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[Bob Leonard]

Nice rig Bob. Hope you are feeling better.

I have a 3 point hitch grader blade for my tractor (Kubota compact). If you ever need it, let me know.



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I couldn't see jumping into the sub compact lineup, JD or Kubota. You've seen my place and unlike you with your palatial estate I really have no need for a tractor of that size or capabilty. Would have liked front bucket capability though. The goal was actually a practical goal. Cost of equipment vs. cost of landscaper and care after the landscaping. Small tractor won hands down.

My new chipper arrived today. The chipper I ordered was advertised as 15hp. The chipper I received is 10hp. I was more than bullshit about that so I called the company and the Ebay reseller. The reseller had posted information for a chipper not available for over 6 months and the one I received is the new upgraded version of the product. The only difference being the horse power. The company, Power King was more than helpful and worked a $300 dollar refund from the price, dropping my cost to $2K. Chipper is rated is rated for 4" limbs.

So, after getting the thing put together I went out back and chewed up a bunch of 3-4" pine limbs, particle board, 2" square oak bracing, and a 2x4 just for grins. This thing has a 60lb drum type cutter with 2 high speed steel blades and auto feed. It worked great and the 10hp did the job, so I'll keep it.

Funny thing though. They're sending me a new emergency stop switch, one of the new enhancements, because the switch top and retainer vibrated off into the intake spitting it into the back woods to places unknown.

Check out the video. First thing he shows is the switch that vibrated off into the chipper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLEJOqP0LN0

[Scott Holtzman]

Check out the video. First thing he shows is the switch that vibrated off into the chipper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLEJOqP0LN0

The little graphic of your fingers getting cut off on the guard is interesting. 

[Art Welter]

The little graphic of your fingers getting cut off on the guard is interesting.

"Chipper is rated is rated for 4" limbs"..
Arms, legs, whatever kind of limbs...Bye now!

[Scott Holtzman]

"Chipper is rated is rated for 4" limbs"..
Arms, legs, whatever kind of limbs...Bye now!

Man, we are a twisted bunch.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[Aaron Maurer]

Yes, the dealer gave me a John Deere hat. And, I had a tooth pulled today. I look like the front row of a Dolly Parton concert.

You have a decent snow plowing machine. Both my dad and myself have John Deere 335 tractors. The locking rear on these really help and you will defiantly need tire chains and possibly wheel weights for any serious plowing. Dads driveway is pretty steep and has no issues going up plowing 8-10”. As others stated you may not be able to stack snow just push the pile as far as you can to get it out of the way. It will stack to a certain degree but you get to a point where the blade gets buried and you can get stuck. Only issues I have is the front end on this series is a bit light maybe filling the front tires? Won’t  get you a lot of weight but may help. Certainly not a show stopper for snow duty mowing is a pleasure I have the 54” deck which helps be hit under the trees and extends it far enough in the flower beds to cut my wife’s plants.  I also had a wisdom tooth pulled yesterday!  Thought I would be taking all four of them with me to the end but that plan didn’t work. Enjoy the tractor they are great machines both my father and I really like ours.

[Bob Leonard]

Thanks for the heads up Aaron! Up until about 3 years ago I used my 35 year old Craftsman 18HP GT to plow the driveway. That little GT has bar tires, 200lbs of wheel weight in the rear, chains and a 40" blade up front. Lift is electric front and back. My driveway is 21/2 cars wide, up a pretty good incline, and really a bitch to plow or use a snow blower on.

The 15HP Ariens did/does a super job regardless of snow depth, but as I'm aging and not in the best health lately, this was the last winter for me manhandling the 400lb beast up and down the hill. So, the snow blower and old GT are going with the proceeds towards the JD.

The X580 is 10 times the tractor I had been using. Thinking ahead I bought Terra grips and had the tractor ship with HDAP tires in the rear, 24x12-12. Not many video's on the web showing the 580, but here's a link to a 590 which is the same as the 580, the exceptions being a special seat and fuel injection for an additional $1000. The video is of a 590/580 pulling the JD hydraulic tiller. Pictures can be deceiving. The 580 is a lot more tractorette than you may think.

The tractor in the video has HDAP tires on it, no chains and no additional weight that I can see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVUTiNq-yf0

[W. Mark Hellinger]

which is the same as the 580, the exceptions being a special seat and fuel injection

Reading into this, I presume your JD580 is carbureted.  If so, I'll suggest I have two X700 machines, both carbureted.  I have just a bit short of 1K hours on each machine.  The only problem I've had to-date with these machines, and I had the same problem on both, is the fuel shut-off solenoid on the carb... both failed @ approx. 600 - 700 hrs.  Our town also owns a JD X series garden tractor, and it's carb solenoid failed as well... the town's machine takes the same carb solenoid as mine... I just happened to have a spare on my shelf when the town's fix-it guy came to me a couple years ago (on a Saturday as I recall), hat in hand (the machine won't start and there's snow to plow).

And I'll suggest changing the deck belt is a bit of a chore... on my X700's anyway as you gotta drop (remove) the deck and un-bolt the right-angle drive box... but it affords a good opportunity to check/fill the deck's right-angle drive box and grease the deck driveshaft... and do a deep clean of the underside of the mower deck (and repaint).

[Bob Leonard]

X700 is a beautiful tractor Mark. Why is it you have a pair?? I hadn't heard of any real issues with the Kawasaki engines, but I suppose there has to be something regardless of manufacture. Any other issues? The 700 uses the K90 transaxle, the 500 series uses the K72. Anything to watch for in that department?

[W. Mark Hellinger]

X700 is a beautiful tractor Mark. Why is it you have a pair??

I have grounds maintenance at two locations 8 miles apart... 3 acres "here" and 4 acres "there".  I got a no-brainer deal on the second one and I figured having 2 provides for a plan B if need be.

Any other issues? The 700 uses the K90 transaxle, the 500 series uses the K72. Anything to watch for in that department?

Not that I'm aware of yet concerning the drive train... all that seems bullet proof.  I bought both of my X700's used... but real low hours... less than 500 total hours combined.  As I recall the 2nd one only had about 200 hours on it when I bought it.  The 2nd one was surplus-ed by a school and exhibited signs of likely having been sitting (outside I think) for years(?).  There was some minor corrosion problems with the wiring/connectors under the dash/behind the radiator... not really a fault of the machine, but rather due to neglect. 

[Bob Leonard]

Nice, very nice. I looked at the 700's but by the time I configured the tractor they were in the same ball park as the sub compacts, and both were more than I'll need in my lifetime. Hauled the chipper around the yard this weekend and filled the CLAM Cart to the brim 4 times, 35 cubic feet each time. Then loaded it with oak logs 3 more times figuring at least 700lb per load. I had no issues and the wide stance combined with the high clearance on the cart was a blessing in disguise.

Tomorrow after work I'll rake and grade the last bit of ground needing loam, have a couple of loads brought in Wednesday and try to have it spread by Saturday. If that works out I'll re-seed and fertilize the entire front again, roll the loam, and get the sprinklers going. After that point I can start on the house trim and painting. Need to get this all done before I take the dirt nap.