Compact Tractor

Yeah the X749 was expensive, I think they were like $12k. Then add a 3PH and your are knocking on the door of a SCUT. For most people it would make sense for them to get a 1025r, with a 3PH and a 2 range hydro, not mention a little more rugged built for just a little more money. It was just sad to see the X749 go. It was the holy grail of garden tractors. They still make an AWD and AWS X700 but they don't offer one with a diesel. Then the offer a AWD and diesel. Typically a GT does not hold its value but the X700 do seem hold their value.

 

Thanks about the OCDC.

I see that if you snag something with the striper it would probably straighten a s hook. I read some posts on Lawnsite of some guys getting chains on their striper hung up on their zero turn and tearing up stuff. You have a nice lawn BTW.

 

So to get the stripes like that do you have to basically cut it twice? Once each way 90° apart?

 

I've been chasing the single machine solution for a long time and glad to see at least some of you have figured it out but I've given up for now. I've tried about every combination and have been lucky enough to find older equipment that I was able to get out of cleanly when I wanted to try something else. Most of my time is spent mowing and most of that is trimming but snow removal is probably the toughest job to find a lawn mower to do. The strategy behind my latest experiment (4WD diesel 6' front deck, 4' front blower with heated cab) was that I could do without a loader to get to one machine. It is an exceptional machine but by the time I got to a machine heavy enough to deal with the snow we get, I have found myself either pushing the lawn or letting it go for weeks until it was dry enough to not completely trash it (and it is anything but a manicured lawn). And, it isn't quite big enough to deal with the big plow drifts if I'm not around to keep up with them and trying to blow deep mash potato snow is a patience building exercise at best. So back to the two machine 35hp CUT and a dedicated lawn mower at least for now. I'm pretty convinced that it is one of those problems I am likely not going to be able to figure out unless I significantly compromise on some of the requirements.

 

I have a 4wd BX26 at work that we use for small projects and mainly snow removal. 48" front PTO hydro snowblower is unstoppable.
enclosed cab, and heat are great additions.
My only complaint would be the noise level at high idle.

ETA:
It's a 2370....

 

Nope, I just mow a different direction each time I mow. This past season I only mowed in those 2 directions which helped darken the stripes more. Spring and early summer I was mowing 2x a week so the stripes stay pretty defined.

 

Oh ok, I was about to say how do they stay, and how often do you now. Then I saw "2x " a week!!

 

You guys that run new stuff all the time are probably going to laugh at this but holy crap is there a difference between a 1982 and a 2002 CUT. On paper, the 2002 I just replaced my 1982 with is very similar: weight, wheelbase, HP, etc. But get in it and it turns, you can see what you are doing more like a skidsteer, the hydraulics are fast, the hydraulics make piles move, etc. And I always thought mechanical engineers just hung out all day...my bad. Has anything significant happened since 2002 or was that the peak?

 

I still use my 1979 Yanmar still does everything I want it to do. Sometimes I wish I had a loader. But that is not the tractors fault or has anything to do with age, since I could easily bought and still get one for it if I wanted. And a new tractor without a loader would still have the same issue...no loader.

 

The Ford did everything I needed it to as well but it was a PITA in the winter. I probably wouldn't have replaced it otherwise.

 

They have made some improvements since 2002 like curved boom loader for better visibility, removable loaders are pretty much standard now, quick attach on the loader, better loader valve placement on some tractors, the new tractors are more comfortable/ user friendly (in some cases), they have upped the lift capacity on the loader and 3 point, more power in the same frame size (which is not necessary in most cases), some of the new tractors have an electronically controlled hydro, and maybe a better turning radius.

 

Just noticed this thread, I'm loving looking at all the nice tractors!

Here's my 2720, it was helpful this year in spreading gravel on the driveway. Used 65 tons.

 

Did you use it? There is all the paint on the bucket!

 

Well, it is low hours... And the pic is a couple years old, but it's still that good Valspar paint that is on both all John Deer and Cat equipment.

And yes, I work for Valspar.