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I completely agree with Murf.
This is one of the reasons I didn't look at NH. Not because I think NH is inferior, but more because the one and only local dealer isn't very close. If he goes under....Whew..I don't know where I would have to go. Sorta the same situation with Kubota, although not nearly as bad. JD on the other hand.. I have 2 dealers very close, and about 3 more within about the same radius as the NH or Kub dealers. Putting all that aside, between the two units U mentioned. I'll add a vote for the 2710.

john deere or kubota
John Deere Tractors
Replies 6 Post by MichaelSnyder

Try www.Tirechains.com A few of our fellow CTB members seem to rate this site well.

tire chains
New Holland Tractors
Replies 3 Post by MichaelSnyder

Joe,
My vote is for the 4100. Not only because we bought one, but because I think you will quickly outgrow the abilites of the BX. We only have 2 acres in yard, yet I wouldn't want anything smaller/lighter. My thoughts were further solidified by the ability to borrow and handle a neighbors 6' rake and blade. Granted, the 6' blade made the 4100 work, but the tractor could handle it with a little extra user patience. Not sure how the lighter BX would do in this situation, even though its about equal in HP. Just to give you an idea of what our 4100 is tackling at the moment. We are currently spreading our second tri-axle load of mulch with the loader. In between moving & leveling another 2 tri-axle loads of screened top-soil on the yard. Just after filling 6 utility trailer's worth of dead sod and stones. Needless to say, "This tractor has paid for itself already. And those are words from my wife!! This winter it moved mounds and mounds of 4' deep snow drifts without chains, sometimes twice a day when it was windy. The capabiliy of the belly mower is equally on par in terms of mowing speed, and cutting through deep thick grass. I still crack a smile when I install/remove the mower or loader, because its just so damn easy and well laid out. Which is one of the reasons I chose JD. BUT..don't get me wrong, I also think the Kubota 'B'lineup is an EXCELLENT choice and would not hesitate buying one. Although I'd probably look at the 2710. Sounds like an impressive and capable piece of machinery, yet its still compact in size for what our yard would support. Good luck, let us know how you make out. :)

Tractor comparison
Operating and Attachments
Replies 5 Post by MichaelSnyder

David,
Bird pretty much sums it up. Unless you have a clutched transfer case, like the ones found on an AWD vehicle, 4WD in any vehicle should always be used on a surface that will allow tire slippage while turning, such as grass, dirt, snow, etc...Under these conditions, I doubt you will ever be faced with problems. Using 4wd on Concrete, pavement however puts incredible stress on the drivetrain and will wear tires much quicker. Although the tire issue will almost seem minor after a bill for the eventual gear replacements. Sounds like your doing everything right Dave. 4WD is safer on hills anyway, because the drivetrain ties the rear brakes to the front as well.. Remember to wear your seatbelt :)

Mowing In 4WD
New Holland Tractors
Replies 4 Post by MichaelSnyder

Webmaster,
I like what ever is quickest and easiest to download. This isn't a problem at work using a T1, but at home my 56K is useless because the phone lines only seem to support about 26.4K. These days, using a modem at this speed is almost painfull. OMO, I liked it the way it was before the coloring.

Site Administration
Parts and Repair
Replies 5 Post by MichaelSnyder

OMO, I think we've beat the JD 4000 steering/scuffing problem to death. But for the 4100 owner's who are also experiencing scuff problems....yet are being told the 4100 doesn't have problems...here's the deal.
Most likely driven by economic reasons, the 4100's front end Toe-in is factory adjusted by the amount of bend put into the solid none adjustable tie rod. If the rod managed to escape the factory without enough bend.. The result of this yields excessive toe-in. Mine for example has about 2" (I can visually see the amount of toe-in). Normal Spec is about 1/4"-3/8". The fix for this is a new tie-rod. End of story..

John Deere Scuffing
John Deere Tractors
Replies 54 Post by MichaelSnyder

Couldn't have said it better myself..

3 pt hitch
Kubota Tractors
Replies 6 Post by MichaelSnyder

Todd,
As with most situations on the CTB, we can only recommend or advise based upon what mental picture appears in our heads from your post. With that said, Looking at the acres of land you own and guessing your situation is somewhat similar to a few horse farms around us.... It's my guess that a 20hp unit like the 4100 would be a bit on the small side for your needs. Which by the way is what we own..But I only have 2 acres and no horses, etc.. We also searched for a good used compact. I assume they exist...somewhere, but even ones which looked "beat" or "really used" seemed to retained incredible resale value. Further more, we knew we wanted a loader and a 54" belly mower. The 60" is simply too broad to trim between our fence line & trees. So we would have ended up buying new attachments anyway. So, from a financial standpoint, not just at time of purchase, but also costs incurred 10 years from now...the logical choice seemed to be a 'new' unit. We plan to keep it for many many years. Good Luck :)

Looking for Advice on Purchase
John Deere Tractors
Replies 14 Post by MichaelSnyder

Dave,
Aside from the pond, your situation is exactly like mine. Right down to the split rail fence. We faced exactly what your looking at about a year ago. Having used my fathers o radius Gravely, I initially felt this would be the answer to our prayers. And money permitting it most likely would have been. Unfortunately we also wanted to move dirt, plow snow, etc... So our search for a used compact tractor began. To make a long story short, we ended up with a new JD 4100 with the 410 loader and 54" mower deck. We chose the smaller deck because 54" turned out to be the magical number between many of our trees, including the width between the edge of our property and the fence. Honestly, I cannot say that I would want anything Larger in terms of tractor size. OMO, I think the 20 hp units are perfect for a 2 acre yard. But in your case I would go for the larger mower deck. And honestly, aside from the ROPS catching tree branches, I can go anywhere our 12 hp lawnmower could go...only faster and easier. Lots a luck.

What Kind of Tractor To Buy
Operating and Attachments
Replies 8 Post by MichaelSnyder

Randy pretty much sums up my feelings as well. And my apologies to David for really getting off track under your post. But with all due respect to those who posted otherwise.... If having a drink on a tractor, while "maybe" moving at a brisk 2-5MPH in a field seems dangerous in your mind. Doesn't it concern you that auto's have cupholders? Do you ever use them? Smoke?, Use the Phone? Look for directions on a map? It would seem to me that driving a car at 60mph while passing multiple cars/trucks going the same speed in the opposite direction only a few inches/feet away would be more of an issue to discuss here than what has been brought up. Or are these things OK in our cars because we've been doing them for years? I'm not trying to start a debate of what we do,should, shouldn't do while operating machinery... but in the end, I think the solution to all of this is a good dose of pure "COMMON SENSE".

cup holder
Kubota Tractors
Replies 14 Post by MichaelSnyder

Just got off the phone with my dealer who has been trying to resolve my problem on our 4100 (2" of unadjustable toe-in). Which I've been blaming for excessing turf scuffing and tire wear. Its been a long hard struggle because everywhere I went, I was told the 4100's didn't have scuff problems. WELL....I guess a few units managed to make it out of the factory without enough of a bend in the tie rod. The dealer said even the guy at corporate JD said "The 4100's......" But thank God the dealer kept pushing the issue and finally the guy found the listing or incident report, or what ever its called. The guy said it must be very isolated, because this was the first he ever heard about it. At any rate, A new tie rod has been ordered, which should put things at a normal 3/8" toe-in. I don't know what to think at this point...I'm just hoping the scuffing goes away.

I think we made progress on the 4100
John Deere Tractors
Replies 2 Post by MichaelSnyder

G.Walls,
Short of hitting solid rock, the answer is "yesbut". Naturally there's "but".
You didn't mention the size of your compact, nor the amount of time at your disposal for such a project. Like so many have said here before, a compact will do basically anything a larger unit can do...but it'll take longer to do the same task. With that said, you need to determine how much extra time you have on your hands. Secondly, what are you planning to do with the dirt? If you need a Dump truck or tri-axle for hauling....your compact might come up short...no pun intended. Personnally I would bring someone in with a dozer and/or excavator. They may be finished in a day or so. All said and done...it may not cost much more if any than what you would spend in fuel, wear/tear on your compact...not to mention YOUR time...including your schedule for completion of your structure... :)

Digging into side of hill with a loader
Loaders Back Hoes
Replies 14 Post by MichaelSnyder

Jim,
IMHO, I would discourage mounting weights to the front rims. Looking a little deeper into things, you mentioned that you need to add front weights for rear ballasting purposes. No mystery here, simple law of balancing applies. 100lbs mounted to the frame will always provide 100lbs of opposing force to the opposite end of the frame. However, in this case because the front axle has a pivot point, it will act like a fulcrum. Therefore, if you divide the 100lbs onto each wheel...it is very possible for the rear of the tractor to only see 50lbs of additional opposing force... Reason being, and similar to what you would see at a tractor pull, although hopefully exaggerated. When the front end starts to "lighten" under load. Your front axle will start to pivot, eventually, and God forbid.. to where the weight inside one front wheel is mearly resting on the ground, while the other is slightly airborne. Hence the opposing force to the rear is approx 50lbs. Not until both wheels are in the air will you regain the 100lbs of opposing force..at which point I would hope you discontinue what you are doing. I'm sure some may think I'm going over the edge, but urge you to prove it to yourself with one of your kids tractors. If you hold one front wheel down while pushing down on the rear, the resistance isn't seen until the front limit of the pivot point is reached. Let us know how you make out, and Lots of luck :)

front weights
John Deere Tractors
Replies 5 Post by MichaelSnyder

Rick,
I would assume you were looking for everyone to give you the same answer?? Well, as you can see, doubtful that will happen. Everyone has a favorite. Having bought our 4100 with R4's and since switched to Turfs, which I personally feel the turfs are better under many conditions. You need to consider the surfaces you plan to use the tractor on. Soft surfaces need Big Lugs, hard surfaces need more rubber contact. Naturally, wear charactoristics are usually proportional to the amount of rubber touching the ground. (Read: R1s wear quickest). You would't take a mud tire to the drag strip, or a slick tire in the mud. With that said, have you considered chains? If you go with Turfs, you can tread lightly on your lawn, etc... then in minutes, add chains to mow your pastures for those wet dew mornings, or big rainfalls. Your traction in mud will also be much greater. Similar to life, your faced with the opportunity cost of losing something to gain something else. Good Luck :)

Turf vs Ag Tires
Parts and Repair
Replies 16 Post by MichaelSnyder

Jim mentioned an interesting point. Am I blind in thinking that the original owner wouldn't be accountable after the sale? If so, What protects me from being liable if I sell my house, and he stumbles on something done by the original owner? Short of digging up every wire...How would I know this problem exists...?? And I'm not talking about the slimey lawyers would could make a case out of peanut coming out of its shell.

Electric Wire Trenching Safety
Operating and Attachments
Replies 26 Post by MichaelSnyder

Pete,
Sorry to say, I'm not a Turf "pro" but unfortunately I've had the pleasure of spending quite a bit of time this winter questioning the pros, getting estimates, and reading about...well exactly what your up against. We have 2 acres of what you've described. Your question of a slit seeder...the answer is yes. Golf courses use slit seeder's all the time, and even at their worst, the turf is better than what I would expect to ever have. Secondly, our estimates to have it done professionally included the use of a slit seeder. I have been told..as a rule of thumb to use about 250lbs of grass seed per acre. One landscaper was nice enough to tell me that most lawns fail due because of poor choice in grass seed type and the practice of fertilizing but not liming. I agree with your wife, as far as having a soil analysis performed. These kits can be purchased inexpensively at your local co-op, extension office, fertiziler dealer, Agway, etc... It will pay for itself to know what is missing and what you have plenty of. No point in buying fertilizer and such with alot of something you don't need...and not enough of elements you do need. Feel free to e-mail me directly if you would like :)

Spring Lawn Renovation Advice
Operating and Attachments
Replies 10 Post by MichaelSnyder

Robert,
Take this as you will, but I tend to agree with the prior postings. I understand your pain, Just finished paying someone to dig a trench about the same distance as you. Naturally, I closed it myself. However, I do wish that I would have thought to run the wires through plastic conduit. But the electric company & electrician had things wrapped up before I had a chance. Take this as you choose, but like my father always said. "If we don't have the time or money to do it right the first time, how do we manage to afford the time and money the second time?" Whole lotta truth to that statement.. I'm not saying your taking a short cut, nor do I know what your using it for, but 18" sounds pretty shallow to me.

Trenching with middle buster plow
Operating and Attachments
Replies 9 Post by MichaelSnyder

Jim,
Having bought our 4100 w/R4's, I can tell you they "definitely" are swappable. you will only gain about 3" (1 1/2 on each side)...Assuming I measured correctly, but that may be all you need to avoid this problem. I have since swapped them for turfs. I have measured the rims for offset, and it seems likely that they too can be reversed. But have also heard that wheel weights will no longer fit. I cannot recall entirely, but Larry may be right in that the manual does not reflect this..

3 pt hitch rubbing on R4 tires
John Deere Tractors
Replies 7 Post by MichaelSnyder

Murf,
I'm sure you wouldn't hear complaints from the tractor manuf's about that Idea. Course it might not be the best for a guy like you. Instead of kids selling lemonade or delivering newspapers, they'd be out mowing everyone's yards for a couple a bucks. LOL.. :)

Tractors in USA are too expensive
Tractor Projects
Replies 22 Post by MichaelSnyder

Doug,
Like most things posted here, you will have to weed through opinions and experiences generally limited to each persons needs and uses. With that said, OMO, but your hardly making a fair comparison here. Having owned 2 Gear's and now I'm on my second hydro, I have a pretty good feeling of each type, and where "I" feel one or the other excels..Under "MY" uses. And for sake of a shorter post, you will need to review the pros/cons of the mechanics behind each type. For me, having to perform what seems like about 1,000 direction changes while mowing, A gear tranny was a real pain in the neck. On the other hand, if I had a couple acres to mow of wide open field...the gear would most likely be my choice. Next, is HP....This seems a little self explanatory to me. More is more. Unfortunately, so is the size of the unit itself. Even the 4100 seems plenty big for my little 2 acre yard. In your situation, this may not be an issue and you may have plenty of open space for the 790 to chug around on.
Finally, and again OMO, the 4100 may be a bit small for what I suspect you will demand of the tractor. Best of luck.

JD4100 vs JD790
John Deere Tractors
Replies 12 Post by MichaelSnyder