pdp11
Silver Member
I had started looking at the 2320 when I was first doing my Deere research. When I got down to actually figuring it all out, I came down to deciding that I would be happier with a 2520. I don't have any regrets about that choice after having it for 7 months.
After bouncing around 3.5 acres of lawn with a JD 316 (Onan) towing a Swisher T60 for 6 years, a lower back injury caused me to rethink how I was getting yard work done. My lawn is essentially pasture, and can be a bit lumpy and bumpy for a small machine and a herniated disk. Living in constant fear of re-injuring my back also caused me to consider just how much work it takes to manage a tractor and it's attachments.
Operator riding comfort and the ease of attaching and removing implements was a big concern for me. This is one place where John Deere seems to get it mostly right. Although I sure do like the seat suspension on the larger tractors like the 3x20 models, the lack of it on the 2520 has not been an issue for me. The operator position, controls, and the ride of the 2520 over my property causes me no fatigue.
My 2520 has the 62D MMM, 200CX FEL, iMatch quick hitch and a 60" RB. It also has the hydraulic diverter valve to allow switching between both the MMM and FEL without disconnecting hydraulic lines. It's not that I really switch between them all that often, it's more that I can leave the MMM lift attached all the time and just connect and disconnect the four lines to the FEL. All of the attachments that I use are a breeze to connect and disconnect. It is especially nice to be able to pick up the MMM with the quick hitch to transport it.
As I near 50 hours on this machine, well over half of it has been spent mowing. Once the mowing deck lift and wheels are properly adjusted, it is easy to just hop on and start mowing. As many others have pointed out, it would be great to have another gear range between low and high mother tasks. I could have a 72" blade on it for the driveway, but I'm glad that I have the 60" blade when it comes to landscaping. I think any more than a 60" blade would bog the tractor down too easily when grading in clay soil.
In comparison to the volume of gas I was putting into both the 316 and the T60 mower, the fuel consumption on the 2520 is excellent. Cold starts in the recent months have been fine with only a bit more smoke initially after starting.
After 7 months, I'm very pleased with the 2520, and I'm still convinced that it is the right tractor for what I need.
After bouncing around 3.5 acres of lawn with a JD 316 (Onan) towing a Swisher T60 for 6 years, a lower back injury caused me to rethink how I was getting yard work done. My lawn is essentially pasture, and can be a bit lumpy and bumpy for a small machine and a herniated disk. Living in constant fear of re-injuring my back also caused me to consider just how much work it takes to manage a tractor and it's attachments.
Operator riding comfort and the ease of attaching and removing implements was a big concern for me. This is one place where John Deere seems to get it mostly right. Although I sure do like the seat suspension on the larger tractors like the 3x20 models, the lack of it on the 2520 has not been an issue for me. The operator position, controls, and the ride of the 2520 over my property causes me no fatigue.
My 2520 has the 62D MMM, 200CX FEL, iMatch quick hitch and a 60" RB. It also has the hydraulic diverter valve to allow switching between both the MMM and FEL without disconnecting hydraulic lines. It's not that I really switch between them all that often, it's more that I can leave the MMM lift attached all the time and just connect and disconnect the four lines to the FEL. All of the attachments that I use are a breeze to connect and disconnect. It is especially nice to be able to pick up the MMM with the quick hitch to transport it.
As I near 50 hours on this machine, well over half of it has been spent mowing. Once the mowing deck lift and wheels are properly adjusted, it is easy to just hop on and start mowing. As many others have pointed out, it would be great to have another gear range between low and high mother tasks. I could have a 72" blade on it for the driveway, but I'm glad that I have the 60" blade when it comes to landscaping. I think any more than a 60" blade would bog the tractor down too easily when grading in clay soil.
In comparison to the volume of gas I was putting into both the 316 and the T60 mower, the fuel consumption on the 2520 is excellent. Cold starts in the recent months have been fine with only a bit more smoke initially after starting.
After 7 months, I'm very pleased with the 2520, and I'm still convinced that it is the right tractor for what I need.
