420 FEL vs. 430 FEL

[rstcso]

Great forum. Been reading for a while. I am looking at buying a 4310 with FEL. The dealer that I found to like the most has suggested I buy the 420 instead of the 430 (price difference is $500). I don't have any specifically challenging work in mind for it, other than spread enough granite gravel to build about 800' of road on the land we just bought. I will be getting a medium duty box blade, so other than "scooping and dumping" with the FEL, the box blade will be doing the other dirty work. Does this sound reasonable???

 

[Kodiak]

800 ft of gravel road equals several hundred tons of gravel. And a full bucket of gravel (even 1/3rd of a cubic yard) weighs a lot. I am not sure of the capacities of those two loaders, but I'm sure the lift cylinders are not all that big on the 420. You may stall the hydraulics before it will lift that much. As well as force your hydraulics to operate very hot. One more point check out the size of the bucket and arm pins if they are small they will be prone to a lot of wear. I would recomend the larger loader.

Are you planning on building on this property eventually? If so there will be all sorts of loader work, backfill, landscaping, clearing, etc. As well as using it as a hoist to pick things up. When I purchased our new tractor last spring I purposely bought an aftermarket loader so I could get even more max lift capability out of it.

 

[TimSullivan]

I have a 4300 HST with the 430 FEL and the heavy duty bucket. If you are going to be working with that much driveway, buy the 430. There are times when I have wished for a little more FEL power. The heavy duty bucket is a bargain. My neighbor has the regular duty and it just has not held up as well as the HD.

By the way I found a trucker who can spread a load of gravel as smooth as you would ever want. When I started working on the drive, I would have the stone dumped and spead it with the bucket and the back blade then finish it with the York rake. He dropped a hundred tons of #1 crusher run on my 800 foot driveway this spring and I just ran the rake down it. If you can find a fellow that can lay a smooth tailgate spead down your drive you will be hours ahead.

 

[rstcso]

I had the suspicion I should go with the 430, but what the dealer said did make some sense (especially with the wife standing there listening to him say I didn't "need" the 430), but so does what you have both said. Another "problem" I'm having... my wife is one of those kind that doesn't feel spending the extra $500 would be worth it, since "we're not in a hurry, anyway. So what if it takes a little longer". Maybe I've over-conditioned her with the "little bit bigger, little bit better in-the-long-run" way of thinking to the point that she doesn't believe I'll ever be happy with what I get. I do have the go-ahead on the 4310, 5' shredder, 5' heavy box blade and the 420 loader, but darn if I can get her to budge (so far) on the 430. I'm still not doing too bad considering about a month ago she was turning me down flat on a NH TC30 with 7308 loader and no other implements! Of course, maybe I can just slip the dealer another $500 and she won't notice the upgrade. No, she'd notice and I'd never get another "toy" as long as I live, or until the divorce was final and the judge got done with me!

 

[rstcso]

By the way, the driveway is through the woods and starts out with a sharp turn about 25' inside the gate, so I don't think I'm going to have much luck getting them to go any further. I figure I'm already getting a good deal. I've been quoted (twice, just to be sure), $100 per 12-14 yd load delivered. Besides, I'm going to need something "legitimate" to work with initially, at least until I gain the necessary "experience" working with the tractor in such a way that it looks like I'm working and not just having fun (I'm not good at poker, so just how DO you keep from smiling so they can't see it?). We will be building a house, but a small "shack" to begin with, then a small two story with living areas upstairs and decks on three sides, converting the "shack" into "the bunkhouse". We have four kids, so we can send some/all to the bunkhouse if needed. This picture can't do it justice, but this is approximately where we're going to build the house. This is in central Texas with great views on all sides. I know it's probably hard to tell, but I'm getting a little excited about it.

 

[Kodiak]

Now now sit down put your head between your knees and take some deep breaths. She's not going to divorce you. Not with that type of grip on your wallet. Just kidding. But seriously $500 over the duration of your loan ( if your going that route. Spread over 48 or 60 months or whatever is only a few dollars a month. Howevr if you find out that the little one won't handle your task, and you have to rent a bigger machine several times. Well you would have already payed for it. Or worst case scenario your loader is just out of warranty and the cylinder seals fail or worse. Will she be sympaphetic to those cost. If she is still giving you a hard time, have her contact me And I'll tell her tales that will make her pocketbook run and hide.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The solution seems obvious to me, but the 430 is going to cost you $1,000 more, not $500. Five hundred for the loader upgrade, five hundred for whatever "toy" she wants...

 

[Scott_in_WVA]

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[rstcso]

I can't think of anything in the world she could want... She already has me /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif.

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[JC4HD]

Get the 430 Loader! As an owner of a 4310 with the 430 I can tell you it is worth the extra $... especially with what you are planning. Another consideration is a bucket upgrade. If you can see the possibility of getting a 4in1 bucket in the future then definatley go with the 430... the 4in1 won't work on the 420.