First-time Buyer Questions!!

[zuiko]

You might want to consider the 990, it isn't much more than the 790 but is a lot more machine. Much higher FEL and 3pt capacities and more HP. The only downside is there is no official midpto available so if you were set on a mid mount mower it might not be an option.

 

[Hambone]

Questions and comments from a 2210 owner.

<font color="red"> looks like everything is in 4' to match up to the 2210. The LX4 is the brush cutter, the snowblower is 47", the rototiller is 50", a front blade is 54", and the mid mount mower is 54". </font>

My MMM is 62". Why can you have a 62" MMM but not a 60" brush cutter??
I have not tried, but works the 62" MMM excellent.

<font color="red"> Also for digging post holes I think you are going to be a little underpowered. Check with the deere dealer on post hold digger compatability.
</font>

I dug 72 holes a while back. I ran the 9" auger till it bottomed out, at just above idle. Granted this was pretty decent ground, but did have some roots. The big problem with the PHD is ground clearance. If the bit was a tad shorter.

Sorry Cowboydoc, did not mean to pick on you /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Just express my opinion.

 

[cowboydoc]

Sorry I was just going off the info on the website. I said check with the deere dealer on the post hole digger as I wasn't sure about that. I was just going off the three point on my 455 and I don't think I'd want to dig post holes with it. If you have the machine yours is not opinion yours is fact, /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif. You and docsknotinn have that machine so you could much better answer the questions than me.

 

[Crabgrass]

I've got nearly the same land situation as you do: 4 acres finish mowing and 4 acres bushhog/rotary cutter. I also have/will have a good deal of landscaping around the house and barn.

I bought a 4400 with hydro tranny, 72"MMM and LX6 (72") rotary cutter. It is a bit bigger than the 41xx series being a "mid size" chassis, and a lot bigger than 2210.

I think that the 4400 is about 25% more tractor than I needed, which is perfect! You really want to have a bit more tractor than you think you'll ever need. I'm able to use either the MMM or the rotary cutter a full speed in A range, which is about as fast as my kidneys can handle going over the terrain. It takes me about 2 hours to cut either 4 acre piece. The hydro is a must-have for doing a lot of mowing. It allows you to slow down to go around a corner and then immediately get back to full speed. With a geared tranny you basically end up just going slower everywhere so you don't have to shift so much. People say that once you have a hydro you never go back to a geared tranny, and now I'm one of those people. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

So in summary, if I had to do it all over again, I would. You may want to consider a 4310 just because it's a little cheaper (I got the 4400 used).

BTW, I just ordered a 430 FEL to help with the landscaping. It should be here this week! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[blackwell]

I sold my JD & NH and now have 5 Power Tracs with over 25 attachments. You can do a lot more for a lot less money. Check it out at www.power-trac.com. I have over 90 acres, 3 yards, a barn and horse barn. Do it all, from fencing to mowing and scooping manure. Best value in a tractor.

 

[DK35vince]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I sold my JD & NH and now have 5 Power Tracs with over 25 attachments. You can do a lot more for a lot less money. )</font>

How is it less money if you need 5 Power-Tracs to replace 2 tractors /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[blackwell]

Also had a skid steer and JD450 dozer with post driver plus a zero turn and an old gravley. I now can do more with less money and less effort.

 

[Tractors4u]

I'm sorry but a Power Trac will not replace a dozer. If it did, then you didn't need a dozer to begin with. It looks as though we have a PT salesman.

 

[KubotaSteve]

As far as the hydro vs. gear, just an observation that I experienced (I don't want to get another 400 page on this argument). I had used gear transmissions on all my previous tractors but after testing the 7800 with hydro, I was sold. I use my tractor mainly for mowing, FEL work, snow removal. All these tasks can be accomplished much faster with hydro. Push pedal to go forward then move your heel to the reverse pedal and go backwards. Get into high grass, let off the pedal a little, get into lower grass, mash the pedal down farther. It is just so simple. Test drive one and you'll be sold for the type of work you described. One other plus is that the Mrs. can use it too!!!

 

[Docsknotinn]

If you buy a 2210 I feel the turf tires are the best choice. That is what I have and use in the woods to till and currently I am working on a building pad. The 2210 will handle every thing you want to do. You will probably want to have a excavator do the bulk of the work for your building pad. Do not be mislead about the tires. On the 2210 their are only two options and they are both 4 ply. One is not stronger than the other. I see many of the guys have the other tire available but it is a bit of a odd ball. I use mine for snow removal and have cleared plots in the woods with it. I have never been in a situation where the tires would have made any difference. Weight is the issue on the 2210.

 

[keeney]

If I had 25 attachments for my traditional compact tractor, I am sure I could do everything I ever needed to do with it as well!

- Rick

 

[yellowsocks93]

Might be a salesman his name is Blackwell and the Pts are built in Tazwell! I don't think a PT would out pull a real tractor.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Just my opinion, but if someone posts in the JD Buying/Pricing forum (or Kub, NH, etc.), I think they are looking for information about buying that particular brand of tractor. I believe that offering up other brand alternatives is bad form, unless they happen to ask for them.

Along the same line, if someone asks a question about how to use their JD LoadMatch in the JD Owning/Operating forum, I wouldn't expect people to chime in on how their brand of tractor does or does not have a comparable feature.

Just my .02 worth. I'm finished with my detour now, we can return to the regularly scheduled discussion.

 

[cowboydoc]

Just my opinion, but if someone posts in the JD Buying/Pricing forum (or Kub, NH, etc.), I think they are looking for information about buying that particular brand of tractor. I believe that offering up other brand alternatives is bad form, unless they happen to ask for them.


Yes you're exactly right Bill. The specific forums are for talk about that specific tractor only. If you talk about other tractors it should be taken to the general forum.

 

[FOURTEEN]

.



It just may be that someone posting to "First Time Buyer Questions!!" is looking for a broader view than just: "JD is the best! I know that JD is the best because JD is the only brand that I have ever bought, ever used, ever considered, ever looked at, ever talked about, or ever even thought about!!!"

The worst comment someone can make just after a purchase is: "Nuts, what I should have bought was ___________!!!!".

When I decided to buy a more modern tractor, last year, I researched every brand I could! I was literally within days of buying a "popular" tractor when I saw the term "Power Trac" refered to on TBN in a non-Power Trac thread. I went to www.power-trac.com , and soon learned that, FOR ME AND MY NEEDS, the Power Trac was far superior to any of the other makes and models that I had researched!! I am thankful daily that through TBN I was able to discover a great product, built in AMERICA, that I had hitherto not even known existed!!

It is quite normal for someone, particularly a "First Time Buyer", to begin by researching at popular brand sites and threads. If he finds what he wants there - fine! But he should also be exposed to other options that may fit him better!

TBN, all of it, should be about sharing knowledge, not reinforcing dogma!!



/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


PS: The feature that I like least about my PT-425 is the ugly sort of JD Green paint they used on it!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif


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[Tractors4u]

The original poster Mwood already has a Deere lawnmower, so Deere is obviously a brand he likes/trusts. He has also posted his question about what he needs in the Kioti forum. To me it is bad form to come in to a brand specific forum and push another brand. It is no different that me going to the antique forum and questioning those guys as to why they would want a fifty year old tractor versus a new Deere. How would PowerTracians feel if the conventional tractor crowd hounded people who posted in the Power Trac forum about buying a conventional tractor?

 

[mwood]

Wow! What a debate!

Seriously though. I appreciate all the information out there. As my current situation goes, I am most seriously considering either a JD or a Kioti. Therefore, I posted in these two forums for advice.

I have looked elsewhere as well:

There is one NH dealer around here and he is a jerk. He gave me no information, no pamphlets, no nothing when I went to look around at his store.

There are at least 3 JD dealers within 30 miles and KC Canary (I really hope I spelled that right) is reasonably close as well. Judging by all the good things people have said about them, I would like to go and at least look.

There are a few Kubota dealers around, but I was really not impressed with their offerings in the size I was looking (I don't like the boomerang hydro pedal among other things...)

Kioti I don't know much about. There appears to be a couple of dealers in the 50 mile radius (going by their sites dealer finder). Since I knew little about them, I wanted to "test the waters".

I will not consider Power Trac or other brands since this is my first CUT and I want a reputable dealer either very close, or one who is willing to drive to help me (pick up and deliver) for warrenty work and service. Power Trac has impressive ideas, but with the availability of 3pt hitch implements in my area, they are not very practical.

So... now that this is long and drawn out, I would like to ask yet a couple more questions of the JD folks here!

1. If (and only if) I were to go with a JD 2210, how easy is it to get the MMM off. (I don't YET have any cement surface, though I have a flat gravel driveway). I only ask since for where I would like to use the loader and brush hog, I don't think keeping on the MMM would be a good idea /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

2. How well does something in the 4110 range (or 790 for that matter) handle a MMM. Also... how hard are they to get off? I know people have said that their 4310 mows great. But since I'm going to do a lot of brush hogging and FEL work, i'm going to have to take off the MMM every week when I am done.

3. Judging by the above two questions, should I just get a rear mount finish mower for whichever tractor I decide?

Also, for those interested, an update on my searchings...
I like the JD 2210 for the power per dollar. However, I am inclined to agree with those who said it might be too small for my muddy pasture (hopefully soon to be orchard!)

I like the JD 790 for it's power and size. But it seems it may be a pain to mow my somewhat obsticle filled lawn with. Granted some of the obsticles are going to go away once I get at them with a FEL, but still a consideration.

So, i'm left in the same bind I was before. One seems too big, one too small. <Sigh> Maybe I can talk to wife into a zero turn AND a CUT? (Ya right...)

Thanks again,
mwood

 

[Hambone]

<font color="red"> If I were to go with a JD 2210, how easy is it to get the MMM off. </font>

Maybe two minutes tops. The rollers turn sideways. As long as flat surface I have had no problems.

<font color="red"> I don't think keeping on the MMM would be a good idea </font>

You are correct!!!

 

[Tractors4u]

I am a John Deere fan as you can tell if you look at my profile. I have had a tractor with a belly mower or as they call them now, MMM. Mine was on another brand and it was a late 1980's model and well before they designed them to go on and off quickly. I have also mowed with a rear mount finish mower and had no problems with it. A lot of people complain that they are looking behind them the whole time. It wasn't a problem for me. Now I have a JD 4310 and a John Deere SST 18 Spin Steer that is a ZTR. I just hate having to take things on and off, but that is just me. As for the Kiotis, I would have looked at them if there had been a dealer any where near me. There used to be one here and that was a few years ago. When he had them they looked OK buy they weren't up there with the Deere, Bota, Massey, NH. Now they are! I was at the National Farm MAchinary Show in Louisville KY last weekend and looked at the Kiotis there. They are nice machines but I don't know much about there prices. Another good looking machine is the Mahindra. I did price a few of theirs but there price was up there with Deere and the others and I couldn't see paying the price without the solid reputation and dealer support. Another that has been out there with a good tractor but slow in growth is Long's Korean built Farmtrac. There are a lot of nice tractors out there and when you are spending the kind of money they cost it make the decision even harder.

 

[Bob_In_MN]

Mwood,

I have the 4010, but the MMM is the same as the 4110. The process for installing/removing the MMM is about 5 minutes (there was a learning curve). Concrete makes it easier, but I have done it on my gravel driveway. The 54 inch deck isn't light and I know the 60 inch is quite a bit heavier, but your not really lifting the deck as much as sliding it.

I take mine off all the time. It's why I bought a tractor that can do all the tasks associated with my land.

Good Luck

Bob