JD 2520 Snapped Axle

[AengusMacloughlin]

I was clearing brush for a new neighbor with my 2520 (160 hours) when I heard a pop and gushing sound. I shut down the tractor and checked out the back, where I found hydraulic fluid gushing from the right axle hub, the right wheel no longer perpendicular to the axle centerline, and black plastic mesh wrapped around the left axle area. Four wheel drive was engaged. My guess is that the left wheel siezed due to the mesh, the right axle snapped and the tire was dragged sideways, producing a trench seen in the photo. I would like to get a more substantial tractor but I have a lot invested in this one, including the 200CX loader with 2 buckets and the 62D mower. This will be the 4th and most substantial repair, having once sheared a drive gear on a front wheel, and twice replaced the outer drive gearbox housings on the rear wheels. I purchased a Deere because I believed in their reputation as being customer oriented and having quality products. I don't think I abuse my equipment, nor that plastic mesh should be able to snap an axle. Do you think I have a "lemon" and should seek remediation with my local dealer?

 

[wooden]

From what I could see here that plastic may not have had anything to do with the right wheel!! I have a 2720 and have always thought of that rear wheel set up as a weak link. I am used to seeing tractors with a straight wheel shaft, rather than what must be an offset gear box. I am sure this is the HST set up but it looks weak to me for carrying as much load that these tractors can put out. Would really be interested in what you find out from your dealer as being the cause.

Wooden

 

[hanson1999]

That mesh didn't cause any problem. That had nothing to do with it.

It looks like the final drive housing broke not the axle. The axles on these tractors are a short stub shaft , that is what puts so much stress on that final drive housing. the amount of leverage especially with heavy weight on the three point is crazy.

Were all of the bolts in the final drive housing? you said they have been repaired before, i'd say your bouncing to much weight on the rear which is what is breaking those housings..

 

[Zebrafive]

Ditto on the mesh not being the cause. If it had locked up the left wheel the tractor would have tried to turn sharply to the left.

If I had a break like this, I would move up in tractor.

 

[Red Horse]

With that many issues in so few hours, perhaps you are expecting a bit much from this tractor? I've accumulated 2600 hours on a 655ZTak, a 755, and a 3320. Failures? I caught a piece of baling twine and ruined a wheel seal on my 3320.

While there are some who will advise you to run a hydro at max rpm, I am of the belief that you run it at what is required to get the job done. I notice you have a box blade. were you running at high RPM and suddenly the box blade caught something substantial? Shock can be a killer. I would think that a hydro might be a bit more forgiving, then again who knows-and as someone has pointed out, your final drive is a bit complicated-maybe "weak" is a better word. In any case though, it should be designed to handle any implement that fits.

Good luck with your dealer. Suggestion- give it a good cleaning before the dealer shows up. Some guys like to hang there hat on anything to claim "abuse". Don't give them any ammunition.

 

[RoyJackson]

I suspect you bought too small a tractor for the tasks you want to do.
Four repairs in 160 hours would wave a red flag in my eyes (for any tractor, not just the 2520), so don't be surprised if the dealer does balk...I sure would.

The 2520 has been around for a while and there has not (to my knowledge) been reports of similar failures on TBN so I don't think we're seeing a design issue.

 

[beenthere]

I'd be willing to bet there was a more catastrophic event prior to getting mesh wrapped up (that had no effect in my opinion).

I don't think you have a lemon, but strongly suspect you don't have the tank that you need to do the kind of work at the pace you are going. Abuse? I'll leave that up to you.

I also wouldn't expect Deere to cover it, but I would not be surprised that they would. Backing up their product has long been a trait of Deere.

 

[AengusMacloughlin]

I bought the 2520 because the next bigger tractor was a thousand pounds heavier. I was concerned about too much weight when mowing and driving over my sprinkler heads. I was using the box blade scarifers as a rake to pull up thorn bushes, so there really wasn't much stress on the back end. I think the engine was at around 2200 rpm, and I had driven through the same area several times before without snagging any immobile objects. I'll go look around and see if there really was something underground. Thanks for the input - it's theraputic to discuss this with knowledgable people. I'll go get my box blade and use a Chalmers 5030 or David Brown 990 to complete the cleanup.

 

[/pine]

FWIW...this is sort of related...

It does not take very much monofiliment or braided fishing line to render any single screw vessle dead in the water...
...I have seen fishing line force the wheel right off a 1-3/8" SS shaft...stripping the threads and pushing the nut right off...likewise with cutlass bearings and struts...the force can be extreme...

 

[hanson1999]

FWIW...this is sort of related...

It does not take very much monofiliment or braided fishing line to render any single screw vessle dead in the water...
...I have seen fishing line force the wheel right off a 1-3/8" SS shaft...stripping the threads and pushing the nut right off...likewise with cutlass bearings and struts...the force can be extreme...

i believe what your saying, but i'll bet anything that mesh on his left axle had NOTHING to do with this breakdown.....

something is being done to this tractor to break these housings...i had a 2520 for 100 hours and abused it pretty hard but never broke any housings, but i remember looking at them thinking they are a time bomb if you have a heavy load on the three point.....