First hands-on with my new 3720

[Buckie2]

I went to my dealer's shop yesterday and got to see and touch my new 3720! They are modifying it this week and I expect to take delivery by Friday. In the shop the tractor looks HUGE.....way bigger than the 2210 I am trading. Took a deep breath, gulped and climbed aboard. The new body style, hood, control layout and improved FEL attachment are really neat. Ten seconds on the air-ride seat tells me it will be money well spent.
One question: Being female and not possessed of major upperbody strength, I am always cautious when I hear a JD salesman tell me something will be "easy" when working with the tractor. I will have to fold down/up my ROPS to get my tractor into my garage. How heavy/awkward is the bar itself? anybody got any good shortcut ideas for a simple way to do this without the necessity of heavy lifting from the seat itself?

 

[matthew3120]

I have a 3120 and also have to drop the ROPS to get into the garage. You will for the first time trouble getting the ROPS down because of the black paint and the pins may be real hard to get out also.So you will have to pound out the pins and take round file and clean out the holes and as for the ROPS bar just work it up and down a few times.Any questions E-mail me at megatowline@yahoo.com. Good luck with your new 3720 tractor.NOTE: Don't forget to take down the ROPS like I did and back into the garage braking the mold board.Have fun!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Matthew3120

 

[roermo]

Mathew: you got off lucky. With my 4110 I drove in my garage and forgot the romps were up. Took out the molding two pannels on the over head door and bent the track. Almost had the pannels come down on me and tractor, just stoped shy of the end of the world

Good luck with the 3720, I am thinking about the 3320 or 3520 in a few months if all goes well.

Have fun out there
Roger

 

[beenthere]

Buckie2
Glad to hear about your new tractor.
Before taking 'possession', ask the dealer to demo the ROPS folding mechanism, and find out at that time if there is some work needed to make it operate smoothly. I know that sometimes they get bolted on (at the factory) and can bind a bit at the hinge, as well on the pin that holds them locked up. Have that small item taken care of before you get it home. They have the right tools to do it, and should do it for you.

I don't like the idea that we cannot order the non-folding ROPS anymore. Not happy that the folding ROPS is going to come with my 3520 (when I order it) as it is higher, and will not fit in my garage doors as the non-folding one will. I am afraid I will 'forget' and take out some expensive trimwork. It may cause me to remove it at the fold, or leave it always down. That isn't good either, but likely will happen. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[crazylare1]

Hi Buckie, welcome to tbn! The rops isn't really very heavy but the darn pins sure put up a fight! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif I've got to pound them out and then back in every time I put mine in the garage. They are getting a little bit easier now that they've been in and out a few times though. Don't worry too much about the weight of the rops though it's easy enough with one hand. I was thinking about figureing out how to put an alert on the garage to remind me to put the rops down, too many really close calls for my liking /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. I have a 3320 and think that if I would have purchased it sooner I wouldn't have so many other toys...errrr I mean tools. I hope you have as much fun with your new tool as I have with mine and don't forget to post some pic's of that bad boy when you get the chance.
Larry

 

[Buckie2]

thanks! I will certainly get the dealer to round out the holes where the pins go.....and have them work the mechanism a few times. That's a great idea. Had not even thought to consider that I can have a brain cramp and forget to lower the ROPS. This would definitely NOT be a good thing in my garage, because I could do some damage to expensive trim work in the process. Leaving the ROPS down while I am on the tractor is not an option for me; just because I am a safety nut....and have a real "thing" about taking optimal precautions. Far more likely that I would be dumb and forget to lower the darn thing on re-entry.
So, thanks! will post photos.....hopefully, NOT of garage frame damage. LOL

 

[Woody_NH]

Enjoy your 3720! On my 3320 the pins for the folding ROPS had to be driven in and out with hammer and wooden dowel, not user friendly. (The four holes that each pin must pass through are not in perfect alignment).
Suggest you ask the dealer to do what I did. With one pin in for alignment, run a 3/4" drill bit through the holes on the other side. Then reverse sides and drill the second side. This takes away just enough stock for the pins to easily be put in and out. Don't buy the "it will wear in after use" bit. You want it to work now, not in 2055.
As for folding up and down, do it from the back rather than from the seat and with something to stand on so you can reach the top of the bar. Some lubrication at the pivot point may help.

 

[hpc]

Hi, Buckie2,


Just ordered my 3520.

Yep, the ROPS is a problem. Both my son and I have tried exiting
the garage with the (4115) ROPS up and ending up scratching my head for
a bit wondering why in **** the tractor was NOT moving forward!...oh yeah,
put down the ROPS! Funny, due to the garage floor being just
a little higher than the garage apron/pad, I can drive into the
garage with the ROPS up, but can't drive back out.

Yep, you will like the air suspension seat. Coughed up the additional
dollars for it. I almost went for the 3720, but thought the 44HP vs.
37HP was overkill for what I need.

The 3x20 does sit ALOT higher than my 4115. Trading in the 4115
on the 3520. Can't wait to see it and take it out for a spin. Got
some land to reclaim so the tiller and the loader will get a workout.
Maybe, late fall, the MMM will get a tryout - using the Grasshopper to
cut/mulch grass - though the wetlands is a bit mushy for the Grasshopper.

Enjoy!


Cheers,

Lon

 

[jeepinator]

I was able to make my ROPS pins slide in and out easily with a few seconds and a round file, like was noted earlier.
As far as lifting and lower the folding ROPS from the seat, I wouldn't recommend it. I am not a weakling, but not Mr. Athletic either, and it is pretty hard to get that thing to come down smoothly. Going up aint so bad, but if it gets moving at any speed it will get scary as it is pretty heavy /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
The big thing is that the pins alomst require you be on the ground beside the tractor to insert/remove.
The good news is that (at least on mine) the hinge has quite a bit of "stiction" to it and the thing will stay put even if not totally extended, making the job a series of actions and not a hold-the-thing-while-trying-to-put-in-the-pin kinda thing.