X304, X324, Or Something Else?

[coasterez]

Oops! Correction "4WD" should be "AWS".

 

[ChipSmith]

The reason they are saying the i series are good on hills is because of their rear end weight- the setup uses two Hydro-Gear transaxles, thus nearly doubling the traction weight over a typical lawn tractor.

I think another reason CC is hyping the i1000 series as being good on hills is compared to traditional ZTR's. The advantage here is the steerable front wheels keep the tractor tracking straight even if one of the rear wheels loses traction. On a traditional ZTR with casters, loss of traction on one rear wheel could send you spiraling down the hill.

Plus the setup is like having posi-traction all the time, there is no differential slip to worry about.

This was one of the features that was really appealing when I was considering the i1000 series, but I have concerns with this being the first model year for these tractors so there might be some bugs that need to be worked out. That's why I went with the GT2550 with its heavy duty hydro.

I still haven't given up on a used Deere 455, but they are just so hard to come by. Should I just suck it up and get a Kubota BX model?

I know what you mean. Finding a good used tractor can be hard, especially if you need it now. For me personally, spending that kind of money on a used tractor is a hard pill to swallow. Plus there's nothing like that new tractor smell. With that said, I know where you can find a BX2230 (22HP diesel, 4WD, 54" MMM, & FEL) with 371 hours on it for $10,800. It is posted for sale on a bulletin board at my work, so it would be local (So. MD) to you. If you are interested let me know and I can get more details for you.

 

[aesanders]

You could also look for a used Gravely. They are excellent on hills.

Or something with a locking differential. My Simplicity Conquest is good on hills wit the differential.

Just some other options...

 

[andyrc130]

Chipsmith - that seems like a good price on the BX2230. I have also found a BX1500 with 48"MMM and FEL for $8500, but unfortunately they are both outside my budget. It's tempting to go plunk down 4k on a brand new BX though and finance the rest as Kubota has 3years of 0%, but once again the wife would shoot me! As far as the Cubs go - what's the real winner in the 2500 line? Also, what's the big advantages of the 3000 series over the 2500's? Lastly, does anybody have any experience with how much it costs to have a used lawn tractor shipped? I was thinking about buying a long distnace 455 and having it shipped, but have no idea what the cost would be.

 

[CCinCT]

... what's the real winner in the 2500 line?

They are all the same except for deck size, and the 2542 has smaller from wheels. They all use the same engine, but with progressing HP rating as you move up in deck size.

... what's the big advantages of the 3000 series over the 2500's?

The 3000 is heavier, has optional diff locks, has optional 60" deck, has hydraulic deck lift and optional additional valve(s), power steering, and I'm sure there's more as well but the coffee hasn't filtered through me yet.

 

[ChipSmith]

...what's the real winner in the 2500 line?

For me, the GT2550 is the best value. Of course I'm a little partial because that's what I own. Adding to what CCinCT posted, the GT2542 has a two blade deck - the rest of the line has three blade decks. The 2550 & 2554 have deeper decks than the 2542 & 2544, which helps with mulching and pretty much eliminates clippings shooting out the left side of the deck.

...what's the big advantages of the 3000 series over the 2500's?

One thing to keep in mind with the 3000 series is the mowing decks are an extra cost option, so the price will go up depending on what deck size you choose.

 

[CCinCT]

The 2550 & 2554 have deeper decks than the 2542 & 2544...

The 42" is the only shallow deck in the lineup. The 44" deck is built similar to the 54".

 

[andyrc130]

Well, it looks like the CC 2500 series is tops on my list so far - probably the 2550. It sounds like it just offers more bang for the buck than the Deere X324. I am still going to test drive them both though before making the final decision. Also, I was just doing some looking on Ebay and came across a Kubota GF1800 diesel front mower. Anybody have any experience with them? I couldn't find much on this site. What advantages/disadvantages are there with this type of system?

 

[LBrown59]

Well, it looks like the CC 2500 series is tops on my list so far - probably the 2550.
1*It sounds like it just offers more bang for the buck than the Deere X324.

1* It does offer more bang for the buck than a x324 lawn tractor.

 

[LBrown59]

Th .

There really are few complaints here about Cub's 2500 and 3000 series GT's, and what issues there are are usually minor and solved quickly.
1*It's also not all gold stars over at the JD camp, so I wouldn't let that be a deterrent from considering a Cub.
The Cub 2500's are big and heavy, and are a difficult tractor to outgrow- (oh, they climb hills VERY nicely too.) kind of the right size when you want something not too big, but bigger and better than a toy lawn tractor. As far as for what a Cub 2500 CAN do,
2*most owners never even take advantage of things like big snow blowers and rear ground engaging stuff, and only use them for mowing which is sort of overkill but who cares- the price is right for a very sturdy tractor.

-Fordlords-

1*Exactly
2*Do all the different models of the 2500 series take the same attachments or are there seperate attachments such as tillers snowblowers etc for each model?