455 Diesel vs. X485

[vincent721]

Does anyone have an opinion of the advantages and disadvantages of a 1996 455 Diesel vs. an X485? Local dealer wants $7000 for a slightly used X485 but I also have a chance at purchasing a 1996 455 Diesel from another dealer for under $5,000 in excellent shape (600 hours). I know the age and hours is one disadantage of the 455 but the price is lower as well.

 

[bigtiller]

I have owned both and I liked the 455 better. It will out perform the X485 with any type of ground engagement implement. It will start a 60 inch mower deck at idle speed and the X485 needs to be at half throttle or more to do that. The 455 gets about 40% better fuel economy and R1 tires are an option that the X485 doesn't have.

 

[BarryinMN]

I have a 455 did not want to spend more for newer. 455 has better outer radiator debris screening. I put the cat 0 3pt hitch on & have several small attachments for road repair, trailer moving etc.

The 485 can have the mower deck and front hitch on simultaneously.

Ask at weekendfreedommachines.com for more complete differences.

 

[vincent721]

Big Tiller,

Since you have owned both, you would be a good person to ask this if you used it for mowing. Which one did you like the best for mowing? And also, I think I will be taking the deck off after each mowing to make the best use of my garage -- so with that in mind, which one was easier to take the deck off? Finally, how did you like the seat in terms of comfort while mowing?

 

[BleedGreen]

vincent,

If the condition is similar on both machines, I would go with the 455 hands down. A brand new X740 w/62C mower deck should sell for $10,500.00, if that helps you at all...

 

[jeffinsgf]

vincent:

I won't be able to add to the comparison, but I am a very happy 455 owner who shopped late model JD LGT's hard about 18 months ago. I don't think you can beat that little liquid cooled Yanmar diesel any way you go about it.

As for your deck, I doubt that you will find removing the deck something you want to do every week, regardless of which model you choose. Even standing the deck on edge, the deck takes up more room removed from the tractor than it does attached. Further, it is not an enjoyable task, even on the easiest models. The shaft drive systems are better than routing and fighting with belts, but lining up and attaching a PTO shaft in a very restricted space isn't something I would choose to do on a weekly basis.

Comfort? I am pretty sure the models you're looking at use exactly the same seat and seat adjustment. I was all set to buy either a JD or Kubota ZTR, until I mowed with both of them. They're certainly faster than a tractor, but they demand constant attention to the hydro levers and even the best bounce quite a bit. My 455 tracks perfectly, requiring very little attention to steering. I am a big guy, and I find the 455 to be perfectly comfortable for the hour that it takes me to mow an acre. Yes, I could be done in 1/2 to 2/3 the time with a ZTR, but my nerves would be frazzled and my joints would be rattling. Instead, after the hour of mowing, I am looking for other jobs I can do with my 455.

 

[bigtiller]

quote:

Since you have owned both, you would be a good person to ask this if you used it for mowing. Which one did you like the best for mowing? And also, I think I will be taking the deck off after each mowing to make the best use of my garage -- so with that in mind, which one was easier to take the deck off? Finally, how did you like the seat in terms of comfort while mowing?

_________________________________________________________________


vincent,

For mowing, there was no difference. I was happy with both but if a guy was wanting a manicured lawn this is not the mower for that. You would need something with a higher blade-tip-speed. But it does a good enough job at cutting that most people don't complain but rather brag about them. The 455 was easier to put the deck on in my opinion. It had a hole in the lift arms that a spring loaded pin slipped through. All of the X series replaced that hole with a "V" notch that was supposed to be easier and faster but in reality it was harder to line up than the holes were. Connecting the drive shaft was the most difficult part of putting the deck on for both models. But taking the deck off or on is really not a big deal as long as you are healthy and don't mind being on your hands and knees for a while. I have up graded to a 2305 but it is basically the same deck and I take mine off and on at least 20 times a year since 1993 when I bought my tiller. The seats are all about the same and the only thing I do is put a wire cushion on in the summer for air flow to cool me off.

 

[dirtworksequip]

The 455 is one of the best tractors Deere ever made. I've got one that I mow across the back of a pond dam slope and it's 35 percent grade. I doubt that there are many tractors that will do that. I know I wouldn't try it with my neighbors X485 and he wouldn't either. That little 455 has truley impressed me as to what it is capable of. Fo with the 455 you won't regret it!

Sincerely,
Dirt

 

[jcmseven]

Go with the 455. I have had a 485, 495 and 595 and the diesel units are much, much more powerful and economical than the gasoline units. The Kawasaki engine in the 485 has good power but slurps fuel like crazy and a good lifespan would be 2000 hours for one. My local dealer took trade on a 455 from a local college last year with 5200 hours on it and it still ran well, and burned very little oil. Even with that many hours, I bet it still had more power than a 485 would. To this day, the 595 I had has been the best LG tractor I have ever operated.

John M

 

[vincent721]

quote:

Since you have owned both, you would be a good person to ask this if you used it for mowing. Which one did you like the best for mowing? And also, I think I will be taking the deck off after each mowing to make the best use of my garage -- so with that in mind, which one was easier to take the deck off? Finally, how did you like the seat in terms of comfort while mowing?

_________________________________________________________________


vincent,

For mowing, there was no difference. I was happy with both but if a guy was wanting a manicured lawn this is not the mower for that. You would need something with a higher blade-tip-speed. But it does a good enough job at cutting that most people don't complain but rather brag about them. The 455 was easier to put the deck on in my opinion. It had a hole in the lift arms that a spring loaded pin slipped through. All of the X series replaced that hole with a "V" notch that was supposed to be easier and faster but in reality it was harder to line up than the holes were. Connecting the drive shaft was the most difficult part of putting the deck on for both models. But taking the deck off or on is really not a big deal as long as you are healthy and don't mind being on your hands and knees for a while. I have up graded to a 2305 but it is basically the same deck and I take mine off and on at least 20 times a year since 1993 when I bought my tiller. The seats are all about the same and the only thing I do is put a wire cushion on in the summer for air flow to cool me off.

Thank you so much for the wealth of information in your post. You mentioned about needed a faster blade speed for a good mower. Which tractors would have this???

 

[vincent721]

Thanks for everyone that posted information on my questions. You all have been very helpful. I am swayed to purchase the 455. Waiting to hear back though on the information that was in one of the posts about the 455 not being a great mower in terms of cutting grass. Any opinions on this. That is the primary purpose that I have right now for purchasing a tractor --- that and secondarily moving snow on my long driveway. My needs may change over time though.

 

[jeffinsgf]

You may find a single purpose mower with better blade speed than a high end JD garden tractor (either of the ones that you're looking at), but I would bet you wouldn't find many. I disagree with the post which says you can get a better cut -- possibly, but only from a very high end professional mower. I would match the cut from my 455 to anything on the market except some specialized mowers for golf courses and municipal parks.

 

[BleedGreen]

Which mower deck does the 455 have on it, the 60" or the 54"??? IMHO the 54" (which is a much newer design) cuts better, but the 60" is quite a bit beefier (is that a word?) and was the more popular of the two... We sold the 455 to a mix of Commercial Cutters, Schools & Parks as well as Homeowners with large properties. Most of these customers were looking more for speed of mowing, rather than quality of cut. On the other hand, short of getting a specialized Golf & Turf mower, I don't think you will find anything else comparable out there that will give you a better cut than either of the Deere decks.

 

[cef2lion]

I had a 99 445 with 54" deck. Cut great but used a lot of gas. Traded it for a 4310 and then for a 4410 with 72" deck. Found out I needed something smaller in addition to the 4410 for mowing around the house. I found a nice 322 that I put back in shape. Very interesting tractor with a 3 cylinder gas engine. Surprising easy on gas. Was happy with it but was at my dealer one day and saw a like new 98 455. Something I wished I had gotten when I bought the 445 new in 99. The 455 had 210 hours an included the MC519 collection system. I bought it on site for fear of losing it. I keep the 322 and had a few offers on it. Hated to part with it but in time I did.

I have used the 455 for 3 years now and plan to hang on to it for a long time. It has the 60" deck and I find the cut very good. A few times I have had the 4410 out on backhoe jobs for a few weeks and needed to use the 455 to mow about 7 acres. People I mow for comment how nice a job it does. It is very easy on fuel. I think most people that have them hang onto them. I would say it was one of the better mowers Deere produced. I would think the models that replaced the 455 would be of equal value. A friend of mine had the X585 and liked it but it used a lot of fuel. He wished he would have gotten the X595 but had since traded for the 4110. Bottom line. Don't think you would go wrong with the 455.

Craig

 

[JDCOMPACTMAN]

You may find a single purpose mower with better blade speed than a high end JD garden tractor (either of the ones that you're looking at), but I would bet you wouldn't find many. I disagree with the post which says you can get a better cut -- possibly, but only from a very high end professional mower. I would match the cut from my 455 to anything on the market except some specialized mowers for golf courses and municipal parks.

Against The 7 IRON Mower Deck They Are Now Offering On The X series
Garden Tractor,I Think It Will Out Perform The 455's Cut.Especially In Damp
Conditions.No Contest.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Against The 7 IRON Mower Deck They Are Now Offering On The X series
Garden Tractor,I Think It Will Out Perform The 455's Cut.Especially In Damp
Conditions.No Contest.

Just to be a little more accurate, it isn't offered for the "X series", it is offered for the X700 series.

That's a 2,200 dollar deck that only fits a 12 - 13 thousand dollar tractor. I can't lay my hands on the specs for the 60HD deck, but I would bet the blade tip speed isn't more than about 10 % different than the 7 Iron deck. I could be wrong, but I don't think the original poster was looking to spend $15,000.

 

[JDCOMPACTMAN]

Just to be a little more accurate, it isn't offered for the "X series", it is offered for the X700 series.

That's a 2,200 dollar deck that only fits a 12 - 13 thousand dollar tractor. I can't lay my hands on the specs for the 60HD deck, but I would bet the blade tip speed isn't more than about 10 % different than the 7 Iron deck. I could be wrong, but I don't think the original poster was looking to spend $15,000.

My Response Was To Your Claim That That You Would Match Your Cut Quality
On You 455 To Anything Out There On The Market(Except Specialized Or Golf Equipment).My Reply Was That The 7 IRON Deck On The "Select Series X700 Ultimate Series"Garden Tractors,TO BE EXACT, Will Out Cut The 455 .



Originally Posted by jeffinsgf
You may find a single purpose mower with better blade speed than a high end JD garden tractor (either of the ones that you're looking at), but I would bet you wouldn't find many. I disagree with the post which says you can get a better cut -- possibly, but only from a very high end professional mower.*** I would match the cut from my 455 to anything on the market except some specialized mowers for golf courses and municipal parks******

 

[jeffinsgf]

My Response Was To Your Claim That That You Would Match Your Cut Quality
On You 455 To Anything Out There On The Market(Except Specialized Or Golf Equipment).My Reply Was That The 7 IRON Deck On The "Select Series X700 Ultimate Series"Garden Tractors,TO BE EXACT, Will Out Cut The 455 .

From JD's description of the 7 Iron deck:

The 60-in. 7-Iron mower deck is compatible with 2007 model year X700, X720, X740, X728, and X748 Tractors. It is ideal for customers who need to mow green, thick, and heavy grass:
Commercial operators
Government agencies
Large property owners
Agricultural customers

Hmm. Sounds just about like what I wrote -- specialized turf equipment. That aside, bring a X748SE with a 7 Iron deck to my house this summer. You can mow my yard, and I'll see if it is better than my 455.

 

[Hard]

The 455 will do a great job mowing your lawn. I don't know what the blade tip speed is. I didn't really care. I had the opportunity to use a 455 on several occasions last year while my Cub Cadet tractors where broken down and in for repair. You can't go wrong with the 455. It's an excellent tractor.

 

[JDCOMPACTMAN]

The 455 Is a Great Tractor And In My Mind a Heavier Built Tractor Than The X700's.I'm By No Means Putting The 455 Down!I Just Felt The 7 IRON Has A Nicer Cut,But Maybe It Depends on The Conditions As Stated By jeffinsgf.