Breaking in a new tractor

[TRUST]

I've always been fairly respectful of break in procedures on other items I've had in the past......motorcycles for example. I read the manual in its entirety and have came to the conclusion if I follow the break in procedures properly then I cannot use the tractor for the purpose I bought it for, at least not for quite some time. I'm definitely not one to go out and abuse a machine right off the bat, but this time I feel like I may cheat a bit on the break in and just use it with common sense. I have been keeping the rpm's low (below2k) and try not to drive wide open in any speed. I am however using to bucket to near max capacity on hyd. limits and pulling out some big fallen timber while clearing some overrun wooded areas. What do you think?

Joel

 

[Botabill]

I try to keep any new machine worked easy for the first 50 hours. It may not hurt if you push hard but it could if some metal shards are in the hydraulic or any other part of the system. I bent my FEL very early in owning my first new tractor by pushing it to do stuff it shouldn't do even when broken in. I didn't understand the limits of the little rascal. The slightly dipped bucket bugged me for the next 4-5 years til I bought my new tractor. I hope to avoid that mistake or any other screw up with the new one.

 

[Egon]

I have little experience on breaking in diesels but on the several I had /have the privilege of doing so the rpm's were always varied over the rpm band. The loader was not considered in the break in procedure.

The tractor had 3000 hours on the engine and is doing very nicely. The truck only has 210,000 kilometers on it but it also is doing OK. Neither one have ever used oil between changes.

 

[art]

After the first ten hours we like to see them run the way they are going to be used. Hopefully hot and loaded.

 

[DDM84]

During the PDI (PreDelivery Inspection) many of the tractors are run at WOT just to fill out the inspection checklist (ie high-low RPM, Kill switch, creep, ect). Granted this isn't for an extended period of time but there you go.

 

[Wombat125]

My full service JD shop ran my 5303 wide open on a dyno for the first few hours of its life. Mentioned stuff like seating rings, preventing cylinder glazing, preventing oil consumption, burning smelly paint off exhaust manifold, and working out bugs in hydraulics. Said it was fairly common procedure for diesels.

Coming from a world of small, alloy, gas motors, this seemed kind of harsh but it apparently worked. The tractor seems happy and doesn't use any oil.

YouTube - John Deere 5303 on Dyno

 

[john_bud]

Unlike a gas engine, a diesel is in need of a load to seat the rings. If they are babied, they won't seat and the cross hatch gets worn off and they can't seat. Results in poor performance from the get go.

Give it full PTO rpm, the governor will limit the fuel and match it to the load. About the only things you don't want to do are heavy tillage and super tall wet grass. Loader work is very very easy on the engine. After 10 hours, I would start to work it hard.

 

[Dargo]

Give it full PTO rpm, the governor will limit the fuel and match it to the load. About the only things you don't want to do are heavy tillage and super tall wet grass. Loader work is very very easy on the engine. After 10 hours, I would start to work it hard.

Now I don't agree with them, but you'll get a bunch of guys here who will tell you that they never run their tractors at full PTO rpm because they don't want to push their tractors hard. I know some will be upset with me as they will be with your comment, but these tractors are made to be run at their rated PTO speeds for hours on end. I see nothing being accomplished by running a finish mower or rotary cutter at 1000 rpm less than the rated speed. But, just watch, there will be guys join in telling of how their tractors will last longer because they don't run them at full capacity or push them hard. Oh well, if I have to baby my tractor and not use the power it has for fear of hurting it, I don't need that brand of tractor. I guess the guys who disagree don't believe you about that 'governor' thing...

 

[brandoro]

The first job I used my current tractor for involved BH and FEL work, both done at around 1700 engine RPM. I figure that was about as gentle a break in as it could get. As soon as I had a break from that I put the finishing mower on and ran it PTO RPM through the grass as hard as it could go. Since then have used it similarly, moderate RPM for FEL, BH and general working around and PTO RPM for the flail and finish mowers, roto tiller and wood chipper. 250 hours on it now, runs great, no oil consumption at all and no indication of excessive wear when I changed the trans/hydraulic fluid. It is due for the next fluid change at 300 hours but so far is so clear that I have trouble seeing it on the dipstick.
My opinion, go easy on it for the first few hours, that means mostly reduced RPM and moderate loading, after that work it as hard as you can. My experience with diesels has been that they like to be warm (operating temperature) but once there the harder you work them the happier they are.

 

[Happyman]

I ran my Kubota L3940 at full PTO RPM for a full day right off the delivery truck.
No problemo
These tractors are ment to be WORKED. That's what they were designed to do. Don't abuse, but certainly use....
It's not like a car or a motorcycle that may, or may not, need to be broken in (I had to break-in my motorcylce before thrashing it on the race track). Again, these are designed as work equipment, not comfort rides.
My philosophy

 

[Botabill]

I ran my Kubota L3940 at full PTO RPM for a full day right off the delivery truck.
No problemo
These tractors are ment to be WORKED. That's what they were designed to do. Don't abuse, but certainly use....
It's not like a car or a motorcycle that may, or may not, need to be broken in (I had to break-in my motorcylce before thrashing it on the race track). Again, these are designed as work equipment, not comfort rides.
My philosophy

You might be right but my owners manual suggests a light load break in period on a Kubota B2620 diesel. I did a light break in on my last 18 HP kubota BX and when I traded it at 1200 hours the engine/tractor was in geat shape in my opinion and had needed no service. I'd be interested to know how many hours your L3940 has on it. If it has over 1200 hours then I'll bow to your opinion until someone else comes foward with an experience that indicates the contrary.

 

[Happyman]

You might be right but my owners manual suggests a light load break in period on a Kubota B2620 diesel. I did a light break in on my last 18 HP kubota BX and when I traded it at 1200 hours the engine/tractor was in geat shape in my opinion and had needed no service. I'd be interested to know how many hours your L3940 has on it. If it has over 1200 hours then I'll bow to your opinion until someone else comes foward with an experience that indicates the contrary.

Stay on your feet
I have a bit over 200 hrs. But I guess my point was that there should be no need to "baby" these tractors. Like I said, don't abuse the machine, but you should feel free to use it within its recommended speeds and loads right out of the factory. There may be a difference between the "B" and the "Grand L" machines that I'm not aware of.

 

[TRUST]

Well, I certainly feel better about how I used the machine for the first 3.2hrs after reading all of the posts. Like I said before, I don't feel like I'm babying it, but I do plan to use it for what I bought it for. However this is my first diesel and I'm certainly no expert. I grew up with a Ford 8N and I beat the crap out of it.....it was my dad's. I don't have any 3 point implements, I will only be using a loader and backhoe for now. I have many downed trees and several that need to come down. I plan to do some skidding and brush clean up. I intend to get a grapple to snatch up all the trash. I will prolly pick away at some stumps that are the remains of logging years ago, and a couple that are more fresh.

Joel

 

[john_bud]

You might be right but my owners manual suggests a light load break in period on a Kubota B2620 diesel. I did a light break in on my last 18 HP kubota BX and when I traded it at 1200 hours the engine/tractor was in geat shape in my opinion and had needed no service. I'd be interested to know how many hours your L3940 has on it. If it has over 1200 hours then I'll bow to your opinion until someone else comes foward with an experience that indicates the contrary.

Light "load", yes. Reduced RPM's, No.

There are technical reasons, but a lot of the confusion is that people with valid gasoline engine experience pipe in with gas points of view. The burn rate, temperature and pressures of a gasoline combustion are different than the same activities in a diesel. Also, the physical stoutness of the parts are very different. Gas pistons have 2 compression and 1 oil ring. Some diesels have 3 compression and 2 oil rings. A gas engine needs to operate at viable RPMS. A diesel is run at a single rpm for many thousands of hours. A diesel may run at a set rpm, but the amount of fuel given will vary drastically as the gov keeps it at that rpm when the load changes.

No need to take my opinion as gospel. Trust me, it ain't! But, at least read it and then take the time to verify with other sources and compare it to diesel tractor break in and not gasoline automobile break in.

Interesting point. Why do you vary the vehicle speeds and avoid running continuously on the freeway with a new truck? It's nothing to do with the engine. The reason is the differential gears. The clearance is so tight that they heat up enough to cook the fluid, so you must give it time to cool off. It's why you need to change the fluid in the differential after the first 500 miles of towing. That fluid will be about all done in.

jb

 

[BigD23]

Was told by an "old timer" years ago, run it the way you're going to be using it.

Don

 

[Danno1]

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Drive it like you stole it!

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