Buying Advice I need help replacing my JD 790

[George2615]

Is that with a cab and backhoe?
The best price I got for the 3039 with loader and backhoe was about a thousand less but I felt a bit cramped on them and they protested when I tried running them in high gear. Kabota, Kioti and TYM all were able to use high gear with no issues but with the LS it was a struggle to get it rolling.

No, the 27K is for the new XR4040HC tractor, loader, HST, and cab (no BH).
There is a new XR4040 TLB selling for $28.9K but no cab and no HST. The OP didn't say he needs a BH in the original post. New LS R3039 and R4041 that are currently available are selling for $18-20K.

 

[paulfun9]

Read post #12

 

[George2615]

All depends on what he wants to spend whether he gets a BH or not.

 

[grm61]

According to the literature the XR series are tier 4 tractors, good looking rigs though.
I know everything 2014 and newer will be tier4, but he has a very thin window right now to avoid it if he chooses.
I bought my DK May 2013 because I knew this day was coming, I wanted to be sure to get mine

 

[Apsterbobed]

So I purchased a DK40SE HST, with a backhoe. I picked it up Friday evening and have already put it to work. I do have a few issues with the tractor but all in all it seems to be well built. The FEL and backhoe work great, I haven't had a chance to try dismounting the backhoe yet or running the finish mower. I have put in about a dozen fence posts with a skid steer post hole digger, other than needing a spotter to see around the hood the tractor will sink the 6" bit 4' down at idle in our wet clay. I don't like the quick attach handle for the bucket it feels cheap, on the skid steer I run, to convince an attachment on sometimes I have to step on the handles, I feel like I am going to bend the single handle on the tractor just using my hand. I have never had hydraulic ports on a tractor so maybe it's normal but every time I unplug they drip. Those are all minor problems I can live with, the operator's area is great controls all where I expect them and its very comfortable. Some controls feel backwards but I just need to unlearn 14 years of my JD. The biggest problem I have is that I can't use high range, I hope that it just needs to break in but unless I'm on pavement or going down hill it will hardly move in high without having it at almost full rpm and a very slow ground speed, about the same as topped out in medium range. Our field has about 5' of elevation in 200 yards it's hardly a slope but have trouble moving in high. I plan on trying the mower tomorrow but right now I feel like the tractor might be underpowered.

 

[George2615]

Congrats on your new DK. It will serve you well. Now you need to post some pics. As they say here, without pics it didn't happen.

 

[Apsterbobed]

So far this is the only picture I have.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

. . . I don't like the quick attach handle for the bucket it feels cheap, on the skid steer I run, to convince an attachment on sometimes I have to step on the handles, I feel like I am going to bend the single handle on the tractor just using my hand. . . .

Hmmmm. The handle on my DK50SE is very sturdy. Not flimsy in any way whatsoever. Take a pic of yours if you get a chance.

. . . I have never had hydraulic ports on a tractor so maybe it's normal but every time I unplug they drip. . . .

That is normal with the Pioneer ag couplers like most ag tractors have. The flat face skid steer type don't do that, but the ag couplers dribble a little when unplugged.

 

[DK35vince]

That is normal with the Pioneer ag couplers like most ag tractors have. The flat face skid steer type don't do that, but the ag couplers dribble a little when unplugged.

True.
And you can switch over to the flat face couplers like the skid steers use to stop the drip if its bothersome., But the flat face couplers are pricey.
Better have several hundred $ to spend to change over

 

[paulfun9]

With the high range issue You might want to consult with your dealer. The only issue I had was moving my foot a little too fast being used to the pedals on my JD which had less throw. Once I got the movement correct My High gear works perfectly. Also remember 3rd gear in a hydro is basically designed for travel from site to site and low and medium are your work gears. I find myself in medium range most of the time and doing work much faster than what the old JD would do as I was almost always stuck using low on it.

 

[DK35vince]

High range on a HST is mostly for travel and have limited power.
It is a heavy tractor also with the backhoe.

 

[Apsterbobed]

So today I had time to take the backhoe off. Let me tell you that I had more time in mounting my 5' finish mower than me and my wife had putting the backhoe on. She backed the tractor over the sub frame I plugged it in and bumped it around and boom the pins were in done! I spent a little time mowing today and I think I have something wrong with my transmission. Going on the slight down hill the thing rips along in medium, I turn around and go back up hill and I have to keep giving it more fuel to keep the pto speed and back off the HST pedal. Like I said the hill is hardly a slope it's about 5' in 200 yards, we shot it with a laser when we tried to put in some drains for the standing water. In high range with the mower on back (transporting it not cutting) it still struggles to move unless you are heading down hill.

 

[paulfun9]

Go to the dealership and test ride an other one and compare. By the description you are giving something isn't right. I have been mowing with mine a 7ft finish mower, set the Rpm just a tad past PTO speed and as I hit the high grass it falls right to PTO RPM and stays. I cut up down and sideways and only at the highest steepest part do I have to back off the pedal. If I stay on it full it will bog just below PTO RPM but it dosnt stall or bog nearly enough for me to have to slow down for any other reason than I feel the cut is better at 540 PTO so I don't let it drift past it low or high by very much at all.

I actually tested mine today and rode to the lowest part of the yard and with the backhoe on I came back up in High gear at about 2000 RPM with no trouble at all. I actually had to slow near the top as I didn't want to hit the bumps that hard with the backhoe on.

As far as backhoe removal and installation it takes me about 5 min total to remove and reinstall it by myself. I do have a level concrete garage floor to do it on and it seems as long as everything is level it should always go smooth. Yes it takes me longer to mount the finish mower than to remove and reattach the backhoe but with the extendable 3 point arms that isn't even hard to do compared to using the 3 point on my old JD. I also leave the lower arms on when using the backhoe, as long as you leave them in the raised position everything fits just fine.

Forgot to mention I use M to mow so as long as your not stabbing the pedal like it was a dragster from a dead stop something must be wrong.

 

[Apsterbobed]

I was surprised at how easy it was to mount and dismount the backhoe! I removed it on the lawn and didn't have everything level so when I pulled a head the frame dropped a few inches, so when we put it back on I had to bump it up. A few practice runs and I know I will get quicker. And Paulfun9 you are right about the extendable arms, it was much easier to mount the mower than with my 790. I backed up to the mower and didn't have to push or pull on the mower once, I was able to get all the adjustments from the 3 point hitch. Actually the hardest part was lining in the spline on the drive shaft and that was always the easiest step on the 790.

As far as the transmission I am going to call the dealer tomorrow (they were closed today) and talk with them. I also noticed that in medium I can't spin the tires, I pushed up the wood shavings and horse manure pile and in medium it just slowed to almost a stall. I would have thought that in 2wd on top of 6' of wood shavings and manure I would have broke traction before stopping the tractor. Also when I was mowing, it seemed like I was getting plenty of power at the pto just not to the wheels. Going one way through a tall patch and the tractor didn't slow one rpm it seemed, but turn around and go back through on the up hill and I would have to rev it up and back off the pedal, even if I moved over to the already mowed area.