New guy questions about a 145

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Hi everyone,

I'm glad I found this very good forum!

I just bought a JD 145 to mow and maintain my two acres. Here are two very basic questions:

1) when using the tractor to haul things (firewood, leaves, etc.) with a small cart, is it better to leave the engine idling when loading and unloading, say, for about 3 to 5 minutes, or is it better to shut off the engine and restart?

and

2) I know there are far more suitable JDs for skidding, but I have several downed trees, mostly small to medium sized ash, that I would like to skid a short distance. It might be hard to give advice without more detail, but can anyone give some general advice about the skidding/towing limits of a 145? Should I just hook up a chain and have a go at it and try to judge whether it is working too hard?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer. I want to take good care of the 145 until I can get one of those beautiful utility models!

Ray

 

[beenthere]

Welcome to the TBN forum.
About idling, I don't think it will make an ounce of difference one way or the other. Your call. I shut it off because I like to hear the birds sing while I work. Or I leave it run if I am doing a short task and don't mind putting the parking brake on each time to be able to get off the seat. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

About logging - - if it will pull the logs, go ahead, IMO. The worst that will happen is you will spin the tires. The tractor is in no way designed to pull logs, as the tires are too small in diameter to do much.
If you want to build a sulky to lift one end of a log, and/or carry the log, then the little 145 will probably be able to move it.

For more serious logging, get into the CUT size like a JD 3520 with a FEL. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Your post really belongs in the Lawn and Garden forum, as this one is for the CUT size tractors, I believe. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

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Thanks, beenthere, and I agree about listening to the birds! I keep promising my wife that I will move my bird feeders further away from the patio....I really have to do that someday.

The idling question is based on the bit in the manual that says excessive idling can cause "engine overheating, carbon build-up, and poor performance." I guess I wonder just what consitutes "excessive" idling. It makes sense that it would not mean brief periods of idling while working.

Yes, a 3520 with FEL would be just the thing! Thanks also for the pointer about the proper forum for this post. Sorry all - can a moderator move it...? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Ray