JD 2210 too much tractor?

WilliamWallace · Dec 4, 2004

My wife and I are considering upgrading our lawn tractor but the sub-CUTs we are considering may be too big. Our property slopes away from the road and our little Husqvarna 1542XP gets worn-out mowing our lawn. By the end of a usual mow the HST is unable to drive the tractor back up the hill and into the garage. We usually just leave it for an hour and then we can drive it up with no problems.

Our dumping area is back in the woods about 100' to hide it from the neighbors and of course the lawn tractor can not get back there, so everything is by wheel barrow. I even tried to rake and fill a nice path but it still can't make it.

We love burning fires in our fireplace and usually go through 1.5 cord of wood a winter. Again because of the hills we end up stacking the wood (2 year supply to allow it to dry a year) next to my neighbors yard. They've recently politely commented on the wood pile and planted pine trees on their property to somewhat hide it.

Our property is a new built (3 year old) home requiring the usual unending landscaping projects. Our typical project is a weekend killing 16 hour project. My wife has a bunch more lined up and I'm starting to dread them.

We are also looking at purchasing a 7kw generator for backup power. A PTO driven one could save about $2K.

So we are stuck trying to rationalize a $13.5K purchase (2210 FEL MMM Grass collection system) for either the 2210, Kubota BX2230 or the NH TZ24.

Any of you feel like you ended up with an overpriced lawn mower?

JDFANATIC · Dec 4, 2004

Bill,

First, welcome to the forum, I think you'll find it packed full of good advice. I was looking at your bio, and it says you have 3.88 acres, of which only .5 is lawn. Will the 2210 work for this? Sure. But even I might admit this is overkill. Of that 1/2 acre, are any areas of it sloped? If so, the 2210 with 4WD, or an X for that matter would help. Also, would you plan on using the tractor to remove snow? Again, this may weigh in the decision. As for using the tractor PTO to run a generator, do a search on that topic, you'll find several informative posts.

I use my 2210 to mow ~ 1-1/2 acres of finished lawn, snowblow 10,500 s.f. of driveway much of which is on a moderate slope, and maintain the rest of our acreage. I've had two JD GT's (185 and 425) and two JD CUT's (755 and 2210), and I would never go back to a GT. Did they work fine? Of course, though traction was always an issue, but neither would have had problem overheating the hydro, or going 100' into the woods on a cleared path.

It might be helpful in your decision to have a sub-CUT delivered to try out on your property -- I think if the dealer senses your seriousness, he would do this (mine would). That way you get a feel for things like, how it will handle your landscape contours, turning, etc, and how the ROPS will get in the way of trees etc.

Enjoy your quest. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BTW, you don't work for an "O" computer company in S. NH do you? If so, you might work at the same company as my brother.

dmp437 · Dec 4, 2004

An overpriced lawnmower is one that can't get the job done, like your Husky. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
A 2210 is a utility tractor, much more than just a lawn mower. After you get it you'll find many projects that will take less time and less strain on you becasue of it.
We've got a little under 5 acres, approximately 2 of them lawn. The previous owner of our place had a Cub Cadet with a 38" cut. It took her as much as 6 hours (depending on the season) to complete it. I finish it in under two hours. The size of your lawn mower equals what your time is worth. A bigger tractor means less time mowing.
If I had it to do over again I do the same thing except I would buy more implements at the time of purchase. The JD makes servicing the property a lot less hassle. Should I ever decide to sell it (to get something bigger /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) JD products hold their value much better than anything else. Check around for used 2210's, perhaps you'll find what you're after for less money.

BTW, I would be more worried about buying a tractor that is too small rather than too big.

RalphVa · Dec 4, 2004

From my recent looks at JD 2210 & 4010 and BX 1830 and B7510 and my look at a TZ 18 at the county fair, I'd say the JD 2210 is what you need. It's more a mowing machine than the JD 4010 that I bought, as it is 4 or 5 inches lower to the ground and has a fine adjustment on the mowing height that the 4010 doesn't have. The JD 2210 is missing the cruise control and dual brakes of the 4010 but has a cup holder that the 4010 doesn't have.

I have about 0.5 acre of lawn on the front end (in front and behind house) of my 8.5 acres. I'll continue to use either the Lawn Boy (walk behind) or Gravely (walk behind) for my lawn unless or until I get too incompetent, body-wise to walk around. Then would probably rather go to use of the Gravely sulky rather than buy a MM for the 4010. The Gravely does a better job than the mulching Lawn Boy, as it doesn't wind row the cut grass as much.

I paid $13,600 for my JD 4010 with LX4 cutter and 410 loader with tooth bar. This price was a dead ringer for price at another JD dealer and also for the Kubota B7510. It's $300 less than the 2210. Didn't like the BX 1830, as it's not enough step up from my Gravely, and didn't like the ergonomics on either the BX nor the B (brakes on the right side where hydro is, and reverse back by the seat on both).

Oil filter is behind the frame on the TZ 18. Think its brakes are on the right, too.

Ralph

EastTexFrank · Dec 4, 2004

I can't think of anything a sub-cut would be too big for!!!!! I can think of lots of things it would be too small for. You must still be young and have a strong back. The first time I had to hand carry a cord of firewood up the hill to the house I would be round at the dealer begging for an immediate delivery. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Yea, I know they are expensive but I've reached the stage where life is too short and there are just too many things to get done to do things the hard way. That's what a sub-cut with attachments really is ... a back and time saver. Your week-ends will stop being a 16 hour trial of strength and become much more pleasurable. It gives you a good feeling to look back at what you have accomplished and say to yourself that without your little mechanical buddy you couldn't have done a quarter of it. Don't worry about the wife's to-do list, with or without a new tractor it won't get any shorter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Someone else had the good idea of trying to talk your dealer into a loaner for the week-end. If you can do that, I think your decision will be made.

jim_wilson · Dec 4, 2004

Speaking as someone who faced a similar situation as you just this summer and ended up buying a Kubota BX23 to get all the landscaping done on my 1/2 acre suburban lot. I would suggest that you don't think in terms of just the mowing you are going to do on the 1/2 acre of lawn that you have. I have a 1/2 acre suburban lot that I have a lot of landscaping work to do. I have already extended my driveway and next summer plan to dig the foundation and build a garage (with the tractor's help). I have also dug up numerous tree stumps, excavated for a patio, and will be putting in some stone walls and drainage lines. For all of this work the BX has proven to be just about right. For mowing the lawn yes - it is wretched overkill if that was all that I was going to do with it. But with a FEL and a backhoe and the 3pt capability it is just about right. Anything bigger would be too big for most of the jobs I need to do and anything smaller would not be able to do most of the jobs I need to do. I thought long and hard about all the options I had , renting vs. buying vs. paying somebody. Since I do most of my work myself and my general experience with paying people is that it ends being almost as much work as doing it yourself plus a lot more $$ I was down to the renting vs. buying option. Renting is inconvenient and can be very costly so I had it narrowed down to buying. Then I had to decide what would best suit my needs - I looked at used Bobcats and trackhoes and decided that a CUT or SubCUT type tractor with a backhoe was the most versatile overall solution. Because mowing the lawn seems to top your list of tasks to accomplish I would not recommend anything bigger than a SubCUT size tractor. I would definitely recommend get a front end loader on whatever tractor you get - for landscaping work, carrying your firewood, clearing snow off the driveway, and an endless assortment of other tasks you will find it invaluable. Before you settle on the Deere I would also suggest looking at the Kubota BX, the New Holland TZ line, and the Massey Ferguson GC. They all have their advantages. The Deere 2210 however is the only SubCUT tractor that I saw that had the quick connect FEL bucket - which is a huge advantage in my book. I wish I had one on my BX. If there had been a Woods backhoe available for the 2210 when I bought my BX like there is now I probably would have bought the 2210. As far as being able to navigate your property I would not worry about any SubCUT size tractor - you will able to climb hills steep enough to get you into trouble without any problem. Getting a tractor like the 2210 will turn your 16 hour weekends into something you enjoy instead of dread. I have 180 hours on my BX since the beginning of July and look forward to getting on it any time I can.

WilliamWallace · Dec 4, 2004

Wow! What a great bunch of responses!

JDFanatic,

Yes, my lawn is sloped, some sections very steep. I have thought about removing snow but I have a little 5 hp two stage thrower that is limping along. I think it was two winters ago it broke down 3 times in 3 storms. But they were nasty 20" of heavy snow storms. Most of the time it is up to the challenge.

I agree the GT series would probably do the job. Of course the issue is their price starts to move me close to the 2210 and its hard not to start thinking how much more tractor the 2210 is.

The JD dealer did offer to let me drive the tractor around my property. I'll probably take him up on it if I decide I'm not over buying for my needs.

dmp437,

Yes my Husky is an overpriced lawn mower. My neighbor let me borrow his LX series tractor. Huge improvement.

Interesting you comment on the 2210 maybe being too little. After I posted I walked around the yard at the bottom of the hill at the edge of the woods and wondered if even the 2210 could move all the rocks, stumps, and felled trees left over from the original construction.

Then I walked into the woods and wondered if the 2210 could help me take these dead but still standing trees out of here. More firewood!

RalphVa,

I originally tried to mow my lawn with a walk behind Toro but took 3 hours. I think I did it twice before running out an buying the Husqvarna. Interesting the 4010 is less expensive than the 2210.

EastTexFrank,

If I get anything bigger than a 2210 I fear I'll look goofy driving it around my yard /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

JimWilson,

Wow, it sounds like your thought process almost mirrored mine. I have a patio and walkway to put in. We are already thinking about a nice New England stone wall around the front. I discovered an old one deep in the woods at the back of my lot. I wonder if a 2210 can move those stones? How much does a rock the size of a beach ball weigh?

EastTexFrank · Dec 5, 2004

( anything bigger than a 2210 I fear I'll look goofy driving it around my yard )

Yea, you probably would but I bet you'd have a line of neighbours at your front door trying to borrow it for their own little projects. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif The point I was trying to make was that once you get one of those little machines, you'll find them so useful and versatile, you keep wanting to do more and more with them ... and do it faster.

After my JD318 lawn tractor blew up I went through the same thought process as JimWilsom and yourself. I decided on a B2400 (no sub-cuts available then) as the ideal compromise to mow a 4 acre lawn, cut an 8 acre pasture and do various landscaping chores and I haven't been disappointed. It's amazing what these little wonders can achieve with the right implements. The problem usually is that you ask them to do a lot more than they were designed for and that's when you can get into trouble.

( How much does a rock the size of a beach ball weigh?
 )

Shouldn't be enough trouble a sub-cut if you can get it in the FEL. I'm not familiar with the 2210 but I think a BX 2300 will carry about 550 pounds in the bucket. JimWilson should know the number better than I do.

If I were just worried about mowing 1/2 acre of yard, I don't know if I would go the sub-cut route but it sounds as if you have a lot more things you want to achieve than that and that'll take a "real" tractor as opposed to big lawn tractor.

Another bonus that I found was that my wife really loves operating the thing. Where the bigger farm tractors tend to intimidate her, she loves mowing with the CUT and uses the FEL to move plants, mulch, soil etc., around the yard. She even used it to move a tree that blew down across the the driveway, blocking the gate. She was pretty proud of herself.

If your dealer will let you drive one around your property, go for it. At least you'll see if you can get everywhere you need to go and do what you need to do.

jim_wilson · Dec 5, 2004

You will probably be able to move a rock the size of a beach ball with any of the SubCUT sized tractors but it will likely be on the edge of the FEL's capabilities. The ratings from the manufacturers are not all taken quite the same way so it is sometimes hard to tell what the real lifting capabilities are. The Kubota specs for the FEL on the BX series I believe lists the lift capability as 480 pounds. The real capability is higher than that but so I believe the 480 number is to full height. I took the FEL on my BX23 and loaded it up with weightlifting weights one day and found that I could like 670 pounts to about half height before the hydraulics stalled. I have also moved some "beachball sized" rocks with the tractor and some it would like and some it wouldn't.
One of the things I would recommend doing before you decide which tractor to buy is walk around your property and think of ALL of the things you want to do - and all of the things you might want to do. By doing this you might come up with a better idea of what you will really use the tractor for. I can honestly say that for me the BX tractor is the perfect size - but I definitely wish that the FEL had more lifting capability. Going to a larger size tractor might make it less easy to use as a mowing machine but if you ever start doing anything with the land that you have forested now - with trees and such - you might wish the for the higher FEL capabilites and the higher ground clearance of the larger tractor. You should also think of whether or not you will ever have use for a backhoe. The Kubota BX23 and the Massey GC2310 are the only SubCUT's that come with a backhoe from the factory. Woods makes a backhoe now that will fit on any of the SubCUT's but going to CUT size tractor will pretty much mean you can get a backhoe from anybody. Adding a backhoe means probably about $4500 - $5000 extra cost but if you have enough work to do it might be worth it.

art · Dec 5, 2004

If you aren't going to get a loader then you might want to look at one of Kubota's newest units which is priced quite a bit below the BX series and still gives you four wheel drive and for the most part two wheel drive manuverability.