Deere 2500E/7500E Cancel The title field is required!

1. Paul Double

   

   37 posts
   
   12/8/2018 7:12 PM

   We are potentially looking at replacing some of our older 2500Bs and 3225Cs and have been looking at some 2500E and 7500Es. I have had great luck with the machines we have, but they are getting older and worn out and this could be an opportunity to get mowers that could reduce potential hydraulic leaks. Just looking for opinions on the electric reel drive on the John Deeres.
   Thanks
   Paul

   
   
   
   
2. Christopher Thuer

   

   101 posts
   
   12/9/2018 9:12 PM

   We have had a 2500 E for 4 seasons strictly for mowing greens. We can mow 20 greens in about 3 to 3.5 hours depending on who is running the machine and the mowing angle.
   
   The traction unit itself has performed OK. We did have a problem right away with an alternator bracket not being designed to keep the alternator from rubbing on the spark plug boot causing it to short making the engine cut out. Our local Deere service tech fabricated another bracket. I have no idea if this has been corrected at the factory. We did have an idler bearing fail on the serpentine belt right in the middle of mowing one day. The tires are a lower profile and we seem to go through them fast.
   
   Ours came with the QA cutting units, and while they cut well with and the groomers do their job every day, I am not a fan of their durability and serviceability. We have had unreconciled issues with the basket brackets not staying put in the frame. They pop out during turns and bumps leaving lines on the greens. We have somewhat corrected this on our own by drilling holes in the basket for bungee hooks to better secure the basket to the cutting unit. We have also worn out a few of the single point adjustment worm gears but those are easy to replace. I wish we also got the rear roller cleaner brush that is available. I am not a fan of completely having to break down the entire cutting unit to change bearings and seals. I would rather have the same cutting units that are on our 3 2500A mowers. No issues with the electric motors so far and the reduced hydraulic leak risk is a huge benefit.
   
   I would consider another pending price comparisons verses the competition and review of newer versions.

   
   Chris Thuer, CGCS, Bear Slide Golf Club, Cicero, IN
   
   
3. Frank McQuiggan

   

   2 posts
   
   12/10/2018 7:12 AM

   I worked with both the 2500E and the 7500E for 6 years, the 2500E, with QA5 reels I had very few problems with at all. We had both the groomers and the rear roller brushes biggest thing with them was the belts breaking inside the covers. As far as serviceability I always found them easier than the older style cutting to service, tear down replace bearings and seals put back together and square them up no problems. Now you can run into problems with the cutting units going out of square but that is always an easy and quick fix by loosing the frame bolts and cross bar bolt and hitting the unit, you will hear it pop back into square.
   
   The 7500E also had QA5 reels on it and the biggest problem we had with them was the reel itself would break if something was hit. I had 10 out of 15 reels break in the same place same piece of metal breaking out, we had most of them replaced under warranty. It did become more of a nuisance than a problem as with the last set that did this We just ground them out and ran it with the one reel blade missing a chunk. Never created problems with after cut appearance, just frustrating that we had those problems.
   
   Now when it was time to replace units we ended going to Toro because of price difference and ease of maintenance. We went with Toro 3320 Hybrid mowers for greens, and just rotated the older 2500E back to do Tees and approaches. We did not replace the 7500E but they are slated for replacement in the next 3 years. Here I would go with the 5100H due to better after cut appearance. You can get the same after cut appearance with the 7500E but you need to get the short back rollers