Buying Advice JD E-Series?

[tremor]

Saw a commercial for the JD E series yesterday, and I have to say they look like a good option, especially for me, since I have, at most a single acre, and it would be used for some grading, digging and heavier duty snow removal that my JD 3060SE can't handle. The only question I have- which size in the E series should I look into?

 

[williaty]

Want to mow with it? I think the 1023e is the best compromise for an acre. The bigger ones aren't as nice to use as a mower and the deck doesn't go on/off as easily.

Don't want to mow with it and have a big barn on that acre? One of the bigger ones would be better as I routinely max out my 1023e trying to lift big stuff or shove the ground around. However, storage space requirements and price go up at least as fast as capability.

 

[jenkinsph]

Saw a commercial for the JD E series yesterday, and I have to say they look like a good option, especially for me, since I have, at most a single acre, and it would be used for some grading, digging and heavier duty snow removal that my JD 3060SE can't handle. The only question I have- which size in the E series should I look into?

Do you mean a JD 360 mower? Can't find a 3060SE that you reference.
Can you be more specific about the grading and digging you want to do?
I ask because even an acre is a lot to try to grade if it requires some cutting and filling. You can easily put more wear and tear on a small tractor than it costs to have a larger machine do the job.

 

[chevy]

E Series Tractors | Compact/Utility Tractors | John Deere US

 

[chevy]

Dual Post.

 

[DT86]

A 5100E would be ideal. You could get the drive cleared in no time at all.

 

[tremor]

No barn, shed or garage to store in. Everything is currently filled up. I'd probably run a ShelterLogic tarpaulin style enclosure in the driveway to keep the weather away from it.
As for specific tasks: putting down more gravel in the driveway every year; snow removal in and around when it's just too much for the 1330SE snow blower(my bad, I had listed the wrong number beforehand); clearing paths and opening clearings in the brush behind the property where I dump the grass clippings. Other than that, basic landscaping style tasks, other than mowing, as I use the JD Sabre for that. Maybe the odd hole dug for friends and family within roading distance.
The smallest E machine would make sense, but the ground in the area is rocky- would it be able to handle sizable rocks? Also, given my brush clearing requirements, I'd like a hydraulic thumb. Does any SCUT or compact have a hydraulic thumb available?

 

[williaty]

For context, I have a 1023e.

but the ground in the area is rocky- would it be able to handle sizable rocks?

Yes and no. It's perfectly willing to pick up a large rock and move it somewhere else for you. The bucket, however, is easily stymied by surprisingly small rocks buried in the ground. What I mean is that if you're trying to use the front end loader to scrape up a big area of dirt to re-grade, you tip the bucket down a bit and push forwards. The weight of the tractor and the forwards motion drives the bucket into the ground and you move dirt. When you hit a rock above center, the bucket is just pushed up and over the rock. I have a TON of glacial till rocks in heavy clay. Everything from pebbles to boulders. The scraping action of the FEL can be interrupted (meaning you just skate over the top and no digging happens) by a rock as small as a baseball if you hit it above center yet at the same time, it's willing to pop out rocks up to about 2' in diameter if you attack the rock right.

Also, given my brush clearing requirements, I'd like a hydraulic thumb. Does any SCUT or compact have a hydraulic thumb available?

3rd parties make both a grapple bucket for the front and a thumb for the hoe.