Lack of reviews

[dmccarty]

Richard,

I got it from the JD dealer when I bought the tractor. Mine was the heavy duty unit and it cost about $300. I think I could have used a less beefy cylinder but figured I might as well go big and have more than enough umpph than be on the short end. They had a smaller unit for less money, maybe around $200. I'm sure the smaller unit would work with my 700# box blade.

These things ain't rocket size to put togather. I think there have been some TBN threads on building them. Its just a hydraulic cylinder with two quick connect hoses. I would think one could be built pretty easily/cheaply but I needed to get work done ASAP so I bought it from JD. I'm pretty sure this was not a JD item. Just something they put togather.

There is a control lever that was put in on the right side of the tractor on the black plastic on the wheel well.

Its worth every cent I paid because its really saves time on adjusting the boxblade.

Hope this helps...
Dan McCarty

 

[rekees]

Pete

You want a review so here's a review of my JD4300 with 430 FEL: It flawlessly does what I want it to do when I want it to do it.....period....end of story. Bottom line - stop thinking about buying one and just go and DO it. You're wasting time just thinking/worrying about it when you could be using it with a big smile on your face!

Chuck in IN

 

[Branch]

I've been very happy with my 4300. I had a hydraulic side link put on the 3 point so I could tilt my box blade side to side easily. Thats worked out great for my application. But now I've decided to add the hydraulic top link and the dealer tells me my valving isn't up to it unless I change to another valve setup. It would have been a lot cheaper to have the right valve installed from the factory. Now I'm going to put a valve from Northern in that will switch the hydraulics from top link to side link. A little more cumbersome than two levers on the fender for independent control, but still better than getting down from the seat, manually adjusting it, back in the seat, scrape 50 feet, back out of the seat.....you get the point.
If I was ordering the tractor today I would go over every hydraulic option and order everything my budget could be stretched to. It's just a lot less expensive to have the factory install the optional hydraulics during assembly. My neighbor had the extras installed on his 4400 and when we've worked together on his property you can really see the difference.
One other thing I've meant to comment on is the fact that when I was comparing Orange and Green I noticed that the Greens always weighed more in similar horse power. Since owning my tractor I've found that weight is critical, the more the better for what I do. The dealer quoted me $0.65/lb. for weights. By the time I brought the Orange tractor up to the weight of the Green the difference in price was non-existent.

Branch

 

[GaryK]

Well you see, if we all shouted about our JDs, then everyone would want one and we would not be as exclusive. Owning a JD is like owning a HD, if I have to explain, you wouldn't understand.
Just kidding.................I love my JD and would not part with it. My wife thinks I am nuts..........

 

[EddieW]

I use a Gannon box blade that ways about 800# but I had a lighter one, around 350-400#, before that did fine as ballast. The hydraulic top link is just a hydraulic piston where the manual top link was that allows me to tilt the box blade forward or back with out all the work of twisting on the manual link to adjust the forward/backward angle of the blade. There is a lever on the right fender that lets me set the angle for biting or smoothing without getting off the tractor. Its really a time saver. I really like it because I'm lazy, they aren't necessary, just convenient./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I've seen some posts where some of these really creative guys installed their own for $200-300 but I had mine installed with JD parts and it cost around $600.

 

[Steve_Carver]

Hi GaryK....... Drop in and see sometime when you are visiting at our FINE next door neighbor - Harnett Tractor.
I'm glad you honored them with your order after you decided that Green was the best color to suit you needs.
It is kinda of neat and very convenient for shoppers to be able to compare and shop the two brands (with huge inventories) on the same block.

We just love having David and his really nice crew next door.
Best wishes,
Steve

 

[Steve_Carver]

just for fun... botaville wallpaperr

just for fun... botaville wallpaper

 

[dmccarty]

Re: just for fun... botaville wallpaperr

Steve,

Very funny! I love that WallPaper even though the tractors are the wrong color!

I like the signs as well.....

Gave me a needed grin on Friday afternoon.

Later....
Dan McCarty

 

[GaryK]

Thanks for invite Steve. I came real close to going orange but green runs in the family, sorta like being born a democrat. I will stop in the next time I'm in the area.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Boondox--go ahead and buy the 4300--it is a great tractor and the bugs should now be out. Even though I very much like the looks, the capacities, capabilities and general use of my 4400HST with 430 loader and 60 inch commercial belly mower, it has been an 18 month struggle to get all of the bugs out of it. The PTO went out at 8 hours. The hydro transmission started slipping at 40 hours which required a fluid and filter change at 50 hours instead of much later. It was found to have metallic contamination in which millings had not been flushed out prior to assembly. About this time, when driving down the road in road gear, the tractor would suddenly lose RPMs which eventually was linked to an improperly tightened parking brake at the factory. The forward hydro pedal would periodically not come back up right away causing the tractor to keep on going for an extra 10-20 feet which really kept me alert as to what I might run into when taking my foot off the forward pedal. Next the transmission was replaced at 90 hours along with the brakes and the entire front end, the transmission sight glass and the dash glass. Recently a number of linkage upgrades were also made. Out of the first 150 hours of use, this tractor was only functioning in a fully 100% correct manner for about 10% of the time. Thanks to some of us that purchased early models of the 4200+ JD tractor line apparently did the field testing and helped to locate the engineering and quality control problems so that current puchasers of this series of tractors can probably rest assured that they are purchasing a dependable and very capable tractor. Mike S.