'New' John Deere 2305

[C-Range]

Yep, you busted me. I put those videos up there to help whet the chops of anyone thinking of buying a machine. I can't wait till the day when I can wave at the camera from inside the new cab...someday. Those vids don't really show the steep part of my drive, that's the flatter piece. I can usually blow both uphill and downhill on the steep part unless there's more than about ~6" of snow, then I just blow downhill or half width uphill. It's no big deal, you'll get the hang of it on day one.

I wouldn't mind having a wider blower for corners so I don't have to blow what I've driven over. But again, no big deal.

As for getting all the way down to the pavement, I think the blower does an amazing job at that (pic below). If my pavement were perfectly flat, there wouldn't be anything left at all but frost heaves and stone heaves put the kibosh on that. If I blow in the morning, the sun always melts away anything leftover within an hour or two. When I'm done blowing, I'm usually right down to a skin layer. I'm also quite happy with the 30-50 feet my blower can throw snow. It'll shoot it 30 ft in the air easy. It all depends on moisture content, wind, volume, speed, and so on. Funny, sometimes when I blow down by the road I'll shoot it across the street, up high. Once in a while a car will cruise right through the arch. Nifty.

The 3PH installation should be shown in the owners manual. It's so easy a caveman could do it, and the same goes for using it. Play around with it and if you don't understand it in 15 minutes, better to sell the tractor and hire someone.

The lower link arms ought not need to be installed for the mower but since I have the independent lift, I'm not quite sure how the mower connects with the mechanical lift. I doubt it connects to the 3PH lift arms in any way. I'd have to guess that there is linkage under the tractor that is tied into the 3PH system with the mechanical lift. In my case, the mower attaches to two lifting arms below the tractor (shown hanging low in the pic below, woopsee!). I'm sure these are also somehow used in the mechanical lift to raise/lower the deck.

The BH sub frame will not interfere with the MMM. They really did stuff 10lbs of **** into a 5lb bag with this little machine. Incredible, really.

I've seen that skid plate on eBay. I thought he used to mention what it will/will not interfere with but it's been a while. I've been meaning to try my own idea so I haven't bought it. Plus, it only mounts on one side so if it happens to get bent up, you've got more problems. I'm not all that concerned with nothing since I keep the radar on.

See ya, greasy nipples!:laughing:

 

[jsygrovehpi]

Ohhh so thats what santa does for the rest of the winter :laughing:

Unfortunately snow blowing at my house is a one direction deal when it comes to the hill. Hopefully that will change with the new 4wd tractor.

Ohh speaking of cabs, check out my original posting on this thread. There is a couple of links that you might find useful. The freemar vs competitor link has links to just about every company that makes a cab for the 2210/2305The jodaleperry.com ROPS cab is probably the best looking (read as: Factory-looking) cab out there. ROPS and Non-ROPS tractor cabs, canopies, and guards for all popular brands - Jodale Perry Corporation

AND MY NAME IS NOT GREASY NIPPLES!!!

 

[C-Range]

Nice cab. Now I have greasy nipples.

 

[jsygrovehpi]

I can fix that...

Base cab before options will set you back 4200 bananas.

Now how do you feel?

 

[C-Range]

Ya had to go and ruin it for me...

For that price, I'll have to stick with goggles for snowblowing. I could even have windshield wipers installed on them and still be way under.

 

[jsygrovehpi]

Sorry.

At least for 4200 you get a tractor cab that has built in ROPS so you can remove the Factory ROPS unlike most cabs that are not structural and require the factory ROPS to remain on the tractor.

Maybe you can get some extra money by selling your soul. Some guy sold his soul on ebay for well over $1000 a couple of years ago. Just dont try to sell family members on there. They take it very seriously even when you are just kidding.

 

[C-Range]

I can't deny that that fixed ROPS (as opposed to folding) is a PITA sometimes. I'd like to splurge on one of those aftermarket folding one's one of these days when all my bills are paid and my favorite TV evangelist doesn't need any more money. :laughing:

Actually, with regard to the cab, I think I'd rather have a soft one that can be removed for the warm season. I enjoy the fresh air when mowing.

Too bad they don't make transparent Rubbermaid trash cans. One of those upside down would do the trick.

 

[diz]

I also have the independent lift on my 2305 62d. I think it's great, personally. Have had no problems with it, and I like the way it works.

I did add the diverter valve kit though so I could mow w/ the loader attached in a pinch without having to mess w/ hydraulic line connecting and disconnecting. I will offer this advice - if you haven't installed the diverter valve in a 2305 before, just have the dealer do it. Installing myself was not worth the money I saved. The valve in the wheel well is easy, but making everything line up and getting things tight under the deck was painful.

Even without the diverter, I'd to the independent lift again.

 

[C-Range]

Hey diz,

My dealer installed my diverter valve kit on my new 2305 and they put it in all backwards and hacked. I had to remove the whole thing and reinstall it. They ran the hydraulic lines going to/from the valve right up against the pedal linkage. After just a few hours of use, the pedal linkage ripped through the outer jacket of the hydraulic hose and the hydraulic hose ripped the linkage joint apart. The symptoms of my discovering the problem was that the pedals kept getting stiffer and stiffer and stopped naturally returning to the neutral position when I took my foot off of the pedal.

Does your diverter valve work properly? Mine doesn't. The few times I've had the deck on with the bucket, and had the valve set to bucket, the mower deck still jumps around even though there should be no fluid going to it.

I brought the machine in to have it looked at and they said it was just the way the system works, which I don't believe, but I wasn't surprised to hear from them. Better stop right there.

 

[diz]

Well that's annoying ensoll. Mine works fine. Assuming everything is set up correctly, I can't see how there could be any cross-flow unless there's a problem in the valve body itself?

It takes more strength than it seems like it should move the plunger to each extreme, are you sure you're opening/closing the valve all the way?

 

[C-Range]

Yep. It's a stiff mofo to move in and out, but I can definitely feel the stops. I also suggested blow-by in the valve to the dealer but I could almost see it going in one ear and out the other.

 

[diz]

Sounds like you need a new dealer to me.

I don't remember if that valve came apart, if you could get in there and look around for something obvious like a bad o ring.

 

[C-Range]

I'm already prepared for the next time around but that probably won't be for quite some time.

I suppose I could take the valve apart and give it a look. I just don't make much use of it anyway and every time I look at it my eye starts twitching like Inspector Clouseau's boss.

In another thread on here where someone was choosing between two brands of tractor, many people were commenting on how important the dealer is. I fully agreed with that opinion but I added that it was the Service Dept that needed the most scrutiny, which is hard to do without experience with them. Chicken or the egg.

My solution has been taking comfort in the quality of the original manufacture of the machine and doing as much maintenance / work on it by myself as possible, in addition to using the machine sensibly, of course.

 

[diz]

I couldn't agree more. Same thing w/ a car - if you have any kind of warranty you're pretty much married to some dealer and if their service department isn't good, the warranty is almost worthless. Actually did the 47 blower solid driveshaft thing under warranty, and because I was unimpressed w/ my dealer's service department, drove about 1.5 hours to one that was more responsive. Glad I did, they were great to deal with. (lakeland equipment in Hall, ny). I might even pay the transport fee to get my tractor down there when I hit 50 hours in a month or so.

 

[jsygrovehpi]

This is exactly what I ment when I said I didnt want to spend a grand + for the independent lift and bypass valve and be unhappy with the results or problems that ensue after installation. It sounds like more of a hassle than the regular 3ph lift.

Speaking of which, can someone please take pictures of the linkage that attaches to the 3ph lift so I can see if it will interfere with the BH. As it is right now the arms do not hit the BH.

Since I know people people here like pictures I took some over the weekend...

If I leave these 2 alone overnight will there be JD pushmowers in the morning? :laughing:

 

[C-Range]

Not sure if this is clear or not, but the problems we are talking about is with the bypass valve, not the independent lift. Actually, I suppose the only time you'll really need the independent lift is if you plan to possibly have something coincidentally mounted on the 3PH when you are mowing. You won't want that going up and down with the mower.

The mechanical lift components are just a couple of attaching arms/brackets that somehow tie the 3PH to the mower lift linkage but it does look like you'll need the lower lift arms on the tractor to use it. Don't quote me on that though. Off to the dealer you go...

 

[TripleR]

People have complained about the 3-point lift as well as the independent lift, so you may or may not have problems. Mine is an independent and awaiting another trip to the dealer, but first I had to have someone come up and work on the starter to get it running. Of course now the grass is growing so fast you can almost see it.

 

[sparkyoil jd]

Congrats! I've had my 2305 for a year and would not change a thing. You will surprised what little john will do.

Good Luck!

 

[jsygrovehpi]

We are starting on my father's large retaining wall replacement project today. $4,000 (about 10 pallets) of Versa-lok blocks are being delivered this afternoon. My father has already scored the 6x6 PT wood with a circular saw in 4' lengths. I dont think the 2305 will have enough power to pull the wall apart the rest of the way though since it took some work to remove a fairly sickly shrub and the saw only cut about halfway through the wall. Maybe it would be wise to sacrifice a chainsaw chain to cut it so there is less than an inch holding it together. Once the wood is removed we are going to push back the dirt on one side about 6 feet. I think this is where the FEL will shine. From there it will all be manual labor to build the 225' wall. I'd say about half the wall is about 3' high and the other half is like a foot. Pictures will be posted of the progress. Hopefully I'll get some "action shots" of the 2305 tearing it up (hopefully not the grass)! :thumbsup:

 

[C-Range]

If my visualization is correct, I'd say try the backhoe on those timbers, one or two at a time. A photo would be helpful.

Using a chain saw sounds like a bad idea to me since it will be dull the second it hits dirt, not to mention bar wear and sprocket wear. Consider what might be useful at the rental store.