Want Advice on 4010

Anonymous Poster · Oct 2, 2002

I am getting very close to purchasing a JD 4010. I have 1 acre and 2 horses and plan on using the tractor for mowing and FEL work. I am wondering the extent to which I can do light digging with the 4010 FEL for landscape work like creating beds and plantings. (I don't need to dig deeply and want to avoid the cost of a bigger tractor and backhoe.) Also I have a horse ring that is overgrown with grass. I will want to dig out the grass and fill in with sand. I'm wondering if the 4010 is up to the task. I am new to FEL use but hope to do shallow digging. Also I have a bunch of fence work and hope to use it with a post hole digger. Interesting that JD doesn't offer one for the 4010, but the dealer says it's not a problem. Any advice on these items would be greatly appreciated.

Rus91 · Oct 2, 2002

Well I am no expert but I can tell you what I have done in my 33.8 hrs of seat time on mine. I have a 4010 with 60" MMM FEL and ballast box (really want a box blade). I live in Illinois and have 5 acres. Of the 5 I mow about 3.5 and the rest is in soybeans. I have dug about a 2 foot deep hole in the back part of my lot so that I can put the topsoil in my yard where it needs it (I have lots of backfill available) The soil here is about the best you can get. It takes some work to dig but I can get it done. I have moved roughly 15 ton.

Overall I find the tractor has adequate power. Most of the time the tires will spin before it just plain stops going. The 48" bucket is just right, I can take a full scoop with no problem but it wouldn't take much more to max out the hydraulics. I think the FLE is rated at around 800 lbs.

I am happy with my purchase but as you can see from some of my other posts, I am not thrilled with the rockshaft lever. I wish I had better control like that on the 4100 or 4110. If you do purchase the 4010 I strongly recommend the kit that keeps the same height adjustment for the mower every time.

If I had had $2000 more and had known about the difference in the 3pt controls I probably would have purchased the 4110. As it stands now I am very happy with the tractor I have.

Just in case you were wondering I paid right at 15K for my setup and that included the Imatch quick connect(Love it)

I could tell you more if you want just ask.

Brent

Anonymous Poster · Oct 3, 2002

Does the rockshaft lever control the 3 point and the mmm? I assumed that they would have separate controls.

Rus91 · Oct 3, 2002

No, there is only one lever. I think that is pretty standard on most smaller tractors. But I really don't know. I would defer that statement to somebody with more tractor knowledge than myself. On larger tractors there is often no mid PTO. The kit I have on mine allows the MMM to only go down so far but the 3 pt will go down all of the way.

MarkHunstiger · Oct 3, 2002

Since you cannot operate the loader without a rear ballast of some kind, do your self a favor and get the stoutest 48-inch box scraper you can find. It will fit right in with your earth moving plans and in fact will do a much better job of skinning the top layer off of your arena. You will still need the FEL for scooping and moving, which is really more what it is designed to do.

Rus91 · Oct 3, 2002

That's a really good point and I bet the price difference isn't that much more.

Anonymous Poster · Oct 4, 2002

Good call on the box scraper. I was going to get a ballast box, but will opt for a big box blade instead. Also I went to the dealer yesterday - he just got a new 4010 off the truck. I looked at the control for the 3 point and tried it. It does seem to stop anywhere along the travel for the 3 point that you choose. I don't know if this was re-engineered or just does not work that way with the mower height. (The mower wasn't attached, but the dealer said you can fine tune the mower height with that same control for cutting if you don't likewhere the mower wheels are set.) So I'm a bit confused on the mower height issue, but it sounds like a manageable issue either way.

The good news is I got to play with the 4010 in the field next to the dealership and I was really impressed. I'll be placing an order this weekend. (I also looked at and drove a Kubota 1800. The JD seems much beter engineered and more substantial for about 10% more money - worth it I suspect.)

FYI the 4010, mower, ballast box, turf tires and loader priced out at $13,200 plus tax. Still a bit unsure on the tire selection. Id like the industrial tred, but think it may be too tough on the grass (mowing will be my #1 application.)

Any final advice would be great. Ill be checking the board again before I order-up tomorrow.

Can't wait to take delivery, then I can pay back this board with some good observations after some hours of operating experience.

Rus91 · Oct 4, 2002

I have the industrial tires on my 4010 and I don't have any major problems with tearing up my lawn. I don't know how well the turf tires will work if you are doing loader work. There are some posts dedicated just on the subject of tires.

As for the rockshaft lever, you are correct in that you can stop it where you want it but the question is can you stop it in the same place each time. That is what the additional kit is for. I think it cost 70 bucks. I reccommend you get it if you plan on mowing at the same height each time.

Good luck in your purchase, this is where I started when I decided I was going to buy a tractor. I hope I am helping you like the many others that have helped me in my new tractor trials

Thanks,

Brent

Anonymous Poster · Oct 6, 2002

That sounds like a pretty good price. What was the price on the tractor? Or was that for a package deal?

Glen

chiro99 · Oct 7, 2002

Turf tires are the way to go, for what you are using it for...
I have a 4210 fel,box blade, and 59" blower and I never had my tires slip, and when I cut the lawn, there are no tread marks.