin match" Its hard to put an honest off the shelf after the sale type price...
BUT I will tell you this... My FIL didnt have a loader on his 955, so a few months ago I went to price out a 300X for it for him... Salesman at that time told me the Skid Steer QA was 350-400 bucks....that was an off the hip "without looking at the books" type verbal quote.

Thanks for the response and the pic - I see now, the adapter connects to the arms and then to the bucket. Doesn't look like it adds too much to the end of the arms and that is good.

 

[Nuru]

OBTW, be wary of the hinges on the 3x20 Cabs, as i think at least one member has had one part of the hinge (retaining strap) separate from the hinge.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Thanks for the heads up...I had seen that post when I was shopping...looks like thats only on the "Passenger" side....and seriously its so uncomfortable to use that door that I've never actually gotten in or out of the tractor on that side...

 

[12VOLTMAN]

Awesome tractor!
I'm sure you're going to love that cab!

 

[Nuru]

Thanks for the heads up...I had seen that post when I was shopping...looks like thats only on the "Passenger" side....and seriously its so uncomfortable to use that door that I've never actually gotten in or out of the tractor on that side...

You know I think you are correct. Now if I could make up my mind on R4s or R1s as the stock tire, I would be fine!

I thought I had pulled the trigger but I have a very thorough Dealer and he found out from JD, that the Turf Special tires are incompatible with the MMM. Now since I am goin' flail, that is not an issue, however, I wanted to set the tractor up to be capable of running an MMM or snowblower in the future (added Mid-PTO option). So Originally we though we had it worked out that I would just pick-up some RIMs from Unverferth that were offset enough to allow the MMM to work with the Turf Specials, but making sure everything was fine, my Dealer got the info from JD that the fronts would interfere too, and indicated that this was the case with the R1's too!.

Well that leaves me with a few options:

1. Go with RIs and no extra cost. Once the unit arrives, I switch over to the Turf Specials and keep the R1s for some eventual high traction need. Never even consider a MMM, ever!
2. Go with R4s eat the $200 - 300 cost now instead of a potential couple of thousands later.
3. Go with R3s eat the 400 cost now instead of a potential couple of thousands later.
4. Get smoked and switch to buying a JoeDale Perry cab, and save about $6 - 7k

Decisions Decisions

I am thinking/leaning 1 or 2, because right now I already have option 3 on my 4310 and I have not really used my R3 Rears at all. Almost thought about selling them!

1 does not change my cost, and I would have the high-traction back-ups.
2 gives me medium- to not-so-high-traction, but I could go with a MMM later if I chose to, just by switching to the R4s and never mow just after a storm.

3 and 4 are out.

3, don't want two sets of R3s at this time.
4, Knowing myself, I would evenatually need to find a way to AC the Joedale Perry option and that would drive the cost up!

So any one got any advice between 1 and 2? Bad mowing luck with the R4s?

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Well, it all depends on what you're looking for...

MY experience is this...get one set and get the ones you want. Figure down the road you'll have a set on the tractor and you'll say, ahh, I'll just use em this one time....and next thing you know the other set is in the VERY Far back corner of your garage covered in 3" of dust.
Another part of it is that I personally think the 3x series and larger tractors are too big to effeciently finish cut grass. For the price of just the 72" MMM you can buy a decent dedicated brand new Deere grass cutter like a zero turn or such. Although having A/C and no dust/pollen would be nice.

My Father got R1's on his L2900 when he bought it new....and pretty much after the first week he wished he had paid the extra few bucks for the R4's

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Awesome tractor!
I'm sure you're going to love that cab!

Thanks! You know...I think I found one pitfall of the cab....Fuel Useage! I say that because its so bleepin comfy in there you can work that much longer.
In the middle of winter at -20 on an open station you get what you gotta get done and say "Thats good enough" but when your in a T-Shirt and its 65 in the cab...might as well make the driveway perfect! Same goes for summer useage...
I had originally shopped open stations, but my father & everyone else I spoke with said "DONT BUY ONE WITHOUT A CAB"....very glad I did.

 

[Nuru]

Well, it all depends on what you're looking for...

MY experience is this...get one set and get the ones you want. Figure down the road you'll have a set on the tractor and you'll say, ahh, I'll just use em this one time....and next thing you know the other set is in the VERY Far back corner of your garage covered in 3" of dust.
Another part of it is that I personally think the 3x series and larger tractors are too big to effeciently finish cut grass. For the price of just the 72" MMM you can buy a decent dedicated brand new Deere grass cutter like a zero turn or such. Although having A/C and no dust/pollen would be nice.

My Father got R1's on his L2900 when he bought it new....and pretty much after the first week he wished he had paid the extra few bucks for the R4's

Well you know, i actually am able to use the 4310 to cut grass and it is pretty good. does it fast and since i don't have a ton of obstacles I can use it pretty well. Since i got a cheap flail, i won't be spending anywhere near what it costs to get a Deere MMM, so I am ok there.

R4s, yeah, that is what one side of my mind is telling me but another side is telling me, you are gonna want those R1s for something, but hey, the R4s are good tires for overall duty.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Well you know, i actually am able to use the 4310 to cut grass and it is pretty good.

Oh, I know what your saying....my FIL used to think the same thing. He cut grass with his 955 & MMM for years saying exactly that...then one day he bought a gently used F911 w/72" (Right Time, Right Price type purchase) and about 2 days later the MMM for the 955 was on the side of the road for sale. Would never go back to a MMM.
I guess where I'm coming from is the way I see it is this:
4k +/- for a MMM? (pardon me if I'm off on the number...never even considered a MMM for my 3520)

a) MMM for 3520 = Decent/Pretty Good Performance
b) Seperate Mower...nice used Front Mount or a new EZTrak, etc... and flat out smoke the lawn.

Plus this way she can cut the grass while you play in the dirt!

As for the tires....theres no silver bullet answer. They're all a comprimise of some sort. I would'nt have "minded" R1's, but the peace & quiet from SWMBO from the R4's not tearing up the lawn is well worth the trade off in performance

 

[Nuru]

Oh, I know what your saying....my FIL used to think the same thing. He cut grass with his 955 & MMM for years saying exactly that...then one day he bought a gently used F911 w/72" (Right Time, Right Price type purchase) and about 2 days later the MMM for the 955 was on the side of the road for sale. Would never go back to a MMM.
I guess where I'm coming from is the way I see it is this:
4k +/- for a MMM? (pardon me if I'm off on the number...never even considered a MMM for my 3520)

a) MMM for 3520 = Decent/Pretty Good Performance
b) Seperate Mower...nice used Front Mount or a new EZTrak, etc... and flat out smoke the lawn.

Plus this way she can cut the grass while you play in the dirt!

As for the tires....theres no silver bullet answer. They're all a comprimise of some sort. I would'nt have "minded" R1's, but the peace & quiet from SWMBO from the R4's not tearing up the lawn is well worth the trade off in performance

Yes a separate mower could and would be a lot fast, however, it does not get me out of the pollen/dust/dirt, etc. I am getting a flail mower and it is less than 1/4 the cost of the Deere MMM or one of the cheaper riding mowers, and it is dual purpose (brush cut and lawn maintenance).

I decided on the R4s as they seem to have more utility than the R1 and just for the reasons you mentioned - don't wanna tear up the grass!

Oh yeah, I let her cut the lawn once with my 4100, and I had to chase her down as she cut a 47 foot swath through a neighbor's lawn.