cc 2550 or jd x324

[Petertucky]

I am new here. Live in SW IN, & mow 2 1/2 acres. I am going to buy either the cc 2550 or jd x324. As I decide, I have questions and comments.

How hard is the deck on the cc to remove and attach? I think I will have to remove the deck to get it on the trailer home and for future maintenance. The belt from the engine to the deck looked like it might have some twists in it. I think the JD 48 inch deck will fit on my 54" trailer with the Chute up, but the 50 inch cc deck (actually 54 inches wide with chute up) mower won't fit on the trailer.

Does the blade on the non-discharge side of the cc deck come close to the edge of the deck to aid in tight turning mowing arount trees, etc.? The Jd blade appears to come very close to the edge of the deck. If I buy the cc I will be giving up the 4ws, and I don't want to regret giving that up. JD calls their deck edge extra, but I hope that the cc deck has blades near the edge of the deck too.

My heart is actually with the Cub, as evidenced by this request on this thread and not on the JD thread.

Finally, is the cc reliable and durable? I want 10-15 years out of it, rather than the 5-7 out of my yard machine of years past, or my current Troy bilt.

Thanks

 

[jay25rs]

I am new here. Live in SW IN, & mow 2 1/2 acres. I am going to buy either the cc 2550 or jd x324. As I decide, I have questions and comments.

How hard is the deck on the cc to remove and attach? I think I will have to remove the deck to get it on the trailer home and for future maintenance. The belt from the engine to the deck looked like it might have some twists in it. I think the JD 48 inch deck will fit on my 54" trailer with the Chute up, but the 50 inch cc deck (actually 54 inches wide with chute up) mower won't fit on the trailer.

Hello, I just bought a CC 2544 and had it delivered 3/28. I have used it a few times for spring clean up and so far, I think it is a great machine. The deck took me about literally, under 90 seconds to get it off. Lower the deck all the way down, release the belt tension lever, pop the hood, remove the belt from the electric PTO pulley, pull 2 spring loaded deck support pins to disengage the deck from the lift (one on each side), slide the deck forward slightly, remove the front deck support rod assembly, raise attachment lift mechanism, slide deck out from side of tractor.

Does the blade on the non-discharge side of the cc deck come close to the edge of the deck to aid in tight turning mowing arount trees, etc.? The Jd blade appears to come very close to the edge of the deck. If I buy the cc I will be giving up the 4ws, and I don't want to regret giving that up. JD calls their deck edge extra, but I hope that the cc deck has blades near the edge of the deck too.

I haven’t cut the lawn yet (it’s not growing yet!) but looking under my deck, the blade seems to come close to the edge of the deck. Your 2550 model will be better than mine for leaving a smaller circle of uncut grass because the deck is 6” wider.

Finally, is the cc reliable and durable? I want 10-15 years out of it, rather than the 5-7 out of my yard machine of years past, or my current Troy bilt.
Thanks

I like my CC very much. I was in a similar position to yours and was shopping JD and CC as well as looking at Simplicity and Kubota. I decided on the Cub Cadet 2500 series because they have tremendous value for the dollar, shaft drive cast iron transmissions and I feel will give me the longest useful service life under harsh conditions; I plan on using it to plow in the winter and I currently am using it to pull forsynthias out of the ground. (Check out my same user name at http://www.mytractorforum.com for a detailed post). I think that my CC is easy to work on, I already changed out the dreaded plastic oil drain valve and replaced it with a forged brass Fumoto ball valve. I am 23 years old and I think that with regular maintenance, my CC will last into my retirement. (Although the temptation to trade up later on for a 3000 series is there!)

-Jason

 

[Petertucky]

Thanks Jason.

I think I did see your pictures on that other forum a few days ago. I found your comments over there quite helpful. It made me realize that a Garden tractor does have a pretty tough transmission. I think I recall you had chains on your wheels to help with the pulling too.

When you put the deck back on, does the belt have a certain twist that it must have? If yes, is it complicated? I have been around machines with rear pto's that require the belt to turn 1/4 between this point and that point, and then 3/4 here to there etc. I don't know that I want to get into that.

 

[turbojerk]

If you're mowing 2.5 acres, you may want to consider stepping up to the GT2554 instead, unless you have got time to burn. I mow 2.5 acres myself and it takes pretty much 2 hours easily with my GT2554.

I did have a few issues with my Cub at first, but the dealer had no problem taking care of the problems with out asking a question...

T

 

[Petertucky]

I would have considered the 2554, but I have a small shed to keep the tractor out of the weather, and its door opening is only 56 inches wide. Quite frankly, I may be a fool for even trying to fit the 50 inch deck in there, because with the chute up, I think I will only have an inch on each side.

Right now I mow with a 46 inch troy bilt, so I will be moving up.

Thanks though.

 

[jay25rs]

Thanks Jason.

I think I did see your pictures on that other forum a few days ago. I found your comments over there quite helpful. It made me realize that a Garden tractor does have a pretty tough transmission. I think I recall you had chains on your wheels to help with the pulling too.

Yup, I used my winter tire chains to gain some more traction. I don't have a weight bracket yet or AG tires but hopefully in the future I will. From my research, the JD transmission wasn't too much more spectacular than that on Craftsman models. (not knocking on Craftsman, maybe a testament to their strength) but they are not fully serviceable and I am pretty sure that they lack a transmission oil filter. CC's has a large spin on filter like you'd find for oil on an engine.

When you put the deck back on, does the belt have a certain twist that it must have? If yes, is it complicated? I have been around machines with rear pto's that require the belt to turn 1/4 between this point and that point, and then 3/4 here to there etc. I don't know that I want to get into that.

The belt twists 1/4 turn from the electric PTO clutch to the mule drive. Super simple then kinda works its way back to want to be normal to the double pulley on the deck.

 

[JTKub]

Peter, having owned several makes/models, etc.. I think you'll find JD's tend to be a *little* bit better in regards fit/finish and operator comfort (ergonomics). A CC 2500 series is the most GT for the money. If money wasn't an issue, I'd get a Kubota, higher end JD or an Ingersoll.

Joel

 

[CCinCT]

First off, you should actually measure a deck in person to verify you can get it through your shed door. Assuming you can fit the JD 48" and Cub 50" decks in your shed, then you really need to decide what you're going to need out of a tractor.

The X324 will be a superior lawn mowing machine. I prefer it's cut to the Cub 44" and 54" decks. I also like how you can set the deck height once so that every time you lower it, it will be at the same cutting height. And the Kawasaki engine is smoother and quieter than the Kohler. But I wouldn't haul more than a couple houndred pounds with that tractor, and I sure wouldn't put a plow on it. And the fact the JD doesn't offer a sleeve hitch pretty much sums up it's ground engaging career.

However, if you're like me and want one machine to rule them all... I mean, do everything, then the Cub is the way to go. The Kohler Command, though louder than the Kawa, is just as durable if not more so. The frame is well designed and meant to deal with the stresses of ground engaging equipment. The transmission seems to be bullet-proof. The shaft drive means one less belt to worry about (and you won't get stranded somewhere with a broken drive belt).

Then there's cost: the JD X324 lists for $4500, and the Cub 2550 lists for $3800. For $700 you give up ground engaging abilities and get 4WS.

This really comes down to what you want this tractor to do. I chose a 2544 over a X320 last year because I knew that I didn't know everything I was going to want to use it for. I wanted equipment that would have room to grow as my needs increased.

 

[ChipSmith]

I just bought a GT2550 last week. And my shed door was the tightest place I need to squeeze through. My shed door is only 55" wide and I can assure you that the GT2550 will fit. Yes, it is tight. But having the bigger deck makes cutting that much easier.

If you look at John Deere's website, they have every specification you can think of, except one -- weight. I guess they must be embarrassed about how light their tractors are. Cub lists the weight of all their tractors and you can see how the weight jumps up dramatically going from the LT series to the GT series. If you have any hills or rough terrain, the weight will definitely be a bonus.

I was talking to my Cub Dealer yesterday. He told me that the same day that he delivered mine, he also delivered another GT2550 to another customer who had just bought a JD x320. When we got there the JD dealer was there picking up the x320. Apparently the JD couldn't make it up the customer's hills (it would just spin tires). The JD dealer was embarrassed, especially when the GT2550 climbed the hills with no problems.

 

[Petertucky]

Wow chip. I think I measured the 2550 deck to be 54 inches. If your shed door is 55, that is tough. I was dreading the 56 inch opening on my shed. Thanks for letting me know it can be done.

Overall, I think the John Deere would be adequate for what I will do. Haul some firewood in winter, mow the grass, light duty stuff. No real plans for snowblower (in Southern Indiana we don't get big snows that last long), or tiller attachment. I like the uncut radius of the 4ws too.

I really appreciate all the help. Tomorrow is when I buy, and I still haven't made up my mind.

One last question for thought. Which will last longer? My kids will be entering college in a few years. This new mower must last at least 12 years. My first, basic, bottom feeder MTD Yard machine lasted 7 years with me. (Actually, my brother still mows with it and it is a 94.) I bought a Troy Bilt in 2002 for about $1800, and frankly it is not close to being double the machine. The twin intek is smoother, but that is about it. It has been disappointing, but now my brother will get it.

So here I am. Probably willing to buy either machine. Which will be more durable and more trouble free?

This ought to open up a can of worms.

 

[jay25rs]

Petertucky,
IMO, due to less complexity from not having 4 wheel steering, and having a fully servicable transmission the CC is a sure bet. I know that the Deere's transmission may be plenty for just what you are planning to do but I know that with my luck, something would go wrong 1 day after the warranty period. At least with the CC, it is fully serviceable and since it is so much overkill, much less likely to have a problem. Trying to make a machine last 12 years, I would lean towards a JD x320 rather than the x324 because of less complicated moving parts or certainly the CC. Also, I've read that having a horizontally shafted engine is better than a vertically shafted engine. Not so sure as for the reasoning but just something that I have come across on the internet.

As a side note, I have 5.5 hours on my GT2544 after an afternoon of pulling out some more forsynthias and I cleaned her up real nice with compressed air and some spray and shine. I noted the locations of the grease points various lube items and they are really accessible and I went under the machine (my deck is off) and looked up and everything looks to be easy to work on for me.
-No problems so far except for changing out the plastic oil drain valve to a Fumoto and I will be replacing the transmission hydrostatic oil filter at 10 hours as indicated in my manual and topping off the transmission with any fluid lost during the procedure.

 

[LBrown59]

I am new here. Live in SW IN, & mow 2 1/2 acres. I am going to buy either the cc 2550 or jd x324. As I decide, I have questions and comments.

How hard is the deck on the cc to remove and attach? I think I will have to remove the deck to get it on the trailer home and for future maintenance. The belt from the engine to the deck looked like it might have some twists in it. I think the JD 48 inch deck will fit on my 54" trailer with the Chute up, but the 50 inch cc deck (actually 54 inches wide with chute up) mower won't fit on the trailer.

Does the blade on the non-discharge side of the cc deck come close to the edge of the deck to aid in tight turning mowing arount trees, etc.? The Jd blade appears to come very close to the edge of the deck. If I buy the cc I will be giving up the 4ws, and I don't want to regret giving that up. JD calls their deck edge extra, but I hope that the cc deck has blades near the edge of the deck too.

My heart is actually with the Cub, as evidenced by this request on this thread and not on the JD thread.

Finally, is the cc reliable and durable? I want 10-15 years out of it, rather than the 5-7 out of my yard machine of years past, or my current Troy bilt.

Thanks

The CC 2500 series are Garden tractors a step up the ladder from Lawn tractors.
JD 300 series are lawn tractors.

 

[LBrown59]

Finally, is the cc reliable and durable? I want 10-15 years out of it, rather than the 5-7 out of my yard machine of years past, or my current Troy bilt.

Thanks

Almost anything is an improvement over one of these or any other box store unit.

 

[LBrown59]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/lawn-garden/94634-4000-spend-lawn-light-duty.html
This is a good thread debating the same basic theme.

 

[Fordlords]

I consider even JD's X500's to be lawn tractors too. They are more or less what a Cub 1500 is just souped up with more options, like 4 wheel steering that makes them $3000 more expensive than a Cub 1500. But they have the same vertical engine, belt drive, aluminum transaxle setup. -Fordlords-

 

[LBrown59]

Petertucky,
I will be replacing the transmission hydrostatic oil filter at 10 hours as indicated in my manual and topping off the transmission with any fluid lost during the procedure.

I lost 3 quarts of tranny fluid when I changed the filter on my 2554 the other day. That was half of the 6 quarts it holds.
Put a container large enough to hold at least 3 quarts under the filter before you take it off . That way you should limit fluid loss to way less than a quart.

 

[LBrown59]

Wow chip. I think I measured the 2550 deck to be 54 inches. If your shed door is 55, that is tough. I was dreading the 56 inch opening on my shed. Thanks for letting me know it can be done.

Overall, I think the John Deere would be adequate for what I will do. Haul some firewood in winter, mow the grass, light duty stuff. No real plans for snowblower (in Southern Indiana we don't get big snows that last long), or tiller attachment. I like the uncut radius of the 4ws too.

I really appreciate all the help. Tomorrow is when I buy, and I still haven't made up my mind.

One last question for thought. Which will last longer? My kids will be entering college in a few years. This new mower must last at least 12 years. My first, basic, bottom feeder MTD Yard machine lasted 7 years with me. (Actually, my brother still mows with it and it is a 94.) I bought a Troy Bilt in 2002 for about $1800, and frankly it is not close to being double the machine. The twin intek is smoother, but that is about it. It has been disappointing, but now my brother will get it.

So here I am. Probably willing to buy either machine. Which will be more durable and more trouble free?

This ought to open up a can of worms.

I sure wouldn't pay more for the JD than The CC.

 

[LBrown59]

1* Cub lists the weight of all their tractors and you can see how the weight jumps up dramatically going from the LT series to the GT series. If you have any hills or rough terrain, the weight will definitely be a bonus.

2*I was talking to my Cub Dealer yesterday. He told me that the same day that he delivered mine, he also delivered another GT2550 to another customer who had just bought a JD x320. When we got there the JD dealer was there picking up the x320. Apparently the JD couldn't make it up the customer's hills (it would just spin tires). The JD dealer was embarrassed, especially when the GT2550 climbed the hills with no problems.

1* Poor traction on a hill was one of the main flustrations I had with my LT.That problem was solved when I replaced it with A CC GT 2554 Garden tractor.

2*This sumes it all up.

 

[Fordlords]

When I go to antique/classic tractor shows, I enjoy watching lawn and garden tractor pulling competitions. They really show what prevails as far as getting the best traction.

Of course everyone in these competitions uses AG tires. Some even chain the AG tires. Provided everything on the tractor works right, two of the best factors of winning (aside from driver experience and technique) are rear wheel diameter, and rear end weight. I've seen little 8 and 10 HP Speedex's that had wheels that come up to my waist pull the sled like a sack of feathers. The large diameter wheels have a big contact patch that gives them a good grip. Add wheel weights and a 300+ pound driver to a JD 110 or Cub Cadet original and you get just about the same results- a smaller contact patch but a lot more weight on it. To do serious work or climb inclines with a small tractor, weight and grippy tires truly help them.

-Fordlords-

 

[LBrown59]

If you're mowing 2.5 acres, you may want to consider stepping up to the GT2554 instead, unless you have got time to burn.

I mow 2.5 acres myself and it takes pretty much 2 hours easily with my GT2554.

I did have a few issues with my Cub at first, but the dealer had no problem taking care of the problems with out asking a question...

T

The wife and I mowed our 2.33 acres last Tuesday.
She was using our CC GT2554 and I was on the BX 23.
She was mowing a 54'' swath and I was cutting a 60'' path.
It was suprising how long it took to mow 2.33 acres even when cutting a 9.5 foot strip.