Selling my X748 & 45 Loader for a new 1026R...is this dumb?

[Turf Guy]

It looks like I really opened a big can of worms here, but I guess that's exactly what I wanted to do, in order to get some insight from other tractor/GT owners. Some of you I agree with, and some postings are quite biased. Seeing what tractors members own, like looking inside your tool shed, sheds light on some of the postings. I appreciate all the posts even if we disagree. As far as the X700 series Garden Tractors, they have no competition - not even close competition. I have migrated up the line from the 110 to the X748, and at this point there is not another GT built that even deserves a second look. By the way, you don't have to agree with me either (even if I am right). I am a previous JD 855 owner, so I do know the fuzzy warm feeling of mowing with a compact. But I sold it and purchased an X585 MFWD w/Loader. My used 855 was 2WD so I didn't bother trying a loader. Now I'm sort of wanting to upgrade and this is a tough decision, because the X748 does have advantages over the 1E, like turning radius, no ROPS, very good Suspension Seat. But on the other hand, I would really appreciate the joystick control for the loader, extra lights, rear hydraulics, etc. I think I'm going to go for it.

This thread has brought up some other discussions, like whether or not you should use a loader on an X729. Let me put it this way, DON'T waste your money. My X748 was originally equipped with 2 cast iron wheel weights per side, and a full rack of R66949 suitcase weights on the back. It works good on flat surfaces, but if you get sideways on a slight slope, you can feel it starting to tip. And that's with the bucket half full and halfway up. One time I thought it was going over. Now I have an I-Match hitch and a full ballast box hanging out the back. AWS would add unnecessary puckering to one's butt area. That's my two cents on that subject.


My equipment history: (all green - sorry) 1963 110, 1966 110, 1967 110, 1968 110, 1971 112 (was Dad's when I was a kid), 2 - 1972 140s, 1979 214, 314, 2 - 345s, F935, 855, X585, X748. (don't show this list to my wife)

 

[MistyBlue]

I'm no expert by any means...but I like the larger mowers for mowing and the scuts for anything else. I prefer the turning ratio on a mower if you have any landscaping or trees, etc to go around.

If I had a lawn/residential property then the bigger mower with an FEL would be able to do anything I wanted it to do I'd think. Moving some topsoil, mulch, a little firewood, bags of lime, etc and still being able to mow easily around a yard and maybe moving some snow off the driveway in winter.


I have a small farm and have both a mower (x300) and a scut (jd 2320) and a midsize (NH tc33da). For 4.5 acres it's kind of overkill. But the mower is much better at getting around the yard area than the 2320 could. I have only about 1/2 acre of actual yard and I can zip around trees and rocks and get the whole thing done in 25-30 minutes. Plus I don't have to have turf tires on the tractors...which aren't useful on the rest of the property. It's too steep or wooded or rocky or swampy for smooth tires. (ahhh New England! Land of the difficult land, LOL) The mower also does a fantastic job removing the leaves in fall too. And it's a tough little mower, I've dragged off some pretty huge fallen branches with it. And it pulls my little 25 gallon trailer sprayer.

But for everything else I use one of the 2 tractors. I shove or lift a lot of pretty decent sized rocks or logs on a regular basis. Move manure around. Yank small stumps. Snow removal on 1000+ feet of driveways and parking areas and barnyard, etc. Dragging the riding arena. Raking the sacrifice paddock. Digging out drainage. For a small horse farm a tractor is a huge benefit, especially when it's a small female doing all of the outside work. The small and medium sized tractors allow me to do a lot more. Although I really don't need 2 tractors I'm not keen on selling the NH. I have a hard time changing out implements on that one by myself, but the 2320 just can't do some of the stuff the tc33 can. Like stump yanking...even small shrub stumps stop the 2320 dead. But the 2320 fits in the barn, slips through the thick woods easily and the attachments pop on and off like a big toy...easy peasy!

But if I had only a residential property, I'd be thrilled with a large mower and FEL. And a cart for the back...I'd think a cart on the back would be pretty darned handy.

 

[Tommyadvanced]

No money wasted here. My set up is working exactly as I expected. Part of the problem with loaders on X7's is 2 ply rear tires. Four ply tires would make the back end less squishy feeling on both 2WS and AWS. There should be no debate that a 1 series is a better machine for ground engagement work, and a X7 with it's lower CG is a more agile and very stable on slopes when mowing. They both perform the same tasks and they both excel in different areas.

 

[Hostaman]

I read in an unrelated blog that liquid filled tires provided a more stable ride with less bounce even when ballast was not required. I was concerned about the over aggressiveness of the tread when mowing and thought that a more "removable" ballast would work better on turf wear. The setup that Tommy showed in his photo was my thought. With his last comments I wonder about the liquid filled tires helping with stability when using the loader.

 

[swick1]

I have a 1026r and I mow with it about 10% of the time. I have a backhoe and loader. I like the agility of the x series but I can handle the extra clumsiness while mowing for the vastly improved utility. Pick your tractor based on what you will be doing with it. The x series can't load a regular pickup over the side. For me that was a deal breaker.

 

[ssrfenton]

........................ I appreciate all the posts even if we disagree. As far as the X700 series Garden Tractors, they have no competition - not even close competition...........

My equipment history: (all green - sorry) 1963 110, 1966 110, 1967 110, 1968 110, 1971 112 (was Dad's when I was a kid), 2 - 1972 140s, 1979 214, 314, 2 - 345s, F935, 855, X585, X748. (don't show this list to my wife)

Just to expand on this statement a little. As far as technical capability, size, performance and attachments the Simplicity Legacy XL has very close to a SCUT setup in a Sub -SCUT dimensional package for about the same price as the X749.

But the question of capability vs price is interesting because the X700 loaded compares to the 1023R in price but the capabilities are very different. Effectively making it a premium for a specific feature either way especially when you add in other SCUT brands pricing.:confused2:

 

[jenkinsph]

I would never pay as much or more for a garden tractor when i could get a Sub compact for about the same or even less money .


[
I've never regretted making the change over from lawn tractors and garden tractors to my 3 Sub Compacts.

There are differences between garden tractors and Kubota subcompacts it seems you have to have three of the BXs' to get the job done.:laughing:
Anyone who thinks there is alot of difference between an x748-749 and a subcompact 1023 or 1026R is kidding themselves. The x series are better set up for mowing and working on slopes. The 1 series are better set up for multiple attachments. Their abilities as an all purpose machine overlap for the most part.

Nothing wrong with a Kubota BX series though I think they are good machines just not enough power to compete with the larger tractors.

 

[jenkinsph]

Yep, and I'm one of them. The 748 is not as tippy, has no ROPS to hit trees, tighter turning, just a better mower.

LBrown has a long history of hating these 7xx machines. He does not realize that not everyone thinks like he does.

I am not sure LB has the capability to sort any of this out.

 

[jenkinsph]

Just to expand on this statement a little. As far as technical capability, size, performance and attachments the Simplicity Legacy XL has very close to a SCUT setup in a Sub -SCUT dimensional package for about the same price as the X749.

But the question of capability vs price is interesting because the X700 loaded compares to the 1023R in price but the capabilities are very different. Effectively making it a premium for a specific feature either way especially when you add in other SCUT brands pricing.:confused2:

Everyone trying to decide whether to buy the x748-749 or move across to a 1 series needs to decide which things are more important for their situation.
I would caution guys from putting all their eggs in one basket just to get a fel for working a small lot, it may be more trouble and expense than it is worth. For instance a garden cart or wheelbarrow works pretty well transprting a few bags of mulch and this is without the cost and complexities of adding a fel to a mowing tractor. If you are mowing 80-90% of the time the added wheel ballast needed for a fel is a hindrance to you.

I have had lots of different sized equipment and from my experience it is best to have the mower as a separate light machine and have a much heavier tractor or tlb for the ground engagement and loader/backhoe work.

 

[ssrfenton]

I love my 2010 X748 with 60D 7-Iron Deck, 45 Loader, 3-Bag MCS, but I've decided to sell it and get a new 1026R. ...................

So where are you at with the sale. What are u asking for the X748.....Keep us updated.