JD for 10 acreas on a $7500 budget (to start)

[LBrown59]

But does "nice" = "required"?
*Everyone got by without hydro for years. How big a deal is it? I know I won't really get it until I actually use the thing for these tasks, but again, I don't want to buy something then realize I need something else.
*We got along with out cars planes the telephone and many other things;but I have no intrest in gonmg back to that.
Which is why I'm coming down on the cautious side and sticking with the hydrostatic, but I'm happy to be convinced I don't really need it.
**It would save me some money and/or open the door to a bigger machine. (Wife will probably never drive it anyway.)

*We got along with out cars planes the telephone and many other things;but I have no intrest in gonmg back to that.
**If a smaller no hydro is less pleasureable to drive then a bigger clumsy awkward tractor with no hydro is even worse.

1*R4 tires are best for your needs. Ive used my dads 3720 with R4s on grass and they work great.
2*Just stay in 2wd when on the lawn or it will do some tearing.
3*The nice thing about the rear finish mower is it is easier to remove leaving lots of clearance under the tractor.
4*The nice thing about the MMM is that you can have another implement on the back and a loader/sweeper on the front..

1*R1*won't bother the lawn but you will loose tracton with the r4s.
2*This is not good advice because you only have brakes on 2 wheels which could loose control on hills.
3*The bad thing about them is they create more implement switching.
4*and it reduces attachment switching on my BXs

The 2210 comes standard with 4x4. TractorData.com John Deere 2210 tractor information

I just purchased a 2003 John Deere 2210 with a 210 front end loader for $8,599 from a local dealer here in Wisconsin, delivery included. There are a few minor scratches but no dents or dings. It has 412 hours on it.

I purchased this tractor for use on my 5 wooded acres along with approx. 1 1/2 acre lawn and a 1/2 acre trout pond. I wanted to purchase the right size tractor to do landscape work around my home. Eventually get a mower deck to cut the lawn. Haul fire wood. Rock the shoreline of my pond and plow or snow blow my 400 ft. driveway.

Originally I was looking to buy a 790 because of the size difference between the 790 and the 2305 (2210). My gut feeling was also telling me that the 2305 (2210) was just too small..... my gut feeling was wrong.

The size of my 2210 is more than adequate to do all the tasks I have put in front of it thus far. It has plenty of power to load the FEL with sand and topsoil from a large pile. The hydraulic lift seems to be strong and quite fast. The hydrostatic transmission is a real work saver and more of a "must" rather then a "want" in my opinion. The R4 tires are easy on my lawn yet provide great traction when pushing the bucket to load it.

Hope this helps with your decision.

Dr0wssap

 

[indytim]

JiminGa - thanks for bringing JD's financing to my attention. Those are good terms, but I want to do this as cash only. Got enough debt what with buying the house and everything.

 

[indytim]

I'm kind of leaning towards an 855 -- every time I search what's out there, in terms of price/size/power/implements and hours, I keep coming back to the 855.

What concerns me the most is reliability. I know the 855 is well thought of, but it's still 10 years older than a 2210, roughly.

Assuming I find one with low hours and well-maintained, what types of things can go wrong? (typically)

To ask it another way, if I'm buying an 855, what should I look out for?

And I see one listed with 7977 hours (!). In comparison to that, one with 1000 hours that hasn't been abused would seem new.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Given your budget, I'd suggest a 855/955 as well....They're all over...very popular machines and like you mentioned, they ARE built like tanks....
I personally think you can tell alot about a machine by its looks and its been taken care of....if it looks like a cream puff, chances are it is...if it looks like its been rode hard and put away wet...well, it probably was... Alot depends on where it comes from too...
I bought my F935 off a golf course...mechanically it was in tip top shape (Dealer serviced, etc) but appearance wise, it was TRASHED....it had been run by employees, etc... but like I said, its been a great machine to me (its got 3300 hours on it and runs like a top)

From what I've heard, its achillies heel was if you mounted a FEL....alot of machines were overloaded and end up with front axle problem....I think if you get one without a FEL you'd be pretty much set... (If you WANT a FEL for it, you can get the mounts to hook up the 300 loader)

 

[indytim]

Has anyone used a post hole digger behind an 855?

I know that on the smaller CUTs there have been problems lifting a phd high enough.

 

[RGQ]

For what it's worth, (I own a 770 With 70 FEL and 7 backhoe):

- If you opt for a hydro you only have a hand operated throttle. When doing loader work a foot operated throttle is nice as you can control the engine rpm when approching the pile of dirt/material, back off the throttle when you have a load and then throttle up when moving with the loaded bucket. Personally I hate listening to an engine at Wide open throttle and the whine from a hydro.

If you buy a hydro that's what you'll be doing because you can't operate the throttle when your hand is on the SCV operating the loader. As for shifting gears, I am as productive as anyone on a hydro and unless you are making a living on this tractor it won't matter.

- 770/790 is a bullet proof tractor. They do not have problems.

- Very resonably priced, economical, simple, powerful, can't be beat.

that's my 2 cents.

 

[Zephrant]

I've got to put in my two bits for the 2210 too. I bought mine used for $8500 plus tax, and it included the FEL but no MMM.
I've got 10 acres of hills, some of them steep. The low CG of the 2210 (which comes from the small tires) is what sold me on that exact model. I REALLY don't want to roll my tractor...

I'd never give up my hydro trans. I've driven a gear mower for 30+ years, and for mowing it is fine, but I greatly prefer the hydro for doing loader work or even blade work. I've been pulling a 6' blade in dirt with my tractor lately and the hydro allows me to slow way down, bump up the blade a little, and in general pick any speed I want. I also stop, lift and back-up, then drop and go forward quite often. One hand on the wheel, one on the rock-shaft lever, and I'm good for all day. The only time I change hands is when I need a drink from the cup holder.

I plan to get a flail mower later this year for mowing brush, and maybe a snow blower for next winter. Plowing is fine, but I bought the tractor because I ran out of space to plow snow last winter, so I want to blow now.

On my hills, I run in MFWD most all the time. I take it out when I'm running up or down the road, but all winter and so far, all spring, I've really needed MFWD. Once in a while I accidentally hit the lever with my foot and take it out, and I can tell within seconds- I start slipping fast.

 

[indytim]

Well, I've looked and looked and just can't seem to stay in the sub-$9000 range if I want:

- something with at least a loader and a mower
- something larger than a 2110 or 2305
- something with less than 2000 hours
- something newer than 1998

Just closed on the 10-acres and house last Friday, moving in this Friday. And guess what? The old Craftsman 32-inch walk behind that I thought would at least handle the lawn for the next several weeks gave up the ghost today.

So I'm thinking I may have to borrow a couple thousand and go with a 4200. Would rather get a 4300 but they're basically about $2000 more, on the average, with similar equipment.

Any reason I can't do the following with a 4200?

- run a 72" belly mower (I could settle for a 60" if necessary)
- pull a box scraper to smooth out (build) a 70x200 ft dressage arena
- dig about 500 fencepost holes

 

[jenkinsph]

I think your biggest limitation you are imposing is the 1998 or newer. Some of the older tractors were built very well and should get some consideration. There are lots of good older tractors to be had, unlike automobiles and pickups the condition is more important than the model year. Twenty years old can still be young for a tractor.


Steve

 

[farmboy12]

I think your biggest limitation you are imposing is the 1998 or newer. Some of the older tractors were built very well and should get some consideration. There are lots of good older tractors to be had, unlike automobiles and pickups the condition is more important than the model year. Twenty years old can still be young for a tractor.


Steve

Ditto.

You can still see some old Deeres, Masseys, Farmalls, and ACs breaking ground out there today. You could very easily get older than a '98 and be plenty happy. You could go for a '80s-'90s 770-870 and be fine. Take that into consideration as that will keep you in your price range most likely.


Kyle