3520 Gear noise under a strain

deerchop · Apr 9, 2007

I have a 3520 e-hydro that I have only had for a few months now and love it. I bought it to do some gardening and small chores around our place. I got a little carried away and started breaking up a big garden this year. I used a 2 bottom breaking plow to break the ground and the 3520 did well with it except when I really sank it up. My question is, I did get the tractor spinning in a couple spots that the plow really dug in and at some point the tires quit pulling and made a gear noise from the rear. Have any of you had this experience with the Hydro drive? I just want to make sure I have not messed something up. It seems to do fine and all I had to do was raise the plow a little and I was on my way. Maybe everything is OK and this is just some type of a slip clutch.

orlo · Apr 9, 2007

Hi:

What range were you in?

It is possible in the higher ranges to have the hydraulic relief valve open and you won't go anywhere get's too high on the hydro. (I've had this happen in hi on a 2305 going up hills and probably in high on my 3320 in 'hi' pulling a box blade) but I would think if you were in Low it would always be able to spin the tires. I'm sure you'll get some good feedback here.

deerchop · Apr 9, 2007

I was pulling in low gear, it was to much of a load for anything else I thought. It would spin the tires for a moment but would just stop pulling and make the sound I described.

Soundguy · Apr 9, 2007

Hmm... interesting.. a hydro that can't pull, now where have I seen this before.. oh yes.. the kubota forum...

How;s yer fluid? filters?

Soundguy

sbt · Apr 9, 2007

My 2520 has done the same thing since hour 1. I took it back to the dealer and they said they "couldn't find anything" and that it was normal for hydrualics to make a whining noise. It can't be normal for it not to move or atleast spin the tires can it? Low range, throttled up, pushing sand, fluid within limits-go figure. i thought about trading it in if this is normal.

AKfish · Apr 10, 2007

That is interesting... I've read some posts regarding the eHydro tranny and using it hard under heavy "ground engagement" work.

Haven't read much about the tranny failing but have seen mention of overheating issues and having the pressure relief "trip" and temporarily causing the tractor to loose the ability to move.

Wonder if JD has had or has issued those repair bulletins to their dealers on this?

What do they call those --- TDS --- tractor data sheets??

AKfish

deerchop · Apr 10, 2007

I don't quite have 50 hours on the machine yet and the places it would do this I was not at all suprised when it gave up. I feel like any other tractor of this size would not have pulled it any better and it is still doing fine with everything I do with it. I disced an acre yesterday and loaded dirt with it with no problems whatsoever. The sound it made when it quit spinning is what worried me but it seems as though nothing was harmed. I turned about 6 acres with it the other day when this was happening and only when the plow was out of sight in the ground. I have no complaints at all about its ability to pull, the sound it made just alarmed me a little but I kept on plowin', it is a JD and the warranty is good for 3 years.