Trade 3720 for 4520?

[radman1]

I am considering trading in my cab 3720 for a cab 4520. 3720 is a 2007 and in great shape, 350 hours, FEL, R4 tires and nearly all available options. I previously used it at my "city" house but recently it went to the farm. The problem is the R4 tires do poorly in the mud and the clearance is marginal with R4 tires. My brother quickly high centered it in the mud and the FEL could not push it out. Priced set of new R1 tires and rims for the 3720 and the price was rediculous IMHO. How much of a beating will I take on the trade? Will the 4520 with R1 tires have significantly more clearance? Does any one have a 4000 series with R1 tires and can measure the clearance? Is the step up to the 4000 series a noticeable difference?

 

[Wombat125]

If you're on a farm now, don't rule out the 5000 series Deeres. They are gear drive tractors, but come with big R1 tires and lots of ground clearance.

I started out looking at the 4x20 series tractors. My wife off-handedly suggested I price a 5x03, I was surprised to find out that they were considerably cheaper.

Regardless, I wouldn't think that you'd take too much of a beating on the trade. These tractors hold their value very well. So well that I quickly realized that there was no advantage to buying used over new in my area.

Good luck.

 

[JiminGa]

I agree, check out the 5000 series, the price for a 4520 cab is gonna be very close

 

[jimgerken]

It would not surprise me if they allowed you all your original cost on the 3720, off the full retail price of the new tractor. Of course if you were buying outright (no trade) you 'd be able to get a 15% discount typically.

 

[johndeere4720]

I am considering trading in my cab 3720 for a cab 4520. 3720 is a 2007 and in great shape, 350 hours, FEL, R4 tires and nearly all available options. I previously used it at my "city" house but recently it went to the farm. The problem is the R4 tires do poorly in the mud and the clearance is marginal with R4 tires. My brother quickly high centered it in the mud and the FEL could not push it out. Priced set of new R1 tires and rims for the 3720 and the price was rediculous IMHO. How much of a beating will I take on the trade? Will the 4520 with R1 tires have significantly more clearance? Does any one have a 4000 series with R1 tires and can measure the clearance? Is the step up to the 4000 series a noticeable difference?

.

The clearance is 15" from the front diff houding to the ground.

Hope that helps.

 

[radman1]

I thought about the 5000 series but I want the compactness of the smaller size and I really want HST for convenience. I had a '94 5300 that I traded last year for a 125 hp tractor. I had the 3720 already and was going to use it as the substitute for the 5300 and still use the 125hp tractor for big chores. We irrigate, and there was almost no mud a 5300 MFWD could not go through or at least push itself out with the FEL if it was in trouble. The 125 hp tractor with MFWD does very well but I don't mess with questionable situations because I beleive it could bury itself just because of the weight. The 125 hp tractor has been stuck twice in the past year but both times with an attachment on the back which creates too much drag. (Both times it was my brother and not me!) One time it took our 245 hp MFWD tractor to pull it out.

The 3720 has no clearance for mud and no traction with R4s. I wonder if it will make it across a mud puddle. I am sure it will not pull itself across a flat muddy field with R4s. I use the 3720 to mow the grass, run augers, fix fence and lots of little jobs. A 5000 series is just way to big to mow the yard. Even the 4000 series is a bit big for mowing and the R1s are not the best for yards, but the grass in the yard won't win any awards for beauty any way. Most of the time, I haul my zero turn to the farm to mow the grass around the house but the 4000 series would work when the zero turn wasn't available.

I don't think the 4000 series with R1's will be any match for deep mud compared to the 5000 series. The R1 tires on the 5000 series are just larger, taller and will do better. I do find it amusing that the hp of the 4000 series is more than my previous 5300. However, the 5300 had plenty of power for the tasks it performed. If I needed power or more 3 pt lift, I have other older farm tractors to do the heavy work.

Thanks for the info on the clearnce of 15". Is that with R1's? That should be ok. The front tires will probably be buried any way at 15"s.

Do the 5000 series still use a dry clutch? My 5300 clutch lasted about 1800-2000 hours. Another reason why I am looking at the 4000 series with HST. I believe loaders are hard on a dry clutch.

What I really want is a 4000 series with R1 tires of a 5000 series!

 

[johndeere4720]

Yes is they are r1's.

 

[radman1]

It would not surprise me if they allowed you all your original cost on the 3720, off the full retail price of the new tractor. Of course if you were buying outright (no trade) you 'd be able to get a 15% discount typically.

I got a really good deal on the 3720 when I bought it (18% discount and no additional labor cost for any added options put on by dealer). However, that dealer is no longer around thanks to JD's policy of merging multiple stores to be owned by single owner. He sold lots of compacts and utility tractors but almost no big ag tractors or large equipment because he was in a larger city. JD decided not to extend his contract. He had a really nice building and yard with great service. The surrounding ag dealers didn't do nearly as well on striking a deal and I looked at 3 other dealers. One dealer had a tractor on the lot for almost a year and was willing to give a 5% discount off list. Maybe I was dressed to well the day I talked to them.

I don't like trading a tractor in for another. I never have a good feel for the overall price. I could sell it outright but in my area, these higher priced CUTs can take a long time to sell. In addition, the farming is a side operation for me and I have been audited twice. Came out just fine both times but I can always tell when I have sold equipment, in private sales, they give me the look like I am trying to hide something. The look of did you sell the tractor for 15K but only reported the sale as 10K on the tax return. If I sell something of significant value privately, I photocopy the buyers check before I cash it and make him write on the front of the check what the item was. I document everything. I am vastly more **** about documentation than any farmer. Every receipt/check, every fill of gas, equipment bought at auction, seed and fertilizer purchases, mileage in my truck and where I went and what I did there. I have separate checking accounts and credit cards for farm use. They started quizing me about owning cattle at one time. Why would a "city" guy ever have cattle. Had to explain to them I grew up on a farm, we had dairy cattle and beef cattle. I had previously been a veternarian and told them it was not a big stretch for me to raise and sell 20 head of cattle in my own pasture. That seem to shut them up.

 

[slaveToHorses]

Radman, are your R4s filled? My 3720 has all 4 filled (and the larger sized R4s). It gets a lot better traction on our local wet clay mud than I was expecting. In fact it does better than what it replaced, which had R1s. Mainly because they tend to float better.

I haven't been foolish enough to try it in really deep mud though

 

[radman1]

Radman, are your R4s filled? My 3720 has all 4 filled (and the larger sized R4s). It gets a lot better traction on our local wet clay mud than I was expecting. In fact it does better than what it replaced, which had R1s. Mainly because they tend to float better.

I haven't been foolish enough to try it in really deep mud though

No, they are not filled. I am surprised you have better traction with the tires fluid filled in the mud. I would have thought no change or worse with fluid in the tires. Clay is nasty stuff to go through. May have to rethink my options? What was you prior tractor with R1s and was it MFWD?