John Deere
John Deere 317G
The John Deere 317G is the small-frame compact track loader that sits below the 325G in Deere's G-Series lineup. Built in Dubuque, Iowa with a 65 hp Yanmar diesel and a vertical-lift boom - rare in this size class - it targets landscapers and property owners who need a towable machine that can still load trucks.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓The vertical-lift boom with a 121-inch hinge pin is nearly unheard of in the small-frame class - owners love that it clears dump trailer sides and stacks pallets where radial rivals like the Bobcat T450 run out of reach.
- ✓At 8,423 lbs it's genuinely towable behind a three-quarter-ton pickup with a bucket and attachment on board, which owners cite as the reason they picked it over mid-frame machines.
- ✓The simple 2.1L Yanmar 4TNV86CHT is a proven, fuel-sipping engine, and forum owners with thousands of hours report it just runs with basic maintenance.
- ✓Deere's dealer network rivals Bobcat's for depth, and owners in rural areas report same-day parts and strong loaner support that keeps downtime short.
- ✓The electrohydraulic joysticks are fully adjustable - switchable ISO/H patterns and tunable boom and drive response let each operator dial the machine to their taste.
- ✓The 62.9-inch width on standard tracks squeezes through gates and between houses, making it a favorite for backyard and tight-access residential work.
- ✓Resale value holds up strongly thanks to the Deere name and heavy rental-fleet demand for small-frame CTLs, so owners report solid trade-in numbers.
- ✓The quiet, well-sealed optional cab with A/C punches above the machine's size class, and operators say it's far more comfortable than older small frames.
Cons
- ✗There is no high-flow option - 17 GPM standard flow is all you get, so mulchers, cold planers, and other flow-hungry attachments are simply off the table.
- ✗The 65 hp engine works hard pushing a full bucket in heavy clay, and plenty of owners admit they moved up to the 325G after finding the 317G underpowered for dirt work.
- ✗Owners report the EH joysticks feel twitchy out of the box, and it takes dealer help or menu-diving to soften the response for smooth finish grading.
- ✗The Final Tier 4 aftertreatment needs regular regen cycles, and machines used for short, low-load stints throw sensor codes that frustrate owners on the forums.
- ✗The 6,070 lb tipping load runs out quickly with heavy attachments up front - a full pallet of sod at height gets sketchy without the optional counterweights.
- ✗The rigid undercarriage has no suspension, so the ride across rough ground is rough at travel speed compared to torsion-axle machines like ASV's.
- ✗Two-speed, self-leveling, and the performance package are all extra-cost options, and many lot machines are spec'd bare - a comparably equipped unit costs thousands more than the base price suggests.
- ✗Kubota's SVL65-2 and Bobcat's T450 undercut it on price, and buyers who don't need the vertical lift path often find more machine for the money elsewhere.
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