some thoughts on sub-compacts
While I can not speak for all sub compacts, I can speak for the JD 2305, and I think its atributes are similar to other SCUTs.
The 2305 is VERY powerful for its size and weight. Realistically, I do not think that one can fully use all of the power and torque available as its weight, ground clearance, and possibly hydraulic capability will give out before the engine does. From the annecdotal evidence I have heard on this site, the 2305 probably has a better power to weight ratio than nearly any other sized tractor available (I can't prove this, it is just my judgement). Also, being a small tractor (the size of a large garden tractor), it is very maneuverable--more maneuverable than a garden tractor in fact due to the power steering. Being a small diesel, it is far more powerful than a similarly sized gas tractor and just sips the fuel. I carefully measured mine and I use about 2/3 ga./hr on a typical tank. My L-120 (gas) garden tractor is FAR less powerful and uses about 1 ga./hr. I don't think you will find another utility vehicle that uses fuel so efficiently as the 2305.
The loader on the 2305 will lift anything you put into its bucket. I have filled it to overflowing with heavy clay soil, crushed 3/4 inch driveway rock, Lime dust (VERY heavy stuff), logs and even other power equipment. Granted, I am using the smallest bucket--49 inches and I sometimes wished I had a larger one. Nonetheless, the loader never once even strained under any weight I put to it. However, one MUST properly balance whatever load is placed in the bucket. For me, this typically means using my LX4 as a counter weight. Perhaps if I was working as a lead-shot factory, I might be able to exceed the lifting capacity of the loader, but anything else is fine. Note, though, that although it will lift most anything, the hydraulics are a bit slow compared to other tractors. For me, this means I must wait for 4 seconds to raise the loader instead of 2 seconds--trivial. However, there are some who whish for faster hydraulics. Personally, I am satisfied.
I have to disagree with Roy. I bought the 2305 primarily to cut tall grass with an LX-4 rough cutter. The 2305/LX4 easily tame my roughly 6 acres of tall grass though it takes a couple of ours to do--all good time. Further, I have used the LX4 to cut down heavy, woody weeds, vines, and small trees. One of its best uses is to slowly mow in reverse into a densely wooded thicket and clear it out. The 2305 & LX4 do this like they were made for the task. Actually, the hardest task for the LX4 is cutting tall green grass. This tends to bend and stick a bit where woody material simply breaks off. My LX4 has been instumental in making trails through my woods and scrubby areas on my property--it absolutely chops to shreads any plant material it can ride over.
Other tasks I use it for are clearing snow with my 5' grader blade and FEL--it makes quick work of 10 inch snow along our 500' driveway and the additional 1000' from our driveway to the main road (the county sometimes misses the road that runs right past our house and since my wife needs to get out to see patients even in bad weather, I end up plowing what the county should.)
I also own a subsoiler that I use to dig up new garden beds. I am not a big fan of tillers as I find them expensive and only till up the top 6 inches or so. The sub soiler (potato plow) will dig down nearly 18 inches and really loosen deep soil for garden beds. The soil I am talking about is not nice, black midwestern loam, but rather terribly heavy, dense, hard clay. The 2305/subsoiler did this just fine and really broke up the clay and hardpan.
On the down side there are two bigshortcommings of SUBCUTs. Firstly, being a SCUT, they have a lower ground clearance and are just more likely to hit things underneath. By far the greatest weakness, its achillies heal for certain, is the infamous tranny fan. Mine took a stick right up the middle the first time I went out bush-hogging. While I did not loose a blade, each blade did have a noticeable nick. Now, when I mow, I protect myself by placing the FEL in a position to push forward any weeds/debris that might otherwise point back and up at my tranny fan. Since I have done this, I have had no further problems with debris underneath, though I am thinking about purchasing/fabricating some type of shield for future protection--something to consider.
The second major shortcomming is again due to the 2305's (and other SCUT's) limited stature. The 3pt hitch does not always lift implements far off the ground. You may have to experiment with setting, but this can be somewhat alleviated. Last summer I got a Pat's Easy Change, and one unexpected benifit was that it pushed the contact points of the lower arms out about 2 inches. While that may not sound like much, those two inches drastically push up other implements so that they do not drag or hang low. This is a simple modification to ease what had been one of the 2305's weakest points.
Finally, the 2305 does not have a position selector for the 3pt hitch. Larger models allow one to select how far down the 3 pt arms will drop which is useful for brush cutting. On the 2305, you have to reset the height manually every time you lift the rear implement. trying to get the implement back to the same position can be tricky. While it would be nice to have a rear position selector, I find that when I am bush-hogging, I am constantly changing the height of the LX4 to adjust it for the terrain. I don't think I could just get away with setting it and leaving it.
I know that there has been a lot of discussion on this topic, but I hope this helps.
SI2305
