2023 or 2030?

[Blstr88]

Wow ok, so my wife and I went out to the property today and really walked the entire perimeter with the previous owner (theyre renting the place from us until they move to their new place in July) and finally got a real good look at the entire place. The first 3 times we viewed the property there was snow on the ground, and the 4th time we saw it prior to closing I had just had a surgery and was in no shape to walk the land...

Walking it really well really helped give me a better idea what the tractor will help with, what I saw was:

1. I'll need a bush hog for sure. A lot of the property is cleared and about half the cleared property is nice smooth lawn, the other half is more of a rough cut lawn...wont mow it often, but will need to knock it down every now and then. Originally I was planning to get a ZT mower to handle the lawn (and still will for the smoother sections) but a bush hog will really come in handy for the other parts.

2. Some areas down lower towards the road are quite wet...it's also the worst time of year for that (snow melted and raining a lot) so Im thinking it wont be super wet year round...but Ill have to deal with a bit of slippery stuff in spots.

3. The driveway will require maintenance from time to time...it was kinda smoothed out with snow all the past times we looked at the property, but now that its all gone I can tell it will end up a bit too bumpy each year...will need to grade it or at least run a rake over it.

With all that said...Im still really leaning towards the J2023 but wanted to update my post with more recent info. My biggest recent concern is: will the 2023 handle a bush hog ok? Or will it be struggling to cut through the thicker stuff with that?

 

[Olympus]

The 2023 will handle a 4ft heavy duty brush hog with ease or a standard duty 5ft. As long as you're only cutting grass, the 5ft should be fine. If you need to chew up saplings and thick growth, might want to drop down to a 4ft.

 

[Blstr88]

So the 2023 is pretty much 100% at this point...havent been able to find any reason not to go with it yet!

My next big decision is whether to go for the backhoe or not...it would be nice to get it at the same time so I can include it in the financing...but they arent exactly cheap. Im sure I'd get use out of it, but its nothing I couldnt do with a hand shovel (mostly planting trees/shrubs).

Can anyone speak for the quality of the LS backhoe? Worth the money?

 

[windcatcher]

Blstr88, I haven't used one of the backhoes for the J2023/2030, but I have been up close to them. They are built very sturdy for a tractor of that size. Check with Olympus here. He has one and has used it on his J2023. Seems like he went beyond recommended limits IIRC, but still didn't damage it.

That is one good looking tractor. Too bad they don't offer Ag tires for it. I was hot and heavy on it myself until I found out it doesn't have that option.

Good luck with your choice. I'm still on the fence as to which one I will finally select.

 

[scodyw]

The backhoe seems solid to me. I dug up a pine stump that is about 18 inches across at waist level, without any problems. The pressure relief seems set low so it does not move the tractor much, but it still digs well. I am moving up to this one from a much smaller backhoe though. There is some movement on it, and the post for the seat touches the cross beam, I can see where it is swapping a little paint.

It is simple to remove from the tractor, also. It only took a few minutes. I doubt it will be hard to reinstall either.

 

[Blstr88]

Thanks guys. I definitely want it, just gotta decide if it's worth the ~$6000...

We're planning to plant a LOT of various fruit trees, bushes, shrubs, etc at our new property this year and over the next few years...so if nothing else it would really help with that.

 

[Olympus]

I actually decided not to get a backhoe. For as little as I would use it, I couldn't justify the price. I can rent one a lot cheaper and get a project knocked out if I need to. They are very good quality hoes though. It just depends on your needs and how often you'll use one.

 

[scodyw]

I have found, from experience, that for planting smaller trees, a post hole auger works better than a backhoe. Whatever you dig out, you have to put back by hand, and the backhoe will dig a lot more dirt than you need.

For a snow plow, I had a skid steer quick attach put on the loader, because it is a lot less expensive to get a plow for a skid steer then the one for the front of the tractor. It also allows me to use pallet forks, a grapple, and a hay spear.

Even though it does not say so on their website, you can get R1 tires for the J2023H. Ask the dealer about them. I was about to get them, but decided not to because I need the tractor for plowing snow on my dirt driveway/asphalt road. They will tear the dirt part up, and they wear a lot faster the R4s do on pavement.

 

[windcatcher]

"Even though it does not say so on their website, you can get R1 tires for the J2023H. Ask the dealer about them. I was about to get them, but decided not to because I need the tractor for plowing snow on my dirt driveway/asphalt road. They will tear the dirt part up, and they wear a lot faster the R4s do on pavement. "

Hmmmm. I've asked two different dealers in North Carolina, and also asked the people at the LS assembly plant in Battleboro, NC about the R1 tires. They've all said R4 or Turf tires, no R1 Ag tires. This was the primary reason I decided against the J2023 tractor. The rims are different for R1 & R4 tires, Very different.

Could you find that information and post it here?

 

[scodyw]

I talked to Jeff at Barlow AG in Pennsylvania. Here is his email:

barlowagsvc@gmail.com

I double checked in my emails with him, I had said I did not think it was available, but he said he could order them.