Killer_B
Platinum Member
My 3320 recently passed 1,000 hours (and 10 years) of service. This was my first John Deere product and the experience has been good. I really am a big fan of this tractor, and by extension JD as a whole. I did not come to this opinion overnight. Perhaps some background is in order.
Day one 8/19/07 is here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/106174-3320-day-one.html
My 50 hr. is here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...3320-unnecessary-50hr-service.html?highlight=
My 200 Hr. is here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...g/130737-3320-200-hour-review.html?highlight=
My 300 Hr. is here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...g/154730-3320-300-hour-review.html?highlight=
One of my primary passions is motorcycling. More specifically long distance riding. In the two wheeled realm there seems to be, broadly speaking, two types of motorcycle owners. There is the more common casual owner who finds his machine an interesting curiosity, worth keeping around a while for grins. But eventually it gets moved on to make room in the garage for something else. See your local craigslist for confirmation.
And then there is the rider for whom it is more of a religious experience. We find these machines mysteriously attractive. We are captivated by the lines, the curves, the sounds and the sensations. We spend all winter pouring over maps and planning our trips with our riding buddies. We reminisce about taking in the sights and sounds of Peggy's Cove, or hustling along at a hundred and a half down that long, straight, desolate stretch of blacktop that seems to reach to the horizon in the desert southwest. Each summer finds us 100's or 1,000's of miles from home with camping gear strapped to our bikes. It's what we live for. I fall into the second category.
Tractor owners seem likewise to break into similar sets. To some their machine is a tool, not unlike any other. It should provide utility, reliability, and a return on investment. It's hard to fault such an outlook.
Then there are the enthusiasts. The guys who, when they were young boys, would stop and marvel at machinery of all kinds, especially the four wheeled variety. If they happened to idolize a dad, or a grandpa, or an uncle who was a farmer, the effect might go deeper still. That's me.
My grandpa was my hero. He was an old school farmer. A short, soft spoken, muscular, witty fellow. His flannel shirts carried with them the faint fragrance of Pall Malls, gasoline and horse hair. I wish I could inhale that aroma just one more time. And I wish I could sit on the fender of the old John Deere D as he plowed the back 80, or on the A as he cultivated knee high corn. I guess that will have to wait for the next life. But those sights, smells and sounds never seem far from my mind.
So with only partial objectivity to work with, here is the best review of my 3320 I can muster. I am quite fond of this tractor. Here are the reasons why:
1. The Ehydro. I love the E-hydro. The other day I was pulling stumps for a friend with my tractor in low range. While hooked into one that was too large to pull, I watched all 4 tires spin in unison at a second hand's pace. Smooth as glass with no chattering and no real effort on my part other than one toe lightly on the forward peddle. Remarkable.
2. No Diesel Particulate Filter. I feel fortunate to have a modern 33HP tractor without that state mandated crapola. In my opinion there have been no improvements to the current machines that I would trade for not having a DPF.
3. The suspension seat. My last two tractors (a Kubota BX2200 and B7610) had no suspension seat. The improvement in comfort is appreciated. I hear the air suspension seats are even better.
4. The fit and finish have held up very well. The plastic body work is marred where I repeatedly bash it into my pine trees. The marring seems preferable to dents and/or rust. It might even buff out. I have not tried.
5. Reliability. The tractor has not once let me down in over a decade. Other than filters and fluids, the only parts I have replaced were the battery and a cruise control switch. I guess I wore it out. That switch (PN LVA11179) cost $30.00 and an hour in my garage, including diagnostic time.
6. The electronic cruise control. What a luxury this is. It works just like a car with set, resume, increase and decrease. The switches are at your fingertips. Love it for mowing, brush cutting and tilling. I use it a lot. See #5.
7. The engine. The direct inject injection Yanmar is the model of quiet competence. It starts right up on the coldest winter days with no glow plugs. Amazing.
8. The 72" 7 Iron deck. Most of the hours on this tractor were spent finish mowing. Since it was a decade old, I replaced the belt this year at a cost of $134.00. The old belt looked virtually indistinguishable from the new one. The beefy blades are likewise working well with a whole lot of meat left on them. Other than greasing the zirks regularly and changing the gear box fluid twice, it has needed no other attention from me.
The truth is that mowing grass with a 3,000 lb. tractor is overkill. Why would you take your trusty .44 Mag to a paper punching contest when your plastic 9mm would do the job better, faster and cheaper? Because your wheelgun is handsome. It is well balanced. It has all the right proportions. And it feels better in your hands and on your hip than any Austrian appliance.
9. The 300 CX Loader. It has worked flawlessly. It's strong enough to lift a back tire off the ground, even with a tiller or box blade on the back for ballast. I like that. Let me, the operator decide how much force is too much. I can handle the responsibility.
10. The appearance. Truth be told, this should probably have been farther up the list. I love the look of this tractor. From some angles it looks modern and swoopy. From others it reminds me of a 4020. Every aspect has the appearance of beef and brawn. Well done JD.
So I guess this isn't so much a review of my tractor as it is my grandfather, my guns and my motorcycle. I love them all, though not equally. Of the three, the 3320 is probably all you would be interested in.
Since you can't buy a new 33XX anymore, I suppose I am writing to the guys shopping in the used market. If I found myself in need of a tractor today, that is where I would be looking. I would avoid the tier 4 baloney if at all possible. If I found a clean, well-cared for 3320, I would snatch it up. I would take it home, park it in the garage next to my motorcycle. I would sit back, crack a beer and feel like a lucky guy.
Day one 8/19/07 is here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/106174-3320-day-one.html
My 50 hr. is here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...3320-unnecessary-50hr-service.html?highlight=
My 200 Hr. is here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...g/130737-3320-200-hour-review.html?highlight=
My 300 Hr. is here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...g/154730-3320-300-hour-review.html?highlight=
One of my primary passions is motorcycling. More specifically long distance riding. In the two wheeled realm there seems to be, broadly speaking, two types of motorcycle owners. There is the more common casual owner who finds his machine an interesting curiosity, worth keeping around a while for grins. But eventually it gets moved on to make room in the garage for something else. See your local craigslist for confirmation.
And then there is the rider for whom it is more of a religious experience. We find these machines mysteriously attractive. We are captivated by the lines, the curves, the sounds and the sensations. We spend all winter pouring over maps and planning our trips with our riding buddies. We reminisce about taking in the sights and sounds of Peggy's Cove, or hustling along at a hundred and a half down that long, straight, desolate stretch of blacktop that seems to reach to the horizon in the desert southwest. Each summer finds us 100's or 1,000's of miles from home with camping gear strapped to our bikes. It's what we live for. I fall into the second category.
Tractor owners seem likewise to break into similar sets. To some their machine is a tool, not unlike any other. It should provide utility, reliability, and a return on investment. It's hard to fault such an outlook.
Then there are the enthusiasts. The guys who, when they were young boys, would stop and marvel at machinery of all kinds, especially the four wheeled variety. If they happened to idolize a dad, or a grandpa, or an uncle who was a farmer, the effect might go deeper still. That's me.
My grandpa was my hero. He was an old school farmer. A short, soft spoken, muscular, witty fellow. His flannel shirts carried with them the faint fragrance of Pall Malls, gasoline and horse hair. I wish I could inhale that aroma just one more time. And I wish I could sit on the fender of the old John Deere D as he plowed the back 80, or on the A as he cultivated knee high corn. I guess that will have to wait for the next life. But those sights, smells and sounds never seem far from my mind.
So with only partial objectivity to work with, here is the best review of my 3320 I can muster. I am quite fond of this tractor. Here are the reasons why:
1. The Ehydro. I love the E-hydro. The other day I was pulling stumps for a friend with my tractor in low range. While hooked into one that was too large to pull, I watched all 4 tires spin in unison at a second hand's pace. Smooth as glass with no chattering and no real effort on my part other than one toe lightly on the forward peddle. Remarkable.
2. No Diesel Particulate Filter. I feel fortunate to have a modern 33HP tractor without that state mandated crapola. In my opinion there have been no improvements to the current machines that I would trade for not having a DPF.
3. The suspension seat. My last two tractors (a Kubota BX2200 and B7610) had no suspension seat. The improvement in comfort is appreciated. I hear the air suspension seats are even better.
4. The fit and finish have held up very well. The plastic body work is marred where I repeatedly bash it into my pine trees. The marring seems preferable to dents and/or rust. It might even buff out. I have not tried.
5. Reliability. The tractor has not once let me down in over a decade. Other than filters and fluids, the only parts I have replaced were the battery and a cruise control switch. I guess I wore it out. That switch (PN LVA11179) cost $30.00 and an hour in my garage, including diagnostic time.
6. The electronic cruise control. What a luxury this is. It works just like a car with set, resume, increase and decrease. The switches are at your fingertips. Love it for mowing, brush cutting and tilling. I use it a lot. See #5.
7. The engine. The direct inject injection Yanmar is the model of quiet competence. It starts right up on the coldest winter days with no glow plugs. Amazing.
8. The 72" 7 Iron deck. Most of the hours on this tractor were spent finish mowing. Since it was a decade old, I replaced the belt this year at a cost of $134.00. The old belt looked virtually indistinguishable from the new one. The beefy blades are likewise working well with a whole lot of meat left on them. Other than greasing the zirks regularly and changing the gear box fluid twice, it has needed no other attention from me.
The truth is that mowing grass with a 3,000 lb. tractor is overkill. Why would you take your trusty .44 Mag to a paper punching contest when your plastic 9mm would do the job better, faster and cheaper? Because your wheelgun is handsome. It is well balanced. It has all the right proportions. And it feels better in your hands and on your hip than any Austrian appliance.
9. The 300 CX Loader. It has worked flawlessly. It's strong enough to lift a back tire off the ground, even with a tiller or box blade on the back for ballast. I like that. Let me, the operator decide how much force is too much. I can handle the responsibility.
10. The appearance. Truth be told, this should probably have been farther up the list. I love the look of this tractor. From some angles it looks modern and swoopy. From others it reminds me of a 4020. Every aspect has the appearance of beef and brawn. Well done JD.
So I guess this isn't so much a review of my tractor as it is my grandfather, my guns and my motorcycle. I love them all, though not equally. Of the three, the 3320 is probably all you would be interested in.
Since you can't buy a new 33XX anymore, I suppose I am writing to the guys shopping in the used market. If I found myself in need of a tractor today, that is where I would be looking. I would avoid the tier 4 baloney if at all possible. If I found a clean, well-cared for 3320, I would snatch it up. I would take it home, park it in the garage next to my motorcycle. I would sit back, crack a beer and feel like a lucky guy.
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