Upgrading from a JD332 to a JD2210?

[DanMc77]

Hi Guys!
I have had a JD318 and then replaced that with the diesel 332 a few years ago. I have always done my mowing with these 300 series tractors and am happy with them. But I want a front loader and 4WD. So I'm thinking of upgrading to a used JD2210.

I have a concern about the upgrade to the larger machine, thinking that it may not be as quick and maneuverable as the smaller 300 series. Has anybody here had both of these machines? Would you say that the 2210 is as easy to get around all the obstacles while mowing? My ground is generally level, so slope is not an issue.
Thanks!

 

[ededic]

I have a 2005 JD 2210 and had a 1996 JD 345 as my main mowing machine for 20 years. I had a 54” deck for both. The 345 is quick and nimble however when the loader is off the 2210 (7 min operation) it is pretty nimble and a heck of a lot more powerful. The one thing you have to think about is the fixed ROPS that may be difficult to get around trees. I no longer have a lawn and sold the 345 and the 54” deck for my 2210. You won’t be disappointed with the 2210.

Before you buy the 2210 check the entire rear case for hairline cracks and also crawl underneath the floorboard with a flashlight and ensure the white fan that cools the transmission still has all the blades.

Both are expensive repairs.

 

[DanMc77]

Before you buy the 2210 check the entire rear case for hairline cracks and also crawl underneath the floorboard with a flashlight and ensure the white fan that cools the transmission still has all the blades.
Both are expensive repairs.

Thanks so much for your feedback. The reason I like the 2210 so much is because it's very much like a scaled down version of the much larger 43 hp 4600 that I have. I can take the 460 loader off in less than 5 minutes with little effort. And, it's pre-emission simplicity with both of these machines. I was not aware of the issue with the transmission cooling fan. Checking for hairline cracks is a good recommendation. The biggest complaint I see with the 2210 is the drive shaft U joint grease fittings being difficult to get to, and repairing that shaft is a big job.

Much of the incentive of the 2210 is having a functional loader with 4WD on a machine that's still small enough to be nimble with mowing around all my obstacles. With the comment on hairline cracks, I'm thinking that the best strategy may be to find a machine with no loader that has had an easy life doing not much more than mowing. I see mowing as a low-stress job, unlike being bounced around doing heavy loader work. The issue is that I think it's going to be difficult to find a 210 loader that's not already on a tractor. I see lots of 2210s with loaders but its very rare to see the bare 210 on its own. Maybe a used loader can be found from a parted out machine?

 

[DanMc77]

I spoke with one of the companies that parts out tractors. They said that the loader is going to be very hard to find, even in parting out machines. They recommended finding a tractor with the loader already there, and making sure that the loader isn't beat up.

As for an engine running at full throttle while mowing: That's an excellent point about vibration rattling everything apart. Maybe my best strategy is to find a well maintained low hour machine with a loader AND a mower deck. These seem to run around $10K. I'll wait patiently till the cash comes along. Then I'll start the hunt for a front-mounted snow blower like the big model 47 I have on the 332.

 

[DanMc77]

After doing a little more digging I see that the 2305 is selling for about the same price as the 2210 in the used market. The 2210 was produced for 3 years and the 2305 was built for 6. So it's more appealing to have a machine that was produced for a longer period, and presumably there should be more of them out there.

I also came across a comment from 2014 that the rear end housing in the 2210/2305 is a bit weak and the housing around the PTO can crack.

Here's an thread from 2010 that deals specifically with this issue:
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...g/183225-john-deere-2305-compact-tractor.html

I'll summarize this once I've gone through these long threads.....

Basically, the 2210 and 2305 have a weak housing that supports the rear PTO shaft. If the shaft is jammed and pushed in, or it's running an implement that instantly stalls, it can crack the rear end housing that supports the PTO shaft and then also wreck some of the interior gearing. JD upgraded the housing in late 2007, but some people have still had them break even with the upgrade. The above thread has a posting where somebody shows the original housing compared with upgraded housing. They added a little bit more material around the housing area that cracks, but didn't really make an aggressive improvement.

JD dealers generally charge around $6000 to repair this failure. OUCH! So I guess it's probably wise to find a used 2305 that hasn't been used with a rear-end implement, and always have a slip clutch on the PTO shaft running the machine.

I'm wondering if the Kubota BX machines are more robust.

 

[DanMc77]

Went and looked at Kubota tractors this weekend. One notable difference is that Kubota uses steel for the hood and side covers, while JD uses composite plastics. You could argue that the plastic is "cheap", but on the other hand, I'm betting that it's much lower cost to replace these parts if needed. As an example, when I got my 4600, the hood was filled with cracks. The side covers and grill were missing. For a little more than $1000, I picked up all new plastic parts (hood, side covers, grill, and instrument panel cowl), and now my machine looks like it's almost new, and runs just as good. Now, I would agree that the plastic hood on the 4600 is not very strong, but if I drop a tree branch on it and smash it up, paying $300 for a new one isn't all that bad.

Anybody know what the cost of a new metal hood is for a Kubota tractor? My attitude will be different if it's $300. In that case, I'd prefer the steel.

 

[jenkinsph]

I don't see much difference between steel and plastic hoods minor repairs to both can get costly quick.

 

[ededic]

Went and looked at Kubota tractors this weekend. One notable difference is that Kubota uses steel for the hood and side covers, while JD uses composite plastics. You could argue that the plastic is "cheap", but on the other hand, I'm betting that it's much lower cost to replace these parts if needed. As an example, when I got my 4600, the hood was filled with cracks. The side covers and grill were missing. For a little more than $1000, I picked up all new plastic parts (hood, side covers, grill, and instrument panel cowl), and now my machine looks like it's almost new, and runs just as good. Now, I would agree that the plastic hood on the 4600 is not very strong, but if I drop a tree branch on it and smash it up, paying $300 for a new one isn't all that bad.

Anybody know what the cost of a new metal hood is for a Kubota tractor? My attitude will be different if it's $300. In that case, I'd prefer the steel.

2210 has metal hood and side panels. More better when you drop a rock out of the bucket on first lift because your so excited to see how high it will lift with a full load of debris. I’ve had proof of my exciting maiden voyage since that first day. If it were plastic I’m sure the rock/chunk of jagged concrete would have been sitting on the motor instead of bouncing/scratching 4 times before landing in my lap.

 

[beenthere]

My previous JD 420 tractor had steel "hood" and did not fare well (dent in the ridge) with a tree limb dropping on it (3" diam dead oak limb from about 12' up), but my plastic JD 4300 hood only slightly scratched with a similar size limb dropping from about 30' up.

The only experience I have, but after 22 years, the plastic gets my vote for those years' of work in the woods cutting trees, moving logs, brush hogging, etc.
Everybody's experience will differ. Good luck to all. Hard to make a plan for what will possibly happen in the future.

 

[KennyG]

People like to hate on plastic, but after 10 years, my plastic hood looks better than my metal fenders.