Buying Advice About to purchase YM2500 ... any advise?

[F15D]

I use a dirt scoop on my tractor, it works good for moving dirt or rocks around, as long as you don't have to lift it very high and they are much less expensive. A front end loader is a great option, but I can't justify one either.
The most lift I can get out of mine is about 8 inches.

Tom

 

[thegreatrandini]

I use my fel all the time! It does make the tractor longer and a little less manuverable but also works as front end weight. If you have to clean up after horses u need one. U can put a tooth bar on them and they are pretty good diggers. I have seen web sites with fairly inexpensive fels.... I personally would need an installer or it would take forever to get it operational..

 

[EFC]

A box blade will de-crown a driveway faster than a loader and is quite a bit cheaper

 

[VT_Hokie]

I agree with EFC with using a box scraper to "decrown" the drive way. Not only will it take the top off but will fill in the pot holes along the way. I was able to pick a used 5 foot one for $250 to pull behind my 1500D. New ones run $400-500. If you are to get one, look for a dual blade with ripper teeth. The dual blade lets you push in reverse to touch up areas not completely filled in with out turning you tractor around. The teeth will grab rocks in the crown and flip them out (as long as they are not too big!). Just keep the teeth set high as not to rip into the good compacted road on either side of the crown. With regards to a FEL, your tractor operated for 1600 hours without one why would you need one? It is not like you are going to dig out an inground swimming pool with one or level out a mountain with one as you would be better off renting specialized machinery. (I am sure someone will write in about the great feats they accomplished with theirs) Basically FELs are cool, fun and something you will find a use for if you are converting land to a different use. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[fig]

Hey Hokie... I was told that I needed a 4' box for my 1700. I know it is 2wd compared to your 4wd, but how does your 1500 handle the 5'?

Fig

 

[Jagmandave]

I've got a 4' BB on my 1602D (4WD) and when I get it fairly full of gravel when grading my driveway, I somtimes have to lock the read diff to keep going, that or drop some of the load. I am grading up a fairly long grade tho........

 

[VT_Hokie]

Fig,

The 5' box worked perfectly fine both going up and down the driveway (as in up and down the hill). I did do it in 4WD and have the extra wt of a FEL, but did not have any wheel slipage when I was pulling in low 1.4. As my road was more of a "W" than a " ^ " it was pulling from both the crown and the edge in some spots and filled the box up pretty well a time or two. You just need to remember to start letting stuff out of the box if it is getting too full and also give it a shake or two help the stuff from the crown/edge fall to the low spots. I also dropped the teeth and smoothed out some areas of loose dirt around my barn. I could see a 2wd getting somewhat bogged with a completely full box, but hey you don't have to do it all in one pass. The wider box will probably help in covering your tracks around turns if your wheels are set out like mine in the front. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[LMTC]

Many years ago I did a fair amount of grading with a 1500D and a 5' box. With that said, I would still probably recommend a 4' box to a customer on a 1500D. just because it takes an experienced operator to adequately use a 5' on it. I have also tried to use a 5' on a 2000 and it is, simply put, too much for most work. I would highly recommend a 4' for your 1700 if you are going to do anything more than general smoothing of a surface.

 

[fig]

Wayne,

Thanks. That is what my dealer told me when I purchased the tractor. I have a 5' scrape blade that usually handles the gravel drive with no problems...until you find the hard pack stuff. If the ground (gravel or dirt) is hard packed; it usually just skims the top. I usually work the driveway after a good rain; seems to work better and packs better. I will purchase a BB here in the next couple of months. I have some "rolling hills" that I intend on flattening out over the colder months. It will take a while, but nothing like seat time. My wife just told me this past weekend that she "plays second fiddle to the tractor".

Fig

 

[fig]

VT Hokie,

I would like to get a 5', but I feel that I will spend too much time "tweeking" the blade up/down instead of grading (2wd / spinning rear wheels). I know you only have to "bump" the controls, but that would start to get to me after a while. I have filled my rear tires with fluid and that made a huge difference. I grew up using a scrape blade and BB on a JD850; so this won't be my first rodeo. It has been a while since I have used a BB, but maybe I still have the "touch".

Fig