Potential Deere Owner

[Captain Ned]

Currently running a Cub GT2544. Need more oomph to get to the icky spots and also want to blow snow and tend my gravel driveway. Rode an X728 around the dealer's lot today and it was quite impressive. Dealer did not have an X748 for comparison, but I'm leaning toward diesel for torque and longevity.

The make/break for me is side hill stability. On my Cub, I have to sit on the uphill fender to comfortably mow my side hill. The dealer dude wouldn't say anything (as my requirements likely exceed owners' manual warnings), so I'll ask the crowd.

Thanks in advance.

 

[beenthere]

My X485 and my 425 and 455 will hang on a hillside beyond what I am "comfortable" with, so to be more comfortable I ride the uphill side "for comfort", not stability. For sidehill work, I really find the AWS is much better than just front wheel steer.

 

[Captain Ned]

My sidehill needs are pretty straight shots and I've never felt that turning the Cub was going to pitch me over the side, so the complexity and maintenance of 4WS might override the perceived utility. Given the amount of cast iron at axle height and the wider track, I've got to believe that the Deere has a much lower CG than the Cub.

The last bit for me now is gas vs diesel. I'm leaning diesel (I've got a local place for off-road diesel which takes out a big price sting) yet am open to learned opinion.

 

[Travesh]

My X485 and my 425 and 455 will hang on a hillside beyond what I am "comfortable" with, so to be more comfortable I ride the uphill side "for comfort", not stability. For sidehill work, I really find the AWS is much better than just front wheel steer.

I have an X729 and beenthere's assessment seems spot on for that tractor as well. The seating position is probably higher up than the Cub, which could cause the operator to feel less stable even though stability is actually better. AWS makes turning from sidehill to up/downhill easier.

I also agonized over the gas/diesel issue. Ended up buying gas because the dealer didn't have any diesels in their network and I couldn't wait. There seem to be dozens of little debating points in the gas/diesel decision and in the end I'm not sure it matters much.

If you're already storing offroad diesel at your property then the choice seems easy. If you'd be buying diesel (offroad or not) for just this one machine the choice becomes less easy. If you really want to complicate things, do a web search for "2011 X700 Diesel Engine Change".

These tractors are the very top of Deere's lawn and garden line and I expect both engines are excellent.

 

[jim brady]

I just sold a a 2005 symplicity legacy, and ordered a new 540 john deere. Needed to mow so JD dealer loaned me a 500 series to use. if the 540 is like the 500 I made a big mistake!

 

[Markcuda]

get to the icky spots

Been awhile since I heard that word used:laughing:

 

[jenkinsph]

I have the x749 and find it works great on sidehills. I looked at lots of setups and the low center of gravity and other features sold me. I should add that the 4ws is not very complex or problematic, so if you can benefit from it I wouldn't be concerned about the dependability of it.

Fuel use is so minor I would stick with two five gallon cans.

 

[Yellowfever440]

My 425 20 HP gas with a 54 inch deck, used about 2-3 gallon of fuel per hour and my 455 22 HP diesel with a 60 inch deck only uses about a half of a gallon an hour. With 4 dollar fuel that adds up in a hurry.

 

[mjncad]

If you go gas, I'd suggest looking into a fuel injected unit as carburetors suck, and liquid cooled. However I'd go diesel if you can afford it.

 

[Captain Ned]

If you go gas, I'd suggest looking into a fuel injected unit as carburetors suck, and liquid cooled. However I'd go diesel if you can afford it.

The unit I test-drove was injected and liquid-cooled with an oil cooler as well. Given how hot the Cub runs and how it burns oil, I'm never going back to air cooling.