John Deere x350 or Husqvarna models

[Robmus18]

Our 18 year old craftsman finally died and our current DYS4500 will blow it's Trans if we do anything more than mow. We are looking at a john deere x350, my main issue is we need the most heavy duty trasmission for hauling wood and possibly plowing snow for around 4000 bucks with a bagger. The x350 had a k46 which isn't as heavy duty as I'd like but it's a deere and we are less that 10 minutes from a dealer where my uncle works. It's 3200 and a bagger is probably 600. The x370 has the k57 but is 4 grand and we still need a bagger. Both have the 18.5 kawasaki which I prefer. Husqvarna has a few models of interest for me first is the YT42DXLS which has a k46 as well but only costs 2650 before the bagger and has a kawasaki 21.5. The other one is the GT48XLSI which is 3400 but has a k66 which is the heaviest duty transaxle I've seen at this price point but it has a Briggs 24hp. My question is what is the best? I've heard horror stories with Husqvarna and I work at an ace and the low models are trash. But the higher models have great reviews, and have heavier duty transaxles for the same price as the deere. The X350 is well, a John Deere but I don't like the k46. And I can't go above 48 inch decks because of trees. Is the deere better just because it's a deere? Or are the heavier duty Husqvarna models better?

Updated: a lot of people are talking about the Deere x570 and trust me I'd love it, but I can't afford 5 to 6 grand. Anyone can give me a clear answer on what's better, the better brand john deere but less heavy duty, or the Husqvarna which is more heavy duty but not as reliable of a brand.

 

[Rudedawg]

The K57 is not a big step up from the K46 at all and you can over heat either really quick just from mowing on inclines or towing and forget about gardening with them. If you could squeeze a tad more out of your budget move up to the JD X570 and all your problems would be solved; it may not have all the buttons and whistles but will definitely be a much better tractor with a beefier tranny to accomplish everything you need plus it is fully capable for gardening. I am kind of in the same boat and although I really like my old 2000 series shaft drive Cub it has always been a one trick pony limited to mainly mowing and occasionally pulling my lawn sweeper or yard trailer, no gardening capability. Now that I have more time on my hands I really need more capability so I started looking at the JD X570 only because Cub does not offer the heavier 3000 series anymore. I am not familiar with Husky and not crazy about B&S so I will not go there. Good luck and keep us posted on you new acquisition.

 

[MESSMAKER]

A bit of a tough decision. I am a fan of buying the best trany you can as I find that and the deck to be the spots where you will first have problems. I would probably go with the K66 trany but it goes against my long time satisfaction with John Deere mowers. A x570 is nice machine, but not cheap. I would not worry a ton about the B&S engine. Not bad by name only. They make several different engines from among the cheapest to some of the very best. I would take a B&S Vanguard before most any other choice. A good used John Deere is not a bad option but most of the larger tractors will have a larger deck on it.

 

[s219]

I shopped around and ended up with an X380 to replace my older Deere LT150 (which still ran great after 15 years, but the deck had finally rusted out and I didn't want to invest $500 for a new deck on a 15 year old tractor).

I did not have a good opinion of the Husky models, nor the Cub Cadets for that matter. Both were junky compared to Deere's offerings (although the low end box store Deere models are not great either). I think that money is better spent going towards a Deere.

As good as I think the X380 is, and it is very beefy, I wouldn't want to use it for hauling a lot of wood unless we're talking about easy work with a wagon on mostly flat surfaces. Same goes for clearing snow. The entire Deere X300 series are still "riding mowers". You don't get into garden tractor territory until you move into the next model range X500 series, and the true garden tractors (compared to the old days) are X700 series.

Maybe I'm biased, but I use my larger Kubota L3200 for moving firewood and clearing snow, and my RTV for moving firewood. The X380 isn't comparable in any way for these tasks.

 

[Dutch445]

Robmus make sure you check the specials going on now with the JD,
our area is currently offering a factory promo of a $500 rebate on
the X3s and X5, (and X7s). so it should be a good time to buy,
maybe this helps you get into an X5.....

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I'm a long time dealer for Cub, Simplicity, Snapper, etc. We bought a store selling Husqvarna two years ago, and i will say they have exceeded my expectations.

 

[plowhog]

I looked at Husqvarna and got very confused. Best as I can tell, they have at least four channels: selling at local dealers, Sears, big box stores, and landscaping supply companies. It seemed to me their models were different, at least a little, for each. A dealer told me the "GT" models were much beefier. I think these were the YT designation, not YS. And I could *never* find a YT side by side with a YS to compare. Because the channels are segmented, you can't compare side by side. At least I could not.

I finally got the official Husqvarna catalog which lists a *lot* of their garden tractors/mowers. For the life of me, I could not understand what they were selling. The catalog would list several models with seemingly identical descriptions and specs, which I know cannot be true. Not understanding the differences between models was an impediment to purchase. Dealers were a little help but obviously trying to move what was on the floor- RIGHT NOW. I think I gave up on Husqvarna when I found Sears was selling a certain model for $2,199 due to *closeout.* But Ace Hardware was selling the exact same model (I think) for the same price at normal retail. ???

 

[oldnslo]

Have you looked for a used JD X5** tractor with 48" deck. Let summer I purchased a 2013 X540 with the MC collection system for $5,700. There were a few X5** for less but I wanted the power steering and hydraulic lift option. Happy wife = happier life

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I would suggest to buy a used Husqvarna and a 250-300cc 4x4 manual ATV set up with a snow plow.

I fear the tractors your after aren't big enough for your needs, an ATV will be able to far outwork a little garden tractor when it comes to plowing snow and hauling wood.

I bought a GT Husqvarna for $800 on CL with 325 hours on it, it's got a 54in deck and 25hp B&S I believe.

I cut 2 acres and it does just fine but that's all it does is cut grass.

Around $1000 for a good well taken care of Husqvarna GT tractor with 48-54 deck, $1500-$2500 for a good used 250-300cc, 5 speed, 4x4 ATV and you will have money left over.

That's the route I would go with it.

The newer deers I feel your just buying the name, there no better built than the rest of them. My 2 cents

Good luck

P.S. If you want a really good tractor that will do way more work than you will ever need, look into a late 90’s to early 2000s JD 445 or 455, they have a v twin liquid cooled Kawasaki 21hp motor. Most have 60in decks with hydrostatic trans, deff lock on the rear ext.

My dad has a 99 with just over 1000 hours on it and we have really worked that tractor over the years, pulled shrubs out, the front end will stand up on one of those lol, it will easily out pull my 350cc 4x4 Yamaha Grizzly and I can lock all 4 tires in on that thing. That 445 pulls good for a 2wd garden tractor. That tractor will last 2000-3000 hours if cared for.

Of your choices I would go with Husqvarna, I have bought a arains 21hp from Home Depot that is still running strong 5 years later, it's made by Husqvarna for arains.

 

[Robmus18]

I would suggest to buy a used Husqvarna and a 250-300cc 4x4 manual ATV set up with a snow plow.

I fear the tractors your after aren't big enough for your needs, an ATV will be able to far outwork a little garden tractor when it comes to plowing snow and hauling wood.

I bought a GT Husqvarna for $800 on CL with 325 hours on it, it's got a 54in deck and 25hp B&S I believe.

I cut 2 acres and it does just fine but that's all it does is cut grass.

Around $1000 for a good well taken care of Husqvarna GT tractor with 48-54 deck, $1500-$2500 for a good used 250-300cc, 5 speed, 4x4 ATV and you will have money left over.

That's the route I would go with it.

The newer deers I feel your just buying the name, there no better built than the rest of them. My 2 cents

Good luck

P.S. If you want a really good tractor that will do way more work than you will ever need, look into a late 90’s to early 2000s JD 445 or 455, they have a v twin liquid cooled Kawasaki 21hp motor. Most have 60in decks with hydrostatic trans, deff lock on the rear ext.

My dad has a 99 with just over 1000 hours on it and we have really worked that tractor over the years, pulled shrubs out, the front end will stand up on one of those lol, it will easily out pull my 350cc 4x4 Yamaha Grizzly and I can lock all 4 tires in on that thing. That 445 pulls good for a 2wd garden tractor. That tractor will last 2000-3000 hours if cared for.

Of your choices I would go with Husqvarna, I have bought a arains 21hp from Home Depot that is still running strong 5 years later, it's made by Husqvarna for arains.

I'm not really concerned with what would be better than plowing and hauling with the tractor, only because the 17 year old craftsman was just a sears bought tractor with a hydro gear hydrostatic and 21hp B&S opposed twin. That lasted 1000+ hours and 17 years plowing snow every year and hauling upwards of 1000lbs of lumber in our hilly yard. The k66 theoretically is way stronger than that hydro gear. I'm leaning towards the Husqvarna or possibly a snowblower and a lower model Husqvarna.