loader?

[L_Nicholson]

Hey Guys,

I know the whole JD 300x vs the 300cx loader subject has been beat around a lot but I was wondering for those of us who are stuck with the 300x out of ignorance... will the 300x handle a 1500 lbs round bale? Or how about the 1000 lbs bale?

Also will the frontier bale spear for the 300cx fit the 300x since Deere doesn't "recommend" it for the 300x?

For the most part I will be using the 3 pt to move the bales around but will need to take the bales off of a trailer on occasion.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Lee

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

I also have a 300x I believe the x lift just over 1360 is memory serves. The cx is around 1500. This is to a certain height, that doesn't mean the x won't lift more than 1360 to a lesser height. If I had the choice I'd have went to the cx but since I didn't the x doesn't disappoint. It lifts more than the competions loaders and is a pleasure to operate. I don't think you'll have any trouble with 1k round bales.

Matt T.

 

[L_Nicholson]

Thanks Matt!

I haven't been disappointed in my set up either. I just don't want to spend 500 on a hay fork and regret it!

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Here is a link to 300CX FEL Specs on 3x20 series

John Deere - Helpful links

and here is one for 300X FEL Specs on 3x20 series

John Deere - Helpful links

 

[wolc123]

The 140 lb capacity difference is certainly not significant, but the self leveling feature of the CX would make it a little safer for handling bales.

 

[kennyd]

Here is a link to 300CX FEL Specs on 3x20 series

John Deere - Helpful links

and here is one for 300X FEL Specs on 3x20 series

John Deere - Helpful links

Neither link works

 

[kennyd]

The 140 lb capacity difference is certainly not significant, but the self leveling feature of the CX would make it a little safer for handling bales.

The self leveling feature is only available on the 400 series loaders, not the 300 series.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Lee, I know horst makes a bale spear for the x loaders. My dealer doesn't care for the frontier stuff. They sell woods and horst, the horst forks I have are better quality than the frontiers and they cost less. I'm sure there's alot of folks out there that makr the spears also for the jd loaders. I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you can find a dealer close that sells a spear for your loader see if they'll let you demo it on the bales you had in mind. Or maybe there's a TBN member in your area with one you could try. Good luck!

Matt T.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Neither link works

I see that. I'm not sure why the links changed from actual to whatever they are now. Go to deere.com - site search function and search on "300cx Loader specifications" and same for 300x and then click "view Specifications"


http colon //www dot deere dot com/specsapp/CustomerSpecificationServlet

 

[L_Nicholson]

Thanks guys for the help! I'm going to look around and see if there is anyone else who carries a hay fork for my loader. More than likely I'll end up buying from the JD dealer here in town unless I find something else.

Yesterday I had to move a 5' bale around (I知 guessing close to 1500 lbs) on the 3 pt and decided to put a cinch strap on another one and attach it to the FEL. It might not have been the safest things in the world to do but I wanted to see how well it would lift it to a 6' height. It handled things just fine. It was pushing the tractor and loader but like I've said before this isn't something that I will be doing all the time with it.

Thanks again all!
Lee

 

[ddivinia]

I bought an aftermarket hay spike for my FEL and ended up taking it back. The john deere quality is hard to beat.

Tractor supply sells a clamp or bolt on model that you could put on your current bucket.

Be careful if the bales are up very high - it can get squirrelly in a hurry.

D.

 

[BloomingtonMike]

So I also own the 300X. I use a JD 72" hydraulic angled snow plow and have even added the CX hard lines to the setup (tricky line routing as the existing lines are different but it did work). I use a set of big JD pallet forks originally bought for a 5103. All of which work great. I use rear ballast with the weight full of concrete cylinders. They all work really well. I was also not given the option of the CX with my tractor package (bought a 36 hr used 3320 from a dealer) but it has not slowed me down one bit. I can completelly heapingly fill the bucket with gravel and lift it into a pickup truck with no problem. Works great for me.


I still do not think I know how to use the float mode on it though. I have tried and tried and I am missing something. I am inept in getting that to work.

I can however lift and curl (both ways) and lower and curl (both ways) - both functions at the same time. There was some question about the 300 series not being able to do that a long time ago. I have never had that issue.

 

[Nuru]

Floater mode, that is probably what I keep forgetting to do when I run my boom blade! Probably would help with the scouring I was doing before I got the rubbery blade,

 

[ddivinia]

I still do not think I know how to use the float mode on it though. I have tried and tried and I am missing something. I am inept in getting that to work.
e.

Try figuring it out when the machine is NOT running. You can feel the stick go into float mode. When it is running, it can intimidating if you dont get it into float mode quick enough.

Once you can feel the joystick going into float. Fire your tractor up and bring the loader up mid way and try putting it into float mode.

Heck, I didn't know what float mode was until I got on here. Also, new machines - it can be harder to get them into float mode with a stiff valve. Float mode is very handy - you will find has a lot of uses.

D.