3720 plastic?

[Jksnvly]

saw a delivery this morn at local dealer. Shiny new 3720 arrived. I looked it over, love to upsize, and was suprised that the rear fender assembly was all plastic. Were they always this way?

 

[RoyJackson]

The midsized Deere CUTs have had plastic fenders and hoods since about 1998 or 1999. My 2000 Deere 4400 has them.
They're actually pretty robust, but try not to drop anything heavy on the hood.

 

[AKfish]

As much as I can tell... plastic fenders, hoods are the OEM for Deere all the way up through the the 9000's!

Your next articulated, 4WD, 550hp tractor will have a plastic hood!

But it won't rust out and you can hit a tree branch or drop a wrench on it and it won't dent!

My 5075M is plastic on the edges... and heavy cast iron in the middle!

AKfish

 

[canoetrpr]

I was dissapointed to when I found out that the hood and fenders of my new to be 4520 are plastic. I could not have told you from looking at it. I'm not planning on hitting somethig but steel just seems more solid to me.

Seems to be working fine for the many machines in commercial use so I dint worry about it.

 

[grsthegreat]

I just say a huge new JD combine on a semi last week......most of the outside was plastic. I wouldnt worry about it. And im not sure if its actual plastic or fiberglass...... but i know it aint steel.

My old JD 870 (1996 vintage) had a small part of the hood made of plastic above the grill, but the rest was steel. I broke that piece 2 times from falling ice/snow. I wonder if they designed that part to break to protect the steel hood from damage?????

 

[Beltzington]

Yes - the 3720 has had plastic fenders, hood and platform since it was fielded. Interestingly some of the newer JD CUTs are going back to metal hoods. Marketing chasing the market.

 

[canoetrpr]

Interestingly some of the newer JD CUTs are going back to metal hoods. Marketing chasing the market.

Which newer CUT are you referring to?

 

[Beltzington]

The 1023 and 1026.

 

[jenkinsph]

The 1023 and 1026.

Might want to check that out closer.

 

[foggy1111]

I think those "plastic" fenders are a big plus. Much more resistant to dings and impacts from tree branches and such. My old 790 had steel fenders that were getting pretty beat up....and the fender seam was weak from me sliding in and out of the operator station. I gotta beleive the plastic parts will outlast the steel ones. But either would be expensive to replace.

 

[scrappy isb67]

Which newer CUT are you referring to?

my '10 model 2320 has a steel upper part of the hood and the rear fenders are too. the only plastic I have is the side panels of the hood and operator's platform.

 

[Rockgod]

Having had both I just don't see the advantage of one over the other. :confused2:

 

[jenkinsph]

I don't see sheet metal as being more durable in the grand scheme of things. If you drop a tree on either a sheemetal or plastic hood you are going to have issues. I don't use a tractor for a job that really requires a dozer with limb risers, equipment is too costly to tear up today.

 

[YesDeere]

Doesn't bother me. I've had both. I'd rather have a scratch than a dent.

 

[buck12]

I have both metal and plastic and have repaired both. The metal hood was eaiser to repair and looks better.

 

[mjncad]

So far I'm happy with the plastic since it's dent resistant, and won't rust. Besides, plastic allows the designers to put all sorts of compound curves that are common now in the body panels a lot easier than sheet metal. Plus I'd rather wrestle a lightweight plastic fender off and on instead of a heavy metal one.

 

[USNative]

The plastic is pretty tough and JD wouldn't be using it to build em if it were not. I have had some pretty good sized dirt chunks fall on my hood and not a scratch, now a huge rock or something may have a different outcome. I would not recommend dropping stuff on it. :laughing:

 

[rambo orange]

We have had real problems with all the plastic on our john deere models. Our main gripe is the replacement cost of replacing broken parts. As the machines get hours on them the sunlight and temperature differences really affect the strenght of the plastic. Especially in a cold weather climate. We once broke a perfectly good plastic hood just by gently cleaning the snow of it! A $350.00 bill!!!! Ouch!! On one machine we have replaced every plasic piece on the machine but the rear fender plastic tub! There was no abusive damage, just low quality premature wear! This gets very expensive over time. We love our kubotas with metal hoods and fenders. No issues. Super high quaility machines. We have thousands of hours experience on both deere and kubota tractors. We know what works and what doesn't. These machines are used in a commercial setting and are very well maintained. All our future purchases will be orange with metal fenders and hoods.

 

[sunnyside360]

All our future purchases will be orange with metal fenders and hoods.

Not all Kubota models have metal fenders and hoods. The larger more expensive models have something other than metal -- looks like fiberglass or plastic, but looks very durable.

 

[PioneerMan]

Is the hood on the 3x20 and 4x20 the same? Looks like the same size to me.