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We run a JD X300R - currently have 460hrs on the clock. Good mower when going. Bad points is that is really doesn't like wet grass and I have just this week spent the guts of £1000 on a new hydrulic pump and service.
For that mower, with only 80 hrs, and for £1650 I'd jump at the chance. I paid £3500 new in 2007.
Re JD x300r, just wanted to respond and thank you for the comments i received, the price was to good to miss and i must say i have run the machine for some months now with no blockages even with wet long grass. Keep it shape with a clean deck and drive to the condition's and you will not have a problem. Very happy with this machine.
My woes with my X300R continue.
Can anyone that has any expierence with a X300R please advise me if they have had any issues regarding the transmission belt being thrown off its pulleys.
I have replaced all the pulleys, the belt - it is now on its third. Another new one on this week. The hydraulic pump was replaced in July 2011, yet when there is any significant strain on the transmission, the belt is thrown off.
My thoughts are that the new hydraulic pump is not 100% and that the pully attached to this is throwing the belt, or that the tensioner is not doing its job effectively.
If anyone has had any issues regarding the transmission belt, I would be very much grateful if you could advise me how you rectified the issue.
Many thanks, Andrew.
Hi Phillip. we have 2 x 300r they replaced the 166 r we use to have. the build is not as good on the 300. the engines are great a V twin lots of power but the rest is not so good. grass box have a look at them if the top broken they are £100 for the top only bottom of the bag get a hole in it from the lift handle dropping back down Tip is put a juby clip on the tube. tyers are thin and get punchers easy... seat cover is thin and tears.. deck pully bearings listen to them see if they rumble£ 70 each side for new bearing and spindle. idle pullys from the engine to the pump are plasice and you will change then most years... rear gear box if you try it and it sounds like its makeing any noise then is not got long to go £600 for the pump and gear box they all come as one.
we wont buy another as you may of worked that out...
Rob
Hi Robert .......thanks for the warning on various problems with the 300R.
I have owned one for the past three years and have only clocked 320 hrs . Aside from seat tears,numerous punctures and the collection top cracked, i might consider myself lucky and will try and trade in this spring before major probs appear. Has never lived up to its promises of handling wet grass and can make a day of happy mowing a complete nightmare. Once it chokes its hell to clear and you land up nackered and filthy green.
Etesia is now my preferred choice after so much positive feedback from LJN.
Hope the recent euro fall has dented prices!!
Gordon
Robert Cottrell said:
we have found that john deere in general has a poor build, we had an xc90 pedestrian mower, two wheels fell off during normal use snapped the weld clean off (poor sods that stole it got a right monkey). A customer had a ride on with the centre shoot up over the rear axle into the grass box, perfectly fine if you are cutting every other day in the dry other wise a complete waste of time.
As for your belt problem is sounds like there is a slight miss alignment issue it only need be a degree or two off to start giving problems, to help work out which way is out belts may they be conveyor belts or drive belts they always go up hill.
I have a x320 and id never buy another John Deere again.
Powerful mower and fast too. Will cut long grass in no time at all.
I would say the build quality is quite good. Im impressed with the build quality.
Bad points.
Absolutely useless in the wet!! I mean the worst mower ive ever used in the wet. For that reason alone i would never buy another John Deere. Even if the grass is slightly damp it is still useless!
And also John Deere customer services from the dealers is useless too.
And getting spare parts can be a headache too.
From what ive heard id go for Etesia.
Hi just to add some balance to the discussion the John Deere tractors like the X320 offer good value for money as a mulch or non collect machine, but any collection system on them is in my opinion not an option for commercial applications as it is an old fashioned side collect system.
The wet weather collection performance of the X300R does not perform well against an Etesia Hydro 100 that costs 3 times as much to buy, but it is the extra development that has gone into the Etesia that helps justify its cost. For its price tag the X300R is a very capable machine, but there is an obvious difference between £4000 domestic machines and £12000 commercial ones.
There are not many good collecting machines out there that can handle commercial work loads, and most are more geared towards the 50-60 hours a year market which is another reason that large scale grass areas tend to rarely be collected these days. Etesia Bahia is an option, but on the small side for many contractors.
As for spares John Deere offer a good service, and for a slight additional cost of about £15 will get any part to your dealer within 24 days as long as it is available in the UK or Europe. Sadly I cannot comment on dealers local to you that may be a weak link in the chain.
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