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John Deere 323D User Feedback

Canuck Digger

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
263
Location
Mission, BC, Canada
Occupation
Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
Hi All,
Contempating purchasing a 323d track machine. My experience with the CT322 was beyond poor. I understad the 323d has had many improvements. Mainly looking for feedback on reliability, common issues and how many times it's been to the shop/downtime. Not as concerned about comfort features and things of that nature. The machine I'm looking at has about 600 hours on it, cab, ac, hydraulic quick attach and the EH controls. Looking for a reliable small frame CTL that's not going to be a pain with proper maintanance. Thanks
 

RockingBarF

Member
Joined
May 20, 2016
Messages
23
Location
MO
I have a 333E n i love it n it's a beast lots of power n had it over a year now no problems with it n i do like how easy they are to service if that'll help you any

from central Missouri. cattle man live like there's no tomorrow.
 

Canuck Digger

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
263
Location
Mission, BC, Canada
Occupation
Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
Thx. yeah the 333 is not quite the same machine, although I would have the think the controls would be the same.... bigger frame, more hp.... Thx. again.
 

Rentalstop

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
114
Location
Sunbury, OH
We had a 323 here on re-rent for a six months. The contractor renting it broke the hinge on the door twice. Didn't break the glass, just the $45 hinge. They called once and said it puked all the hydraulic fluid, thought blew the pump or something. We picked it up and the return line from the hydro cooler had loosened up. Not easy to get to or tighten up. Power wise it was fine. They liked the ISO controls. This unit actually was able to switch to bobcat, ISO or case pattern (EH). I thought they could have been better, not as smooth as Cat or Bobcat SJC. This unit had two hundred hours on it when we sent to the contractor. They put about 400 hours on it and the door and loose hydro were the only issues we had. Quick attach is not hydraulic, it's a electric linear actuator (IIRC). Similar to a gator dump bed lift. Not as strong as hydraulic. Keep it greased on it will give you trouble.

Another guy near me rents all Deere skids. He said their mechanic goes through machines after the get them. Tightens anything they can. Deere 312GR we just bought puked hydro coming off the trailer from the factory. Loose fittings.

Funny thing is back in 2000 when Deere first started building their own skids, the sales guy from Nortrax told me they go through every machine at the dealership when it arrives from the factory. Sixteen years later and they still can't get fittings tight from the factory. Sorry about the rambling. Deere makes a decent machine. Many people buy from a brand loyalty factor. If you get the 323D, go through the fittings as much as you can. What's the price on the machine ?

I would not be afraid to buy the machine if it's a great deal. There's no perfect skid out there.
 
Last edited:

alco

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
1,286
Location
here
My friend had 3 323Ds and a 329D, all were good machines mechanically for him. Unfortunately, as they aged.....not sure exactly how many hours when the problems started, but I'd guess 1500 to 2000........the electrical issues started with all four machines. The dealer spent many, many hours troubleshooting, and replacing harnesses and other electrical components. In the end, he started trading them off on 259D Cats. He still has a 328D, and they seemed to get the electrical gremlins worked out of it, but the boom is so sloppy, it's no fun to spend time in at all. It basically gets used as a forklift around the yard now.
 

Canuck Digger

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
263
Location
Mission, BC, Canada
Occupation
Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
We had a 323 here on re-rent for a six months. The contractor renting it broke the hinge on the door twice. Didn't break the glass, just the $45 hinge. They called once and said it puked all the hydraulic fluid, thought blew the pump or something. We picked it up and the return line from the hydro cooler had loosened up. Not easy to get to or tighten up. Power wise it was fine. They liked the ISO controls. This unit actually was able to switch to bobcat, ISO or case pattern (EH). I thought they could have been better, not as smooth as Cat or Bobcat SJC. This unit had two hundred hours on it when we sent to the contractor. They put about 400 hours on it and the door and loose hydro were the only issues we had. Quick attach is not hydraulic, it's a electric linear actuator (IIRC). Similar to a gator dump bed lift. Not as strong as hydraulic. Keep it greased on it will give you trouble.

Another guy near me rents all Deere skids. He said their mechanic goes through machines after the get them. Tightens anything they can. Deere 312GR we just bought puked hydro coming off the trailer from the factory. Loose fittings.

Funny thing is back in 2000 when Deere first started building their own skids, the sales guy from Nortrax told me they go through every machine at the dealership when it arrives from the factory. Sixteen years later and they still can't get fittings tight from the factory. Sorry about the rambling. Deere makes a decent machine. Many people buy from a brand loyalty factor. If you get the 323D, go through the fittings as much as you can. What's the price on the machine ?

I would not be afraid to buy the machine if it's a great deal. There's no perfect skid out there.

Still haven't pulled the trigger.... It does seem like a very good deal. At least in my part of the world. It's a 2013 that's sitting in a non JD dealer on consignment has about 600 hours on it, tracks are about 30% ($$$$$) and it's 36K $can. Still back and forth between wheel machine/aftermarket tracks and a CTL. Just seems like you don't get the hours out of a ctl w/o major expenditures as you can out of a skid steer. I'll probably only put 200-250 hours a year on the machine so it's tough to justify a payment for a new machine and actually make some $...
 

RockingBarF

Member
Joined
May 20, 2016
Messages
23
Location
MO
I would be askin em put new tracks on for same price. N I rather have a deere dealer check it out because they know their equipment. Tracks does get stupid expensive quick if not used properly. What you plan to do with it? ?

from central Missouri. cattle man live like there's no tomorrow.
 

Canuck Digger

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
263
Location
Mission, BC, Canada
Occupation
Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
I would be askin em put new tracks on for same price. N I rather have a deere dealer check it out because they know their equipment. Tracks does get stupid expensive quick if not used properly. What you plan to do with it? ?

from central Missouri. cattle man live like there's no tomorrow.

Thx. yes know abut the tracks... My old ctl was a JD CT322.. Was an ok machine till a bearing in one of the finals blew up at 1100hrs... General landscape construction. Mainly grading/moving pallets/soil/aggregates. The more I think about it the more I think I'll go skidsteer with OTT tracks. Bit more of a pain but they just seem to be more reliable and certainly less costly to maintain than their track cousins. Found a brand of OTT tracks that I've never hear of but the feedback is positive so far. Just want to make the right choice, especially since the last one cost me about 10K and a whole bunch of headaches...
 

RockingBarF

Member
Joined
May 20, 2016
Messages
23
Location
MO
50/50. Ctl can lift n push a hell lot more but turning n etc tracks can make a bigger mess. I bought tracks because I knew I would be in mud alot for floatation n heaving n extreme lifting. You may be better off with tires with ott tracks n i ran those alot but would never go back to tires. Track only but I'm the only operater

from central Missouri. cattle man live like there's no tomorrow.
 

Canuck Digger

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
263
Location
Mission, BC, Canada
Occupation
Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
50/50. Ctl can lift n push a hell lot more but turning n etc tracks can make a bigger mess. I bought tracks because I knew I would be in mud alot for floatation n heaving n extreme lifting. You may be better off with tires with ott tracks n i ran those alot but would never go back to tires. Track only but I'm the only operater

from central Missouri. cattle man live like there's no tomorrow.

That's kinda what I'm thinkin, but sure would feel like a step back to go from a CTL to a skid.... I think from a $ sense perspective it just makes sense though. We do get about 6 month of pretty wet weather/slop up here as well. I'd say 75% of our work is in dirt and rest blacktop. I like using my excavators as much as I can becuase they make way less mess than a skid/ctl. There are just some things they can't do that a skid can.
 
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