Is the L4400 what I need?

[TxIra]

Was that a L4400 I heard in the distance?

txdon - Yep. They pulled in the day-before-yesterday at 4:10 pm. I only got in 2 hours that day. And about 6 yesterday. With the Houston evacuation traffic on US 290, I decided not to drive out and back today (Friday). Maybe Ike will fill the pond. If he doesn't slip too far east.

L4400 HST
LA703A Loader
L2235 (standard) bucket
WR Long Flat Tooth Bar (on order)
Mohawk Brave 6 (6') cutter
Mohawk BB06 (6') box blade
Insurance through Texas Farm Bureau.
AND:
Picket-4/Rmax sunshade (4-6 foot cedar pickets, a piece of foil backed polyiso and 2 U-bolts. Manufactured while waiting for delivery.) -- works just fine, but not hail or limb proof.

Korndodger
....am really strongly considering the M4800 due to higher weight and wider stance, I have very hilly and rugged terrain to mow and work on.

korndodger - Having worked with the HST, seems like it might be way better in rough spots. No clutch and break if you need to stop fast, just lift up your foot. I know what you mean about wide and heavy, but seems to me any tractor will be unstable on a slope. Especially a rough slope. Everybody tells me to back up a slope. Seems like the most danger is a back flip, or a slide/roll sideways. If you're going across a slope and bounce, you could go over.

Float Detent valve would be useful is for a top link to allow a mower to adjust to the terrain.

texbaylea - It's a good point, and the cutter sure does not float with my rough ground. After about 6 hours, I'm getting fairly good at lifting and lowering as I move.

I just purchased the l4400 HST similar to what you are describing....

dex3361 - That sounds like a really sweet setup. Good move on the remotes.

Get the remotes! I have a '05 L4400 DT (gear trans) w/ FEL and wish I had the remotes for the toplink.

Mikeeemo - I decided to hold off on remotes, for now. I'm absolutely convinced remotes would be great. (And draft control and top-n-tilt). Just didn't want to spend the money right now and want to see what I really end up spending most of my tractor time doing. To stay in my budget (well, actually to not to go too far over budget), I went with stuff I could not add later (more HP, lift, and HST) and just what I needed right this minute, rather than the L3400 with remotes, tools, attachments, etc.

 

[Oldchuck]

I went with a 4400 HST this year. Just got it back from its 50 hour servicing. Dealer convinced me to go with the 4400 rather than a Grand L as a better value for the money. So far my main complaint is that the fuel guage refuses to work.

My use is considerably different than yours so I can't comment on your needs. We have a good sized wood lot on hilly, hard ground so I've got a logging winch, BH, tooth bar, and so forth. The 4400 is a good compromise between power and maneuverability for my purposes. It does have it's limitations and I have hit the wall on various tasks.

 

[Gamer1524]

I have the 4400 and I love it..the only thing I would like it a bit more weight...it bounes a bit more than I would like

 

[korndodger]

ya done good, sounds like its just what you need. Ike plastered us pretty good here in houston, may have to borrow your rig to clean up my yard. Am still leaning to the M4800 like the weight, also HST is good but for some reason I can't get behind that concept. Its a personal problem....

 

[Gamer1524]

have you made up your mind?

 

[korndodger]

M4800 for me, still looking for best deal, equip.