GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest

   / GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest #1  

Mike_in_Okla

New member
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Messages
5
Location
North East Oklahoma
Tractor
GC2310TLB
Well... Here you go folks....

I have had the GC 2310 for about ten months now and it has lived up to all my expectations. Massey has really made a fine machine with a few small exceptions which I'll get to in a moment.

Firstly, this tractor is a very capable machine. It will do nearly anything you ask of it. It has been extremely reliable and easy to use and learn. It is forgiving and pleasant to operate and it feels like a much larger tractor. It makes all the neato noises and smells that a big tractor makes and moves purposefully about its business. It kind of reminds me of the little dog who doesn't know it is the little dog. If the operator uses good sense, there are very few jobs that it will not do.

I read a post where someone wondered how it would do on soft ground considering its weight. I have very soft, loamy soil on my place and here's the skinny:
The fully loaded tractor (with FEL and BH installed) will make marks in the lawn with AG tires on, HOWEVER, repeated passes tend to pack the soil tighter and, over time, the lawn gets somewhat firmer which in my case seems to help things out. I also have a set of turf tires I bought when I got the tractor. These cause less lawn marks but still leave slight indentations when the fully loaded tractor is driven over a freshly mowed lawn. I mow without the FEL and BH installed and it doesn't seem to make much difference whether I have the AG or the TURF tires on except for the occasional "Vee" here and there -- as long as it is reasonably dry. I have gotten the tractor severely stuck (read "buried) and had to use the BH to drag it out. No need to panic... I just took acouple scoopfuls of sand and filled in the holes and smoothed everything out -- problem fixed.

If you have never used a tractor like this one, the first time you cut into your sod will be a little traumatic. If you try to make just a little hole or trench, you will inevitably leave a sunk-in reminder of your work after it all settles. Go ahead and make as big of a mess as you need, then use your tractor to blend it all back in smoothly and pack it back down and you will be pleased at the result. With a little water, grass comes back very quickly!

A strong word of caution is in order here for newbies: your property is not necessarily your property!!!! There are many interesting things possibly living a foot or two below the surface that belong to others such as Gas companies, Electric companies, Water, sewer, cable, telephone, and no telling what else!!! These people take their investments very seriously and you are likely to be held responsible if you damage, cut, stretch, fold, spindle, displace or otherwise mutilate their equipment -- not to say anything of the danger of cutting into a gas line or High Voltage Electrical cable!!! Most states have an entity you can contact before digging that will come out and mark utilities before you dig so you don't get any unpleasant surprises! This will go a long way in keeping you from getting charged for reckless digging. I now carry a little "Call Okie" fob on my key chain. It is a free service and I don't hesitate to call them before I dig. This is a serious little tractor and will do some serious damage if you are careless (just ask my sewer pipe)!!! However, poking that little hole in my sewer line gave me an excuse to dig an even BIGGER hole so I could fix the little hole!!! How COOL IS THAT? Woohoo!!! Remember: Good Sense....

'Nuff about that... Now back to the tractor. Here is a list of problems that have cropped up over the last ten months:

1) Cracked hydraulic fitting (Poor materials - Warranty)
2) Small dent in hood (Stupid Operator - NOT warranty)
3) Front hood mounting bolts fell out (Poor workmanship)
4) Screw fell out of the "SLOW" sign (Poor workmanship)
5) Backhoe mounting plates installed incorrectly (workmanship) Look before you take delivery!
6) Broken Hydraulic Hose (Poor Design -- Warranty)
7) Rear PTO Guard is useless and in the way (Stupid Design)
8) Cracked left turn signal (Bad design - Needs guard)
9) Mower blades worn beyond all recognition (The mower is so smooth I never thought they could be so badly worn)
10) Entire tractor keeps getting dirty (Must be a design flaw)

Total cost of maintenance so far:
About $266.00 for first service and TWO sets of Mower Blades.

Operational costs except fuel:
Blades (60" Mower): About $25 each (Takes three)
Repair turn light: TBA

Overall -- NOT BAD!!!

Things I would like to see changed:
1) There needs to be two additional valves and hydraulic circuits available (One at the rear and One front AND rear) for additional hydraulic attachments.
2) Need a Tachometer (Fixed on the 2006 models)
3) The hydraulic hoses and QD for the Backhoe are very poorly designed! The lines should be stainless tubes and the QD's should be mounted on the rear of the tractor ( My tractor is down until I can get one of these hoses repaired tomorrow ).
4) The MMM is troublesome to R and R. Would like to see castering wheels all the way around instead of front only.
5) The Hydraulic Filter is in a precarious place (hangs down under the tractor) -- should be relocated to a more protected place.
6) Manuals need to contain full servicing information and be better written in general. This could be easily addressed on their website. What kind of Hydraulic oil? Engine oil? Grease? etc...
7) Massey needs to ensure that their customer service policies (if they have any) are rigorously followed be their dealers. I have a bit of a bur under my saddle about that.

Overall, how happy am I with the tractor? On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest, I would rate my satisfaction at about 647!!! The more I use this tractor, the more I appreciate it!!! By the way, there are many ways to make a little side money with it (remember: it fits where others don't and it doesn't totally destroy a lawn like a big backhoe) -- think small jobs in tight places (not necessarily small invoices).

Lastly, let's talk about dealers. I am NOT happy with my dealer at this point. I spent a LOT of money on a LITTLE tractor -- LOT being the operative here. My dealer got his money up front and I gave him my trust to take care of my service needs. I have never gotten a followup phone call, card, or any other acknowledgement that he appreciated my business. He did remember my face when I came in for service (but not my name). I do not have a week or more to leave my tractor every time it needs attention. I do not CARE if they are understaffed -- they did not tell me that when I paid FULL PRICE for the tractor! It should not take 45 minutes to find the part number for a set of mower blades on a current tractor. If I treated my customers with as much indifference as my dealer treats me, I would not have a job for very long! I love my Massey Ferguson but I think that they had better get on the ball with customer service! I am not a farmer but I depend on my equipment every bit as much as any farmer. The last two times I have towed the tractor in for maintenance, I have been given such a runaround by the "service manager" about when the routine maintenance would be done that I have given up and done the labor myself. At least I know that the work was actually done and done correctly. I don't have a week to leave my tractor at the dealer for fluids and filter changes. I find it perplexing to know that a company that produces such a fine product has such a poor chain of service, sales, and parts centers. I am a person who usually gives others the benefit of the doubt, but my dealer is starting to lose my confidence.

Well folks, there you have it... my little contribution to tractordom based upon life experience. I have no regrets about purchasing my Massey Ferguson and I would do the same thing again in a New York Second!

I just got a Landscape Rake today and it looks like it is gonna be a wonderful additionn to the implement fold. It does a real nice job of gathering sticks, dethatching and smoothing bare ground. I bought it at Atwoods farm store for $299. It is a medium duty model (heavy frame and tines but no second spreader bar). The rake has no brand name and is painted Red but I think it is a Land Pride -- maybe one of the new sub compact implements I saw in their catalog.

In the future, I plan to add the above-mentioned additional hydraulic circuits to the tractor and get a post hole auger and build a grapple for the FEL. Additionally, I have been toying with the idea of making a hydraulic weed whacker that would attach to the FEL -- why not? Might just work...

For now, since we are in the middle of a huge drought here in Oklahoma and all burning is banned, I am in the process of loading two years of accumulated tree trunks, branches, and mulched material into a rented 30 yard dumpster for removal. Sad... would've made a great bonfire but Honey says it's gotta go, so, Woohoo!!! Tractor Time!!! I spent today entirely breaking up the HUGE pile and moving it into the dumpster aided well by the fact that I can drive the tractor inside the dumpster to stack and compact the load for maximum space savings. I used the backhoe to break up the large piles into smaller piles that I could push with the FEL. The oak is pretty soft after two years, so much of the longer branches can be broken up with the loader. I am chainsawing the big stuff to fit into the loader. All told, there are four adult (dead) oaks in the massive pile along with a lot of leaf mulch and pine needles. This is about the biggest job I plan to do with the 2310, but, little bites and a steady pace are really melting the pile down. Should be finished tomorrow after I get the hose fixed (the hose that attaches to the backhoe slid down under the tractor and snagged on a branch). By the way, I ran the tractor and low-mid throttle for over 4 hours today and only used 1/3 tank of diesel. You GOTTA love that!

Until next time,

"If ya got one -- get out there on it... If ya don't got one -- get one!"
 
   / GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest #2  
WOW /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif Mike
Thanks for the review.
 
   / GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest #3  
I enjoyed reading your review. Thanks for taking the time to post it. Oh, and I agree /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have not had any waranty issues with mine but, perhaps I haven't put on as many hours. I have not used my tractor in over 2 weeks but I'm getting ready to dig a few small stumps and also move a bunch of yard sand.
 
   / GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest #4  
Great review Mike , You could copy & paste this in the review section of this forum, so when others that may be considering a 2310 could read this and would give great info. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Good Job! glad you like your Massey... Heck after reading your review ,I wish I had one myself... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
   / GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest #6  
It is amazing how much damage you can do and how much fun you can have with these things.
 
   / GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest #7  
I didn't do any research before selecting my 2300. It was love at first sight and I bought it because it was a Massey Ferugson. Of course it wasn't until after buying it and joining TBN have I gained true knowledge. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Not yet... I have spent the last two days mostly on the tractor cleaning my property. It has been a huge, nasty, dusty job and the 2310 has soldiered along without a hiccup (except for a busted hydraulic hose). Tomorrow, I'm gonna take the tractor to the carwash and give her a much-needed bath, followed by a thorough greasing and air filter service. After I busted the hydraulic hose, I replaced it and refilled the hydraulic reservior and managed to coat the rear of the tractor thoroughly with hydraulic oil which, combined with all the dust and ashes I have been kicking up have made a huge mess of my machine. When I picked up the new hydraulic hose, I also bought a new amber flashing light to replace one I had cracked while mowing. I about fell over when I got the bill -- $55.00 !!! Gotta watch those lights!!! The dealer suggests that in the future, I consider using Kubota lights at $13 each. Hopefully I won't need to replace another light. On the upside... my place looks awesome and the wifee is ecstatic!! She even parked herself on the tractor today and refused to get off until I showed her how to operate it. After that, I lost my seat for the rest of the evening. She pretty well got the hang of the front end loader and even maneuvered the machine while I reinstalled the backhoe. I guess she'll be digging holes next. I'm thinking about taking up sewing... sigh...
 
   / GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest #9  
Hey, Mike, if it's really dusty where you're working, don't forget to check on the air filter and perhaps give it a good spray, inside-out with air.
 
   / GC-2310 Update -- The latest and greatest #10  
Glad to hear you like your 2310 - we had ours since last May and it is a great little tractor. I use the FEL quite a bit and even bought a toothbar for digging up hard soil and rocks. We had a couple hydraulic issues that were fixed prior to delivery. The hood bolt of the left side was loose - tightened it up and works good. The FEL tilt cylinders both leaked after 50 hours. Dealer rebuilt them - no charge. Last fall noticed that all the FEL cylinders had problems. Massey sent out a new owner questionare about our GC2310. I made good coments about the overall machine. Also mentioned the issue with the FEL hydraulics. They (MF) contacted my dealer - who inturn called me and said they were going to replace all four of the FEL cylinders - picking it up week. Our dealer seems really good about taking care of its custumors. We leave our hoe on all the time. But had to remove it for first 50 hour service - at that time I took off all the 3 point hitch stuff and put it a box along with the saftey triangle. Mounted a little tool box on the rear fender for a clevis, pickup up chains, ect. Thinking about moving the ROPS lights to the inside of the roll bar - they do get caught on tree branches if your not being careful. Overall this is a good machine and we get a lot of use out of it. I am still surprised with how much power it has.
 
 
Top