4310 or 4610??

[chryslermgr]

Had my mind made up on the 4310. Yesterday we test drove the 4310 and the 4610. My wife liked the 4610. We have 22 acres, 14 acres are woods, 3 acres are orchard, about 3 acres of finish mowing. Eventually we want to retire and farm the property. For the price difference my wife thinks we should go with the 4610, I think it is too big for what we need. Price on the 4310 Hydro/430 FEL $18,500--4610Hydro/460FEL $22,500-plus I have a coupon from Deere for $1,000 off. Need some unbiased opinions--son's are divided also. Big Thanks from small city-farmer!

 

[Green_in_MI]

Your wife is a smart woman. Take her advice.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Well, I dunno. Now I am not unbiased, but I did think REAL hard before ending up with my 4310. Once we got in all our trees, we were sure glad we went a little smaller. And the 4310 is no wimp, either. Maybe at the dealers the big one doesn't look too big. Maybe they can drop one by your place to try out.

Finally, later when the really big jobs come up, you can pick up a huge ag tractor for a song - I just heard of another Deere 4020 that ran like it was new for $5K. (they're in the 85Hp range...)

If the 4610 fits - youre sure to love it! If you have to "settle" for the 4310, you'll be grinnin' too!

 

[chevy]

It all depends on what you are going to use the tractor for. I owned a 4400 for 3 years. When I purchased the 4400 I also considered a 4600. Like you I thought it was to big & thought the 4400 would do everything I would want it to do. During the 3+ years working with the 4400 I found that the loader did not have the lifting capacity I needed for a lot of jobs, the stability was always a worry as our property is rolling.
This spring I traded the 4400 for a 4710. There is night & day difference between the 2 tractors. If you are going to do alot of loader work & want to use it to farm the ground you might reconsider your choice. As I found out it would have been alot less expensive to have bought the larger tractor to start with. Chris

 

[rancar]

Listen to your wife and buy that 4610. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif After you retire and really get into some of these tractor projects, you will also be glad you had a larger tractor with additional HP and more engine torque for the tough projects. Your wife just may be saying, "I told you so" if you don't listen to her and you go ahead with buying that 4310. If you have the money, get the largest tractor you can buy. The jobs and projects will always come up when you'll be glad you had the bigger machine.

...Bob

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Well, again you have to look at all your uses. For me it was the difference in the tractor width. We have 7 acres of with 70% is covered with trees. The 4610 was just a bit wider than the trails that we have through the woods. The mowing I have is about one acre.. and it isn't lawn type grass.
I went with the 4310 for that reason.
Oh, I did take the tape measure out and everything! (the 4310 also fits fine on my dual axle car trailer, 4610 would have been a bit too tight with the sides on).
Nice to have the option with the CFO on whichever model you want /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Shari
waiting for my 4310 MFWD eHydro, 430 FEL, LX5 rotary cutter, tiller, & 47 backhoe

 

[Dahammer]

I ran a 4600 on a 15 acre woodlot here in Maine with no problems...the width isn't that much more than the smaller series of tractors. The lifting capacity of the 460 loader greater and you will have all the weight you need to pull/drag logs. Resale will be great with the larger tractor since there aren't that many of them around. If you are going to mow, forget about the 4610, but for everything else, the larger tractor is so much better that it is a no-brainer, especially if the CFO is leaning that way...

 

[Chief]

I am on 26 acres very similar to the situation you have. My 4410 does all that I call on it to do. I feel a 4610 although a real nice tractor would be just a bit to large for what I do. I already am very cramped on the woods trails with the 4410 and the 72" MMM. The 4610 would be nice for pulling logs and other heavier work. Just have to sit down and match up the tasks you plan to use it for to the right size tractor. Good Luck!

 

[Dahammer]

For what it is worth, the 4610 is less than 3 inches wider than a 4310...insignificant in the woods. If you are running a 72"MMM mower on a 4310 you are going to be 72" wide, just like a 72" MMM on a 4610..I suggest you take the mower off if headed into the timber. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Nice thing about the 460 loader is the power...I have had a ton or more in mine with no problems...4 cylinder is sooooo smmooooth /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gifcompared to the 3 in the 4310.. although the 3 does smooth out some at higher rpms...

 

[rmonio]

I have to agree with Bob. I went with a 4600 over a 4300 when I was looking at a tractor. The extra horsepower, lift capacity on the loader, etc., were all selling points. I didn't want to get it home, use it for a while, and realize that I should have gotten the bigger unit...

One comment though - get the HD bucket. The dirt bucket just doesn't cut it when working on alot of rocks. .

-Bob