Help! Wife wants reassurance

   / Help! Wife wants reassurance #1  

welkin2

New member
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
9
Location
Western NY
My husband is looking at a 2003 JD4310 with 430 hours, 4WD, hydrostatic drive, the HD loader, the standard-duty backhoe for $18,000. Also offered is a five-foot midmount mower for $1600, which needs $210 worth of hydraulics installed to raise and lower the mower. Also needs the mid PTO, which he can get new for $950, or if swapped with another tractor at the dealer's for $550.

He has wanted a JD forever, but never found the right fit used. This one looks like what we want - is this a good deal? Is this a good model? I read something about it not having enough power, the hydraulics aren't big enough? I know nothing about tractors and would like to know if he is on the right track or just in love.

Thanks for any help!
 
   / Help! Wife wants reassurance #2  
Welcome

First you need to answer a few questions? How much property do you have? Wher do you live? Snow etc. What type of chores does he want to do with the tractor. The more information you give, the better we can help. If would also be nice if you filled out your profile, I'm sure lots of members will be able to offer assistance.

Andy
 
   / Help! Wife wants reassurance #3  
welkin2:

I'll pipe up here and say "welcome to the site" lots of good info here.

1st. I did not know that it took hydraulics to raise the mid-mount mower on this tractors, is a dealer blowing smoke here or do I just know what I'm talking about? I always thought it was like the little riding tractors and done by linkage or cables.

Tell us what the intended use is and we can give you a better idea if what your looking at is what you need
 
   / Help! Wife wants reassurance
  • Thread Starter
#4  
We have 5 acres in upstate NY (snow!). We will use this for snow removal, installing drainage, digging for electric line installation, digging holes for trees (like, 25 ft tall ones), cleaning up 400 ft of trench on a major drainage project. Moving landscape rocks. We do a lot of heavy gardening and landscaping because our property was a farm field. Land is sloping but no hills, no water.

I think the tractor is a fit, but is it a good piece of equipment and a good buy?
 
   / Help! Wife wants reassurance #5  
The price is right if a JD backhoe is included. How experienced at machinery operation are you? These tractors have 32 HP at the engine and about 25 at the PTO. You'd probably be surprised at how much work a 4310 will do if you get it. The mower is a decent price too. I don't remember the mid PTO being that expensive.

Are you going to cut fields or lawn? How much?
 
   / Help! Wife wants reassurance
  • Thread Starter
#6  
We have about 2 acres of lawn now, and sort of lawnlike trails in 2 acres of fields. There will be more as we convert farm field to our use. I'm sure we will be mowing somewhat rough areas, because that is what we do now with our Wheel Horse 14 hp. By somewhat rough, I mean it will have been tilled with a Howard tiller and seeded, but weedy and not "lawn" per se. Not something that needs a brush hog.

I think the backhoe is what makes this a good buy. They go for $7K new and you hardly ever find a used one, or even a tractor with one on it. He has been looking for 4 years for a used JD in this power range.

He was surprised about the mid PTO, too. We'll have some questions for the dealer on that.

Don't jump all over me, but he's a guy - he wants all the power he can afford. And he is really good with machinery. I have no qualms about him using it. Me, well, that's another story!

Thanks for the input!
 
   / Help! Wife wants reassurance #7  
Welkin -- Don't be offended by this, but based on your writing, I have to think that either you have a whole lot of mechanical tractor background and savvy for a female or you're a guy writing under an assumed ID. You speak very good "tractor". Most women that I know, including my wife who grew up running the things and my daughter who is a mechanical engineer, don't talk about them with the familiarity or vocabulary you use in your posts.

It doesn't matter either way. The folks here will be more than happy to help you spend your money either way. We love to shop for tractors, even if vicariously. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Welcome to the board, post some pics if you can, and stick around after you guys buy the thing! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / Help! Wife wants reassurance #8  
I also just purchased a used 4310 and added a mid PTO. Where in Upstate NY do you live? I live in Western NY and the local dealer charged me $650 to install a NEW mid-PTO ($410 for part/$240 labor). I didn't add the 3rd SCV to independantly raise/lower the mid-mower. The 3rd SCV would have added an additional $300. From my understanding, the valve that operates the loader will also operate the mower. So the 3rd SCV is not needed but would be nice to have. I figured when and if I get a mid-mount mower that I wouldn't cut with the loader anyways. As for the power, I've read the 4210 was underpowered and people suggested to go with the 4310 over the 4210. Overall, I believe you'll have more than enough power for what you listed. I paid 14.4K for a 2004, turf tires, 4X4, hydro, Tax, mid/rear PTO, NEW loader w/HD bucket and Buck top canapy.

Doug
 
   / Help! Wife wants reassurance
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Offended? Not in the least. You gave me a compliment! I am indeed a female; thanks for thinking I have tractor savvy.

Having hung around with an engineer/mechanic/do everything for himself kind of guy for 28 years, I have picked up a lot of knowledge! If I am going to own tractors, I had better know something about them, dontcha think?

Thanks for the welcome. I have to admit a tractor board is a little out of my usual venue, but I am impressed with the number of folks here - in 20 minutes there were 40 views of my post!
 
   / Help! Wife wants reassurance
  • Thread Starter
#10  
We are in western Wayne County. The local dealer is one of the On-Trak group.

I wouldn't like to mow with the loader or backhoe on, either, so maybe we won't need that 3rd SCV.

Sounds like you got a really good deal! How many hours? There are so many different configurations and options that I am finding it really hard to compare apples and apples.
 
 
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