unit40
Silver Member
My 2007 tractor just turned 600 hours. I did a complete service, washed and waxed it, got it ready for spring. Very pleased with the tractor so far and thought I would share the good and the bad, after all it has been 5 years with this awesome machine.
The bad....radiator leaks. Had to remove it and bring to a repair shop. Plastic aluminum radiators are cheaply built. Deere wants $300 for a new one, cost me $95 to have it tuned up. Repair shop re-crimped and had to repair one corner so they worked on all 4 corners of the tubes. So far so good.
One day found a puddle of hydro on the garage floor under the tranny. Saw it dripping. Then it just stopped. The tractor had been sitting for quite a while. Thought it came out the vent because I checked the fluid level and it was really high. Don't know how that could happen, but after I serviced the machine and ran it all day spreading fert and tick control no more leak at all.
Seat frame got rusty. Had to disassemble, clean-up and repaint.
Fuel gauge lies. It works, but if it lies to me then I guess it doesn't really work.
The good....just about everything. After the ice storm a couple of years ago I purchased a 10K PTO generator which I can plug into the house. We lost power several times for many days since then. The tractor will run all day, non-stop, providing power.
I purchased the 744 new with a block heater, lockout valve, 62C with 14 bushel powerflow, rear PTO and 3pt hitch. Since then I have added a Edson sportsman powerknob, a transaxle hydrorelief valve, Gator G6 (I think) magnum high lift fusion blades, removed all deck covers, disabled the reverse mower shut off RIO, a Landpride PTO spreader, PTO generator, PTO chipper, Johnny bucket Sr, with a tooth bar, some vbar tire chains. The machine has proved to be extremely versatile, extremely comfortable, and extremely maneuverable for mowing, landscaping work, or clearing snow. I treat the fuel with powerservice additive, and use Rotella synthetic 5/40 oil. Even drained the gearbox on the deck and filled with synthetic gear oil.
I found that the mowing and handling capabilities of this tractor to be superior
to many other machines I use that I purchased under Gov't contract a x749 for my Municipality. We need the 4wd/4ws capabilities for some very challenging areas we maintain and the guys absolutely love it. It will do a better job than our JD997 or our front-mowers in most situations, especially steep terrain.
So today, at 600 hours, my X744 looks and runs like a brand new machine fresh off the lot. Although primarily used for mowing an acre of fine turf and another 3 acres of selectively cleared wooded grassland (if that makes sennse) this machine has definitely proved it's value. I think I'll keep it.
The bad....radiator leaks. Had to remove it and bring to a repair shop. Plastic aluminum radiators are cheaply built. Deere wants $300 for a new one, cost me $95 to have it tuned up. Repair shop re-crimped and had to repair one corner so they worked on all 4 corners of the tubes. So far so good.
One day found a puddle of hydro on the garage floor under the tranny. Saw it dripping. Then it just stopped. The tractor had been sitting for quite a while. Thought it came out the vent because I checked the fluid level and it was really high. Don't know how that could happen, but after I serviced the machine and ran it all day spreading fert and tick control no more leak at all.
Seat frame got rusty. Had to disassemble, clean-up and repaint.
Fuel gauge lies. It works, but if it lies to me then I guess it doesn't really work.
The good....just about everything. After the ice storm a couple of years ago I purchased a 10K PTO generator which I can plug into the house. We lost power several times for many days since then. The tractor will run all day, non-stop, providing power.
I purchased the 744 new with a block heater, lockout valve, 62C with 14 bushel powerflow, rear PTO and 3pt hitch. Since then I have added a Edson sportsman powerknob, a transaxle hydrorelief valve, Gator G6 (I think) magnum high lift fusion blades, removed all deck covers, disabled the reverse mower shut off RIO, a Landpride PTO spreader, PTO generator, PTO chipper, Johnny bucket Sr, with a tooth bar, some vbar tire chains. The machine has proved to be extremely versatile, extremely comfortable, and extremely maneuverable for mowing, landscaping work, or clearing snow. I treat the fuel with powerservice additive, and use Rotella synthetic 5/40 oil. Even drained the gearbox on the deck and filled with synthetic gear oil.
I found that the mowing and handling capabilities of this tractor to be superior
to many other machines I use that I purchased under Gov't contract a x749 for my Municipality. We need the 4wd/4ws capabilities for some very challenging areas we maintain and the guys absolutely love it. It will do a better job than our JD997 or our front-mowers in most situations, especially steep terrain.
So today, at 600 hours, my X744 looks and runs like a brand new machine fresh off the lot. Although primarily used for mowing an acre of fine turf and another 3 acres of selectively cleared wooded grassland (if that makes sennse) this machine has definitely proved it's value. I think I'll keep it.
