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I also have the 4100 (FEL, rear blade, mid-mower) to maintain 3.5 acres. I love the tractor, and it will do everything I have asked of it, including digging large holes about 1-2 feet deep and about 20 feet across for flower beds. While I would not want the 4200 because of its relative size, if you are going to maintain 5.5 acres do a bunch of clearing, I think the 4200 would be the better purchase. This is particuarly true if you will have a need for a backhoe.

4100 vs 4200
John Deere Tractors
Replies 8 Post by Joe A. Bell

I have a 4100 and it should be very similar to the 4115. I have a Monroe Tufline 5' rear blade. After looking for months, I believe this is the heaviest (368 lbs), best build blade you can get for a small tractor. It weighs almost 100 lbs more than most 5 foot blades I looked at. It will adjust any way you want. It is, however, an expensive blade. I paid over $500 with skid shoes.

Anyhow, I have found that the tractor has more than enough power to pull the blade through deep snow, or dirt. The problem with grading is the relatively light weight of the tractor, hence the tires may loose traction.

New 4115 With 410 loader
John Deere Tractors
Replies 10 Post by Joe A. Bell

I have done some light landscaping with my 4100, loader, and rear blade. Specifically I have dug several large holes with the blade, then moved the dirt so topsoil could be placed in the holes (lots of rocks naturally occuring here in southern Mo.). Depending on how much land you are going to take care of, I think the 4100 will do everything you will need. The few times I have had trouble with the tractor, it has been associated with its relatively light weight. Hence, pulling stumps can lift the rear of the tractor (even with a 370lb blade) off the ground. The loader is plenty strong. Or, trying to pull a car out of snow results in a lot of spinning tires, but the engine seems to have plenty of power.

John Deere 4100 with 410 loader
John Deere Tractors
Replies 12 Post by Joe A. Bell

This has pretty much been covered, but here's my 2 centsworth. I agree for any work, low range in the HST should be used. High range is useful only for moving the tractor. However, I did use high range for snow removal on an asphalt road last year, but the snow was only about 2" deep at the time.

J D 4100 price
John Deere Tractors
Replies 19 Post by Joe A. Bell

I have a 4100 (HST), turf tires, with front loader and rear blade. Here in southern Missouri we had a 14" snow last year and I had no trouble with traction moving show with either the blade or the loader. I cleared my drive (gravel) and the road in front of my house (asphalt). I agree that you may have some traction problems with the R4's if you remove the snow down to pavement. I was surprised at the traction with turf tires. Anyway, the 4100 should handle your snow removal problems just fine; but, a little slow using only the front loader.

4100 and snow
John Deere Tractors
Replies 14 Post by Joe A. Bell

I have a 4100 HST with loader, rear blade and mid-mount mower. I have done a fair amount of landscaping (flower and vegtable gardens) in which I have dug out three large holes of about 900 square feet to a depth of about 1.5-2 feet (using rear blade) and moving the dirt (using the front loader). While the size of the loader and tractor makes this job take longer than a larger tractor, it is probably much better at the job than the BX.
I looked at the BX before buying. While the BX is a neat little tractor, if you compare to the 4100 (easy for me since the local Kubota dealer also handles JD), or other similar sized tractors, you will notice that the BX is somewhat lighter. Look for example at the three point hitch; it is clearly lighter construction than the 4100. And, I seriously doubt that the front loader bucket is as heavy as the JD 410 loader. By the way, there you can get a backhoe for the 4100, just not from Deere. The loaders do have additonal frame support.
As for mowing, the BX and the 4100 should perform about the same. After all they are similar in HP.

JD 4100 v BX series
Operating and Attachments
Replies 38 Post by Joe A. Bell

I also have a 4100 and have all the power I expected. I have pulled stumps, moved snow (loader, and rear blade), move a lot of dirt and using the rear blade dug large holes about two feet deep (500-600 square feet) in the ground for flower gardens. I have not had a problem with the power of the tractor. When I have had a problem it is more associated with the weight of tractor. That is, spinning tires, or lifting the tractor's wheels off the ground (pulling stumps with the loader).
I agree with others, this tractor simply takes longer to do various jobs,

4100 HST power
John Deere Tractors
Replies 5 Post by Joe A. Bell

I mow with my 4100 (54" deck) and have not found a problem as long as I am in 2wd and am not too aggressive (i.e., too fast)

bell

4100 tire scuff
John Deere Tractors
Replies 23 Post by Joe A. Bell

The manual says to run at 2500 rpm when using the mid-mower. Either in the same manual or in the 410 loader manual, it says to run about 75 percent of max for loader work. I run my tractor (4100 HST) at 2000 when using the loader or the rear blade. I have found that 2000 is plenty of power for those uses and the fuel consumption is much less than at the max rpm of just over 2500. For other uses (such as pulling a trailer with a light load) I run at about 1800. Certainly it will not hurt the machine at the higher rpm, but why use more power than necessary?

Operating RPM of 4100
John Deere Tractors
Replies 11 Post by Joe A. Bell

I would suggest that since you may add a front end loader you may want to examine the attachement method.
While I am not totally familiar with the TC21 (my local dealer wasn't interested in selling compacts), the JD4100 is
absolutely simple to attach and remove the front end loader literally in less than 5 min.

TC21D or JD4100 tips
New Holland Tractors
Replies 3 Post by Joe A. Bell

Just looked at my post. I missread you post, the price of 15k is 'low'. Looks like a good price based on my purchase of last year.

bell

4100 Price in June 01
John Deere Tractors
Replies 7 Post by Joe A. Bell

I agree with the earlier posts about the deck (54"vs.60"). I have the 54" becasue of the cost difference. The 60" deck
costs 33% more (about 1500 vs 2000 dollars). In any case, I do not think the 4100 will have any problem with a 60"
deck. I, like others, have found the machine powers the 54" very well.

bell

JD 4100 60 quot Belly Mower
John Deere Tractors
Replies 7 Post by Joe A. Bell

I have trailered a JD4100 and have used straps with a ratchet. While chains certaily will last longer, I used two straps (front and rear) each with a 10,000 lb. limit, so I am sure they were more than strong enough. I also used a clev. pin pin on the draw bar pulling to the rear and straps over the front axle pulling forward.

JD 790 Trailering
John Deere Tractors
Replies 5 Post by Joe A. Bell

I own a JD4100, and yes John Deere doesn't list many attachements for the machine. However, there are plenty of other companies that do. After all buying John Deere attachements is more expensive anyway so why mess with them, except of course for the JD loaders. I have a five foot rear blade from Monroe Tufline that weighs 386 lbs. The tractor pulls it nicely. In fact, by tilting the blade I can use it as a plow, and it works fine. There ae also small plows, harrows, spreaders, etc., that I have seen on various equipment sites. I think few attachements are supplied by JD for the 4100 because the market for the smallest of the JDs is relatively small. I will say that I have absolutely no complaints about my tractor. I have a front loader that works great (I have moved about 27 yards of dirt with it), and I have cleared a lot of snow (14") this past December and the little tractor worked great. If I were in the market again, I would buy the 4100 (I only have 3 acres to maintain).

4100 and ground engaging devices
John Deere Tractors
Replies 18 Post by Joe A. Bell

Same as Keith. If your sway links are properly adjusted there should be no problem. With my rear blade there is about 1 inch clearance. The hitch never hits the tires (turf tires).

4100 3ph
John Deere Tractors
Replies 10 Post by Joe A. Bell

There have been several posts about this problem (I think it was on this board). I changed oil in my 4100 two weeks ago. With a new filter, my dip stick said full after only two quarts of oil. The manual is wrong. I think that the manual was written for a larger filter, rather than the miniature one that Deere puts on the tractor. Of course, there isn't room for a larger one.

Joe

jd4100 oil capacity
Parts and Repair
Replies 12 Post by Joe A. Bell

Tom,

Luck is with me, I do not have any drainage problems along my driveway. Good point though.
Yes, it is strange for this much snow here in southern MO. We got 14" of snow. But the little 4100 did just fine. In fact I was surprised that it chugged right through all that snow with turf tires.

Joe

JD4100 snow removal
Snowblowers / Snow Plows
Replies 5 Post by Joe A. Bell

Hey Chuck. Busy weekend, didn't get back to this til this morning. The point I was trying to make is that this country was not, was not, and was not founded as a democracy. The fact that some of us would like to see a democracy is beside the point. By the way if you believe that the the electoral college somehow is 'unfair', then you must also want to do away with the senate. Afterall two senators regardless of population must be 'unfair'. I happen to live in Missouri (via Oklahom), if the popular vote alone elected the president, neither of those to guys would have campaigned in Missouri. In fact, probabaly the only state west of the Miss. they would have visited would have been California. Anyway, the idea the electoral college is somehow obsolete if not true; the college is exactly what the writers of the constitution wanted it to be. The population has gradually altered the system as our preferences have changed; for example, senators were orginally elected by state legislatures. Perhaps the electoral college will be eliminated some day, but it will take a consitutional amendment, and it will be very hard to get smaller states to vote for it.

John Deere Owner opinion poll
John Deere Tractors
Replies 26 Post by Joe A. Bell

I just read the messages posted earlier in August about a safety kit for JD loaders (the loaders fall off?) I received a JD 4100 with loader early in August. While I have used the loader some with no problems (pulled fence posts, hauled some gravel), am I using a potentially dangerous machine? How would one know if his loader needs this safety kit?

JB Loader Safety Kit
John Deere Tractors
Replies 10 Post by Joe A. Bell

Just received my JD4100 (loader and 54"mower) 1 1/2 weeks ago (currently under 10 hours). I also experienced the grinding sound; the brake was released. Perhaps I should check with the dealer. I found that the grinding was there in low and high range if the engine speed was too low. At proper engine speed I still get the sound in high range, although it seems to go away once I am up to traveling speed. Do you more experienced users think I should talk to the dealer?

Hydro sounds
John Deere Tractors
Replies 8 Post by Joe A. Bell