Capability Questions for a 2210 w/ 4WD .... ?

[GGB]

To answer your questions, the 2210 is a Cat 0/1 3PT hitch. So be sure to check for sure regarding any attachments that they will work. I'd strongly suggest only buying Cat 1 Quick Hitch Compatible equipment, as it will make it much easier to change attachments quickly. Not a necessity, but I'll never not have one. Mine is the Land Pride, which gives more flexibility that the JD Quik Hitch I had before.

On my 2210, I can dead stop it pulling too much gravel with my 4' Land Pride Box Blade, even in low/4WD. And that's with either the turf tires or ag tires. So while you may be able to do what your wantling to do with your Dad's 2210, it's going to take a lot of time unless the ground is really soft.

I've also got a 4' IMCO brush mower, and would not want to go bigger. Again, you can probably pull a 5' brush hog, it will be painfully slow. And be very careful with any pto driven equipment on a 2210, as there are plenty of horror stories on other threads about busted rear end housings because someone didn't have the slip clutch set properly, or didn't use the right shear pin. Walk everything you are planning to cut first-you don't want to hit something you don't know about (Wonder how I know that?) Don't try to cut down anything bigger than 1" sapplings or you're probably asking for trouble. You definetly don't want to break your Dad's pride and joy!

My 210 FEL is great, but again, it's really designed for lighter duty than what I am guessing you'll be wanting to do. With any FEL, just be very careful not to overload, and be cautious about turning even with a load carried low.

You might even want to look for a package deal from someone who is trying to downsize or moving back to town. If you buy Green, you'll pay a little more, but you'll probably be able to move it or trade it in on new equipment and come out in good shape, and will have a better idea of what you really need. And I'd seriously consider having a well respected road contractor do your drives, as it's going to be challenging to do grades, crowns, ditches, and culverts right if you've never done any of this. I've got just over 11 acres here at home, with about 1000' of gravel driveway to maintain. I've also got a 4' Land Pride Grading Scraper that really works well to maintain it after the winter and spring rains, and again, I wouldn't want to try pulling a 5'.

But for mowing-I love it! My 2210 handles the 62" MMM very well. Yes, I could probably save time with a zero turn mower, but I can't do any of the above with a ZTR. And someday, I'll upgrade to a 2520 or 2720, which will ride a little nicer because of the larger tire/wheels. But first, I need a bigger machine up at the big farm. Just bigger toys!

So, be careful, go slow and take your time. You'll get there, even if it takes awhile. I tell my friends when they wonder why I spend so much time on my 2210 that it's cheaper than a shrink! Good luck with your new projects.

 

[JD 4520]

I appreciate the insight, guys.

I definitely agree that I don't want to invest in something too small to do what I need. But I am not really talking about that, my dad already has the 2210 ready to go to work (unless you really feel strongly that I will break it and have to invest in repairs!!). I know it's wayyy too small and light for my needs right now, but if the alternative is nothing, or waiting months longer to get a proper machine, I still get the feeling that I will end up borrowing it a few times and trying to at least make some progress out there. Ya know? Who knows, maybe the first time out there will teach me the hard way that it just isn't going to work.

It sounds like you have a demanding scope of work for the 2210 at the moment so is it possible to rent a backhoe or excavator or pay someone you know to do a couple of good days work focusing on the tough stuff that would wreck havoc on your 2210. Once that is done, then do the easier work with you 2210 and perhaps purchase the right box blade for the job. Hate to see you tear up you machine and end up spending too much on repairs and maintenance.

 

[jenkinsph]

First, on the driveway find out who is the best dump truck driver you can get and have him tailgate the driveway for you. Good drivers can make it alot easier to finish up even with a small tractor such as your dads.

I used my x749 today which is about the same hp, weight and same size tires as the 2210. Pulled a 4' boxblade without any problem loaded with dirt but it was working pretty hard. I wouldn't recommend a 5' boxblade for this size machine.

I agree with others that the best thing to do is buy a new tractor (base model) with the present 0% 60 month financing if your budget will allow it. I don't think you can buy an older tractor to fix up for less money /month. I would recommend a basic 40 hp no frills tractor such as the Deere 4005 or 4105. Then look around for some good used 5' and 6' implements.

I wouldn't buy the Mahindra because it is too small for your needs. I would also be very judicious about what I tried to do with the 2210 for the same reason.

 

[deezler]

Ok. This thread has been really helpful - appreciate it guys.

I still have a sliver of consideration for buying a 4' box blade and 4' rotary mower for my dad's 2210 and borrowing it a few times, then convincing him to pay me back for the attachments. But! There is no denying that I have hard work planned for whatever tractor I end up with, and breaking or hurting my dad's 2210 would be a terrible, terrible thing. It is in pretty mint condition since all it really does is mow his 2.5 acres and plow the drive when it snows. I would cringe at using it to break ground on my really over-grown lot. I would imagine that brush hogging out a couple acres of uneven ground is going to result in several broken shear pins.....

So! I shall be test driving tractors over the next few weeks and see if any obvious deals come to the surface. The idea of a 4 or 5 year powertrain warranty on something new is quite appealing. And I think I can get at least a few grand together on a down payment, thus hopefully keeping the monthly's to ~$200. And with something new, I can spec it out how I want it - 30-35 HP, more ground clearance... etc.

 

[JD 4520]

Deezler you are now on the right path...too easy to get distracted by what is right in front of you and not see the real picture. Let us know in a month or two what your new tractor looks like! Remember, renting the right equipment for a short time is also a good option to get the major work done.