Tractor Sizing What size tractor X300 vs X500?

   / What size tractor X300 vs X500? #1  

concrete42

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Apr 15, 2013
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Neenah, WI
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Hello,

I'm new to this forum, but I've been reading a lot of posts to get up to speed. I will be purchasing a house soon with approximately 3 acres, 2 of which is wooded, so only 1 acre to mow. The back yard is sloped relatively steep, I'm not sure exactly what degree it would be called. It's a ranch with a walk-out basement in the back, so it is pretty steep I believe.

I want to be able to pull a cart of mulch/dirt up the hill, mow (obviously), and the biggest concern perhaps is a 500ft driveway that I plan on snowblowing in the winter. Also the neighbor's house next door has a shorter, but wider driveway that I may end up snowblowing sometimes as well (it's a family member).
The driveway is sloped up to the road slightly.

I plan on getting wheel weights and chains to assist with traction. With that in mind, I've been looking in the x300 series as well as the x500. Seems to me that the minimum I should consider would be the x304 to get the K58 Transmission. I understand that the x500 series has the locking differential, but other than that I'm not sure what the differences between that and the 300s are.

Do you guys think the 300 series can handle this?

For what it's worth, my dad has a 445 that he's used for many years with a 500 ft driveway in a much snowier area, although he also has over 10 acres to mow, and uses a tiller, and front-end loader thing. I believe that is a diesel 22hp or something.

I'm also considering something used if I can get a step up in tractor for the same price.
 
   / What size tractor X300 vs X500? #2  
Hello,

I'm new to this forum, but I've been reading a lot of posts to get up to speed. I will be purchasing a house soon with approximately 3 acres, 2 of which is wooded, so only 1 acre to mow. The back yard is sloped relatively steep, I'm not sure exactly what degree it would be called. It's a ranch with a walk-out basement in the back, so it is pretty steep I believe.

I want to be able to pull a cart of mulch/dirt up the hill, mow (obviously), and the biggest concern perhaps is a 500ft driveway that I plan on snowblowing in the winter. Also the neighbor's house next door has a shorter, but wider driveway that I may end up snowblowing sometimes as well (it's a family member).
The driveway is sloped up to the road slightly.

I plan on getting wheel weights and chains to assist with traction. With that in mind, I've been looking in the x300 series as well as the x500. Seems to me that the minimum I should consider would be the x304 to get the K58 Transmission. I understand that the x500 series has the locking differential, but other than that I'm not sure what the differences between that and the 300s are.

Do you guys think the 300 series can handle this?

For what it's worth, my dad has a 445 that he's used for many years with a 500 ft driveway in a much snowier area, although he also has over 10 acres to mow, and uses a tiller, and front-end loader thing. I believe that is a diesel 22hp or something.

I'm also considering something used if I can get a step up in tractor for the same price.
1 acre is fine for x300. **** I used to push mow one acre for many years when I was a kid. as far as the hill is concerned in your backyard for mowing, nobody will be able to answer that question without a picture or 2 to put it in to perspective. can you take a picture of the hill or something? Post it up
 
   / What size tractor X300 vs X500? #3  
Welcome to TBN concrete42,
Hard to know which to suggest without knowing the actual slope but as you already know the x500 series can handle the steeper slopes. The 445 would be similar to the x700 series made today, I was considering an x320 for mowing my lawn but bought the x749 to use for my landscape business, very good on slopes. The K58 tranny is better than the K46 but pulling a heavy cart up steep slopes might warrant the x500 series for longevity. Good luck finding what you need.
 
   / What size tractor X300 vs X500? #4  
Bad news...the x304 hasn't used the k58 for 5 years now. I bought the last year they made them that way. You now have to look at an x310 or higher. My 304 takes the hills very well, but the lawn needs to be dry if you plan to pull a full cart up the hills. The x500 series has a dif lock that helps with that.
 
   / What size tractor X300 vs X500?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
My mistake, the one my dad has is the 455, but anyway, I'll see if I can get some pictures of the yard. I don't own the place yet so not sure if I'll be able to go over there to do that at this point. I did some more measuring based on aerial pics and its about 1.3 acres total of lawn.

I will look more into the 500s if you think that would handle this better. I'm curious what you guys think about 4WD, is that offered in the 500s, and would it make a big difference in the winter if I already have wheel weights and chains?

Also I see some of these have all wheel steering, which would be nice for maneuverability, but seems to me that it would just be one more thing to break.
 
 
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