JD 2520 gas cap/hood clearance problem

[scottrh]

I'm piping up here too.
I've had my 2520 since August of '06 and from what I can recall at least the first 3 years I had no issue of opening the hood:thumbsup:
...then all of a sudden one day I opened the hood, and something seemed stuck, so I gave a little harder pull and I heard a pop. That's when I realized I had a problem.

After closing the hood back down I figure out it was the fuel tank cap. I'm lucky, my hood has the slightest of bends and it is practically un-noticable, However, it pulled up a corner of the fuel cap. My situation could have been alot worse if the what-ever happend to be the cause of this was just slightly worse. I imagine those hoods are not cheap.

Deere should figure this out. It get's old quick having to remember to take the fuel cap off everytime someone wants to open the hood.
Plus you run the risk of contaminents sliding off the hood into the tank.

There are obviously alot of 2520 owners...and I'm sure 2720 owners too out there with this problem. JOHN DEERE...if your listening, this needs re-engineering:confused3:

Yep me too. Fine for the first several years and now it hits. Another 2520 issue, but minor compared to the rubbing draft arms mess. I'm trying to stay green.

 

[PCABE5]

This is true in my investigation of the problem also.
I cannot budge the tank,no matter how hard I tug on it.
Hopefully,taking a little of the bend out of the bracket and adding a gussett to it will keep it centered better with the cap.
I'm going to wait until the tank is just about empty,so it's lighter to work with before I do this.

Greg

You know if you make new brackets you should make an extra set. I wouldn't mind sending you the money for them.

 

[glc24]

You know if you make new brackets you should make an extra set. I wouldn't mind sending you the money for them.

Hey PCABE5,I'm really not making new ones,just beefing up the factory brackets.............I think. Not even sure if that is the best fix yet.
If I could get my hands on the same material,I would be glad to make you a set,but we don't use that thickness,and I wouldn't want to fudge it with something else.

Greg

 

[smalltown]

I am waiting for my new 2520 to arrive anyday so I am following this thread with interest.

Has anybody referred this to Deere?

 

[bz1]

I'm not sure how you refer this problem to JD other than telling a dealer. Is there a JD Hotline one can call?

 

[Danny Faust]

Sure did

 

[glc24]

Are you saying you filed the hole in the hood?

Greg

Sure did

Hey Danny
I take it your reply was to my question.
I thought that is what you did.
Hey,that's about the easiest fix on the list,that gives the same results,but I want to know why there is a problem.
There are probably thousands with this problem,and it needs fixed. Hey I could file mine too,but that doesn't fix the issue. Maybe I'm too **** about things,but that's just the way I am.

Greg

 

[glc24]

I had a pretty empty tank after mowing today so I figured I'd take a look at this tank problem.
My diagnosis: the firewall is way to flimzy.
When I took the two side brackets off,the tank was unbelieveably easy to move,firewall and all. I don't think it's a bracket problem at all.
So I pondered it a bit,and decided what others have done............washers.

I loosened the front bolt in the middle of the firewall,so the tank was really free.
I had some pretty thick (about 3/32) 5/16 washers that I put between the brackets and the firewall which moved the bracket backwards and made them alot tighter against the tank. Then I put a regular thickness 5/16 washer between the tank and the bracket. Right now the tank cap is perfect,we'll see how this fares.

After seeing that it wasn't a bracket issue,I'm not going to do any gussett work because it's not necessary.

JD needs to beef up the firewall,my .02 of course.

Greg

 

[PCABE5]

I had a pretty empty tank after mowing today so I figured I'd take a look at this tank problem.
My diagnosis: the firewall is way to flimzy.
When I took the two side brackets off,the tank was unbelieveably easy to move,firewall and all. I don't think it's a bracket problem at all.
So I pondered it a bit,and decided what others have done............washers.

I loosened the front bolt in the middle of the firewall,so the tank was really free.
I had some pretty thick (about 3/32) 5/16 washers that I put between the brackets and the firewall which moved the bracket backwards and made them alot tighter against the tank. Then I put a regular thickness 5/16 washer between the tank and the bracket. Right now the tank cap is perfect,we'll see how this fares.

After seeing that it wasn't a bracket issue,I'm not going to do any gussett work because it's not necessary.

JD needs to beef up the firewall,my .02 of course.

Greg

Nice work. I agree with the firewall.

 

[bz1]

So what do you think would happen if one were to just unbolt the connection at the firewall. That bracket holds the tank down vertically and the tank is sitting on pads underneath so it can't drop downward anyway. Then put shims under the angled bracket mount on the sides. You would be left with 4 connections instead of 5. Would that work?