Heading to the Deere Dealer Friday...

[Martian]

I have an odd assortment of attachments, most of which I'll be keeping (though twice the horsepower, the 4520 is almost identical in size (shorter though) than my Yanmar 336D.

As my closest dealer who was very helpful and great prices was a Woods dealer, over the years I've gotten mostly Woods implements, medium duty most, but not all, the time:

66" Boxblade
96" Landscape rake, with wheels
84" offsetting rear blade (if I have a 3rd circuit to the rear I'll finally put my spare cylinder on it- it fits already!)
60" Woods Brushbull brush hog mower. This is the one implement I might trade in if they'll take mine and I can get a larger one (6 or 7')

I also want to get a land plane.

I may get a Woods, only because they have their own version of iMatch which looks similar, and I'm guessing will work well with all their implements....

I'm actually looking to reduce my loader implements, from 3 to 2 - I only need a bucket and a grapple rake, not two buckets. I don't recall the last time I used the large bucket that has no teeth on it. I think the 4 in 1 will be great, and I may actually leave it on more than the grapple, but being able to swap implements out quickly vs. removing 4 pins will be a welcome improvement.

You'll definitely want to replace the two I've bolded. Wheel base is 72" and too have a mower not reaching outside of the wheels is really difficult - as well as a box blade to get close up to things. I'd definitely get new of them.

As far as the Woods vs iMatch they will do the same thing. I don't believe the Woods has the PTO set up as well, but I guess we can do a little bit of work. Either way I think you will have to make some adjustments to your equipment for either system to run the quick hitches. You only have to do it once for either though and your good. If your going to be using the mower a lot I'd see it as a plus to get the iMatch with the PTO quick hitch but either will do.

As for the box blade, Woods actually makes that box blade for Deere (although it is made iMatch compatible). So if you get the comparable through Woods it will be the same thing, different color.

Will you be getting the SSQA or the standard Deere QA? You will find a lot more stuff to go on the SSQA (4 in 1 included - and Deere branded) but they will come on and off in the same time. I do believe the SSQA is a couple extra bucks as well but could prove worth it to find more attachments down the road. Just something else to consider.

 

[couchsachraga]

I was wondering about the width - the minimum stated (with R1's) seems to be much less - my current setup is not quite but almost at full width adjustment wise, and is just about 72".

I miss-typed the box blade - it is 72" (thought 6', typed in 66"...). I may still get a larger one, though going with the land plane perhaps not.

I do plan on getting everything to work with iMatch or similar. If I can confirm iMatch will work with all my Woods attachments I'll likely keep it green. I don't think I'll go for the PTO version though, as I rarely use the mower, and when I do, I don't mind manually hooking the PTO up. I like less things to break, and less "clutter" back there. I can see why folks like it though, especially if you are commonly switching between PTO implements!


FEL wise I do plan on going skid-steer type for the reasons you stated. That will be one of the things I ask about though.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

If you are looking at grapples / 4 in one buckets the hard lines kit for the FEL might be worth a look.

Will you ever need a mid PTO - front snow blower / broom??? or whatever??? It is a lot more expensive to add later.

 

[couchsachraga]

I have the hard lines on my list - thanks!

I don't plan on using a mid-PTO at all. If I ever add a front snowblower (not planned at all - I want to keep it out of all the salt they use around here) I'd go with the rear "power pack" and FEL mounted snowblower they offer now. Looks like a really nice setup!

I don't plan on doing any finish mowing with it at all, either.

Those are the only two implements I can think of where a mid PTO would be handy. Am I missing any others?

 

[Martian]

I was wondering about the width - the minimum stated (with R1's) seems to be much less - my current setup is not quite but almost at full width adjustment wise, and is just about 72".

I miss-typed the box blade - it is 72" (thought 6', typed in 66"...). I may still get a larger one, though going with the land plane perhaps not.

I do plan on getting everything to work with iMatch or similar. If I can confirm iMatch will work with all my Woods attachments I'll likely keep it green. I don't think I'll go for the PTO version though, as I rarely use the mower, and when I do, I don't mind manually hooking the PTO up. I like less things to break, and less "clutter" back there. I can see why folks like it though, especially if you are commonly switching between PTO implements!


FEL wise I do plan on going skid-steer type for the reasons you stated. That will be one of the things I ask about though.

72" sounds better for the box blade. That will at least get to your wheel base. I wouldn't want to go anything less than 72". I would think it would get to the point of a little tipsy and unstable. I've heard of a lot of people widening the wheel base, but not many shortening. If you did get a new box blade I'd say 84" heavy duty. Box blades are excellent for ballast as well.

Land plane is definitely nice. They are more finish grading vs box blade being tearing up the rough stuff. So I'd say get what ever your going to do more of.

Woods or iMatch one of them is a must. Lifesaver. You can modify the hitch pin placement to work, I believe you would have to do this for either but I haven't looked into the Woods enough to know for sure. It's not a big project and once it's done, it's done. I know most of JD/Frontiers new implements come "iMatch compatible" so you won't have to modify them, older may have some little tweaks. You can search and find something on this. Not hard too do.

SSQA is a good idea.

As Cinder mentioned the hard lines to the FEL are a must - forgot about that.

Did I mention about the 3rd function on the loader joystick? I'm not exactly sure when you get it and when you don't, sometimes you have to add it on, but is a must for any loader hydraulic work and is nice for the rear hydraulics as well.

 

[Martian]

I have the hard lines on my list - thanks!

I don't plan on using a mid-PTO at all. If I ever add a front snowblower (not planned at all - I want to keep it out of all the salt they use around here) I'd go with the rear "power pack" and FEL mounted snowblower they offer now. Looks like a really nice setup!

I don't plan on doing any finish mowing with it at all, either.

Those are the only two implements I can think of where a mid PTO would be handy. Am I missing any others?

Deere doesn't even make a front mid pto snow blower - only the loader (although you can get an aftermarket front snowblower). They offer the "power pack" loader mounted broom as well. Although they cost a lot more I'd rather have one of them. The only reason I'd see is for resale but wouldn't make a big enough difference down the road to get it now IMO.

 

[Red Horse]

My two cents. I lucked out and found a 2007 4720 cab this week with 200 hours to replace my open 3320. With temp around 20 tonite sure was nice coming back from the woodpile.

I would say make sure you get the HD bucket and I may be a minority but while the self leveling 400 CX is nice, you have dead weight and therefore less capacity. I think the hydraulic valves on the 3000/4000 series are smooth operators so doing two functions (raising/lowering/curling bucket) are easily done.

also if you are getting a grapple, I would question the need for a 4 in 1 bucket. Again more dead weight. And if you are really going to be doing brush, you would probably have the grapple on.

One other thing that surprises me Is I think this thing although bigger, turns tighter than my 3320!

Good luck.

 

[couchsachraga]

If I can't get the 3rd function control on the joystick... I'm not getting a deere. It's that much of a deal breaker for me with all the grapple work I do. That's another thing that let me to get serious finally - having that as a factory option. As others have mentioned, I'd prefer all the function on the joystick (including rear) as they do in the 110 TLB. But, I can live with separate levers or switches for the top and tilt instead.

 

[couchsachraga]

Red Horse - I have a mix of grapple work I do - sometimes it is rocks or logs, other times logs and true brush. There are enough times when I have a bucket on that having something to "grab" with would be handy, mostly for the trail work I do (it would be very time consuming to run back for the other implement).

Capacity wise, from the charts I've seen it looked like the CX had more capacity, not less - am I misreading something?

 

[grsthegreat]

I have the hard lines on my list - thanks!

I don't plan on using a mid-PTO at all. If I ever add a front snowblower (not planned at all - I want to keep it out of all the salt they use around here) I'd go with the rear "power pack" and FEL mounted snowblower they offer now. Looks like a really nice setup!

I don't plan on doing any finish mowing with it at all, either.

Those are the only two implements I can think of where a mid PTO would be handy. Am I missing any others?

i have the rear pyo hydraulic powerpack unit with a loader mounted snowblower....... LOVE it. wirks great and no more sore neck. Can blow off 7 foot piles of snow if need be (when my buildings shed off)'

heres a little vid i posted last thanksgiving.... before all teh snow melted off. This was a 9-10" blow.

not that this has anything to do with the OP's question...but i sure do like to sidetract everyone
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIcJsZOY418]Snowblower 2011.mpg Quick Attach Loader mounted snowblower quickattach loadermounted snow blower - YouTube[/ame]