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I have plenty of time, we are off all summer (both wife and I are teachers) and have little $$$. I do have a JD4600 w/backhoe and loader. Also picked up a nice transit for shooting elevations. The septic is not my design, but one done by a soil engineer specific to our building lot. I already have the approvals, just need someone to do it (inexpensively). Prices are around 3,500 to 4,500 dollars and far as I can tell, about 2 thousand of that is "labor" for about three days work. I think I can do it, since it has to be inspected I will know before I cover it if I did it right.

D I Y septic system
Home Improvement
Replies 36 Post by By the Brook Farm

I have a JD 4600 MFWD. The front differental cover plate is leaking fluid where it bolts to the carrier. It doesn't have much room to pull the cover plate away from the differential, let alone get to all the bolts. Anybody know if the front axle has to be pulled? What do you think a dealer would charge? Thanks

JD 4600 leaking front differental cover
Parts and Repair
Replies 2 Post by By the Brook Farm

I have a 4600 w/loader/hoe/PowerReverser, R-4 industrials, and a 660 JD tiller. Used by a school teacher to putter around the backyard during the summer. Thinking of selling and getting (gasp!) a Kubota L-48TLB or new JD-110 TLB. What do you think my 188 hour tractor will bring here in the chilly north (Maine) this time of year? Want to sell ASAP..any ideas?? thanks..rob @ by the brook farm

Price for 4600w hoe
John Deere Tractors
Replies 2 Post by By the Brook Farm

I have a JD4600 W/48 hoe. Looked at the L-35 and liked it, but would have to spend a few grand more and didn't think it was worth it. The B-21 isn't in the same league as either one of these, that is a tiny machine. I like the new L-48 a lot, and if I had 40K laying around I would pick one up. I do mostly new construction, lot clearing and digging. My JD has never let me down, but it isn't as purpose built or designed for construction work as much as the L-35 or L-48 is. The big JDs and Kubota are both real nice machines, I can't imagine you would be disappointed with either one. Make sure the B-21 is heavy enough for you though since it does look like a toy next to these big boys..

Choosing a Tractor Backhoe
Articulated Tractors
Replies 7 Post by By the Brook Farm

Quick question re: footings. Why would the bottom of a trench that is going to have a footing poured in it be considered "critical"? As long as it was the proper width and depth, what difference would it make if there were minor differences? As long as the top of the footing was level who cares what the underside of the footing looks like. I understand the need for virgin gound under a footing. The reason I'm asking is that I will be digging one in a few weeks. Once the concrete was poured, you could level the top of footing, maintaining a minimum thickness and elevation. What am I doing wrong here?

Trench Bottoms
Loaders Back Hoes
Replies 16 Post by By the Brook Farm

I tried something like this a few years ago. Bought a big John Deere tractor with a backhoe with the idea of doing the work and then selling it. The problem is that it makes absolutely no financial sense. Tractors are not investments..bonds are. What took me a year to do a real excavator could have done in a three day weekend. If you are looking at this financially, by all means get a pro to do it and just pay up. If you want to have fun, then buy a tractor and go play.

best tractor investment for a 1 year project
Cub Cadet
Replies 12 Post by By the Brook Farm

JD4600 w/48 backhoe here. I like my little 'hoe but don't confuse it with an excavator or a dedicated TLB like a Case. I used it clear about an acre of heavy Maine woods for a homesite and it works SLOW. Part of it is due to my inexperience and the other part is that these little backhoes don't have much weight behind them so it is easy to lift your tractor when you are trying to pull a stump. I have no problems at all digging holes or trenches but if you plan on stumping be aware that it will be slow going. At about 7 grand for the hoe it is pretty expensive. I would check out a Kubota L48 for about 40K, they are suppose to be pretty heavy duty, or just buy a beat up old yellow backhoe for 10k that will out dig and and out stump a compact by a factor of about 10.

What about backhoes
Loaders Back Hoes
Replies 8 Post by By the Brook Farm

Stop reading specs and start driving tractors. JD 5000 series is tops! Will be trading in my JD4600 for a nice 5310 this spring.

JD5210-JD5310-or-Kubota-M6800
John Deere Tractors
Replies 12 Post by By the Brook Farm

I actually *drove* the tractors and belive me, the JD4600/4700 is quite a bit larger. Nothing personal, but if it wasn't the biggest, heaviest Compact out there, I wouldn't have bought it since $$ wasn't an issue. (Might have to trade it for a Kubota L-48 TLB now though, they look pretty sweet).

Stump removal
Kubota Tractors
Replies 9 Post by By the Brook Farm

Buy a JD4600/4700 (either one) with the PowerReverser Tranny, a 48 backhoe and a big trailer to haul it. Don't forget to price liability insurance before you embark on this endeavor, especially with a backhoe..it can be pretty expensive and will be required if you are doing professional/commercial work. Figure on around 35K for a package price. I have a 4600 equipped like this and would also in fairness tell you to check out the Kubota L-48 Tractor Loader Backhoe, which is also a nice rig........

newbie needs size type advice
Operating and Attachments
Replies 9 Post by By the Brook Farm

Thanks..Dealer says that they should be in stock next week. I cannot use the hoe because I actually sheared a couple of the bolts so I figure I better wait until the redesigned plates are installed.

Model 48 backhoe mounts
John Deere Tractors
Replies 3 Post by By the Brook Farm

Frank, that did the trick..all fixed now, thanks.

Rockshaft arms not working
John Deere Tractors
Replies 5 Post by By the Brook Farm

I've dug quite a few stumps with my JD4600 w/48 hoe and it will struggle on a four inch or larger root. Note I said root, not stump. I can pull a eight inch pine stump as fast as I can drive over to it. An oak tree up to about six or seven inches I just push over and then using the loader dig and drag the whole tree, the whole process takes about ten minutes. A maple tree is the worst, the roots run everywhere and even a six inch stump will take a while. I've taken 30 inch stumps but it takes a long time. There is no way I would use my setup to clear ten acres..it would take about five years. A yellow excavator can do in a day what it takes me a month to do.

JD4400 owners journal
John Deere Tractors
Replies 26 Post by By the Brook Farm

Buy the best and buy it once..I have a JD4600 w/48 hoe..very nice BUT if you are doing mostly construction type work get a L-35.

looking for the best
Loaders Back Hoes
Replies 7 Post by By the Brook Farm

I echo Roger's advice regarding getting the largest compact you can afford. Not too many folks posting on this board complaining that their tractor is too powerful and they want to trade it in for a smaller one.

First-time buyer
Tractor Projects
Replies 7 Post by By the Brook Farm

Mark, lift on the 540 loader is around 3,000 lbs, depending on the configuration. A 5105 is cheaper than a 4600 and if I were buying again I would get it. There is really no comparison between a compact and a utility. I like the idea of a genuine JD engine in the 5000 rather than the imported engine in the 4000 series. Don't get me wrong..I think the 4600 is the best of the compacts but it is just soooooo close to the 5105 in price that if I were going new it would be a no brainer for me..if was 6k more like your deal is, well that is a different story...I do love my 4600, I work it hard almost to the point of abuse and it just keeps on going...have fun shopping

Deere 4600 purchase
John Deere Tractors
Replies 18 Post by By the Brook Farm

murf..how big was the boat that vette was towing when you blew by it with your Jag?

Three cylinders Or four
John Deere Tractors
Replies 21 Post by By the Brook Farm

David, your excavation needs could be done with a shovel, so of course a backhoe would do it also. It boils down to a question of $$$ and time. I have a JD 4600 w/48 Hoe which is about as heavy duty as you can get this side of a
L-35. The hoe alone was about 7 grand and works about one-tenth the speed of a yellow backhoe. If all you are going to do is the foundation work I would just hire someone for 500 bucks to dig it out in about six hours. A compact hoe will do the work, just a LOT slower. Of course you wouldn't have any fun that way...like the other posts say, a compact can do the work you have in mind (so can a shovel) it is just a lot slower. Personally, I would get the biggest hoe/tractor combination I could afford since the smaller hoes take forever to dig out a stump. I can dig the teeth of my bucket into a 5" green maple and pull it out without even digging, roots and all. Some of the smaller hoes will nibble on that stump for twenty minutes. Can do the same with a pine up to about 7 or 8 inches. The compact tractor equation is FASTER WORK = MORE $$$. Hope this helps...rob

compact loader backhoe
John Deere Tractors
Replies 10 Post by By the Brook Farm

Yep, like I said, 4wd is for traction...

When does 4wd become less important with a utility tractor
Tractor Projects
Replies 21 Post by By the Brook Farm

Get a JD w/PowerReverser Transmission..no clutching, and more power than the hydro..Kubota hydro was tough to operate smoothly over bumpy ground. I tried them both, and for me the PowerReverser was far superior, expecially for delicate loader placement. The price I was quoted to clear my lot, dig a foundation, dig a leach field and cut a driveway was over half the cost of my rig..JD4600 w/loader/48 hoe. I will probably sell it when everything is done and step up to a 5000 series Utility tractor w/o a hoe for about what I will sell my current tractor for. Have fun shopping around, you probably can't go wrong with any of these compacts..

4400 vs TC33D
New Holland Tractors
Replies 3 Post by By the Brook Farm