Hi Everyone. New member looking for advice

[scoutcub]

I did feel bad asking such an open question without even having tried any of these models. I just hate showing up at a dealership not knowing what I want. I haven't even really looked at other brands because when I look at their web pages they are not nearly as easy to get info off of as JD and 2 I don't personally know anyone to talk to that owns anything larger than a riding mower that isn't a John Deere.

As far as the gardening goes...the corner we bought came with the family water mellon patch. My Great Uncle says they have been growing on it for 90 years. So I just attatched a picture of it for fun. The first picture is just of some of the patch I took last year before construction started. The second picture I was messing with a lense I found. The upside down "T" shape is the area that was planted. We planted 42 watermellon plants this spring. Half of them got washed out from the run off of my backyard (which you can see the rutts in this same picture) but that is a topic for another site...My wife and I planted a pumkin just for fun also. I know we got 1 that already is too heavy to pick up. My Great Uncle (who is 87) handles the disking work now with an old Internation H.

So I didn't get into that too much in my first post. I would love to keep the garden going and even grow more of our food. But it doesn't come natural to me and after working 12 hour rotating shift with 300+ hours of OT a year it is easy to blow off. Mowing and snow removal are still going to be the primary useses. But since somebody asked, as a whole other deal...If I do take on this garden as it should be done, like I would like to, is the X748 enough machine in the long run?

How much acreage are you talking about keeping up? I would have initially agreed the X748 would be the better choice, but if you're going to attempt working those fields pictured I would seriously consider stepping up to a SCUT/CUT for ground engaging work.
Good luck!

 

[nrbocke]

How much acreage are you talking about keeping up? I would have initially agreed the X748 would be the better choice, but if you're going to attempt working those fields pictured I would seriously consider stepping up to a SCUT/CUT for ground engaging work.
Good luck!

I have 5.3 acres total. I wasn't sure if you were reffering to what I am calling the water mellon patch (exposed sandy "T" shape) or the crop last further past that in the picture. That is my Great Uncle's quater and he rents that out.

I don't know how big the patch is. Pretty big IMHO. But I think it would just need to be disked a couple times a year (or maybe tilled not sure if a small disk is an option) and a FEL and cart would be nice for moving material and large watermellons/pumkins. All the planting was done by hand and I don't see that changing. We aren't going to be wanting to do row crop planting or anything. There are guys on here that grow a lot more or may even have bigger gardens. If ours would be considered big it is just because it is spread out over such a large area.

 

[SI2305]

For the amount of acreage you are talking about, I think you would be better off with one of the new "1" series. Personally I would go with the 26r. The subcompact will probably be more stable as it is the closest to the ground, though due to its smaller tires, the bumps will feel harder. Still, the 1 series should bush hog your rough grass just fine and it will mow your lawn nicely also. I personally rough cut 6-7 acres with my 2305. Now as I only do this once or twice a year, it does not really bother me to spend an afternoon out on my tractor (who would!), I mow my lawn with a land pride RFM and it does a FAR better job than any garden tractor. It mows both faster--diesel engine--and better--60" cut.

The 1 series might seem like a small tractor, but I would be hesitant to use any type of larger tractor on a steep hill if I had a better (shorter) option. Another thought to consider is the cost of ownership down the road. I love getting new implements, and many manufacturers are making equipment lines aimed at the sub compact market as this has been the single greatest area of tractor growth of ALL types according to my cousin, a CASE IH dealer. I would have bought through him, but he lives 1000 miles away). His Business right now makes the most profit in the HUGE Quad Trac machines--in fact, he told me that that is all he sells now as far as field equipment goes. At the other extreme, he told me the the small farm/hobby far is the biggest growth area, and sub compacts are apparently leading the way.

At any rate, my point is that down the road you will find a need for a new implement, and you will also find that they are NOT cheap. Nonetheless, the smaller they are, generally the cheaper they are. I am convinced that a dealer makes most of its money not through the sale of the tractor, but the sale of implements and while at one time finding a sub compact implement was tricky, now they are nearly universally available.

About HP, these little tractors really perform beyond what the HP specs indicate--probably because of their small wheels. In particular, I own a generic 24" middle buster. The exact same model (except green, not yellow) in JD literature states that it requires a minimum of 25 HP. Further, it states that this should be the PTO HP. My 2305 runs 24/18 HP, but has NO problem whatsoever operating this handy little device. It does require some adjustment with the top link to dial in the proper angle, but once it does, it sinks right in to our hard-as-brick clay and actually drastically improves traction. Don't think that just because you may be buying a small tractor that you will come up short on capability.

So all in all, my point is not to count out the sub compacts. Whenever I DREAM of owning another tractor, it is always a bigger one. But when I use one, I realize that I have one that NEVER runs out of power, is VERY maneuverable, stable, and being relatively short, it is going to do well on hills as well--I know, I have some rather steep sections myself. I can't imagine giving up my 2305 for any other tractor.

My 2 cents, I hope it helps you,

SI 2305

JD2305, LX4, CX200, 5' grader blade, Middle Buster, 60" Land Pride RFM, working on building a 6' landscape rake--get back about that one

 

[nrbocke]

For the amount of acreage you are talking about, I think you would be better off with one of the new "1" series. Personally I would go with the 26r. The subcompact will probably be more stable as it is the closest to the ground, though due to its smaller tires, the bumps will feel harder. Still, the 1 series should bush hog your rough grass just fine and it will mow your lawn nicely also. I personally rough cut 6-7 acres with my 2305. Now as I only do this once or twice a year, it does not really bother me to spend an afternoon out on my tractor (who would!), I mow my lawn with a land pride RFM and it does a FAR better job than any garden tractor. It mows both faster--diesel engine--and better--60" cut.

The 1 series might seem like a small tractor, but I would be hesitant to use any type of larger tractor on a steep hill if I had a better (shorter) option. Another thought to consider is the cost of ownership down the road. I love getting new implements, and many manufacturers are making equipment lines aimed at the sub compact market as this has been the single greatest area of tractor growth of ALL types according to my cousin, a CASE IH dealer. I would have bought through him, but he lives 1000 miles away). His Business right now makes the most profit in the HUGE Quad Trac machines--in fact, he told me that that is all he sells now as far as field equipment goes. At the other extreme, he told me the the small farm/hobby far is the biggest growth area, and sub compacts are apparently leading the way.

At any rate, my point is that down the road you will find a need for a new implement, and you will also find that they are NOT cheap. Nonetheless, the smaller they are, generally the cheaper they are. I am convinced that a dealer makes most of its money not through the sale of the tractor, but the sale of implements and while at one time finding a sub compact implement was tricky, now they are nearly universally available.

About HP, these little tractors really perform beyond what the HP specs indicate--probably because of their small wheels. In particular, I own a generic 24" middle buster. The exact same model (except green, not yellow) in JD literature states that it requires a minimum of 25 HP. Further, it states that this should be the PTO HP. My 2305 runs 24/18 HP, but has NO problem whatsoever operating this handy little device. It does require some adjustment with the top link to dial in the proper angle, but once it does, it sinks right in to our hard-as-brick clay and actually drastically improves traction. Don't think that just because you may be buying a small tractor that you will come up short on capability.

So all in all, my point is not to count out the sub compacts. Whenever I DREAM of owning another tractor, it is always a bigger one. But when I use one, I realize that I have one that NEVER runs out of power, is VERY maneuverable, stable, and being relatively short, it is going to do well on hills as well--I know, I have some rather steep sections myself. I can't imagine giving up my 2305 for any other tractor.

My 2 cents, I hope it helps you,

SI 2305

JD2305, LX4, CX200, 5' grader blade, Middle Buster, 60" Land Pride RFM, working on building a 6' landscape rake--get back about that one

I actually had my mind made up (well as much as you can without trying anything and just doing internet research) to get the 2305 until I was pointed into the direction of the 3000 series. I was a little unsure, do you use the 2305 with the Land Pride to mow your finished lawn? Did you get turf tires? One thing that easily swayed me into considering the X748 is it would be the best for my primary need mowing. I wouldn't have to worry about buying a smaller rider for the yard or if it came with turf tires for the tractor. Do you think a 1000 series or a 2305 with a deck mower would be a good solution for the finished yard and the outer areas? Some people before thought I would be happier with a deck mower. Or maybe just start with the deck mower and buy a pull behind if needed latter on.

 

[jenkinsph]

I actually had my mind made up (well as much as you can without trying anything and just doing internet research) to get the 2305 until I was pointed into the direction of the 3000 series. I was a little unsure, do you use the 2305 with the Land Pride to mow your finished lawn? Did you get turf tires? One thing that easily swayed me into considering the X748 is it would be the best for my primary need mowing. I wouldn't have to worry about buying a smaller rider for the yard or if it came with turf tires for the tractor. Do you think a 1000 series or a 2305 with a deck mower would be a good solution for the finished yard and the outer areas? Some people before thought I would be happier with a deck mower. Or maybe just start with the deck mower and buy a pull behind if needed latter on.

Looking at the pictures of your land it would appear that mowing would be about 90% of what you would need. A 60" 7 iron deck would do all that you needed to do. No need for a rear mower or brush cutter on your property or the cost of buying any of these. I would consider tools that would aid you in smoothing out the land so that you could mow at a faster ground speed, that would mean you could mow the entire place in about 3 hours time.

I should point out that the x748, 1000 series and the older 2305 all have similar capabilities, same size engine and tires. I would still prefer the x748 for your property since I would buy for the 90% of the job at hand. If you want a tractor to use look at a 2520 and up. Tilling up the pumkin/watermellon patch or a garden for a family of six would be an easy job for any of the equipment mentioned.

 

[SI2305]

I actually had my mind made up (well as much as you can without trying anything and just doing internet research) to get the 2305 until I was pointed into the direction of the 3000 series. I was a little unsure, do you use the 2305 with the Land Pride to mow your finished lawn? Did you get turf tires? One thing that easily swayed me into considering the X748 is it would be the best for my primary need mowing. I wouldn't have to worry about buying a smaller rider for the yard or if it came with turf tires for the tractor. Do you think a 1000 series or a 2305 with a deck mower would be a good solution for the finished yard and the outer areas? Some people before thought I would be happier with a deck mower. Or maybe just start with the deck mower and buy a pull behind if needed latter on.




When I mow my lawn, I use the RFM and it has a far better cut than any previous dedicated riding mower I have owned. Part of this is the fact that the cuttings are dispersed over the entire rear area and do not load down the engine. The other reason is that the tractor is simply far overpowered for mere mowing. As far as the tires, I only use the R4's and they do not damage the yard. Bear in mind, it might be different if I mowed just after a drenching storm or days of rain, but then, as is so often the case, it is not the thing you use, it is how you use the thing.

The RFM does allow me to get under objects previously off limits, but it also requires a sense of just exactly where the mower is at at it will turn opposite you. Also, when changing directions, the wheels tend to move on their own initiative for the first 6 inches or so. I overcome this by raising the deck a couple inches before changing direction, then lowering while in motion and the wheels line up perfectly.

Overall, I LOVE the RFM--faster, larger, better. It can bush hog too, a little .

Good Luck

SI2305

 

[SI2305]

The quote box did not work as expected in my previous post, sorry for any confusion. For the record, my new post was at the lower half of the screen. Having read the other posts, I do agree that you may be interested in dirt-working attachments and have to balance these against other purchases. I agree that the 7iron MMM is likely a good compliment for any tractor on which you decide. I would add that the RFM leaves a very nice cut and I love being able to back under trees and such where I could not with a MMM. Your pictures show no trees or structures--is this going to change or are there any not visible on the images? If not, then there will be little difference between a MMM and an RFM. The RFM might be better as it will mow taller grass better since it has the entire 5' width to exhaust the clippings and not a small port on one side of the deck. I have found that on occasion, when I just don't feel like changing implements, the RFM makes an acceptable rough cutter.

On my lawn, of which I am extremely proud and very picky, the R4 tires are of no trouble. I will occasionally turn off the 4WD, but this would be true with turfs as well. The R4's provide outstanding traction when you need to move earth or snow. Personally, I would never have a tractor without R4's or Ag's unless I was doing highly specialized work. My R4 never tear up the ground, but part of that is how you use our tractor. Abuse it, and the turfs will tear up the ground as well.

All said and done, I replaced my JD120 garden tractor with the Land Pride RFM. My only quibble wit the RFM is that the pins holding the wheel rod (not certain of the exact term--the vertical post that holds the wheels in place but lets them spin) occasionally pops off when I mow under some types of woody brush/bushes. My solution was to affix a 1' piece of PVC pipe to the rear posts so that no stick or branch could get at the pin. The dealer suggested getting a small bolt and attaching it with a nylox nut to keep it in place. Since I change settings, I have yet to find my permanent solution.

My last piece of info on this bloated response is that the RFM can be set quite high--over 6" if I remember correctly. This setting allows for a huge volume of air and clippings to pour out and it makes a GREAT tool for mowing paths into my tall grass. In this fashion, it is sort of finish mower/brush cutter hybrid--yet it can still mow finished grass beautifully.

I hope this can help you,

SI2305

 

[vMike]

If you are mainly mowing, the 3320 will not make a good mower IMHO. I have the 3320 and love it but not for mowing. The dealer even advised against getting a mower deck and now that I have the tractor I can see why. Brush hog yes but mower no, unless you want to rough mow a large flat field. I live on a hill which has a medium slope and I only traverse up and down it, never across.

Hope that helps.
Mike

 

[SI2305]

One more one more last piece of info

When I bought my RFM, I had 2 "tractors." I had an older JD L-120 for mowing and towing a garden cart. It worked well at this for 7 years. In 2004 I bought my 2305--excuse to wife was needed it to clear 500 feet of driveway (hence the grader blade) but also to cut tall grass--LX-4.

In 2007, the L-120 tranny failed. We had a number of options

1) A true front deck mower--WAAAAAY too expensive!! scary!!

2) The current JD version of the L-120--approx $2800 if memory serves

3) MMM for the 2305--very close to L-120 replacement

4) Frontier RFM--$2500

5) Bush Hog (at JD dealer)--$2300

6) Land Pride RFM at Kubota (reluctant to go that route--just accustomed to JD)
$1700!!

Once I saw the Land Pride price, it suddenly became a no-brainer

I don't know what your prices look like, nor your budget, but this was the deal maker for me

one other thing--maybe trivial, maybe not. All the other RFM's had chains to protect from flying debris. The Land Pride has a sort of deflecting rear taper. At first I thought this inferior to actual guard chains, but now I realize that it is set low enough to deflect downward any debris kicked up from the blades while leaving the clippings to spread evenly. Apparently chains leave clumps of grass. Mine distributes clippings nicely, can't speak for chains.

Once again, the long-winded SI 2305

 

[nrbocke]

The quote box did not work as expected in my previous post, sorry for any confusion. For the record, my new post was at the lower half of the screen. Having read the other posts, I do agree that you may be interested in dirt-working attachments and have to balance these against other purchases. I agree that the 7iron MMM is likely a good compliment for any tractor on which you decide. I would add that the RFM leaves a very nice cut and I love being able to back under trees and such where I could not with a MMM. Your pictures show no trees or structures--is this going to change or are there any not visible on the images? If not, then there will be little difference between a MMM and an RFM. The RFM might be better as it will mow taller grass better since it has the entire 5' width to exhaust the clippings and not a small port on one side of the deck. I have found that on occasion, when I just don't feel like changing implements, the RFM makes an acceptable rough cutter.

On my lawn, of which I am extremely proud and very picky, the R4 tires are of no trouble. I will occasionally turn off the 4WD, but this would be true with turfs as well. The R4's provide outstanding traction when you need to move earth or snow. Personally, I would never have a tractor without R4's or Ag's unless I was doing highly specialized work. My R4 never tear up the ground, but part of that is how you use our tractor. Abuse it, and the turfs will tear up the ground as well.

All said and done, I replaced my JD120 garden tractor with the Land Pride RFM. My only quibble wit the RFM is that the pins holding the wheel rod (not certain of the exact term--the vertical post that holds the wheels in place but lets them spin) occasionally pops off when I mow under some types of woody brush/bushes. My solution was to affix a 1' piece of PVC pipe to the rear posts so that no stick or branch could get at the pin. The dealer suggested getting a small bolt and attaching it with a nylox nut to keep it in place. Since I change settings, I have yet to find my permanent solution.

My last piece of info on this bloated response is that the RFM can be set quite high--over 6" if I remember correctly. This setting allows for a huge volume of air and clippings to pour out and it makes a GREAT tool for mowing paths into my tall grass. In this fashion, it is sort of finish mower/brush cutter hybrid--yet it can still mow finished grass beautifully.

I hope this can help you,

SI2305

One small cottonwood on the whole 5 acres...Meet with the NRCS/NRD Monday about planting shelter belts.