Green Tractor Talk banner

New to me 4200

3K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  mjncad 
#1 ·
Hello GTT community,
I recently purchased a 4200 and am now giving it a full service job. The tractor seems to have been neglected. This is the first tractor I have owned. I have used many older non hydrostatic. I have listed a few questions below.

First the trans had almost 15 gallons of hydraulic fluid in it. Why? Is there an advantage? Is it okay to over fill?

Is there a way to adjust neutral? The tractor seems to want to creep backwards. It is a hydrostatic trans and the pedals seem to move freely. It doesn't creep fast and is most noticed at high rpm.

Is it okay to lightly push the hydropedal to change ranges? It can be difficult to change ranges and I don't want to force the lever. I think this one maybe caused by the previous concern but I would still like to know.

I did not buy the tractor to move cars but there is a possible job at a local racetrack. Is the tractor tough enough to push cars off the track? The heaviest weigh 3200 lbs and some may need to be dragged or pushed with missing suspension pieces. The track banking is probably 10-15° not super steep. The tractor does lose speed going up hills on its own in C range with the hydro pedal matted. When I lift the hydro pedal even a little the rpms return and the tractor goes up the hill just fine. Is it okay to use C range for work? B range maybe too slow for track cleanup. If it will move a car in C range is it okay to do so or is C only for traveling?

Thanks,
Mike
 
See less See more
#3 ·
I would get a owner manual and talk to your John Deere dealer.
 
#4 ·
4200 owners Manual

Link- Just Click the Green Operating:
Operating
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gizmo2
#12 ·
Link- Just Click the Green Operating:
Operating
I can see your link is "manuals.deere.com". How do you get to this page these days. I used to be able to get there from their home page "deere.com" but can't seem to find any manuals that way any more. Where are they hiding it? Thanks.
 
#5 ·
First the trans had almost 15 gallons of hydraulic fluid in it. Why? Is there an advantage? Is it okay to over fill?
There a couple of reasons for large amounts of hydraulic fluid. Depending on design it can be used for cooling. It can add weight to the machine. It has extra to run attachments. It can reduce the interval between changes. These are just a few. And No, avoid over filling.

Is there a way to adjust neutral? The tractor seems to want to creep backwards. It is a hydrostatic trans and the pedals seem to move freely. It doesn't creep fast and is most noticed at high rpm.
As the others have noted, a manual will answer these questions. The machines almost always have a way to make that adjustment.

Is it okay to lightly push the hydropedal to change ranges? It can be difficult to change ranges and I don't want to force the lever. I think this one maybe caused by the previous concern but I would still like to know.
It is very common to feather the peddles to shift into gear or make a PTO selection from front to rear. You will not do any damage if you do it tenderly.

Those are the question I can answer. Good luck with your repairs. This is a good machine and will serve you well. Hope this helps ya.
 
#7 ·
There a couple of reasons for large amounts of hydraulic fluid. Depending on design it can be used for cooling. It can add weight to the machine. It has extra to run attachments. It can reduce the interval between changes. These are just a few. And No, avoid over filling.
To add to Randy's post, Cooling. The more oil you have the cooler it will stay.
 
#10 ·
It's nice John Deere puts the operator's manual on the internet. The trans should only have 6.8 gallons and not be overfilled according to Deere. I was not able to find a neutral adjustment procedure in the ?service trans? section. I assume I will need a service repair manual for that. What is the best way to get a repair manual? Through Deere?
 
#13 ·
I have been able to get to "manuals.deere.com" by typing into Google:"4200 site:manuals.deere.com". I then chose what I want from Google's list.

I had a hell of a day working on the 4200. I needed to replace the front tires. The tires were solid filled 4 ply and I replaced them with 6 ply, same size, brand and turf tread. They were so heavy I had to roll them up a 2x12 into the back of the truck. They were filled with some kind of rubber like stuff. I had to cut the tire up with a reciprocating saw to the steel cord in the bead in two spots. Then cut the bead with an abrasive cut off wheel. After that it was physical labor separating the rubber filler from the wheels. I would not suggest using that type of filler unless there is some kind of advantage to this I don't know about. Can the tires can carry more load with a solid filler or is the tractor more stable?
 
#17 ·
It sounds like the previous owner abused that 4200. It also sounds like they operated the tractor in thorny areas and just took the lazy way out by having the tires foamed. If you have a loader, set the front tire pressure to the higher end of the manual's recommendations to lessen sidewall flex when you have a full load in the bucket. Tire pressure will depend on type (e.g. R1, R4).
 
#14 ·
As a 4200 owner since 2001, welcome to GTT. Please see my embedded comments in red.

Hello GTT community,
I recently purchased a 4200 and am now giving it a full service job. The tractor seems to have been neglected. This is the first tractor I have owned. I have used many older non hydrostatic. I have listed a few questions below.

First the trans had almost 15 gallons of hydraulic fluid in it. Why? Is there an advantage? Is it okay to over fill? As you have learned, the 4200 holds 6.8-gallons in a HST equipped tractor. As Randy has said...DON'T OVERFILL...especially by a factor of two.

Is there a way to adjust neutral? The tractor seems to want to creep backwards. It is a hydrostatic trans and the pedals seem to move freely. It doesn't creep fast and is most noticed at high rpm. I can't say about adjusting neutral without checking my manual; but the tractor shouldn't creep at all in neutral when on level ground.

Is it okay to lightly push the hydropedal to change ranges? It can be difficult to change ranges and I don't want to force the lever. I think this one maybe caused by the previous concern but I would still like to know. The range lever can be finicky, especially when trying to find 'B' range and neutral. That is normal behavior unfortunately. Don't force it and a light push on the direction pedals is OK as long as you aren't moving.

I did not buy the tractor to move cars but there is a possible job at a local racetrack. Is the tractor tough enough to push cars off the track? The heaviest weigh 3200 lbs and some may need to be dragged or pushed with missing suspension pieces. The track banking is probably 10-15° not super steep. The tractor does lose speed going up hills on its own in C range with the hydro pedal matted. When I lift the hydro pedal even a little the rpms return and the tractor goes up the hill just fine. Is it okay to use C range for work? B range maybe too slow for track cleanup. If it will move a car in C range is it okay to do so or is C only for traveling?

'C' range is for travel, and maybe light weed/grass mowing. The tractor will bog down in 'C' when climbing hills. Use 'B' or 'A' range and engage 4WD if equipped. Note, the 4WD and Differential Lock levers can be cranky to engage...don't force them. Tow the cars using the drawbar whenever possible. If you have a loader, pushing cars that can't easily roll on their own wheels will increase the chances of tweaking the loader frame.

Thanks,
Mike
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top