Any experance with JD 332 Garden tractor
08-20-2008 | 05:17 PM
#16
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From: Northern Iowa
I've got a 332 with the 50" deck and PowerFlow bagger. Mine has about 850 hours on it, and I bought it 10 years ago with 500 hours. It's been a really reliable tractor for me and I'd definitely recommend it. I mow about 1.5 acres and it's been very fuel efficient. Putting the deck on and off is kind of a pain due to JD's mule drive belt setup, but it only takes about 10 minutes once you've done it a few times. It's important when owning a 332 to keep the radiator fins free of debris or it will overheat. I clean out the fins with compressed air after every mowing.
Probably some very good advice - with the way the engine's packed in there (Backwards?!) it's likely very easy to get that radiator clogged with debris.
How is it for doing a coolant flush? Are there service manuals avalible from Deere?
I have to leave town until next week, I cannot do anything until see how things work out after the closing at the end of the week. Looking at the yard again, i may consider a grasshopper ZTR unit instead, which is also well build and just a bit more affordable used.
08-20-2008 | 07:06 PM
#17
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I have a 332 that I am considering selling. It's got around 560 hours on it. It does great on fuel. I mow an acre and I filled it up about once a summer. I can let the grass get pretty high, this diesel can knock it down easy.
08-29-2008 | 09:38 PM
#19
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From: Northern Iowa
Video on this tractor
Just found this little video on these tractors...watch it if time permits...
The frame on these little tractors is astounding! It's about the size of my truck's frame!!!
http://video.google.com/videosearch?...8&sa=N&tab=wv#
The frame on these little tractors is astounding! It's about the size of my truck's frame!!!
http://video.google.com/videosearch?...8&sa=N&tab=wv#
08-31-2008 | 07:04 PM
#21
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From: Rochester, NY
There was a Bolens/Ariens dealer in my hometown growing up. I spent many an afternoon in there as a young boy picking around the dirty, smokey little shop (owned by a 3-pack a day smoker) looking at all the Bolens units. I never could wrap my head around them, I always thought they were just a little too wierd. Now I wish I could get a hold of one of these, but as you say - they are nearly gone.
I passed by a little sheet-metal "Bolens by MTD" tractor in Home Depot last week. I thought back to that smokey little shop - long since closed and abandoned, and really had a reflective moment on how things change - and will never be the same again.
I passed by a little sheet-metal "Bolens by MTD" tractor in Home Depot last week. I thought back to that smokey little shop - long since closed and abandoned, and really had a reflective moment on how things change - and will never be the same again.
No first hand knowledge of the diesels, but I've got an LX188 and a new x540. I like the LX better. Better cut, runs smoother, simpler machine, and built much more solid.
The x540 is a sweet machine, but it also has the pto reverse shut off garabge. You guys ever tried to snowblow a driveway without going into reverse? Thankfully if you pull up on the PTO lever when you back up it stays engaged and running, but still a pain.
Cliffnotes: Go for it. The older ones are GOOD machines.
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