Deere 2R vs 3R

[WinterDeere]

Keep that wife!

She has her moments, often when I’m trying to short-change myself and save a buck. But the 2R does have some legit advantages, which complicate the decision.

- loader control doesn’t block access to get on-off from right side
- lack of seat suspension means seat doesn’t pinch your thighs against wheel when trying to get off tractor with wheel tilted down
- better loader visibility due to narrower and lower hood, and lack of cast lower loader arms
- lower operator seat means less of my head catching tree branches
- superior lighting, the 2R premium lighting kit has 5 LED lights! The 3033r add o kit only has 2 standard lights.
- 4 hydraulic channels for less than 3R’s 3 channels.

 

[Milo]

Well, I went with the 2032r. It was a tough choice, the extra capacity of the 3033r would have been nice in some ways, but the 2R is just a better fit for a lot of what I do. I really like the ergonomics of the 2R’s in a lot of ways, mostly the ease of getting on and off from both sides.

Congratulations! I believe you made a good decision.

.....Gotta decide on filling the tires, so would appreciate any advice on that, based on the usage I outlined in the OP.

Personally given how you plan on using it I would not fill tires on a tractor like yours. One of the advantages of the 2R over a 3R is the lighter weight, yet you still have 4wd when you require more traction. As far as offsetting a loaded FEL bucket, loaded tires by themselves are not enough anyway, you're much better off with ballast behind the rear axle. Then there's dealing with a puncture......

 

[dodge man]

650 lbs is probably a pretty good number.

 

[airbiscuit]

You could buy wheel weights instead.

 

[WinterDeere]

Congratulations! I believe you made a good decision.

hah! Keep reading. :laughing:

One of the advantages of the 2R over a 3R is the lighter weight, yet you still have 4wd when you require more traction.

It's interesting. I drove the 2R and the 3R all over the lawn at the dealer, both high dry areas and low wet areas. The temperature was 19F this morning, but it had been in the 50's all week, so the ground just had a touch of frost at the surface with wet below. Both machines left exactly the same amount of rut in the ground in each soil condition, no real discernable difference between them.

I suspect that this is because of the difference in tire diameters, the 3R has much larger tires. I've always read that tire contact patch size is dependent on tire diameter, so this makes sense, their weight to tire diameter ratios are nearly perfectly equal, so the psi pressure they’re applying to the ground is likely very similar.

650 lbs is probably a pretty good number.

2032R = 470 lb. of RimGuard
3033R = 684 lb. of RimGuard

You could buy wheel weights instead.

That's what I have on my 855, and they work great! I priced them for the new machines, but... ****, they're expensive!

 

[TCowner]

Not only must you keep that wife but please ask her to write a book on the proper care and treatment of a husband during the stressful time of purchasing a tractor. Her words of encouragement that actually suggest spending more money for a tractor and equipment is testament to her wisdom.

 

[Milo]

hah! Keep reading. :laughing:


......Both machines left exactly the same amount of rut in the ground in each soil condition, no real discernable difference between them.

I suspect that this is because of the difference in tire diameters, the 3R has much larger tires. I've always read that tire contact patch size is dependent on tire diameter, so this makes sense, their weight to tire diameter ratios are nearly perfectly equal, so the psi pressure they’re applying to the ground is likely very similar.


2032R = 470 lb. of RimGuard
3033R = 684 lb. of RimGuard


That's what I have on my 855, and they work great! I priced them for the new machines, but... ****, they're expensive!

OK the 3033's tires are enough larger they offset its additional weight.

For $200 (plus a couple rattle cans of paint) I went just with this ballast box and filled it with stone. It puts the weight where it is best utilized, behind the rear axle. If you need to get in tight places it's much more compact than hanging a box blade or most other implements back there (I regularly have my tractor in the woods). It carries a shovel and rake in the built in holders. Extra weight is not needed so it's not there when I have my flail mower or RC on the back, unlike filled tires. Much easier to take on and off than wheel weights, and cheaper.

Ballast Box 3 Point Category 1 Tractor Attachment

 

[WinterDeere]

I have a Deere ballast box, and I put my own tubes in there to hold shovels and rakes before filling it with concrete, but I have to admit I like the one you just posted even better.



The ballast box is great for front to back balance, and reducing load in front axle, but it’s center of gravity is high enough that I have always doubted its merit for sideways rollover prevention on a slope. My property is arranged that I do have to traverse sideways slopes very frequently with a load in the bucket. It’s never been a problem on the 855, but the loader to ballast box weight ratio is about 1:1 on that machine. The 320R loader on the 3933R can lift 3x my OEM ballast box capacity.

 

[Milo]

Heck you didn't even have to buy paint!

On side slopes I lower mine to a few inches off the ground so most of the weight is below axle height, I just have to remember to raise it up some when going across a ditch or rough ground.

 

[WinterDeere]

Heck you didn't even have to buy paint!

On side slopes I lower mine to a few inches off the ground so most of the weight is below axle height, I just have to remember to raise it up some when going across a ditch or rough ground.

Yeah, that’s exactly what I do.

Last chance to sway my decision, I need to email dealer before bed tonight! Current plan is to tell him to change from 2032R to 3033R.

Any concerns with “only” 32 hp on that size machine? I figure gearing can give me all the grunt I need, and I’m not exactly doing highway speeds on it.