2520 Power

[wayupnth]

I am a new owner of a JD2520. I am running it with filled rear tires, a 200cx loader and bucket and a 62D mowing deck. The point is that it is heavy. I have several hills aroiund my land which are somewhat steep. The tractor cannot even begin to go up the hill, even with the PTO off, in high gear. In low, it goes without a problem. The dealer says that it due to gearing and I shouldn't expect that kind of power in high gear. I don't really need to go up in high but I was surprised on the first day when the tractor just stopped moving forward as soon as the angle started to steepen. I can hear some hydraulic relief valve opening when the tractor stops moving. The rpms were up to about 2500. If I had to guess I would say that the hill is about 10 to 15 degrees. Does this sound right? Has anyone experienced this. Is high simply a travel gear?

 

[ChuckinNH]

You got it! High range in all CUT's is meant for transport only pretty much, though you can use it on level land for other things of course. The three range hydro's on some CUTs find favor because of that.

 

[flyngti]

I think this is pretty normal. My 2320 has an incredible amount of power in the low range but seems like unless I'm on totally flat ground, it can barely get out of it's own way in high. I only use the high range for traveling from place to place, unless I'm doing fairly light work on level ground. This weekend I was spreading wood chips and was in high much of the time.

 

[aesanders]

You got it! High range in all CUT's is meant for transport only pretty much, though you can use it on level land for other things of course. The three range hydro's on some CUTs find favor because of that.

That is one of the nicer features in the Kubota B2630/B3030 is they have the 3 range hydro.

My 2320 is the same way as the 2520, although the ground I have is flat so I can still do some mowing in high gear. It really scoots along. I think a 3 range hydro (at least on the 2520) would be a great feature for the next generation Deere 2000 series.

 

[Chris2520]

I understand what your saying. i do almost all
work load in low range. and use high , only for transport...

Chris....

 

[Runner]

Same here. I've found that I need to be in low range when giong uphill with the 5 foot rotary cutter running. My land is rough enough that I'm more comfortable in low range most of the time anyway.

 

[orlo]

Hi:

Ironically the 2305 performs a little better here since the high range is geared for just over 9mph max. You can mow and go up pretty decent hills in high. It also weighs a little less.

 

[VABlue]

I was just going to say that my 2305 has no problem going up steep hills in high. Not that I do it very often, anyway, but I can. I wish my yard was smooth enough to cut it in high gear...

 

[gunmaker]

Ditto!

 

[Deadman]

Well the 2520 goes **** near as fast in Low as the 2305 does in High, so what do you expect!

If the 2520 had minerature tires, it'd climb anything in High gear.

 

[larry8818]

That is one of the nicer features in the Kubota B2630/B3030 is they have the 3 range hydro.

My 2320 is the same way as the 2520, although the ground I have is flat so I can still do some mowing in high gear. It really scoots along. I think a 3 range hydro (at least on the 2520) would be a great feature for the next generation Deere 2000 series.

I must admit that the 2520 is missing a 3 range tranny to be "perfect".

However if the best Kubota could do with their 3 range tranny is:

Hi Range 0 - 11.5 mph
Med Range 0 - 5.3 mph
Lo Range 0 - 3.1 mph

Then they can keep it!
Here are the 2520's speed spec's:

Hi Range 0 - 13 mph
Lo Range 0 - 4.5 mph

The Deere really rips in low gear...neck snapping performance, and I'm not kidding. In high gear you can drive it down the road and it's like riding a motorcycle with your hair blowing in the wind. In my opinion, the Kubota's range is way too close together from low to mid. I love how Deere really engineers K.I.S.S. Give the customer a low, earth moving, chip grinding, 72" mid mount mowing and extremely agile gear, then give them a gear to get you there.

I'm not even too sure if I would even notice the .8 mph difference between the 2520's low range and the Kubota's mid range. Have you ever walked on a treadmill at .8 mph? It is like putting a turtle on the treadmill.

I hope Deere's 3 range tranny on the 2000 series (if it ever comes out) is close to 9 mph.

 

[Chris2520]

I agree with you larry.
i wouldn't mind 3 ranges.
but the gearing speed its has now is fine.
thay just need one dead in the middle , for those
guys that mow. as for me. i use low most of the time.
and i dont mow with it. so it works great for me...

Chris....

 

[JDCAN]

I have 2 acres of pretty flat land and I mow in high gear with a 2520.

Aside from that most of the work will be done in Low, so it really becomes a non-issue.

The 2520 will handle anything at full tilt in low gear.

 

[johndeere_2210]

I am a new owner of a JD2520. I am running it with filled rear tires, a 200cx loader and bucket and a 62D mowing deck. The point is that it is heavy. I have several hills aroiund my land which are somewhat steep. The tractor cannot even begin to go up the hill, even with the PTO off, in high gear. In low, it goes without a problem. The dealer says that it due to gearing and I shouldn't expect that kind of power in high gear. I don't really need to go up in high but I was surprised on the first day when the tractor just stopped moving forward as soon as the angle started to steepen. I can hear some hydraulic relief valve opening when the tractor stops moving. The rpms were up to about 2500. If I had to guess I would say that the hill is about 10 to 15 degrees. Does this sound right? Has anyone experienced this. Is high simply a travel gear?

Even though I'm new to a 2520, I would echo the comments above, low is powerful and high is high speed.

 

[Deadman]

I'd NEVER give up the Top speed in Hi gear for a 3rd range, thats like kicking yourself in the head.

Its nice to have the speed to cruise to a new job fast.
I find that I'm clearly either working it hard in Low, or just cruising around in High, so its really not an issue untill you get to a nasty steep hill!

 

[Danilo]

I must admit that the 2520 is missing a 3 range tranny to be "perfect".

However if the best Kubota could do with their 3 range tranny is:

Hi Range 0 - 11.5 mph
Med Range 0 - 5.3 mph
Lo Range 0 - 3.1 mph

Then they can keep it!
Here are the 2520's speed spec's:

Hi Range 0 - 13 mph
Lo Range 0 - 4.5 mph



Larry,

There are more to the ranges than speed. The Kubota low is lower than JD's low. Meaning it will have more power. Like when tilling. The mid Kubota is higher than the JD's low meaning it will have less power, more speed. Like when Mowing or back blading. As said here by many, The high range JD's can mostly be used for transport. This makes it almost useless. Kubota,s high range is slower that JD, however you CAN mow in high... It looks like Kubota actually got it right on this one.

 

[orlo]

Well the 2520 goes **** near as fast in Low as the 2305 does in High, so what do you expect!

If the 2520 had minerature tires, it'd climb anything in High gear.

Not even close, the 2305 does just over 9mph in high range, the 2520 only does 4.5 in low.

In real world driving my 2305 in hi goes faster than my 3720 in Mid range also.

The 2305 is rated 8.3 at 2600rpm (Why 2600 I don't know) - PTO speed is 2900 and fast idle is 3150.
So at 2900rpm mowing the lawn your doing about 9mph. My 3720 does 7.8mph in mid range at 2600rpm (Which is the PTO speed on it).

 

[larry8818]

Larry,

There are more to the ranges than speed. The Kubota low is lower than JD's low. Meaning it will have more power. Like when tilling. The mid Kubota is higher than the JD's low meaning it will have less power, more speed. Like when Mowing or back blading. As said here by many, The high range JD's can mostly be used for transport. This makes it almost useless. Kubota,s high range is slower that JD, however you CAN mow in high... It looks like Kubota actually got it right on this one.

Danilo,

Of course there is more to the ranges than just speed, it's call gearing and it affects everything with a motor. Since the Kubota low gear is lower than the Deere, it's way overkill to begin with. Like other 2520 owners on the forum have said, including Chris2520, in 4wd, with the rear dif lock on you can bury the loader in a pile and spin all 4 tires no problem. It is not that you run out of gear or power, you simply run out of traction, so why I would need a lower gear I do not know, and I guess John Deere himself does not either. Frankly if you need lower than the 2520's low gear John Deere makes it and it is called a 3120.

For the mid Kubota gear being higher than the 2520's low, it is indeed by a whopping .8 mph, so lets see cutting 2 acres I can probably save myself 3 minutes over the course of the 50 minutes to cut my yard...

For high range, you actually can mow like heck, any large hills maybe a problem, but as I said before I have all I can do to stay on my 2520 with 72"mmm in low range with the peddle to the floor going 4.5 mph. The high gear is actually very useful unless you live on a postage stamp . I use mine all the time.

I still say you can keep that Kubota 3 range tranny. It is way too close between the low and mid ratios. I will take the K.I.S.S. 2 range on the 2520 any day.

I do wish the 2520 did have that mid gear in the 8-9 mph range. Now that would be useful.

 

[DAN IN OHIO]

When I buy another tractor a short trip down the road in road gear wide open up and down our rolling hills in north central Ohio tells me a lot about what I just bought. My seventh tractor failed this test out right, pulling nothing but its own weight, being at least 50 years younger than all of the rest. I will not make excuses for this out right lack of power. Sure I do not work in road gear but I also do not like slowing to a trot when climbing a slight hill.

 

[aesanders]

Danilo,

It is not that you run out of gear or power, you simply run out of traction, so why I would need a lower gear I do not know, and I guess John Deere himself does not either.

That lower gearing will come in handy when pulling something more so than scooping in a pile.

I'm not knocking Deere's design, but do think that if their are improvemnts to be made on a 2520, a 3 range hydro would be my #1 suggeston.