GX345 at 2k hours?

rhenning · Jan 19, 2017

My next suggestion would be to use JD Machine Finder which will find any model of Deere a dealer has for sale and the cost. That is how I found my father in laws GX 345 and my 345. They were both at the same dealer so we got a better price on them as set. His has 500 hours and mine had 1000 hours. This was in 2009. Roger

badgerland01 · Jan 19, 2017

There are better deals to be had. 2000 hours is a lot on that machine. I bought a 2005 gx345 last fall for $1850 and it included a 54" mower deck and 42" snowblower, plastic wheel weights, and 700 hours on the clock. The differential lock is a wonderful upgrade on the gx345 compared to the 345. I would pass and keep hunting.

beren · Jan 19, 2017

This is the GX345, I found it on the machine site tractorhouse.com. What are the attachments work on their own? Any time I see something on craigslist by me it seems its aways a high price even used.

badgerland01 · Jan 19, 2017

beren said:
This is the GX345, I found it on the machine site tractorhouse.com. What are the attachments work on their own? Any time I see something on craigslist by me it seems its aways a high price even used.[/QUOTE

My fault, i got confused reading thru all the replies. I think the diff lock was only on the last 2 or 3 years of the gx345. Look for the orange button on the left footpad when they get you the photos. As far as attachment prices, they seem to vary wildly on these. Condition plays a big part in the value. I have seen many of the blowers that are pretty rusty.

beren · Jan 19, 2017

Re: Should I buy a GX345 at 2k hours?

nick4030 said:
Gx345 is a capable machine for sure. If you want to talk budget and what your plans are we can advise other models as well. One step up from the Gx345 gets you shaft drive. Then your talking "tractor"

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Yeah it's def. hard to find something when you don't know where to start. I'm looking for something slightly overkill, as I like to over-engineer (I have a 36u rack in my basement half full of used enterprise equipment). Always wanted a garden tractor that I can hook things to: plow, snow blower, power bagger, maybe one day a small bucket or auger or something. I have 3/4 acre but my driveway is 550' long and a lot of woods by me. My uncle has a couple old JDs (300? 314 317 I believe) but they are projects. 317 is parts, one runs but has a voltage leak and the other has no deck, dunno how it runs. I was looking for something more recent but still under $2k with a few attachments. Unless it's a literal steal 1k miles is about my limit for a road trip, mainly because of fuel prices/tolls and my wife… Looking at the machine finder and the awesome "JD models update 3" found me looking at a Gx345 and a topic here

UpstateTony · Jan 19, 2017

Have patience – you can get a better deal- don’t be afraid to low ball a CL ad. If seller isn’t interested he won’t get back to you. I recently bought an x310 off CL where seller was asking 3K my first offer to him was 1500- he came down to 2500- I came up to 1800- and we ended up splitting the difference at 2100. Jimbochap( in NJ) has a nice 345 he can’t sell, he has had it since last June- try low balling him..LOL

subdivisionbigdog · Jan 19, 2017

If the serial number is correct from what I found then it will not have the diff lock.

nick4030 · Jan 19, 2017

If a loader is in your future I would pass on the GX345, and try to move into a 425, 445 or 455. That is coming close, or slightly over to a lot over 2k though, and that's before a loader. The GX will do some ground engagement tasks, but if you want over engineered I would step up higher.

gt275 · Jan 19, 2017

Re: Should I buy a GX345 at 2k hours?

beren said:
Yeah it's def. hard to find something when you don't know where to start. I'm looking for something slightly overkill, as I like to over-engineer (I have a 36u rack in my basement half full of used enterprise equipment). Always wanted a garden tractor that I can hook things to: plow, snow blower, power bagger, maybe one day a small bucket or auger or something. I have 3/4 acre but my driveway is 550' long and a lot of woods by me. My uncle has a couple old JDs (300? 314 317 I believe) but they are projects. 317 is parts, one runs but has a voltage leak and the other has no deck, dunno how it runs. I was looking for something more recent but still under $2k with a few attachments. Unless it's a literal steal 1k miles is about my limit for a road trip, mainly because of fuel prices/tolls and my wife… Looking at the machine finder and the awesome "JD models update 3" found me looking at a Gx345 and a topic here

I know what it's like to drive 500 miles round trip to pick up my 2005 gx345 back in 2009. That was a long drive... It had only 124 hours on it and I just had to get it because of the low hours. 8 years later and only has 225 hours now. You're talking almost 4X that distance to travel and you really don't know what you're getting with 2000 hours.

If you're looking at a tractor that can handle a FEL, you should be looking at 425, 445 or 455's. Seen a few in the $2-3k range. Good Luck!!!

beren · Jan 19, 2017

Thanks for the info, I'll have to find something else then try to convince the wife…

rayjay · Jan 19, 2017

That's probably $1000 worth of extras.

I have 3 GX345s that I've repowered. The main grass cutter/bagger/42C deck unit has 1600 hours on the chassis and it does fine. I would bet the trans oil has never been changed. It had the somewhat common engine fire due to the old style mechanical fuel pump.

The second one has 900 hours. I bought it as a parts machine to use the trans in another GX345 [ 625 hours ] flip. Then I rebuilt the locked up trans using a GT225 trans for the cases and gear train and sourced an air cooled Kawi V twin motor from an LT180. It has a 44 Piranha mulching deck. This unit had not been on fire but had a Briggs opposed twin on it when I got it. It was also incredibly jury rigged but pretty nice condition cosmetically [ had probably been garage kept ].

The third has 1300 hours and was beat to death plus zero maintenance. Also had an engine fire but much more extensive than #1. It's now a "mini Pro Gator " see thread in the "homebuilt tractors......" forum. It has a ton of play in the front axle pivot and spindles. The transmission though works just fine. I would bet that it too has the original trans oil.

So this is my opinion about the machine in question [ ignoring the distance problem ]. Yes , 2000 hours is a lot. But for $500 which is what I think you are paying for the actual GX345 I think it's a no brainer. Go get it. I do NOT care for the water cooled Kawi motor AT ALL. Especially with 2000 hours. But it's running and could easily keep running for hundreds more hours. If it blows up then swap in an air cooled Kawi twin. Use a muffler and heat shields off a 325 or 335 depending on which Kawi twin you find. The conversion will look totally factory. With just a few easy mods on the wiring harness you will be in business.

If the unit has been well maintained then it will probably be trouble free for a long time. The things that fail with age are the fuel pump and the water pump. Easy to fix but expensive. Both have probably been changed already. For fuel pump info search BBQed GX345 on this forum.

BigBlue · Jan 19, 2017

My 345 smoked on startup for quite a few of its last years with me and I traded it with only 560 hours on it. Don't know exactly what causes it but it didn't seem like a catastrophic problem.

The reason people are down on the 900 mile distance is that it makes a purchase less objective. You're out your $300 in gas money no matter what, even if when you get there the condition of the tractor makes you want to pass on the deal. It takes away your objectivity and makes you feel obligated to buy "because I drove this far for it". If you do trust the seller and get lots of pics of the unit and won't be bummed to be out $300 no matter what then disregard that as an issue.

Rob

Jimbochap · Jan 19, 2017

badgerland01 said:
There are better deals to be had. 2000 hours is a lot on that machine. I bought a 2005 gx345 last fall for $1850 and it included a 54" mower deck and 42" snowblower, plastic wheel weights, and 700 hours on the clock. The differential lock is a wonderful upgrade on the gx345 compared to the 345. I would pass and keep hunting.

Wow! Don't think you really need that much weight on the rearend with a snowthrower, you aren't pushing the snow you are just throwing it. Can't be good for the transmission can it?

BigBlue · Jan 19, 2017

Jimbochap said:
Wow! Don't think you really need that much weight on the rearend with a snowthrower, you aren't pushing the snow you are just throwing it. Can't be good for the transmission can it?

A 2WD tractor needs a lot of weight to move around in snowy and icy conditions, especially if the driveway isn't flat. You're pushing quite a bit of weight in the front as you cut into drifts. And frequently you're driving through unplowed snow too. In my 20 years with the 345 and a moderately steep residential driveway I had the wheel weights, filled tires and 4 suitcase weights (plus chains). I certainly could have used more at times. Never caused any transmission issues.

Rob

badgerland01 · Jan 19, 2017

Jimbochap said:
Wow! Don't think you really need that much weight on the rearend with a snowthrower, you aren't pushing the snow you are just throwing it. Can't be good for the transmission can it?

Most of the time I don't add any suitcase weights. This pic is from a particularly icy day and my driveway is a giant hill. As far as being hard on the transmission, all I can say is......I didn't buy it to look at it while it is stuck at the bottom of the hill. Go or blow I guess!!

gt275 · Jan 20, 2017

Jimbochap said:
Wow! Don't think you really need that much weight on the rearend with a snowthrower, you aren't pushing the snow you are just throwing it. Can't be good for the transmission can it?

It does look a little excessive with all the weights hanging off the back and sides. I use 5 suitcase weights plus the weight of the cab which is another 180 lbs., so probably not too far off from what I have and that's JD's spec.

Jimbochap · Jan 20, 2017

I really think if you really think you need that much weight.

It's like the Movie "Jaws" You need to find a bigger boat !!

nick4030 · Jan 20, 2017

I don't know why people get bent out of shape over adding weight. This has never been an issue in years past here, but the last two years or so it seems everyone is against it. Weight doesn't hurt them. Try to find ONE thread on a failed transmission that was overwhelmingly considered to be too much weight. There aren't any. Even back when I pushed with my 300, it had filled tires, cast wheel weights and 6 suitcase weights on a heavy bracket. It could have used more on some of the heavier storms. Nothing wrong with weight.

Back to the main topic here, it might help you out to do what I did. Both my 332 and X748 were shipped in from out of state, and both came from dealers. I had them send me lots of pictures, any and all maintenance records, and an invoice of parts and labor of anything they did to them. I also had them take a cell phone video of the entire tractor (on the exhaust side)of both machines doing a cold start up, running through the RPM's and moving forward and back. I was then comfortable with both of them and didn't have any surprises when they got to me. I knew what I was buying.

badgerland01 · Jan 20, 2017

nick4030 said:
Back to the main topic here, it might help you out to do what I did. Both my 332 and X748 were shipped in from out of state, and both came from dealers. I had them send me lots of pictures, any and all maintenance records, and an invoice of parts and labor of anything they did to them. I also had them take a cell phone video of the entire tractor (on the exhaust side)of both machines doing a cold start up, running through the RPM's and moving forward and back. I was then comfortable with both of them and didn't have any surprises when they got to me. I knew what I was buying.

This is good advice when purchasing site-unseen.

badgerland01 · Jan 20, 2017

Jimbochap said:
I really think if you really think you need that much weight.

It's like the Movie "Jaws" You need to find a bigger boat !!

A "bigger boat" would just require more weight when dealing with an icy hill. So then we would have this conversation all over again. Where would it end?

GX345 at 2k hours?

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