New John Deere 310 SG

[Cavalo]

Sorry........I was posting a new thread in Showtime called "pics of My rig" check it out..........as far as your question goes, funny thing, I like it for all the reasons you dont like Deere, I like the single cylinder on the front end and the tight and quiet boom lock, also the curved boom and the very quiet cab. You are right about the pushing and 4wd, I find that superior to the case. One of the drawbacks of the deere is, it is slow on the road. I like the smoothness of the deere and the fast back end. Case has a hyd. coupler now and that is something Deere doesnt quite have yet, but to my understanding it is coming out soon. I like the bigger tires in the front for running over curbs and in the mud, however the case was alot better in the mud when you are in a real S%&@ hole of mud. The case just seems to float over the juice, must be because of the light front end, where as the Deere is more balanced but has more weight on the front, hence that sinking that occurs when in mud.

 

[JS580SL]

Ive spent the last week and a half in nothing but mud. We have a Super L 2 w/ a little over 4,000hours. It may not be the heaviest machine but its quick, powerful, and a workhorse.

How do you like the response and feel on a Deere over the Case. The Deere chopsticks are nice but I think the Case has better response. Probaly because I run a Case.

 

[John M]

new 310sj

I like the machine. but I must say I dont like the pilot controls for feeling pipes unforseen. I do know one thing the out riggers will throw a rock right through your window and through the roof of the cab. most powerful outriggers ive seen lol.I read this new machine has cruise control. I personally would rather have a backhoe with forks integrated. I like john deere but I must say jcb is paying attention to what operaters need. pilot controls are hydraulic and electric. fold out forks . powder coated paint. heated seats. pilot controls integrated into seat. great visability on front loader. thier service out here though is not good. light package on the 310sj is nice. I wish john deere would do something about that three piece window in the back.

 

[Cavalo]

I like the machine. but I must say I dont like the pilot controls for feeling pipes unforseen. I do know one thing the out riggers will throw a rock right through your window and through the roof of the cab. most powerful outriggers ive seen lol.I read this new machine has cruise control. I personally would rather have a backhoe with forks integrated. I like john deere but I must say jcb is paying attention to what operaters need. pilot controls are hydraulic and electric. fold out forks . powder coated paint. heated seats. pilot controls integrated into seat. great visability on front loader. thier service out here though is not good. light package on the 310sj is nice. I wish john deere would do something about that three piece window in the back.

Hi John M.........I thought the same thing about my machine when I got it. It is a 07 310SG and has the pilots on the stantions, and at first i thought that the pilots were not as great as they say they are, but over time I found them to be easier on the arms and easier to run, and easier to feel stuff in the ground. I know that the new SJ has a half speed (which I have tried out) and that seems to be really nice for digging around pipes and buried utilities. As far as the forks go, at the demo of this machine I switched to a cat front bucket from the JD forks in seconds. The only complaint is that the forks are not expandable so you can make them wider to hold pipe and such with out the load falling over easily. As far as the back window, I work in alot of rain in my area and to be able to put the window half up or in different confirgurations is good because it keeps the rain from hitting you.
You are right about the stabilizers or out riggers, in fact I have hit the window with rocks many times, but never broke a window thank goodness.
When you say cruise control.......do you mean ride control?? Ride control is the best invention to man......I dont know how i did with out it. There are alot of features on the SJ that I didnt even know it had.......it is not new technology but is new on the backhoes after being on all the other equipment for years like the bulldozers, agriculture tractors and such. Everything is electronic. Go to this site and check out some of the options..... www.deere.com/en_US/cfd/construction/deere_const/newsroom/070306_jseries_backhoes.html by the way.........where the heck is hesperia???

 

[Cavalo]

Ive spent the last week and a half in nothing but mud. We have a Super L 2 w/ a little over 4,000hours. It may not be the heaviest machine but its quick, powerful, and a workhorse.

How do you like the response and feel on a Deere over the Case. The Deere chopsticks are nice but I think the Case has better response. Probaly because I run a Case.

After having both machines I would say that the deere is way faster than a case back end and as far as smoothness...........well, I like the deere, what can I say. Case to me seems more mechanical if you know what I mean.

 

[Burnout]

Hey guys..... I have finally tried out 2 deere J series. a 410J TMC and a 710J. I grew up a JD man with the backhoes and when the old man bought a 310SG back when they came out with the pilots I thought they were the best thing to happen to me. But then I started workin for another company and I ended up on a Case 580 Super L2 and found out how much nicer a Case back end can dig. I have only about 100hrs with a Case pilot control machine and I found myself liking it and not liking it at the same time. It seems awful slow when your trenching, but amazing when digging around pipes.

I noticed it the other day when digging with the Deere's that the curved boom really messes me up now. I try and work closer to the machine and I go to pick the bucket up and I'm already on the lock. I never realized how nice the Case over center boom really is. But the loader on the Deere is amazing. I have also had the chance to spend some time on a JCB 3CX recently and found out what a real piece of junk is really like. I think I would rather have our '88 310C or a 580SK Turbo over a 3CX.

I would think the ultimate backhoe could be a Deere 310SJ with the Case back end... and for that 3pc rear window.... get the old Case L series back window. I removed almost all the screws on the right side of the window so I could uncrew 3 or 4 every morning and just take all the windows right out. Sooo much nicer since my machine didnt have AC!

 

[Cavalo]

Dont those big black horse flies bother you with no rear window??

 

[tuney443]

Don't know what you boys are complaining about with Deere's rear window--I love it in my 410G---like I said though in an earlier post--just make double sure you have the bottom bumper in place or else---C--R--A--C--K---yes,it was very pricey to replace.Best TLB's on the planet,no reason whatsoever for Case rear's or whatnot--besides, a Cadeere sounds ridiculous When my son was 2 years old, he had it right--went around the house declaring ''Nothing runs like a deere.'' Wonder where he heard that from?

 

[JS580SL]

Three piece window is nice. Drop the top one down but leave it closed enough to shield your hands from the wind.

 

[farm_boy]

When you say cruise control.......do you mean ride control??

The new J series machines do have CRUISE control. It works similar to your pickup in that you dial up your engine speed on the electronic hand throttle for transport speed and as soon as you hit the brakes the machine goes to idle. Pretty nice little feature

 

[Cavalo]

The new J series machines do have CRUISE control. It works similar to your pickup in that you dial up your engine speed on the electronic hand throttle for transport speed and as soon as you hit the brakes the machine goes to idle. Pretty nice little feature

That engine speed can be left up when digging as well and then when you turn the seat around it will idle down and then back up to the revs that you were at again when you flip around to dig.
The 4 wheel drive will kick out in 4th gear as well, and if you dont have it in 4 wheel drive and your rear wheels spin, it will come on and then go off again when on hard ground or on blacktop.............impressive
The front bucket can be run at the same time as the back end when pulling your self out of muck with one hand on the right side pilot control on the arm rest.........I have seen this and done it and it is something to behold i tell you what!

 

[Geno795]

Don't forget that Deere still offers the plain old manual controls. They have refined them so they move easier and are less tiring on your arms than they used to be and they dig around utilities better because of feel. Deere is the only company to offer any type of controls you want, including Ford or Case style with all the levers and foot swing. On the new Deere J series they offer 6 types of controls. Geno

 

[Cavalo]

Don't forget that Deere still offers the plain old manual controls. They have refined them so they move easier and are less tiring on your arms than they used to be and they dig around utilities better because of feel. Deere is the only company to offer any type of controls you want, including Ford or Case style with all the levers and foot swing. On the new Deere J series they offer 6 types of controls. Geno

Yes you are right, I actually just wrote that on a different thread that they were talking about older controls on the case backhoes. I believe that you are right when JD is the only machine that offers this now.

 

[Geno795]

Everyone got on the Pilot Control band wagon and all maufacturers push them as the way to go. They are nice to operate, but as a backhoe loader operator you get in and out of the machine alot and spin the seat to face forward and operate the front loader a good portion of the time. Backhoe loaders also dig around utitiies alot so the good old manual controls still come in handy. I guess that is Deere's reason for still offering them. Geno

 

[Cavalo]

Everyone got on the Pilot Control band wagon and all maufacturers push them as the way to go. They are nice to operate, but as a backhoe loader operator you get in and out of the machine alot and spin the seat to face forward and operate the front loader a good portion of the time. Backhoe loaders also dig around utitiies alot so the good old manual controls still come in handy. I guess that is Deere's reason for still offering them. Geno

That is true about needing to get in and out alot, but digging around utilities I find that pilots are way better, and the feel is is just as good if not better than the levers. I thought at first that the levers where better as well, but now I would never go back.........pilots are just so much more smoother and accurate (I have the accuswing on mine)they are vertually effortless and very comfortable.
The new SJ has the pilots in the seat (armrests) and having tried these as well, there is a ton of room in that cab, because there are no levers for the outriggers, or the front bucket.......no levers at all, it is unreal all the room that is in the cab, and as far as getting in and out quick, no problem.

 

[Burnout]

I'm still not sold on Pilots in some situations. I have had some experience on them now digging around utilities and yes you can't feel as much through the controls as you can with standard levers, I have learned to feel it more accurately through the machine and have had great success digging around gas lines with our 710G. But I have straight line trenched in a Deer 710D and G, a 310SG and SJ, a Case 580 Super L2 and a Super M2 with pilots.

For just digging fast I noticed both the cases and the deere's lose a pile of speed as soon as you go to pilots. With the 580 Super L I could swat out basements with a 42" H&H bucket like it wasn't there. When my boss got the Super M I got it and figured it would be faster but ended up adding an extra hour to each basement job with my big bucket. Also I have noticed when your really hoggin on it, with the pilots you have to be smoother more like an excavator, pulling in even each time for every cut. With the standard levers I noticed I could just take the bucket and almost karate chop the ground and pull the stick in and load the bucket. It was looking like I 1 functioned it most of the time and found that I was digging much faster than normal. Maybe its just me but I kind of still prefer a nice machine with good sticks. Out of the 70+ backhoes I have run at different times the one I prefer the most was the 1998 580Super L2, had great controls, lots of power and well balanced. And it had that sexy 40th Anniversary sticker on the boom... great backhoe.

 

[JS580SL]

I dont like pilots. A friend of mine has a Super M with pilots and after running it for a bit and starting to get use to the differance, I start to like them. But as soon as I go back our Series 2 Super L I feel right at home. I feel much more comfortable with heavy loads, people in the area, and objects with the Super L. Keep in mind Ive spent many many more hours on the L.

For me its not only the feel in the digging cycle, but the feel of the valves opening while starting to swing.

 

[Burnout]

When I jumped from the 580SK Turbo to the 580 SL2 I didn't like the L at all. The control effort was so much lower on the L and the cab is so much nicer but I didn't like it at first. But it might have taken 3 or 4 days and I was in love with that beast. The only thing I dont like with the L's or the M's is that they are too light and don't push like the old SK did.

 

[JS580SL]

If you ask me, the K with less horsepower, would not spin the wheels as easy. If you let an L, it will dig itself a hole with the what 15-20 extra horse and turbo.

 

[Burnout]

We had a '94 580SK Turbo, the last year of the K's they had the same Cummins the L ran with the turbo. We always called her the Sports Kar model. It blew the L's away in power, and goin up a hill when you were roading it was amazing. I carried a breaker rack on the front of the machine with an Allied 750lb breaker, Allied hoe pack and my H&H 42" and 18" buckets.