1520 John Deere pto

[junkin101]

My husband has a 1520 John Deere tractor that he just purchased and it has an independent PTO lever between the gear shifts. We bought an owner's manual but there is no reference to how to operate this lever. I have searched the internet and cannot find any answers on how to operate it. Can someone please help us? Thanks in advance.

 

[Tx Jim]

Welcome to TBN
One can move the pto lever forward or up to engage at any time moving or sitting still,move lever opposite direction to stop pto. Be sure lever by left heel when sitting in seat is moved forward when engine isn't operating or no load on pto shaft.

 

[junkin101]

Tx Jim, thanks for your quick response. I showed this to my husband and he wrote the following: My 1520 John Deere, I assume, has a single stage clutch from what I can gather. At the time, this tractor was built a hydraulic mechanism could be fitted to this tractor so it could be used as a two stage clutch. That was from information gathereed from another website that shows the mechanism fitted on the tractor. The lever sticks up about 8 or so inches high in between the two gear shift levers. It is connected to some sort of hydraulic valve. The lever goes forward and backwards (2 selections). We know it has something to do with the pto because it has a decal with a pto shaft and shield beneath it. Do you know or does anyone know if this is correct? How does it operate??

 

[beenthere]

junkin
Post a few pics of the levers, and may inform others as well as enlist some answers for you two.

 

[junkin101]

junkin
Post a few pics of the levers, and may inform others as well as enlist some answers for you two.

Ok, as soon as I can get some pictures I will post. Thanks so much.

 

[Tx Jim]

Tx Jim, thanks for your quick response. I showed this to my husband and he wrote the following: My 1520 John Deere, I assume, has a single stage clutch from what I can gather. At the time, this tractor was built a hydraulic mechanism could be fitted to this tractor so it could be used as a two stage clutch. That was from information gathereed from another website that shows the mechanism fitted on the tractor. The lever sticks up about 8 or so inches high in between the two gear shift levers. It is connected to some sort of hydraulic valve. The lever goes forward and backwards (2 selections). We know it has something to do with the pto because it has a decal with a pto shaft and shield beneath it. Do you know or does anyone know if this is correct? How does it operate??

I'm not trying to be rude BUT I thought I previously explained how pto lever(key 4) controlled pto. Move lever forward to engage & rearward to disengage pto. There is/was no hyd mechanism so tractor could be used as a two stage clutch. 2 stage clutch utilizes 2 clutch disks held in place by pressure plate to engine flywheel BUT your husbands tractor has only one(1) clutch plate in this area and this single clutch has no relationship to this tractors pto.

PS: I sold 1520's when they were NEW. I was employed by a JD dealer from '66-'87.

 

[whis]

Jim told you right

 

[buickanddeere]

My husband has a 1520 John Deere tractor that he just purchased and it has an independent PTO lever between the gear shifts. We bought an owner's manual but there is no reference to how to operate this lever. I have searched the internet and cannot find any answers on how to operate it. Can someone please help us? Thanks in advance.

Was the pto verifed operational before paying for the tractor ? There could be a hydraulic enagement problem or maybe someone trashed the pto with wide open throttle starts on a rotary cutter?

 

[junkin101]

My husband purchased this from the person who bought it at the estate sale of a local farmer. The original owner was known to take great care of his property. The person who bought it has only had it a couple of months and is only sold because he wants a zero turn mower. The PTO works fine, engages, disengages, and stops. It is the lever in between the gear shifts that we are asking about. The lever does not seem to have any effect on the operation of the pto regardless of the position it is in. We are unsure what is the off position and what is the on position. We know what the lever is supposed to do. We think the hydraulic valve or something else may be stopped up or if the valve is bad.

 

[Spanner]

Is there a mid-mounted PTO shaft as well as the rear PTO?

Jim?

:wrench:

 

[junkin101]

No it doesn't

 

[Spanner]

Does the tractor have single speed PTO (540 RPM) or is there 2-speed PTO (540 & 1000 RPM) ?

:wrench:

 

[junkin101]

He says it has a single pto.

 

[Spanner]

Can you post your picture of the levers pls? :wrench:

 

[junkin101]

I'll try.

 

[Spanner]

Thanks. A picture is worth a thousand words - and you have six!

L-R = 1-6

Pix 4.5 & 6 show the Diff Lock pedal (serrated foot grip) and the TWO speed PTO Range selector. (Flat Bar lever with the Question Mark (?) shaped hook)

If you look at Pic 6 you can see (on the extreme left edge) the same PTO symbol you refer to in an earlier post It is cast into the side of the transmission casing. There may be another hidden behind the lever as well. (I can't recall). It's in the 540rpm position and you move it forward for 1000rpm I think.

The levers in Pics 1-3 are L-R:

Transmission Range Shift & Park Lock-Out.
PTO Engage.
Transmission Shift.

The 4 positions on the Range Shift are:
P - Park
L - Low Range
H -High Range
R- Reverse Range

There are 4 gears/speeds in the transmission so with the Range shift in 'Low' you get gears 1-4 then shifting to 'High' you get gears 5-8.

Jim may correct me here but I think you only get 4 x Low speed gears in the Reverse position.

Park locks the transmission and allows you to (I think) operate the PTO independently without driving/moving forward. (So if you were operating a saw table or water pump or log-splitter perhaps) - Again Jim may correct me here.

Tractor has had a nice paint-job. How many hours on the clock? What are you intending to use it for?

Regards,
:wrench:

 

[Spanner]

Tip:
You see the dry grass debris around the Diff Lock pedal in Pics 3-6 ?
You need to keep this area clean. The grass builds up in the crevice where the pedal enters the transmission and can prevent the Diff Lock engaging properly. It also holds moisture and causes the pedal shaft to seize.
Keep it clean and spray WD40 (or similar) in on the pedal pivot shaft regularly.
The day you need the Diff Lock to work and it engages fully and smoothly think of me!
:wrench:

 

[junkin101]

Thanks. A picture is worth a thousand words - and you have six!

L-R = 1-6

Pix 4.5 & 6 show the Diff Lock pedal (serrated foot grip) and the TWO speed PTO Range selector. (Flat Bar lever with the Question Mark (?) shaped hook)

If you look at Pic 6 you can see (on the extreme left edge) the same PTO symbol you refer to in an earlier post It is cast into the side of the transmission casing. There may be another hidden behind the lever as well. (I can't recall). It's in the 540rpm position and you move it forward for 1000rpm I think.

The levers in Pics 1-3 are L-R:

Transmission Range Shift & Park Lock-Out.
PTO Engage.
Transmission Shift.

The 4 positions on the Range Shift are:
P - Park
L - Low Range
H -High Range
R- Reverse Range

There are 4 gears/speeds in the transmission so with the Range shift in 'Low' you get gears 1-4 then shifting to 'High' you get gears 5-8.

Jim may correct me here but I think you only get 4 x Low speed gears in the Reverse position.

Park locks the transmission and allows you to (I think) operate the PTO independently without driving/moving forward. (So if you were operating a saw table or water pump or log-splitter perhaps) - Again Jim may correct me here.

Tractor has had a nice paint-job. How many hours on the clock? What are you intending to use it for?

Regards,
:wrench:

Thanks so much Spanner. I printed this for my husband. I hope this helps him. The tractor has 3500+ hours on it but it runs really well. We only have a little over two acres so he will use it to cut grass. He does have a large log splitter but I don't think he's thought about hooking that up to it. Who knows???? Thanks, you've been super helpful.

 

[junkin101]

I will make sure he gets that cleaned up. He's really good about keeping everything greased. I guess that's a plus.

 

[Spanner]

You're welcome. Your pic confirms my thought about the nice re-paint. Shame to work it now that's it's in such a tidy condition. New tyres as well! More a 'Parade' tractor or for shows etc. like that.

Obtain an Operators Manual and learn your periodic maintenance points. When mowing be aware of grass in the radiator area. You must keep the radiator clear.

Happy Independence Day up there from down here.

:wrench: