A while back I posted a thread about my dissatisfaction with my x324. It had to do with build quality and my impression that Deere has cheapened out on critical components to maintain a price-point. Which I viewed as a problem, since it was still a $4500 tractor... that wouldn't start and wouldn't maintain a level deck. Adjusting it three times in 16 hours was pretty unacceptable to me, as was the dead battery and belt squeal.
I'll post pics on arrival, but I'm pleased to be getting a 425 with about 900 hours, with a fresh cam-shaft replacement by the dealer (along with new water pump, filters, fluids, etc). Looks pretty clean to me and drives very nicely. Everything works, at least - and the hydro is as responsive as I'd expect.
I ordered a bagger with it. Does anyone see the need - or more specifically - a problem with putting a few suitcase weights on the front end when I'm using the bagger? The front-end should be plenty beefy enough to handle the extra weight (was thinking 3 #40lb weights). Just don't know how to guage the necessity for them. I have a few hills, which leads me to wonder...
Is there an online source to decipher a serial number so I can tell what year the thing is? The salesman doesn't know and didn't offer to find out when I asked. I don't want someone just throwing a year out at me to appease...
Someone offered me a suspension base for the tractor off an x748. Anyone with experience to know if it is compatible? The fewer calls I make to the parts department, the better - though I'll likely call since there's rarely responses on this site about successful seat swaps. Seems like the kind of upgrade people have to take upon themselves and report back if it worked.
Finally, is there anything common to these tractors that I should know about? In the area of maintenance or operation? I've seen someone use a wooden clothes-line clip to defeat the RIO switch... other than that, any opinions about getting the most from this new tractor? I'm excited. Seems plenty beefy and certainly a quality-build machine.
I'll post pics on arrival, but I'm pleased to be getting a 425 with about 900 hours, with a fresh cam-shaft replacement by the dealer (along with new water pump, filters, fluids, etc). Looks pretty clean to me and drives very nicely. Everything works, at least - and the hydro is as responsive as I'd expect.
I ordered a bagger with it. Does anyone see the need - or more specifically - a problem with putting a few suitcase weights on the front end when I'm using the bagger? The front-end should be plenty beefy enough to handle the extra weight (was thinking 3 #40lb weights). Just don't know how to guage the necessity for them. I have a few hills, which leads me to wonder...
Is there an online source to decipher a serial number so I can tell what year the thing is? The salesman doesn't know and didn't offer to find out when I asked. I don't want someone just throwing a year out at me to appease...
Someone offered me a suspension base for the tractor off an x748. Anyone with experience to know if it is compatible? The fewer calls I make to the parts department, the better - though I'll likely call since there's rarely responses on this site about successful seat swaps. Seems like the kind of upgrade people have to take upon themselves and report back if it worked.
Finally, is there anything common to these tractors that I should know about? In the area of maintenance or operation? I've seen someone use a wooden clothes-line clip to defeat the RIO switch... other than that, any opinions about getting the most from this new tractor? I'm excited. Seems plenty beefy and certainly a quality-build machine.
