New (to me) B2620

[TheIglu]

Finally got a decent little 4wd tractor. 2008 B2620 with BH65 hoe, thumb and canopy. Here she is as she arrived with 196 hours:

Already put to work making moving wood to the deck for the winter easier.

Now, a few questions for you TBN'ers.


Throttle resistance adjustment: The throttle is a bit stiff. Moving it by hand is easier to do without going too far one way or the other by tapping it with my hand. Is there an adjustment to the resistance on the throttle lever? I tried lubing all the pivots but never got to pulling the black lower dash apart. I imagine it is hidden down in there somewhere.


Braking and hydrostatic: Being my first hydro tractor, I need to know if there are any big "no-no's" for running a hydro tractor, especially on hills. Letting off the forward pedal on a hill to slow it, is that ok? I would imagine so but just checking. Never used the reverse as a brake, that's super simple stuff.


This little guy should be able to run a 60" rear mounted blower without an issue, right?


For chains, does anyone know offhand what size I'd need for the R4's on the back? I forgot to check on them last time I was looking at it.

 

[buck boost]

Nice machine!

My throttle I classify as stiff also. Before I bought it, it sat inside for two years and it had 26 hours. So I just assumed that was "normal". Just tapping to fine adjust rpm is also what I do.

Hydro pedal: Just be smooth. High range is pretty much just for transportation. If in medium range and you need more wheel torque, ease up on the pedal. Think of it the same as down-shifting a gear for a "gear drive" tractor or car. Don't treat the hydro pedal like a "gas" pedal on a car. If you need a little more wheel torque, fight the instinct to press on the pedal "harder", that is the opposite mechanical effect of what you are trying to accomplish.

You have a 3 range "final drive". Take advantage of it. The hydro pump and motor have no idea what range it is in. Just how much fluid resistance is present. I like to maximize flow, and minimize hydro whine. So if I'm doing a lot of low speed stuff even without a lot of wheel resistance, I still use "low" if it is fast enough. If not, then "medium". It is nice to have choices.

Letting off the pedal to stop, even on a hill is fine. If you need more holding power, the brakes are right there! I recomend to get habit of setting the parking brake also, every time you get on and off the machine. It is a good habit to have, and safety first!

Using "low" range on hills is probably the way to go till you become more comfortable.

Dunno about the blower and tire chains.

Oh, don't run your engine rpms too low. This new(er/ish) equipment is meant to rev not lug!

I'm diggin the canopy!

Could you post a couple of close-up photos of the thumb on the hoe? My dad and are going to build one for mine. Thanks!

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

Congrats on tractor you probably already have the incurable disease that comes with tractor. Just need to pickup some different attachments every now and this to keep it in check. I don't use the brakes on my hst they should last forever. throttle is stiff on all of them IMHO. as for chains the only one I use is 5/16 by about 20 ft long. don't know anything about snow and ice. enjoy:cool2:

 

[kcender]

Congratulations on the tractor.I like my B2620 and you sound like you are happy with yours as well.There is a double nut affair at the bottom of the throttle lever shaft to adjust tension.Mine is stiff also but I just bump it like the others have said.

 

[s219]

There is a spring on the throttle lever shaft and a bunch of washers, setup to keep friction on the lever (otherwise, vibrations from the diesel would cause it to rotate on its own). You can shoot a few squirts of lube into the washers and move the lever to help smooth it out a bit, but don't adjust the tension any looser. You can look up from underneath to do this, no need to remove the cowl or dashboard.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Nice machine!

My throttle I classify as stiff also. Before I bought it, it sat inside for two years and it had 26 hours. So I just assumed that was "normal". Just tapping to fine adjust rpm is also what I do.

Hydro pedal: Just be smooth. High range is pretty much just for transportation. If in medium range and you need more wheel torque, ease up on the pedal. Think of it the same as down-shifting a gear for a "gear drive" tractor or car. Don't treat the hydro pedal like a "gas" pedal on a car. If you need a little more wheel torque, fight the instinct to press on the pedal "harder", that is the opposite mechanical effect of what you are trying to accomplish.

You have a 3 range "final drive". Take advantage of it. The hydro pump and motor have no idea what range it is in. Just how much fluid resistance is present. I like to maximize flow, and minimize hydro whine. So if I'm doing a lot of low speed stuff even without a lot of wheel resistance, I still use "low" if it is fast enough. If not, then "medium". It is nice to have choices.

Letting off the pedal to stop, even on a hill is fine. If you need more holding power, the brakes are right there! I recomend to get habit of setting the parking brake also, every time you get on and off the machine. It is a good habit to have, and safety first!

Using "low" range on hills is probably the way to go till you become more comfortable.

Dunno about the blower and tire chains.

Oh, don't run your engine rpms too low. This new(er/ish) equipment is meant to rev not lug!

I'm diggin the canopy!

Could you post a couple of close-up photos of the thumb on the hoe? My dad and are going to build one for mine. Thanks!

Same.
Use 4wd low or med going down steep hills and 4wd low in gravel going down hill. I rarely use brakes, just let off and maybe slight reverse if stopping and sitting on a steep hill or maybe can use brakes to make sure they work and reaffirm to always set emergency brake when you get off, engine running or not. Throttle stiff, always stays inside and always been stiff, stiffer on B2620 than on my other models I've owned/own.

 

[HEC]

Congrats on your new tractor as I am sure you are loving it already. You will soon realize how did I ever get along without one . Your tractor should handle the 5 ft. rear blower with no problem . The beauty of hst is you can adjust your speed with the existing conditions .I have the front mount 5 ft. on my B2650 and that was what was rec. for my tractor . I would get the rear tires loaded if they are not already , I have no plans for chains on mine. You can go on you tube and watch these beauties blow snow , they are awesome .

 

[oldballs]

tirechain.com order desk will ask you what size and type of tire that you want to chain. I bought the two link ladder chain and found it just what I had hoped for. I did not see the need for loading the rear tires for any chores that I put the B2620 to work on. Using ballast front or rear seems adequate for my operations. I like the stiff throttle. It stays right where one sets or bumps it. Only 280 hours in two-plus seasons on mine. You will be pleased with your purchase.
Cheers,
Mike
P.S. if you are going to order chains, you had better get on it. The suppliers run out of stock in late fall.

 

[buck boost]

Same.
Use 4wd low or med going down steep hills and 4wd low in gravel going down hill. I rarely use brakes, just let off and maybe slight reverse if stopping and sitting on a steep hill or maybe can use brakes to make sure they work and reaffirm to always set emergency brake when you get off, engine running or not. Throttle stiff, always stays inside and always been stiff, stiffer on B2620 than on my other models I've owned/own.

Good call JT on throwing it in 4x4 on the hilly stuff.

Keep the FEL bucket LOW on hills also. I'm sure you don't wanna test that roll bar.

 

[AStanton]

Good luck with the new tractor. I see you are using it to move firewood. I put together this scoop to increase my payload for firewood and leaf removal. Thought you might be interested.