about to buy a 2320

scrappy isb67 · Feb 6, 2011

I am looking for a CUT to maintain my property. I have an acre with ~90% of it finished yard. Tuesday morning I am going to look @ a 2320 Deere with a 200cx and frontier 1060r finish mower. With the rebates, I was quoted $16,100 for the rig, does that sound fair? I have been looking for a couple months and the dealer locally seems to be the most interested in dealing with me.
I am taking the wife(boss) with me Tuesday when I go so she can give the stamp of approval and to see if she will be comfortable operating it.
My reasoning for the 2320 is:
-fit in my 2 car garage With 2 cars.
-big enough to use for loader work and landscaping.

my questions though, with the loader removed and the finish mower on is the frontend going to be light? this is the configuration I will have it in for the wife to mow but I want it to be stable since she is in-experienced with this configuration, the biggest mower she has used is a Cub Cadet 982 with a belly mower. The dealer offered to load the tires which I am thinking about doing, I am also considering adding a rack of frontend weights if the fluid is not enough by itself. another question is with the fluid, is the rear-end going to be light when doing loader work? if I have to I will use the mower for ballast but don't want to. I do not want the weight box.
I am also looking at getting a box blade for it for landscaping. Since I could end up with multiple 3pt implements, would it be worthwhile to get the I-match. I don't mind hooking up a driveshaft so I do not want the full I-match autohitch. I understand the advantages of the I-match but what are the disadvantages?

k0ua · Feb 6, 2011

scrappy isb67 said:
I am looking for a CUT to maintain my property. I have an acre with ~90% of it finished yard. Tuesday morning I am going to look @ a 2320 Deere with a 200cx and frontier 1060r finish mower. With the rebates, I was quoted $16,100 for the rig, does that sound fair? I have been looking for a couple months and the dealer locally seems to be the most interested in dealing with me.
I am taking the wife(boss) with me Tuesday when I go so she can give the stamp of approval and to see if she will be comfortable operating it.
My reasoning for the 2320 is:
-fit in my 2 car garage With 2 cars.
-big enough to use for loader work and landscaping.

my questions though, with the loader removed and the finish mower on is the frontend going to be light? this is the configuration I will have it in for the wife to mow but I want it to be stable since she is in-experienced with this configuration, the biggest mower she has used is a Cub Cadet 982 with a belly mower. The dealer offered to load the tires which I am thinking about doing, I am also considering adding a rack of frontend weights if the fluid is not enough by itself. another question is with the fluid, is the rear-end going to be light when doing loader work? if I have to I will use the mower for ballast but don't want to. I do not want the weight box.
I am also looking at getting a box blade for it for landscaping. Since I could end up with multiple 3pt implements, would it be worthwhile to get the I-match. I don't mind hooking up a driveshaft so I do not want the full I-match autohitch. I understand the advantages of the I-match but what are the disadvantages?

Well I will let the JD guys that actually own this tractor make the final comment, but my first impression is the tractor would probably be ok without the front weights. I would have the tires loaded in any case. and I would leave the mower on when using the loader. any CUT tractor is worthless without ballast of some kind for loader work. They are Scary! If you have it delivered without loaded tires and without the mower on the back, just go into a pile of gravel or heavy wet dirt, and lift some, expecially on an angle. You will get an education real fast on what it feels like to raise the rear end of the tractor, or one wheel and if you are fast with the loader control you will not tip over!. You must remember the front axle of the tractor is on pivot pin. and provides no lateral stability at all. it will just pivot as one wheel lifts and starts to tip you over.! Play it safe, and get the tires loaded, and leave the mower on too when lifting anything heavier than a load of dry mulch or a hay bale. The advantage of the ballast box is that it is a little shorter than the mower, so you bang into less stuff.. Tho I think it is not a lot shorter than that finish mower you have, but they are a lot shorter than a rotary cutter (bush hog)
Good Luck, and hopefully some of the JD owners will comment here also, but this is the way this old Kubota guys see's it.

James K0UA

scrappy isb67 · Feb 6, 2011

I understand the reasoning for the ballast but I was just wondering it was even needed for loader work with the loaded tires. I have run loader tractors and had the rearend get light enough that the tractor couldn't move (a 2wd AC D17). If I get the box blade I will use that when I use the loader.
another ?, which bucket should I go with? does the 49" cover the tractor's width? or would the 53" be better? I do not want the biggest bucket(62")

Runner · Feb 6, 2011

Sorry, I have no information about your price question.

I have a 2520 with 200cx 72 inch RFM, so similar setup to what you propose. When the mower is on the ground, of course, it won't make the front end light. but when you raise it, it will make the front end light.

There are a couple of ways to deal with this. My first thought was a front weight rack, which I have, and works fine when the loader is off. However, most of the time now, I just leave the loader on and drop the bucket off for mowing. This puts plenty of weight on the front end and doesn't seem to be too hard on the lawn.

As for the rear counterbalance weight, you can use the box blade, but it really isn't heavy enough. As mentioned, I have the front weight rack and I sometimes use four of the weights hung on my 60 inch box blade for rear weight when using the loader.

However, I would still recommend getting a ballast box because you can get a lot more weight in there and it takes up less space than either the mower or the box blade. I also have my ballast box set up so I can store/use my front weights in there when needed. This has worked out VERY well for me.

As for using the mower for counterbalance, my RFM weighs a LOT more than my box blade, even with the weights on it, so I often use my RFM as counter weight when not operating in tight quarters.

As for the iMatch, I would definitely recommend it for your situation. Since you are buying all new stuff (I think) you can make sure it is all compatible right from the start and it will make your life a LOT easier. As far as I can see, there are no disadvantages to the iMatch if you are buying new stuff.

I agree with your conclusion that the autohitch is an unnecessary expense and complication.

I went with wheel weights because I didn't want to have the possibility of rusty rims and did not want to deal with leaking fluid if I have a tire puncture.

So, in conclusion, my recommendation (for what it's worth) is:
Get the front weight rack and weights.
Get the RFM
Get a ballast box
Get an iMatch
Don't get the autohitch
Don't fill the tires

All the above being said, if all I had was an acre of finish mowing and I wasn't going to be doing anything too heavy-duty with the loader, I'd probably be looking at a 2305/1026R with belly mower. If I didn't have hills and didn't really need the loader, I'd be looking at a ZTR.

Edit: I have the 61 inch bucket and have never regretted it. At least for the 2520, it's not too much for the tractor. I really like being able to get up close to things when grading, etc., and not have the tractor too close. It is also great for moving snow, if that is in your future.

k0ua · Feb 6, 2011

Here is the link to the manual

OMLVU16740_E9

looks like the minimum widths is 46.8, I would probably get the 53 incher

James K0UA

scrappy isb67 · Feb 6, 2011

Runner said:
Sorry, I have no information about your price question.

I have a 2520 with 200cx 72 inch RFM, so similar setup to what you propose. When the mower is on the ground, of course, it won't make the front end light. but when you raise it, it will make the front end light.

There are a couple of ways to deal with this. My first thought was a front weight rack, which I have, and works fine when the loader is off. However, most of the time now, I just leave the loader on and drop the bucket off for mowing. This puts plenty of weight on the front end and doesn't seem to be too hard on the lawn.

As for the rear counterbalance weight, you can use the box blade, but it really isn't heavy enough. As mentioned, I have the front weight rack and I sometimes use four of the weights hung on my 60 inch box blade for rear weight when using the loader.

However, I would still recommend getting a ballast box because you can get a lot more weight in there and it takes up less space than either the mower or the box blade. I also have my ballast box set up so I can store/use my front weights in there when needed. This has worked out VERY well for me.

As for using the mower for counterbalance, my RFM weighs a LOT more than my box blade, even with the weights on it, so I often use my RFM as counter weight when not operating in tight quarters.

As for the iMatch, I would definitely recommend it for your situation. Since you are buying all new stuff (I think) you can make sure it is all compatible right from the start and it will make your life a LOT easier. As far as I can see, there are no disadvantages to the iMatch if you are buying new stuff.

I agree with your conclusion that the autohitch is an unnecessary expense and complication.

I went with wheel weights because I didn't want to have the possibility of rusty rims and did not want to deal with leaking fluid if I have a tire puncture.

So, in conclusion, my recommendation (for what it's worth) is:
Get the front weight rack and weights.
Get the RFM
Get a ballast box
Get an iMatch
Don't get the autohitch
Don't fill the tires

All the above being said, if all I had was an acre of finish mowing and I wasn't going to be doing anything too heavy-duty with the loader, I'd probably be looking at a 2305/1026R with belly mower. If I didn't have hills and didn't really need the loader, I'd be looking at a ZTR.

Edit: I have the 61 inch bucket and have never regretted it. At least for the 2520, it's not too much for the tractor. I really like being able to get up close to things when grading, etc., and not have the tractor too close. It is also great for moving snow, if that is in your future.

The reasoning for the rack of weights (and fluid in the tires) is for the wife to mow, I don't believe she is going to want to mow with the loader on, I think it will reduce her visibility too much.
The fluid in the tires does not increase the size of the machine per se so it is increasing capability by using un-utilized space and it puts the weight down low where it will help with stability. and as long as the tires are filled correctly there are no corrosion issues. putting a hole in a tire is a problem with fluid but I am not too concerned there. The fluid in the front tires(both) adds 128# and will take the place of 3 of the frontend weights. on the rear it adds 160# and will take the place of almost 3 wheel weights per tire! and 3 wheel weights in the rear wheels will make the tractor wider!
I thought about the 2305 but one of the features I absolutely wanted is the individual brakes. to me the 2305 is an overgrown garden tractor. I would rather buy a tractor a little too big so I don't have to buy something bigger when my needs change and the current tractor is too small. I will probably outgrow the 2320 too but not as quick as the 2305.

k0ua said:
Here is the link to the manual

OMLVU16740_E9

looks like the minimum widths is 46.8, I would probably get the 53 incher

James K0UA

thanks for the link!

Runner · Feb 6, 2011

"The reasoning for the rack of weights is for the wife to mow, I don't believe she is going to want to mow with the loader on, I think it will reduce her visibility too much."

That was my thinking too, originally. If you notice, that's how my machine is setup in my avatar pic. However, I found the loader was so handy, I always wanted it on the machine so I could just grab the bucket or some other front attachment at a moment's notice and just got used to having it on all the time. Once the bucket is off, it's not that much more sticking out in front, unless you are in really tight quarters all the time.

I thought about the 2305 but one of the features I absolutely wanted is the individual brakes. to me the 2305 is an overgrown garden tractor. I would rather buy a tractor a little too big so I don't have to buy something bigger when my needs change and the current tractor is too small. I will probably outgrow the 2320 too but not as quick as the 2305."

I hear ya. Those reasons, plus, wanting to run a 5 foot brush hog moved me towards the bigger machine.

Now that they have the folding ROPS and other goodies on the 1026R, they are almost there. Just need the split brakes....

scrappy isb67 · Feb 6, 2011

Runner said:
"The reasoning for the rack of weights is for the wife to mow, I don't believe she is going to want to mow with the loader on, I think it will reduce her visibility too much."

That was my thinking too, originally. If you notice, that's how my machine is setup in my avatar pic. However, I found the loader was so handy, I always wanted it on the machine so I could just grab the bucket or some other front attachment at a moment's notice and just got used to having it on all the time. Once the bucket is off, it's not that much more sticking out in front, unless you are in really tight quarters all the time.

I thought about the 2305 but one of the features I absolutely wanted is the individual brakes. to me the 2305 is an overgrown garden tractor. I would rather buy a tractor a little too big so I don't have to buy something bigger when my needs change and the current tractor is too small. I will probably outgrow the 2320 too but not as quick as the 2305."

I hear ya. Those reasons, plus, wanting to run a 5 foot brush hog moved me towards the bigger machine.

Now that they have the folding ROPS and other goodies on the 1026R, they are almost there. Just need the split brakes....

see the edited post above.
they are getting closer but it is still not close enough for me to take one over the 2320

glc24 · Feb 6, 2011

I do not want the weight box.

Why??
The ballast box is the best thing to use for loader counterweight.:thumbsup:

I would rather back into something with it,than my big expensive 3pt mower.

Something to think about.

Get the I-Match too,you will love it. Only disadvantage I see is the attachment will be roughly 3" further back,but that's a good thing for your loader. Further behind the rear axle,the more weight off the front axle.

Greg

scrappy isb67 · Feb 6, 2011

glc24 said:
Why??
The ballast box is the best thing to use for loader counterweight.:thumbsup:

I would rather back into something with it,than my big expensive 3pt mower. Something to think about.

Get the I-Match too,you will love it. Only disadvantage I see is the attachment will be roughly 3" further back,but that's a good thing for your loader. Further behind the rear axle,the more weight off the front axle.

Greg

the ballast box ties up the 3pt. from using something on the rear. I believe that if I am using the loader, then I am going to be using a blade/box scraper or some other attachment also.