Interested in 2305 or 2520

[aesanders]

My 2 cents...

2305: Will do everything you want. It will be the best mower of the bunch. It is not quite as capable as the other two in the more traditional tractor categories such as pulling power and lifting power. But you only have 2 acres to maintain. The 2305 will last just as long as the 2520 maintaining your property. Your two main tasks are mowing in the summer and blowing snow in the winter. The 2305 will do these tasks as well or better than the other two machines you are considering.

2320: What do you get for approximately 2k more. This machine has many of the same features as the 2305 but on a taller and larger chasis. Same motor and hydraulic pump. The 2320 does add larger tires, 3 point position control, full category 3 point hitch, increased loader capability, a little faster hydraulics (although it uses the same pump). It also has the drive over deck available for it that can also be moved with an I match hitch which is a nice feature. The backhoe availble is also a little more capable.

2520: This is approximatly 2k more than the 2320 This machine is slighlty larger with larger tires than the 2320. It also has a larger motor and larger hydraulic pump. The loader will not lift more than the 2320 but will be faster. It also has more torque in low and more power in high range. With the added horse power you can move from a 60 inch belly mower to 72 inch or from a 48 rotary mower to 60 inch.

As far as stability on slopes I think they are all fairly close. The 2305 has a lower center of gravity, but the other two are a little wider and heavier.

Of the 3 I think you would be most happy with the 2305. If you want a tractor with a little more capability in the front end loader with some of the other features such as position control I could see stepping up to the 2320. There is no doubt in my mind that I could cut your whole yard with the 60 inch deck in under an hour even in low range on the 2320. If money is no object then go right ahead and get the 2520 if you want all the features. But seriously, I think the 2320 and 2520 are overkill for your needs. A good Garden tractor could really do all your chores well, and the 2305 with diesel engine would last you 30 years or more.

 

[Chris2520]

I have driven all three tractors in Dirt. before buying the 2520.
as everyone says , it depends on what you want to do. the 2305 i feel
would be best for just mowing if you have hills, its lower to the ground.
if you want to do real tractor work. the 2520 is more of a real tractor.
some say 2320 and 2520 will lift the same . even the JD site says that.
but its not true. the service guys at the dealer told me the 2520 will lift
more weight on the loader and the 3 point. because it has 2 pumps.
one is dedicated to steering and one is dedicated to nothing but the Hydrolics. and its bigger. 2305 and 2320 use a propiatary pump for everything that is smaller . thay said thay proven this fact. and 2520 is geared lower. and has more power , I dug
in the dirt with all three. there is a notestable difference. 2520 is geared more to be a commercial machine. where a 2305 and 2320 are more for lawn care. and home use. Not to say there not all very fine machines. one is not better than the other. it all depends on what you want to do with it.
I have 2 acers and i almost bought a 3320. i have alot of hill and a low fear factor. I feel i would turn it over at my place. i feel i made the right choice for my needs. i have a JD GX garden tractor for mowing. i never intended to mow with the 2520. anything bigger with all my trees , and i would have been able to do less with it. if you just want to mow and do lighter work. the 2305 will be the best for you. if you want to mow and
have more lift power and ground clearence , get a 2320. if you want full hydrolic power lift capacity more power and dig in the dirt. get the 2520.
you just got to decide what is right for your needs. All of them are very nice tractors. you will not be disapointed in any of them , unless you buy to small
and can't do tasks you want to do. or buy to big and find out you can not get to all the places and get to the work you need to do. I think someone said on the forum one time , bigger is not always better. Bigger than a 2305 was better for me. it may not be for what you want to do...

 

[gary_dsc]

I also have two acres, mostly flat, but with a steep hill toward the back of the property. I mow an additional 3.5 acres for my in-laws. I had a JD 445 for mowing and I had added a loader for snow removal and other tasks. In general, it worked really well for most everything I wanted to do, but it had a couple of issues that I just couldn't get past. The mower was a real pain to take off and put back on and if I didn't take it off, the 60" MMM would get hung up in the snow (no 4WD). Also, the loader, while useful, just couldn't lift some of the loads that I needed to move. Thus, the move to a different tractor. I looked at the JD 2000 series and was impressed with all three models, but basically, I liked the size of my old 445 because it could go anywhere I wanted and it seemed like the 2305 was like a heavy duty 445 which was just what I was looking for.

I am really enjoying the new 2305. It mows great. Seems to turn even tighter than my old 445. Maybe it's just the slightly larger mower, but it’s real easy to maneuver around trees. I’ve also been using it to lift and move chunks of concrete where I’m adding onto to my garage and had to do some demolition of an existing pad and sidewalk. It has lots more power than I’ve been used to having and once I filled the ballast box, can lift loads that I couldn’t begin to touch with the 445. And yet it still goes between the trees and on the hill, I feel just as safe as I did on the 445.

Bottom line, it just depends on what you want to use it for, but I don't think you'd be sorry with the 2305.

 

[orlo]

Hi:

The 2520 will lift the most. Not due to the higher flow (That'll make it move faster), but the higher PSI. The 2305 is rated for 712lbs at the pivot point, the 2320 899, and the 2520 902. That's to max height.

The 2305 only puts out 1987PSI, the 2320 2421, and the 2520 2418 according to JD. (I have no idea why the 2320 and 2520 are different). The flow on the 2320 is just a tad higher than the 2305 but on the 2520 it's about double. So the 2320 and 2520 should lift almost the same (Other differences can be the angle/position the loader is mounted, etc.)

Given the same hydraulic equipment (They all use the same loader) pressure determines how much it will lift, flow determines how fast.

Just the PSI difference between the 2305 vs the 2320 and 2520 would indicate the 2320 and 2520 would lift about 20% more than the 2305 due to the increased hydraulic pressure.

FYI: Other than the loader manual JD has a "Compact Tractor Implements and Accessories" catalog that lists all the specs for all the loader/tractor combinations. It's a great reference.

 

[JDCAN]

hmmmmm, so hard to pick one.

I realize both of these units the 2305 or 2520 are over kill for a guy in my position with 2 acres (and never driving or owning one). Like all the other shoppers on here, nobody wants to spend all the money and wish they got something else later on.

Either way I find both machines to be pretty expensive but for the difference of 5 grand I can have the 2520/ mower, FEL, backhoe and pallet fork or save 5 grand and get the same set up in a 2305.

I will need to do some pallet lifting a couple times a month; does the 2520 really lift more than a 2305?

Also how much better is the back hoe for the 2520 compared to the backhoe for the 2305? Aside from $1000 difference in price, what makes the 2520 backhoe better?

Would it be silly to add the turf tires on a 2520? Does anyone here happen to own a 2520 with turf tires? If so any photos
Lastly, down the road what do you members think would offer a better resale value?

 

[orlo]

Hi:

The 2520 will indeed lift more than the 2305. Your not going to lift too much if you put the forklift carrier on the front as I'm sure it weighs a lot.

I don't know about the backhoe and they are so new I'm not sure you'll get much feedback.

One more minor thing. If you are mowing a lot, the 2305 and 2320 have center mounted mower height adjustment knobs that you can adjust while sitting on the tractor (after lifting the deck).

I think the 2520 has a setup like the 3000 series which is simply a hand nut on the end of a lead screw without any calibrations whatsoever which requires shutting off the tractor, getting off, then adjusting counting the turns to know how much lower or higher your making the cut. Not the most convenient thing.

I have a 2305 and a 3320 and the height adjustment on the 2305 is much, much more convenient.

 

[jcmseven]

I would say go with the 2520. For not alot of additional money, one can get a capable machine that will really do a nice job. The biggest selling point to me on this machine is its longer frame. Even though that seems like a minute point, it really does enhance hillside stability and makes the tractor much more stable. Most of the cost difference between the 2320 and the 2520 is due to the direct injected diesel. It is more expensive and steps one into more a big tractor package. That said, each of these machines has more power than even a big tractor did years ago.

John M

 

[Chris2520]

Get the 2520..... I was just out just now digging in hard packed clay.
you ask about the backhoe. i never ran a 260 on a 2305. but i can tell you for sure i know the hydrolics are alot faster and stronger on the 2520. and the 46 hoe most likely
will have a higher dig force. the hydrolics on a 2520 move just like all other big tractors. very fast and strong. i am sure orlo is right about the mower deck as he has a 2305 and a 3320. but i dont mow with mine. I Dig....and push stuff. and mow over trees and brush. and anything else that jumps in front of me... yesterday i turned a 10 foot drop off into a ramp i could drive down in 10 min.... I also Got stuck all the way to the axels in a drainage ditch...I mean i was stuck.... Thank God for loaders and backhoes. i literaly used the hoe and loader to pull myself out....

I was just ribbing you about getting a 2520. its a nice powerful machine. and a 2305 is very nice and capable for its size. you need to get what best fits you. a 2520 of all the ones i drove. and i drove alot. it was the first in size to feel like a big tractor. I drove a 3320 and a 3520 there the same really . the 2520 feels about the same as those when you drive it. mine has a loader big bucket and toothbar and a hoe. as i said it weighs about 4000 pounds. to me it feels like it has some substance to it. I like that...

 

[gunmaker]

Yup...there it is...told you that you'd find more answers than you knew you had questions! Gotta love it!

 

[JDCAN]

Great information, it's hard becuase 1 side of me wants the 2305 and the other side wants the 2520

What are some of the prices or going rates you guys paid for the following:

2520

62inch mower

61inch FEL

backhoe.

Chris2520, what did the JD teeth cost? the current dealer I am in contact with said no teeth are avail. for the FEL bucket.

Also the dealer is telling me the ballast box is not needed on the 2520 and does not come with a front end loader, does this sound right?

In closing this might not be the best place to find this answer, but after reading Chris2520 saying it comes in at 4000 lbs, my property has a septic bed, the septic bed is rasied, has around 3 feet of soil etc. above it, will the 2520 in all it's thunder cause troubles driving over the raised bed area? Any feedback would be great.

Thanks again everyone for making this pick so hard jejej