John Deere X749 ultimate tractor VS JD 2305

[CAT MAN]

Hello again guys

So I have a question regarding the X749 vs a 2305 what would be a better buy for a mowing/landscaping part time business and still use for home use?? The X749 all wheel steer and 4wd really stands out to me because I can get a roller kit for the deck.. i can get a 3point hitch and pto in the back for it to till my large garden im going to make this spring and a back blade to work on my drive way... The 2305 seems to lack it dont seem to have proper lighting for mowing at dusk and the ROPS dont fold which I think is a dumb idea that they dont.. both of the machines have a 24hp yanmar..the X749 is more $$$$ but i feel you will get a better machine for mowing.. anyone have any thoughts on this???

 

[nmu98]

Here is a lot of dicussion on that topic.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-buying-pricing/126074-thoughts-john-deere-x749.html

 

[JiminGa]

I bought my 2305 for the same purposes as you describe. hind sight says I should probably have gone with a 3120 and a seperate mower, maybe a z520...but, now that I'm neck deep in it I'll tell you what I have found. the rops is aggrevating around trees, but femco makes a folding rops for the 2305. implement rental for subcuts is pretty much nonexistant, doing landscaping you will find alot of implements are quite useful but these little tractors just don't have the lift height required to load and off load most of them. the plus over the x700 series is weight and loader capability I think. if you are only going to be cutting grass and maybe moving mulch with the loader, then the x749 is probably the way to go, but if you plan on doing anything more, step into a larger frame cut.

 

[CAT MAN]

I was talking to some people today and they say the rops on the 2320 can be put on the 2305 if this is true i think i might get the 2305 cause its more of a machine

 

[farmboy12]

If you're getting a 749, which has AWS, you would need to modify a loader to go on it, as it is unsafe, and will not fit on stock. An x748, could handle a loader no prob!

 

[nmu98]

If you're getting a 749, which has AWS, you would need to modify a loader to go on it, as it is unsafe, and will not fit on stock. An x748, could handle a loader no prob!

I own a 445, the old vesion of the 748.... I would never put a loader on it. It would not be safe, and only useful for anything under 500 pounds.... also slow....

If you are spending the money to put the 2320 rops on a 2305, why not spend the few extra K and get the 2320, and enjoy the better 3 point lifting height, and bettery hydro system.

 

[JD Greg]

I just went through the exact same thing. I have a part time
small lawn service, which is expanding. I just did an acreage
today, about 5 acres, and I have another 5 acres to go. I just
bought my 2305, but strongly considered the X7?? series. For
the money, you get more for the 2305. I had a lot of trees
today, and encountered no problems.
Yes, the fixed ROPS is a pain around trees, but for the most
part, I had no problems.
I just changed things over this evening for snow. Suppose to
get about an 1" tonight. It may not stick to the pavement, but
if it does, I'll be ready for it.

JD Greg

 

[hemiguy]

CAT Man,
I have a 455 which is the older 2WD version of the X700's and mine does have a rear PTO and 3 pt. I bought mine used and saved a lot of money but I think if you use JD's build-your-own site and price out a new 2305 vs a X749 with all the options you mention I think you will find it would be the same or more money than the 2305. A loader on a X749 (2 wheel steer) is certainly safe or JD wouldn't make one for it. You just have to properly ballast the tractor and use it correctly. But, you can't put one on a 4 wheel steer. One more thing to realize about the X series (and my 455) is that you CAN'T use a loader and the 3PT independently as they only have 2 hydraulic circuits while the 2305 and all the other CUT's have a minimum of 3. I use my 455 for tilling and pulling a large lawn roller and it works great for that. I also have a 2520 and would'nt want anything smaller for ground engaging and loader work. As others have said, neither the X or the 2305 will have much lift height or capacity on the 3PT. I don't mow with either tractor, but think if i had a lot of mowing to do fast I'd get a zero turn for that.

 

[nmu98]

CAT Man,
I have a 455 which is the older 2WD version of the X700's and mine does have a rear PTO and 3 pt. I bought mine used and saved a lot of money but I think if you use JD's build-your-own site and price out a new 2305 vs a X749 with all the options you mention I think you will find it would be the same or more money than the 2305. A loader on a X749 (2 wheel steer) is certainly safe or JD wouldn't make one for it. You just have to properly ballast the tractor and use it correctly. But, you can't put one on a 4 wheel steer. One more thing to realize about the X series (and my 455) is that you CAN'T use a loader and the 3PT independently as they only have 2 hydraulic circuits while the 2305 and all the other CUT's have a minimum of 3. I use my 455 for tilling and pulling a large lawn roller and it works great for that. I also have a 2520 and would'nt want anything smaller for ground engaging and loader work. As others have said, neither the X or the 2305 will have much lift height or capacity on the 3PT. I don't mow with either tractor, but think if i had a lot of mowing to do fast I'd get a zero turn for that.

With a loader on the X700, where are the rops? How safe is that. IMHO, that small machine has less safety features built into it for loader applications than any SCUT. I think if you are doing loader work, you need a larger tractor than the X700 series.

 

[turbo36]

I think your decision should be based on the primary ( by hours of use) task.
I bought a 2305 thinking that it was like a Swiss Army knife; it could anything in an acceptable fashion but in my opinion it didn't do anything perfectly, every task with it was compromised by the limitations of the "do all - be all design". It could lift a lot but the hydraulics were slow and it sure was "tippy" when driving over uneven ground because the load had to be carried above the centerline of the front axle. Mowing was also compromised when compared to my 455 AWS.

In the end I sold the 2305 and bought a 2520 do do my loader work and a X749 to mow and snow-blow.

The X749 is an incredible machine, the full time AWD system performs exactly as promised; I can go up my hills in wet grass without spinning a tire and there is no "scuffing" when turning. I have the MC519 cart and power-flo blower so leaf pick up is a breeze.

If I had to buy only one tractor it would be the 2520 as it gets around most areas as well as the 2305 but has much more "oomph" for loader work. I don't have a mower but after looking at the drive over deck at the dealer I'm sure it would cut as well as the 2305.