Nice tools, er toys! I like in the burbs so there really arent many garden tractors around and I really only started to learn about them in the past few years. So many cool options out there, if you can find them.

$800???? Around here, that is called stealing. Great buy.

I had him on the ropes @ 750.00 :D but he came back with a firm 800.00 . To be honest I could tell that he was almost having 2nd thoughts of selling so I agreed on the 800.00 before he came to his senses ;)

Very happy with my 400hr 318 purchased this year, but would love a 330 or even a 430. Just because...


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1546873648.jpg

I like everything about my 318 except the fuel consumption . For me once I went diesel with the 330 it's hard to go back to gasoline . You have a nice looking rig there enjoy .

I'm currently doing a light / mostly cosmetic rest on my '91 430 diesel. Some of you may remember I purchased this locally @ 2 years ago with 60" deck and new 4 way 54" plow. / blade assy. I used it for a while but the mower deck needed major attention, the tractor need some love as well.

Early summer I tore into the tractor, down to just the drive line and frame. Steamed cleaned, and did major service and some NOS replacement parts. Repaired some small broken bits. So all mechanical is done, hood is at my painter guy as we speak. All of the metal parts are / will be powder coated. New tires filled with RV anti freeze as I didn't like how the rear wheel weights stuck out when bolted on.

So its close to being finished.

Also had the deck sandblasted, I repaired all the rusted areas with new sheet steel, just needs a little more attention to final welding - fitting prior to having that powdercoated. Of coarse all the bearings are roast, it will require a fair amount of parts / $$ to get that ready to go.

I love it tho.......... I'll post pix in the spring when the tractor's completed.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1546880747.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1546880747.jpg

Thanks, it was a good find and the seller even delivered to my doorstep from southern Indiana. Hard to pass up. Having a hard time finding a 4-way plow near me that isn't an arm and a leg.

By the way, what is a Pelican-like forum for these?

^ https://gardentractortalk.com/forums/

This site has been helpful with my ford. I would assume the JD section would be the same.

My tractor.com and weekend freedom machines are the two I frequent . Good guys with lots of knowledge and willing to share/help .

Excellent, thanks much both of you. Trying to figure out why my battery light illuminates when idling for more than a minute....

man I paid $2200.00 for mine 10 years ago..the down side of the 330 is single hydro. to use a blade with lift AND tilt you have to add a second hydro line and a bypass valve along with a two stick valve body.. All available. not a big job. just tight quarters. I add it all for under $200 and having lift and tilt on a snow blade is a blessing.

two of the best mini tractor forums

you may want to rethink powder coating. It chips pretty easy. Good old enamel is the set up.

I purchased my 330 a few years ago if I remember correctly I paid around 1800.00 and it was and still is in great shape . I added H2 hydraulics last year when I bought the Buford Bucket mini FEL . Works great but with a bucket full of dirt or gravel she's a hand full to steer . I did the " poor man's power steering " upgrade and that helped a little but not enough for my taste . So that's why I was looking for a 332 . So I'm going to clean up the 332 and install the BB on it , the 332 will be my worker tractor and the 330 will be my mowing tractor . Each can back up the other in case of a failure . I have a 3 point hitch on the 330 and will add one to the 332 .

I have 46 " + 50 " mowing decks so one will be a spare , I also have a 54 " front blade and a # 33 tiller . The tiller is designed for closed frame tractors but I'm going to redesign it to work with the 3 point hitch . I may do a rear PTO or I may add a stand alone engine on the tiller but that's a project far down the road . I have two # 10 carts one metal one plastic . So overall a small but decent Deere herd :D

Back in 1998, I picked up two John Deere 330 diesels from the local Cub Cadet dealership at $800 for the pair. They were dedicated mowing tractors for a small village parks department, and had been used hard, and put away wet. I cleaned up one of them, and transfered the good mowing deck, and tires to it, and sold it to my FIL for $800 (who was replacing a Ford LT16 junker). He used that tractor for the next 15 years and sold it for what he paid.

The other 330, I repainted, and replaced the tires, and fixed the deck. It sold for $1900, without even advertising it.....great tractors !

The 330 is the 914/944 of the Deere world it is a red headed step child :( . Only made for one year ( 1986 ) it was an attempt by JD to get a diesel to the masses at a lower price point . That's why there is no power steering , single brake pedal vs. twin turning brakes , no tail lights and a manual cable actuated fuel shut off . It must not have been a sales success because in 1987 mother Deere came out with the 332 with all the bells and whistles . But both models have the same heavy frame , hydro and 16 hp Yanmar so both are excellent heavy duty machines . If I didn't have the FEL I would not have looked for a 332 I like my 330 that much . But I do like having a back up especially with 30 + year old equipment :eek: So the 330 and 332 will peacefully co-exist in my stable :D

Targa911S - I've used a local outfit for blasting / powder coating for 25 + years. Like a lot of things - its about the detail of the entire process, using quality materials. I've never had an issue, they are very good. I did re-paint the frame and drive line with the OE paint - Blitz black