noob with new 2520

[billb3]

My new 2520 FEL and BH arrived last Thursday.
Got seat time Sunday.
L is kinda slow.
H is kinda bouncy.
Pulled two stumps. 40 year old apple trees. Had to do a wee bit of digging.
(Digging up 40 year old apple tree stumps by hand is not on the top of the list of my favorite things to do.)
Saturated wet dirt is messy.
Moved a bunch of rocks that were just pushed out of the way 40 years ago, too big to move any further with just a riding mower and trailer.
Got some bigger lumps out of the greystone driveway.
I wish the hydraulics were a bit slower.
Even the turf tires make a mess when the lawn is soaking wet.
Sod comes up when you leave the bucket down.
I wish the FEL bucket was a bit bigger. We have some big rocks here.
In 3 hours I got done what would have taken two full weekends and has been put aside for years.
Dropping big rocks near the edge of a 50 foot cliff makes me extremely nervous.
I've got about 200 to 300 buckets of gravel and busted up concrete to go in this same spot.

I have 3-400 feet of cast iron 1 inch water pipe to replace between an inground well and two houses.
and that's just a start.


Reading about a year's worth of posts here regarding the different Twenty series models influenced my model decision.

------------
I got only one key. Normal ?

I still don't understand float on the bucket. If it's in the book, I missed it.
Now that I've registered I might find one of those old threads where it's been explained before.
I asked the salesman who sold it and gave me a quick tour.
I don't think he understood float.

To me float should have the bucket dropping to earth if left 'up' off the ground.


In case you can't tell, I've never owned or drove a tractor before.


I know.
Pics.

I can't find my camera.
Really.


Bill

 

[ChuckinNH]

Congratulations on your purchase! You have a great tractor there! Isn't it amazing how much we can learn in the first few hours of operation, and how much of a mess we can make doing it.

You might want to PM Lbrown_59 about the camera. He doesn't have much use for his...... (inside joke)

 

[plastikosmd]

well i do like your 'flight of thought' way of posting! waitin on the pics..regarding float, if the same as my 3xxx series...push loader control lever all the way forward after setting bucket on ground...a quick push gets you past the detent..and loader then floats. good luck

 

[jdbower]

Congrats! Regarding the key, they aren't actually keys but more generic starting tools. I got two from my dealer, but since they're all the same I'd have no problem getting more if I lost them.

The hydraulics can be slowed down by reducing the engine RPMs, I only use my backhoe at slightly above minimum idle for that reason and the trees appreciate it

For a quick way to get a bigger FEL bucket for large rocks, add a toothbar. It doesn't help with gravel, but it creates a good lip for large stuff. Search for Markham here.

If you think it tears up the lawn now, try it in 4WD

 

[DreaminGreen]

Congrats on getting your 2520 billb3, another member from Mass awesome. Now I don't feel quite so lonely.

 

[thatguy]

I thought I had only gottenone key when they delivered my 2320, so I asked the delivery guy for another - which he gave me.. Later on I found my extra key in one of the owner manuals... OOps..

Brian

 

[Nuru]

Congrats on the purchase.

 

[ScottK]

I have the 2320 and sometimes I wish the hydraulics were faster, but I'm sure slower is safer (it is slower than the 2520). Sometimes I even pull the throttle back on it to slow things down more.

I would go back to your salesman and tell him you need another key, touch-up paint, and a hat if they didn't give it to you already. All that should be free. Two keys is standard.

 

[flyngti]

Sounds like you made an excellent choice to meet your needs. Congrats! Nothing like learning as you go when you've never been on a tractor before.

As for the float thing -- try this:

With the engine off, and the bucket on the ground, push the joystick forward until you encounter some resistance. This is the normal range you use to lower the bucket. Holding the stick forward, "pop" it forward some more past the detent. This is the float position. To get it out of float, just pull back on the stick. Once you can feel it with the engine off, try it with the engine on and do some backblading to see how float works. It's a lot easier to get a feel for getting into the float position with the engine off.

 

[farmerhays]

I haven't seen anyone mention it here, but you have a spin-knob valve for hydraulic flow directly below the seat. As you are sitting on the tractor see, look down between your legs and you will see the black knob.

You may have your valve set wide open, which I have found is too much for the backhoe, although I haven't found the loader to be as sensitive to valve adjustment. I close mine all the way (to shut off the hydraulics entirely) and then open it back up a half-turn. Play with the setting until the loader responds the way you expect.

I grew up on big tractors, and none of them have this little valve, so I have found it useful right from the get-go.