Price Check JD 425 Price Check

[Sel]

Got my eye on two JD 425's, but what should I expect to pay? One with 322 hours and 54" deck, the other ???.

I plan on using this unit for dragging a spring tooth in a horse pasture, probably scraping the manure off a small winter pen, cutting up to 2 acres regularly and if possible, maybe some light end loader work for my manure pile (once a year maybe). Oh and plow snow. I assume this unit should be able to tackle all of these tasks with ease?

A subcompact is outta the question, and I'd like to stick around this mid 3 range I'm finding on used units.

Thanks.

 

[JDFANATIC]

Sel,

The 425's are good units. Some of the early ones had problems with plastic cams, usually around the 6-700 hour mark (the replacement is metal). They are very maneuverable tractors, the hydraulics are a bit slow (a loader would be a bit of a stretch, and also, very expensive -- not to mention needing every bit of weight you can get on the tractor). Maintenance and history are going to be everything. I used mine for ~ 10 years and 700+ trouble free hours.

 

[Sel]

I'd be looking to use the loader or blade for scraping manure, not so much for lifting and carrying other than moving a little manure now and then, or pushing snow/dirt with a blade.

It comes down to whether or not I'm better off purchasing a 4 wheeler and some attachments for heavier work and a lawn tractor or 0 turn, or get a garden tractor and kill two birds with one stone. I'm under the impression that the 425 could handle my 2 acre lawn and are small pasture work fine.

Yes a sub compact would be nice, but so would an extra 10G's in my pocket, neither are gonna happen any time soon.

 

[JDFANATIC]

Then with the plow (would handle the snow too) you would have a nice little package. I'd say, you could get a good deal in this price range. Just pay attention to service and usage history. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[jeffinsgf]

The loader is the model 40, and it has a reputation as a bit of a lightweight and is pretty expensive, even used. I think the rated lift is around 300 pounds.

You might want to do some research at Weekend Freedom Machines . There are some great pages on the older JD's (before the 4x5 series) and a forum that includes a section for us late model (4x5 and newer) owners. There's a thread in the late model forums not too far back where one of the guys put bigger cylinders on his 40 and more than double its lift -- but at the expense of speed.

You might want to watch for a 455 instead of the 425. The extra torque from that little Yanmar diesel is awesome. You'll pay a little more, but still not what a SCUT would cost. With the work you have outlined, I would want the diesel. An older 430 might be worth a look, too, but the 4x5 series added power steering and foot controls for the hydro drive.