Decent Buy?

[milspec762 16]

I just picked this up. Its a 1998 522Xi with kwik-way Front End Loader. for $2800 the hour meter is showing 327 hours. The guy claimed to be the original owner.

Im new to the wheel horse's but very much becoming a fan. In my eyes Its a great little tractor. I just was curious if was good buy as I couldn't find anything to compare it to for sale.

[Vinylguy 4,674]

I would say it is a very good deal. Very Nice!!!
 

[muz123 1,191]

A good deal, very nice!

[AMC RULES 37,127]

           

[fireman 1,021]

Let's put it this way, you basically stole it for that price. Should have brought between $3500 and $4000!

[953 nut 55,077]

   If you looked for a year you wouldn't find that good of a deal!   

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

For that price, you did very, very well. I have three 5xi tractors and enjoy using them. The condition of yours in the picture looks pretty good except for the cover on the seat. Is the seat that bad? 

A few things that I spotted from the picture and just normal things to do. It looks like the engine side panels are missing. You definitely need those installed as it is a big part of cooling the engine. Did you get a weight box for the rear end to counterbalance the bucket? Change the fluids and filters for the engine and transaxle.  A number of us use Mobil 1 10W-30 in the transaxle. Also clean the screen in the filter behind the left screen for the power steering. Just my opinion but I question the use of the duals on the rear as it puts a lot of strain on the axles.

Nice tractor!

[milspec762 16]

Thanks for comments, It was an impulse buy. But glad to here It was good one!

I do have the side covers for it and those have been re installed since this photo was taken along with the weight box

I also went through and changed all the oil's out even all the Hydrolic oil for the Front End Loader. Big Mobile 1 fan here.

I do need a new breather plug for the hydraulics. (thats on order)

The Seat was pretty much gone, I swapped it out with a generic one. As it was 100+ cheaper than buying factor toro seat.

As far as the dualies, I really watch how hard I throttle it. Ive read quite a bit up on that lately. I live in foot hills below lake tahoe so its pretty up and down. And I just feel slightly safer with the dualies on

Ive considered looking into a ROPS but so far no luck on that search for one for this.

Other mod looking at doing right now is getting a clevis hitch. Wheelhorseman1000 on here made some HD ones for the Xi line. and picking one of those up. Im going to try one of the AgriFlab Clevis hitch box scrapers behind and see how it works. Im not doing anything to crazy as far as scraping. but just would like that feature with it as well. Any of you have any luck with scrape box with one of these let me know.

Thanks,
MilSpec762 (aka Brad)
 

[953 nut 55,077]

I see the Dualies as a safety feature on a front end loader, when you raise a filled bucket up high it can be a bit unstable.

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Very nice tractor at a very nice price.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

You need to operate the engine at full rpm to keep the engine and transaxle cool otherwise they will overheat. Use the Lo-Range to "throttle" it. My point about the duals is you don't want to straddle the ground on the outer tires. That would be very hard on the transaxle components. Also when operating a FEL, keep the bucket low down for stability. You should never raise the bucket high unless level left and right.

You'll like the clevis hitch by Lowell. I have one on one of my other tractors.

Here is a view of the ROPS from the rear that I got off the internet. When I bought my first 5xi over five years ago, they were still available but close to $800.00. The point of a ROPS is to protect you in a rollover, but Toro didn't offer a seatbelt to keep the operator in place under the ROPS. I never pursued it for that fact.

Edited June 5, 2015 by shallowwatersailor

[Aldon 4,826]

SWSailor, was that ROPS generic or an option for that tractor?

thinking of adding one to my GT14...

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

SWSailor, was that ROPS generic or an option for that tractor?

thinking of adding one to my GT14...

​The ROPS was factory. I have never found a manual or parts diagram for it though. It appears to bolt to the top sides of the frame. The two metal loops on the inside make me wonder what they were for. They are too far back for a seatbelt

[boovuc 1,090]

That was a great buy. Just the tractor and a smaller mower deck sell for what you bought that for. Looks pretty nice! There are folks buying just the Kwik-Way loaders for 1500 bucks so you do the math. Stability is an issue on small wheelbase/sub-compact tractors as was stated. Weighted tires with your weight box are excellent for keeping the paws on the ground. Also with a little modification, you can put a set of 26 x 12 x 12's on the back and ditch the duel wheels which I do tend to think stress the tranny and the frame under load.
The duels add a real cool effect but it may be at a cost. However, 26 x 12 x 12's with the loader are pretty cool looking too. I wish my impulse buying were good deals like you got! Welcome to Redsquare!

 

[milspec762 16]

You need to operate the engine at full rpm to keep the engine and transaxle cool otherwise they will overheat. Use the Lo-Range to "throttle" it. My point about the duals is you don't want to straddle the ground on the outer tires. That would be very hard on the transaxle components. Also when operating a FEL, keep the bucket low down for stability. You should never raise the bucket high unless level left and right.

You'll like the clevis hitch by Lowell. I have one on one of my other tractors.

Here is a view of the ROPS from the rear that I got off the internet. When I bought my first 5xi over five years ago, they were still available but close to $800.00. The point of a ROPS is to protect you in a rollover, but Toro didn't offer a seatbelt to keep the operator in place under the ROPS. I never pursued it for that fact.

​Yeah I cant Find that ROPS anywhere. I should contact toro huh? as Its a factor part Thats a Nice looking! Mines due for a new coat of paint this summer.

[milspec762 16]

That was a great buy. Just the tractor and a smaller mower deck sell for what you bought that for. Looks pretty nice! There are folks buying just the Kwik-Way loaders for 1500 bucks so you do the math. Stability is an issue on small wheelbase/sub-compact tractors as was stated. Weighted tires with your weight box are excellent for keeping the paws on the ground. Also with a little modification, you can put a set of 26 x 12 x 12's on the back and ditch the duel wheels which I do tend to think stress the tranny and the frame under load.
The duels add a real cool effect but it may be at a cost. However, 26 x 12 x 12's with the loader are pretty cool looking too. I wish my impulse buying were good deals like you got! Welcome to Redsquare!

 

​Yeah thats nice right there! this is the route im going to be going soon. I feel like i have to be extra careful with the dualies. (And its not for my safety either Its so I dont break it lol)

Any recommendations on brand or sites online I can order from?

Thanks!

[WNYPCRepair 1,916]

 Also when operating a FEL, keep the bucket low down for stability. You should never raise the bucket high unless level left and right.

 

​I'll second this. I never did it with a small tractor, but I flipped a Boncat onto it's front end due to having the bucket too high and hitting a bump. In a Bobcat, if you tip it on it's front, you can't get out. Luckily, I was able to rock it with my body enough to get it to drop back down, but it was scary for a while. I was alone, and no cell phone.
 

[milspec762 16]

 Also when operating a FEL, keep the bucket low down for stability. You should never raise the bucket high unless level left and right.

 

​I'll second this. I never did it with a small tractor, but I flipped a Boncat onto it's front end due to having the bucket too high and hitting a bump. In a Bobcat, if you tip it on it's front, you can't get out. Luckily, I was able to rock it with my body enough to get it to drop back down, but it was scary for a while. I was alone, and no cell phone.
 

​Definitely. This is my second tractor, I also have JD 110 Commerical grade FEL with backhoe and such. I put that on its side 3rd day owning it Rule of thumb i practice now is never raise the bucket over a 1 ft off the ground when in motion or not on stable ground/surface. And typically have my hand on the lever to drop it down the ground if need be when in motion..