X700 series

[zlock24]

That's a ton of hours. What machine do you have? Are your trimming a fence line?

I use a straight shaft echo, I'm not sure what model, but my local Jd dealer also carries echo and stihl (think that's how it's spelled??) and when my old still blew up, I decided to try an echo. I really didn't like the newer stihls. Anyways the echo is great, I've never had a problem, my oldest echo is 9 years old and still runs as good as the day I bought it.

and I pick a hill each week to cut with the weed eater, I also use these weed eaters in my lawn care business ( but these hours are not included in the 12 hours I do at home a month)

 

[TimberXX]

how steep or rugged are these hills? have you consider another piece of equipment, maybe a bcs with a sickle bar.

 

[JDTank]

If safety on hills is your #1 priority, AWS is the only way for you to go.

 

[Gittyup]

I have a 425 AWS. I've been running it now for 18+ years, not one repair on the AWS. No reliability issues with the AWS. Just keep it greased.

AWS is awesome. It trims everything up nice. Never use a weed eater in the yard for trimming, not needed at all. And it's very fast.

It is great on hills as the drive wheels push in the direction of travel, rather than fighting against the front end like 2WS machines do. I have the wheel spacers too (for chains), and that extra width and low profile tires makes it almost impossible to turn over on the steepest of slopes. You'll fall off the seat first.

It's great for snow plowing because you can still steer when the front is lightened by snow on the blade, and you can pretty much plow an 11' driveway sideways.

The new X700s with AWS and AWD have to be the true ultimate of garden tractors. With the 60" deck the uncut circle is 6"! I want one bad. But, the 425 is still going strong and does all that I really need. So, I can't justify the expense. I will say that given JD's track record, I wouldn't expect to see too many problems with the AWD on these new machines either.

Those that poo-poo AWS either don't need it for their situation, or have never used it in situations where it's advantages are needed.

Besides weed-eating sucks!

 

[Gonerafting]

I have a 425 AWS. I've been running it now for 18+ years, not one repair on the AWS. No reliability issues with the AWS. Just keep it greased.

AWS is awesome. It trims everything up nice. Never use a weed eater in the yard for trimming, not needed at all. And it's very fast.

It is great on hills as the drive wheels push in the direction of travel, rather than fighting against the front end like 2WS machines do. I have the wheel spacers too (for chains), and that extra width and low profile tires makes it almost impossible to turn over on the steepest of slopes. You'll fall off the seat first.

It's great for snow plowing because you can still steer when the front is lightened by snow on the blade, and you can pretty much plow an 11' driveway sideways.

The new X700s with AWS and AWD have to be the true ultimate of garden tractors. With the 60" deck the uncut circle is 6"! I want one bad. But, the 425 is still going strong and does all that I really need. So, I can't justify the expense. I will say that given JD's track record, I wouldn't expect to see too many problems with the AWD on these new machines either.

Those that poo-poo AWS either don't need it for their situation, or have never used it in situations where it's advantages are needed.

Besides weed-eating sucks!

I love my 62 inch deck with AWS and I am continually amazed at it's ability to cut leaving a 6 inch uncut circle. It's designed so you cannot totally crank it abruptly. Once starting a 360 degree circle it will gradually let you crank it to that extreme. The AWS is very well engineered. If I had to do it over again, I would love 4WD, although I do not really need it. The only thing I want now is an Air Seat, but at $630.00 to add one, it seems a bit expensive. I do think it would make the ride much better over my rather bumpy yard.

 

[Grateful11]

The way I see it, I've never heard anyone say I'd wished I'd gone gas but I've heard people say if wish I'd gone diesel. If I ever have the choice I go diesel.

We have the X720, I can tell you now that it uses more fuel than our L3940 Kubota. I've never seen anything that small use that much fuel. My wife is the main mower operator, and tractor operator for that matter, and she wanted a gas engine, I'm like you operate diesels all the time. She said she didn't want to smell the diesel while mowing, it's her operation so what can I say. Now she admits she should have gotten the diesel. The X720 burns well over a gallon/hour. I know it would take a long time to recoup the extra cost of the diesel but for her having a 500 gallon diesel tank for refueling alone would be worth it instead of keeping four 5 gallon cans of gas around. One more thing is it's 3 year old and has already been back to the dealer for a fuel related problem, head mechanic said it was because of ethanol in the gas, they found water in the tank and in the fuel filter, not covered under warranty ended up costing $180 something. Now when we get gas it's automatic Seafoam in each container and starting early Fall we put in Seafoam and Stabil, this seems to have fixed the fuel problem. We recently had a station just a few miles away to go all ethanol free gas so he'll be getting all our gas business, naturally she calls around on diesel prices and has it delivered. The mechanic said they see ethanol related problems almost everyday in their shop.

 

[Grateful11]

I use a straight shaft echo, I'm not sure what model, but my local Jd dealer also carries echo and stihl (think that's how it's spelled??) and when my old still blew up, I decided to try an echo. I really didn't like the newer stihls. Anyways the echo is great, I've never had a problem, my oldest echo is 9 years old and still runs as good as the day I bought it.

and I pick a hill each week to cut with the weed eater, I also use these weed eaters in my lawn care business ( but these hours are not included in the 12 hours I do at home a month)

If you ever want to try something different go pickup a Dolmar MS-22C, the dang thing is like holding nothing compared to other trimmers, made in Germany, cost less than Stihl or Echo, perfectly balanced and is commercial rated. Only thing to not like about it is the big guard around the head, remove part of it and get a manual head push in button pull out a little line and keep going. We still have the bump head if used properly it doesn't need a line cutter.

 

[Chris61559]

I have a X748 and my wife loves it. She mows 6 to 10 hours a week and our hills are up to 41 degees of slope. I will let her mow 37 degree sideways with no problem but I have to mow the rest up and down when it is dry.
This mower is awsome. Sometimes I call it my Little Green Goat.
My wife wants our place to look like a park and it does. With two seasons on the X748 she has put 480 hours on this little toy.
I can get another X748, 150 hrs, drive over deck, limited edition for under $9000 from a friend but not sure if I want to move the 3pt, PTO, and loader equipment.

 

[jenkinsph]

I have a X748 and my wife loves it. She mows 6 to 10 hours a week and our hills are up to 41 degees of slope. I will let her mow 37 degree sideways with no problem but I have to mow the rest up and down when it is dry.
This mower is awsome. Sometimes I call it my Little Green Goat.
My wife wants our place to look like a park and it does. With two seasons on the X748 she has put 480 hours on this little toy.
I can get another X748, 150 hrs, drive over deck, limited edition for under $9000 from a friend but not sure if I want to move the 3pt, PTO, and loader equipment.

Why would you want to move the add ons to a different mower?

 

[TimberXX]

I have a X748 and my wife loves it. She mows 6 to 10 hours a week and our hills are up to 41 degees of slope. I will let her mow 37 degree sideways with no problem but I have to mow the rest up and down when it is dry.
This mower is awsome. Sometimes I call it my Little Green Goat.
My wife wants our place to look like a park and it does. With two seasons on the X748 she has put 480 hours on this little toy.
I can get another X748, 150 hrs, drive over deck, limited edition for under $9000 from a friend but not sure if I want to move the 3pt, PTO, and loader equipment.

Thats a ton of hours. Why didnt you consider a CUT with a 72 inch mower.

 

[Martian]

Thats a ton of hours. Why didnt you consider a CUT with a 72 inch mower.

150 hours is a lot? That's hardly broke in in my opinion...

 

[TimberXX]

150 hours is a lot? That's hardly broke in in my opinion...

I meant 450 hours in 2 years

 

[Martian]

I meant 450 hours in 2 years

Oh, yes, that is a lot for that amount of time. I do like half that on my mower! (I do have a lot of other equipment to do the job though...)

 

[jenkinsph]

37 degrees is alot of slope to mow sideways with any mower imo. And 450 hours in two years is lots of use too, but not enough to change out the decks and hitches as the poster mentions. If a good deal on another mower is worth doing I would buy it and use it as is.

 

[Deere Dude]

I have a X748 and my wife loves it. She mows 6 to 10 hours a week and our hills are up to 41 degees of slope. I will let her mow 37 degree sideways with no problem but I have to mow the rest up and down when it is dry.
This mower is awsome. Sometimes I call it my Little Green Goat.
My wife wants our place to look like a park and it does. With two seasons on the X748 she has put 480 hours on this little toy.
I can get another X748, 150 hrs, drive over deck, limited edition for under $9000 from a friend but not sure if I want to move the 3pt, PTO, and loader equipment.

How in the world can you mow sideways on a 41% slope? I have a X740 with 2 sets of 50 # wheel weights and fluid in the tires and chains and about 18-20 deg is about all I want to do. Maybe I'm measuring it wrong????

 

[jenkinsph]

How in the world can you mow sideways on a 41% slope? I have a X740 with 2 sets of 50 # wheel weights and fluid in the tires and chains and about 18-20 deg is about all I want to do. Maybe I'm measuring it wrong????

Or maybe he is measuring it wrong.

 

[Grateful11]

Personally I don't think a GT is going to stay on a 37 degree slope sideways, most are going slide down or roll over.

 

[Martian]

Personally I don't think a GT is going to stay on a 37 degree slope sideways, most are going slide down or roll over.

I don't think ANY tractor can comfortably handle a slope of that type horizontally. Vertically yes.

 

[zlock24]

Personally I don't think a GT is going to stay on a 37 degree slope sideways, most are going slide down or roll over.

But have you ever used an x700 series tractor on a slope? They are truly amazing

 

[Chris61559]

I based my decision on the fact that my wife mows the lawn and the X748 is more comfortable to run than a CUT. I use the loader and attachments approx 20 hours a year. She loves to mow. Each time I get her a bigger mower she just mows more pasture or more ditches.
Also the CUT would tip over on our hillsides where the X748 will play with them.
I did however find a JD 4410 with four attachments off of Craigs List and purchased it for my heavy duty work. So we will see how things change for next year.