John Deere 2520 mini review...

[Shawk]

Not a true review but here it is anyway. A fellow TBN'r sent me a private message with questions and here was my reply. Thought maybe it might be useful to someone...

Ok... here we go...

1. How does it do for "Lawn Mowing" on your 1.5 acres???

I've only logged 6 hours on my tractor so far. It looks like it should be "to big" but really has done a great job the little I've mowed. Turning radius is superb for it's size.

2. Does it seem "Too BIG" for the task???

see above...

3. FEL work OK ???

FEL works better even than expected. I just completed another small project with it and it makes for quick work. Though the 2210 I had did really well... the 2520 simply hasn't a bigger tractor feel when doing tasks.

4. Suspended Seat ride smooth over Rough Ground???

I think the ride is very nice, though I also think it could be improved a bit. But no real complaints from me.

5. Does it have Tilt Steering???

Nope... I wish it did. But JD did place the wheel in a perfect position if they weren't going to have tilt. Not a factor for me...

6. I want R4 tires do they do OK on the yard???

I had R4's on my 2210 and thought they were fine. In the snow, they weren't anything to brag about. If the lawn is soft, I simply stayed off... because they DID leave tracks. My 2520 is primarily a mower & the R3's will serve me well. Sounds like your 2520 will basically be used like mine after some immediate tasks are completed. If this is the case and you're most concerned with keeping your lawn undisturbed then I would recommend the turfs. Otherwise the R4's will do a good job for you too.

7. Could you send me a Likes and Dislikes of your Tractor?

Pretty early to say yet...
negs....
-Foot platform could be a little more secure. I'm going to have the dealer look at mine when they install my lights.
-Hood latch is to difficult to open and shut... something that they should be able to adjust
...at this point that's it for neg... I'm pretty pleased with it.

pos...
-1st... I will throw a plug in for the i-match. Get one and you'll be thrilled you did.
-Power... PLENTY of it
-Ease of use
-Good looks... gotta throw that in here /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
-Easy on fuel
-Big enough to do the big tasks... yet small enough to trailer.
-Very maneuverable for it's size.
.... I could go on and on... but I'll stop there.

Send me an email. I have several pics of another 2520 I took at an out of town dealer before I bought mine. I'll send you those plus a few pics I have of mine. Good luck...

 

[DJLX]

Hey Shawk, Maybe being a previous 2210 owner you could do a more thorough 2210 vs 2520 comparision for those contemplating the trade up. Sometimes I think the 2210 is overkill for my property so can't imagine sitting on a 2520. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[JDFANATIC]

DJ,

Are you thinking about another upgrade? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif By the time you retire, You'll be motoring around in a combine! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[B8FISH]

My .02 after first mowing job, total of about 8 hours on the clock. Mowing with the 2520 compared to the 2210 was a little quicker--not sure why, same deck size, same lawn--I'm guessing the add'l power let me get along a little faster in the wider open areas. I've got R4's, had R1's on the 2210 last year--no noticeable impressions in the majority of the lawn (like the 2210 with R1's), but in the area next to the creek (looks like a brown stripe in the pic) that I usually couldn't get to until July with the 2210, I was able to mow today--I think that the wider footprint of the 2520 R4's made up for the weight factor, and gave me a little more float--it's still damp there and you sink a little when you walk on it. The 2210 would create ruts, then the deck would start to ride on the ridges and if I didn't shut off the PTO and get out, I'd be stuck.
I noticed a huge difference when usingh the LX-5 for the last couple of weeks. The extra weight of the 2520 and extra ground clearance really let me go over more brush, effectively increasing the areas that I could clear. I moved my toothbar from the 2210 to the 2520 for uprooting bigger bushes and helping to clear--what a difference in speed with this bucket/loader. The hydraulics are really much faster than the 2210, and when I was in the bushes trying to dig my way through it was really noticeable.

I haven't found the extra size to be noticeable from a driving perspective, but did need to hang a rope from the barn basement entrance to keep me from banging the FROPS (again /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif)

 

[B8FISH]

this is what you're supposed to do on your lunch hour...right /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Shawk]

"The hydraulics are really much faster than the 2210"

YES... there's a huge difference. Funny to say but after runnnig my 2210, I almost caught myself saying that the 2520's were toooo fast. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif The hydraulics are very nice on the 2520.

Nice pic attached btw...

 

[Shawk]

"Sometimes I think the 2210 is overkill for my property so can't imagine sitting on a 2520."

Nah... there's no such thing as overkill. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I've come to realize that it's much easier to be under rigged than over. When I get a few more hours on my 2520 I'll try to get a more thorough review put together.

 

[cast_and_blast]

Shawk -

Nice review (mini or not). I agree with you about the "over-vs-under" sizing.

Just a quick glance at JD's website cured me of thinking of a 2520 though - it's ~$5,000 (which is almost 50%) more than a 2305 as a base price. Worth it? More than likely. An easy to swallow "step up"? For some, perhaps. For me, no.

I'm still focused on the 2305 for my 1.5+ acres. Would I go with the 2520 if the price were closer? Yep. Tough getting the Dept. of Home Finance to even bite on the 2305 package...

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Good Luck!

Scott

 

[cast_and_blast]

To be more precise...

The 2520 lists for $15,279 and the 2305 for $10,750 on JD's website.

I presume you would be looking at a similar % off list no matter which one you go with.

Scott

 

[gunmaker]

The review is a big help. Can I get your thoughts on a question my dealer won't fully answer?
I have a 9000lb/30ft travel trailer, w/800lb tongue wt, that I hope to move about the property with the 2520, but I'm not sure if it can handle it. It appears that the 3pt can lift the load, but will it be reasonable and safe to use it in this fashion?