X540 upgrade to X748se

[DeereNYC]

:newhere:Ok so I had the X540 with 48" deck for a few weeks and being my first tractor i could not get used to the whole carburator with the choke, and enough smoke on start-up to fill my garage every time i started it!. It also eats gas like no tomorrow. I also kind of wished I did get a 54" deck being that I could get closer to the curb without feeling like i'm going to tilt over (the front yard has slight slope).:banghead:

I spoke with the dealer and they were willing to do an upgrade for me. I did some homework and ended up getting the x748se. Its a massive jump from the x540 in machine and money for 1/2" acre:confused2:. I will use it for mowing, snow, fixing the out of leveled yard, and honestly I just wanted the **** thing:licking:. Plus my family is growing and may have to get a bigger house in the near future. So i'm future ready just in case. I work hard and figured why do I have to wait til i'm retired to reward myself. Plus i hear resell on these are great if i ever needed to do so.

I was looking at the x728se and decided on the x478se because i wanted diesel and it was only slightly over $1000 difference. Since I will use it for more than just mowing, i figured the diesel was the way to go.

Anyway just wanted say hello and share my experience. I will take some pics when I get the x748se!:cool2:

 

[swick1]

My mother upgraded from a 15yr old craftsman to an x748 and she is in love. She even persuaded me to agree to building a carryall for the three point hitch

 

[Scooby074]

now THATS an upgrade... lol

Im surprised you wernt happy with the 540, I loved mine with the 54". Found it very stable as well.

But if your not happy, no sense staying with the other machine. Glad your dealer would work with you. Enjoy the new ride when it comes.

 

[DeereNYC]

now THATS an upgrade... lol

Im surprised you wernt happy with the 540, I loved mine with the 54". Found it very stable as well.

But if your not happy, no sense staying with the other machine. Glad your dealer would work with you. Enjoy the new ride when it comes.

Does yours smoke like "cheech and chong" when you start it? I wasn't unhappy with everything, just the things i mentioned. It cuts grass great, and I actually like the look of the tractor hood more than the x700's. Other than that I have nothing to compare it to.

 

[Carl Bert]

Does yours smoke like "cheech and chong" when you start it? I wasn't unhappy with everything, just the things i mentioned. It cuts grass great, and I actually like the look of the tractor hood more than the x700's. Other than that I have nothing to compare it to.

The x540 is a toy compared to the X748, there is no comparison. I have the X595 and just love it. Don't you just love the smell of diesel in the morning? Enjoy your X748

 

[Scooby074]

Does yours smoke like "cheech and chong" when you start it? I wasn't unhappy with everything, just the things i mentioned. It cuts grass great, and I actually like the look of the tractor hood more than the x700's. Other than that I have nothing to compare it to.

Nope doesnt smoke. Maybe a little puff for like 1 second. Then it runs clean

I actually found the choke very easy to use. Push forward, turn key, release. There should be no need to hold it after the engine starts.

 

[DeereNYC]

Nope doesnt smoke. Maybe a little puff for like 1 second. Then it runs clean

I actually found the choke very easy to use. Push forward, turn key, release. There should be no need to hold it after the engine starts.

I do exactly as you stated and still. Giants puffs of smoke like 2-3 seconds. I just cant see this as normal, but from what I have read and from the dealer it is. At 7k the x540 should be EFI. AT 13k the x700's should be some sort of hybrid, lol.

The x540 is a toy compared to the X748, there is no comparison. I have the X595 and just love it. Don't you just love the smell of diesel in the morning? Enjoy your X748

I hope to smell the diesel real soon.

 

[jenkinsph]

DeereNYC,
Just remember to run the mower for a while after you cut the grass to let it finish warming up.

Seriously mowing a half acre is going to be a quick job for you.

 

[Carl Bert]

DeereNYC,
Just remember to run the mower for a while after you cut the grass to let it finish warming up.

Seriously mowing a half acre is going to be a quick job for you.

So are you saying that it's not good for a diesel to be run for a short time then shut down?

 

[Scooby074]

So are you saying that it's not good for a diesel to be run for a short time then shut down?

Yep.

I fall firmly into the "its better to let it idle" camp, assuming its going to be a "reasonably short" amount of time before I move on.

Starting a machine, then putting a load on it (like mowing etc) should be followed with a bit of idle time particularly if the engine is turboed or its a hydrostatic. Starting and driving across the yard (or any other light load) for example doesnt require idling IMHO.

 

[Carl Bert]

Yep.

I fall firmly into the "its better to let it idle" camp, assuming its going to be a "reasonably short" amount of time before I move on.

Starting a machine, then putting a load on it (like mowing etc) should be followed with a bit of idle time particularly if the engine is turboed or its a hydrostatic. Starting and driving across the yard (or any other light load) for example doesnt require idling IMHO.

Oh ok, so its ok to run the machine for short periods and then shut down. If the machine is used for lets say mowing or plowing, then you suggest letting it idle for 5 minutes or so before shutting down. Makes sense to me. Does this go for gas engines as well or just diesels?

 

[geko]

I own an X540 (54" mulch deck) and thought I needed more power so had a test run on an X749 last week. (with a 48" rear discharge).

In the UK this grass cutting season year has been incredibly wet - So by the time you can cut its often very long.
In addition, we've been cutting massively overgrown sites recently where the grass hasn't been cut for a year (4-5ft!).

So, the X749 is a lovely machine, and very capable, but I couldn't really see a huge improvement over the X540 - certainly not the £8K difference I was going to have to spend after PX.

My 540 has impressed me again this week, mulching even the long wet grass whilst climbing or descending fairly steep banks too!

So I guess the X540 can do a lot more than I thought afterall!

 

[Scooby074]

Oh ok, so its ok to run the machine for short periods and then shut down. If the machine is used for lets say mowing or plowing, then you suggest letting it idle for 5 minutes or so before shutting down. Makes sense to me. Does this go for gas engines as well or just diesels?

Thats pretty much it. I wouldnt go starting and stopping every couple minutes either even if the load is light. Some guys are so scared to put an extra minute on their machine yet they are capable for thousands of hours if properly cared for!!! Idle times. 5 mins might even be a bit long, I usually go for say 2-3 up to 5 as I work around getting ready to go inside. There is some argument as to if this is even necessary, there are opinions on both sides but I feel that its worth it

I dont sweat it on gas engines. Gas machines are SO much cheaper than diesels its probably not worth it.

 

[DeereNYC]

So i get a message today that finances didn't go through for x748!!! However I have enough for x720se. x740 would be a few bucks out of pocket. I do really like the look of the SE, but wanted the diesel. I asked dealer for se package on x740 and I got a big no. Any body knows if there is some way of getting the se wheels outside of se package?

Either way its x720se or x740, or keep x540. A little help please.

 

[jenkinsph]

For a half acre lawn you might be better advised to keep the 540. I would definately skip the se package if money is an issue, you just don't need it.

 

[DeereNYC]

For a half acre lawn you might be better advised to keep the 540. I would definately skip the se package if money is an issue, you just don't need it.

I was looking for longevity more so it being able to handle 1/2 acre. DO you think the x540 has the lifespan of the x700 series? Will the x720 have equal lifespan of the x740?

 

[Deere Dude]

:newhere:Ok so I had the X540 with 48" deck for a few weeks and being my first tractor i could not get used to the whole carburator with the choke, and enough smoke on start-up to fill my garage every time i started it!. It also eats gas like no tomorrow. I also kind of wished I did get a 54" deck being that I could get closer to the curb without feeling like i'm going to tilt over (the front yard has slight slope).:banghead:

I spoke with the dealer and they were willing to do an upgrade for me. I did some homework and ended up getting the x748se. Its a massive jump from the x540 in machine and money for 1/2" acre:confused2:. I will use it for mowing, snow, fixing the out of leveled yard, and honestly I just wanted the **** thing:licking:. Plus my family is growing and may have to get a bigger house in the near future. So i'm future ready just in case. I work hard and figured why do I have to wait til i'm retired to reward myself. Plus i hear resell on these are great if i ever needed to do so.

I was looking at the x728se and decided on the x478se because i wanted diesel and it was only slightly over $1000 difference. Since I will use it for more than just mowing, i figured the diesel was the way to go.

Anyway just wanted say hello and share my experience. I will take some pics when I get the x748se!:cool2:

If you want something that won't break the bank, look at the X740 or the gas version. Very nice tractors and can do a lot of ground engaging things. I had a X740 size for many years with a 4 and 7 acre places and both had a bunch of trees. Did snowplowing, snowblowing, rototilling, blade pushing and cruising around the neighborhood and it was plenty big. They were 2WD and with weights they were so stable and had so much traction I never needed 4WD. I had a 700 foot driveway to keep clear and in the worst snows it took an hour and a half. Of course I had chains on al;l the time, but only really needed them in the winter.
I was at a JD dealer today and looked at a 500 series for a second. They seemed nice and would work well enough for almost anything 1/2 acre in size. But, if you want to go in a little farther, consider a 740.

 

[Scooby074]

Keep the 540. Its a VERY capable machine.

 

[jenkinsph]

I was looking for longevity more so it being able to handle 1/2 acre. DO you think the x540 has the lifespan of the x700 series? Will the x720 have equal lifespan of the x740?

Well I definately prefer the diesel over the gas motor but probably because I don't like gas cans. One of the important advantages of the 700 series is the pto clutch is way better I only mow about 6 acres with business and home combined as this isn't what I do in my landscape business. I use the x749 to aid in building permanent landscapes. For mowing my own 3 acre lawn areas which are all smoothed out an x540 would last me many years I am sure.

That said it is hard to tell you how long any of these will last you mowing a half acre lot but I bet you will be tired of looking at it and will want to trade up long before you wear any of these out.

 

[DeereNYC]

That said it is hard to tell you how long any of these will last you mowing a half acre lot but I bet you will be tired of looking at it and will want to trade up long before you wear any of these out.

Funny you said this. I just told my wife I would probably want to upgrade in 5-10 years as technology and design will keep changing. The thing is lets say you get snow blower, snow blade, various attachments. Now you have to start over again if they are not compatible with the future model. At that point I would probably keep what I have. So thats why I was looking at long term. ANd you bring up a good point with it being 1/2 acre the x540 would last a very long time. The only thing is.......why is it smoking so much on start up? Thanks for all the input.