A recommendation please

[Trafficman]

Folx,
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH for the warning. My SIL is contacting the seller and telling him that I'm going to be in the area this week & want to take a look at it. If it's real he'll go for it. If it ain't he'll drop off the face of the planet. This actually happened to me. I found a Kubota B2660 for $4500 that was local to me. Same deal EBay payment, Pictures looked good, & the price was right. Since it was local I said I wanted to pick-it up. Never heard from her again. I got lucky.
T-Man.

 

[khamill2000]

Back to your original question. Have you considered an old 8n or 9n. Can probably get a real nice one with a mower and back blade for $2000-$2500. It sounds like she really won't be using it all that much

 

[Soundguy]

Can't wait to har how this one pans out.

soundguy

 

[BigD23]

Just started reading this thread from it's beginning...I'd go diesel...Like all the others have said, Beware of this "good" deal being offered.

Don

 

[wwalkersd]

Back to your original question. Have you considered an old 8n or 9n. Can probably get a real nice one with a mower and back blade for $2000-$2500. It sounds like she really won't be using it all that much

If you're considering one of these (and I don't see why you shouldn't), check out the Ford 9N/2N/8N forums at Yesterday's Tractor. Though if you want to mow an 8' path in one pass, it's too small (5' seems to be the recommended bush hog/mower size). The 8N is the most desirable. And if you're worried about it being too old (dunno why you should be, I just bought a '44 2N that's running great), then for less than 10 grand, you can buy a completely remanufactured one from N-Complete.

 

[Trafficman]

Folx,
Latest update. I found 2 other tractors on CL in my area. Turns out they were solid deals. I eyeballed one of them (a Kubota G1900 wi 100 Hrs, 60"MMM) yesterday. Turns out it was at the dealer where I bought my BX22 5 yrs ago. It looked good, called my SIL her answer was "Well, thanks for your help, but I think I'm going to have Kenny find one for me that's local." Kenny is her neighbor, the guy she PO'ed enough to tell her to get her own gear. The guy who sold off his JD rig. The guy who told her she only needed a 10-12 hp riding mower because "he'd take care of the rest." Anyway I'm out of dealing with that mess, probably be better off in the long run.
T-Man.

 

[tractorman99]

Gas or Diesel: Diesel [just my preference]

Does any tractor compamy still make gas tractor Because i know cub cadet use to up to 2006-2007.

 

[Trafficman]

Folx,
I'm resurrecting this because I heard from my SIL about her JD GX255 garden tractor. I seems that in the last snow her daughters boyfriend was trying to push 20"+ using the 54" blade and the tractor stopped moving. The motor was running but the wheels wouldn't turn anymore. No forward, no reverse. I think she might have busted something. She wants me to come up & try to fix it. I'll be there in the spring, too cold to kayak right now.
T-Man.

 

[Soundguy]

does that machine have a hydro tranny? is their a relief in it?

soundguy

 

[Gittyup]

I don't know about that series deere. But some of the hydrostatics have a tranny release mechanism (bar under the fender on my 425) that if in the free-wheel position, she won't move. Could be that snow inadvertently actuated this mechanism. I'd post on the JD forum and in Lawn and garden. Might be something very simple.

 

[Trafficman]

Gittyup,
I dunno never had to work on it. I DO hope it's something simple. She's getting the manuals for it & I'm headed up there his weekend to see what if anything I can do. It been sitting in her garage since the snow. I'm taking my BX22 along to push her driveway clear too. I've got enough space on the trailer to bring hers back with me if I can't fix it.
I'll post again on Monday about what I find.
T-Man.

 

[gno242]

I'd go diesel FORSURE!!! keep this in your brain when you buy

 

[Trafficman]

Soundguy,
That's one of the reasons I'm taking my BX22. I want to show her the difference in usable power. I just hate driving 8-9 hrs to do it. I really do hope it's either something stoopidly simple or majorly obviously bad and totally fatal. I spent a week of my vacation last summer getting her JD to run right. I don't like gas machines. Too much maintanence for someone that isn't going to take care of it. Sheｴs a turn key owner. Get on turn the key & go. If it's deceased, l go shopping for a DIESEL tractor for her. No Substitutions, confusions or illusions accepted.
T-Man.

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. gassers can be very reliably.. if you maintain them... if not.. well.. a diesel is a lot more hands off till major maintenance comes up.

soundguy

 

[Trafficman]

Folx,
Well, here's the update. My family got to my SIL's house at about 11:30 pm. 30" of snow in the driveway. Unloaded my BX & got to work. Got to bed at ~2:30. Back up at ~8:00 & looked to the GX. I found the 60" mower deck still on it and her 72" blade on the front. along with a 2" hole in the transaxle housing that had been repaired at some point with JBWeld. Small wonder why the JBWeld didn't hold, the overpressure in the transaxle blew it out when she was pushing the snow uphill. I looked into the transaxles housing & saw metal filings. That ended my investigations as far as I was concerned. The GX is DOA. I showed my SIL the damage and we went shopping. I found a deal on a BX23 with 475Hrs & full documentation (surprisingly enough dealer serviced with receipts ), FEL, & 54" SB & a 60" deck for $5700 with the GX in trade. We traded off the BH for the SB, my BH fits & if she needs it I'll bring it up. (She is also going to split a tiller when I find a deal on one.) We picked it up on Sunday, brought it back to her place & she began training on her machine. ~4-5 hrs later we finished up & I think she'll be OK. I've ordered in a Block heater (plug type), Battery blanket, a trickle charger & a fuel caddy for the diesel. I set mine up with a single 3 plug extension cord. I'll do the same for her. As idiot proof as I can make this the better. All she has to do is pull it into the garage & plug it in. The charger & heaters will keep it winter ready. She will call me if she has any questions. If it sounds like it needs repairs then there is a dealer about 40 minutes away that does pickup & delivery. All she has to do is call & he'll come & get it.
T-Man.