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My first Deere

4K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  Uncle Wayne 
#1 ·
Hello All!
I just took position of my first Deere, a 2520 with the 200 CX & 46 BH. The dealership did "in my opinion" a poor job in going over the tractor upon delivery. To me, after all the reading on this tractor I have very little power when it comes to the loader & backhoe. Are there certain rpm's needed to use the loader or bh? Any thoughts or suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated. Also, looking to add a thumb to the bh, but i do not see one from JD.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Looking forward to a picture of your new machine!

A google on "backhoe thumbs" will keep you busy for a while.

My Kubota B21 TLB is in the same range as your 2520. I run around 1800 RPM. For me, the RPM is more about having the movement be smooth and not so fast that it's jerky. While the backhoe doesn't have the curl strength of a big boy, you can get things done by taking a little more time. For me it's worth it, the small machine doesn't tear up the lawn and can work in smaller areas. The hardest part is breaking the ground. Once you're in 4" or so, you can use the ground for a "backstop" instead of having the rely on the weight of the tractor.

FWIW, I looked at a bigger backhoe. But the price difference was enough to buy over 100 hours of grown man backhoe time (the really big machines). In the 14 years I've had the Kubota, I've only paid for about 20 hours of grown man backhoe time so I'm ahead of the game and have a machine that is better sized for all the everyday stuff I do.

Backhoes are like the game of chess- learn it in a day, master it in a lifetime.

Pete
 
#3 ·
eepete, Nice post. I could not have said it better.
noelinva, I went from a JD650 (FEL/BH, 17HP) to a JD2320. Although I was extremely happy with the 650 for 20 some years the 2320 is light years ahead of it. Could you explain what you are trying to do with the 2520 where it is under powered? Maybe you need a bigger machine.
 
#4 ·
... I have very little power when it comes to the loader & backhoe. Are there certain rpm's needed to use the loader or bh? Any thoughts or suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated. Also, looking to add a thumb to the bh, but i do not see one from JD.
Hi there Noel,

You might be intereseted in reading this thread about a thumb for your 46.

Regarding power, can you give specific examples of when you notice a lack of power? For example, I find my 2520 underpowered when driving in high range. With respect to the power of the loader and hoe, those things are directly related to the weight/counterweight of the machine. There's no point in having cylinders capable of more force than can be offset by the mass of the tractor. In a case like that, the attachment would become the tractor (the fixed body) and the tractor would become the attachment (the moving body). Not so good. As it is, I've managed to pull my front end right up into the air with my 46 hoe so it's definitely got as much potential as possible for that tractor.

Welcome aboard and congrats on the new machine
 
#5 ·
wasn't going to bother with a picture, I didnt think it looked any different from anyone else's. As far as under-powered I think Pete's breaking ground could be correct. I've used commercial units before and am use to the raw force and weight behind it with the big boy ones. I am getting a tooth bar for the loader to maybe help with that part. when using the BH, just a simple dig to test it out was disappointing. I would go in and nothing, I would have to come out and just scratch the surface to get full movement of the arm. I have to dig a foundation for a building to house this new tractor, and figured I could have it dug in a couple days, now not sure. I have a ton of earth work, I just hope I didn't choose poorly.
 
#6 ·
First make sure your hydraulic fluid level is good. Then yes rpm plays a significant role. If you are experiencing slow hydraulic response at idle and ok at 540 pto operating rpm, this is normal. The hydraulic pumps need rpms to build and maintain pressure, expecially when under heavy load. If under operating rpm you feel hydraulics are weak, then there are other things to consider like poor connections or air in the lines.
 
#9 ·
I just got done digging across my dirt drive way(well packed from use)with no problem breaking ground. I dug down about three feet to install a drain pipe. No issues whatsoever.
I then used the same backhoe to dig up some beach ball sized boulders from the driveway that were poking out the surace. No issues plenty of power. After digging up the boulders I lifted them with my dealer installed(welded) thumb. What a breeze. Then I removed the back hoe and installed the box blade. Had three tri-axel loads of three quarter inch gravel dumped on along driveway. Tractor pulled and spread the gravel up and down the 450 foot drive(up hill) way effortlessly.
The 2520 is truely an awsome machine that will do anything you ask of it...just don't ask too much of it. It will move as much dirt or gravel as a large machine but will just take a little longer. Take your time with it and enjoy it.And like the others have said,you can always rent a big boy for a weekend when needed. I also like the fact that I can haul my 2520 with a F-150 on a car trailer anywhere any time. A couple of my buddys that have larger machines need specialized trailers and small dump trucks to haul them around.
 
#10 ·
#11 ·
OK, I'm not shy, I will provide dirt digging photos, you just have to follow the link though. Bear in mind I don't have a fancy hoe like Noel does. Need a tooth bar on the bucket though. And yup, just like Mr Hanky said, these machines will get'er done. :thumbup1gif:
RandyM, You really need a backhoe, at least half of our projects require one. On the other hand if we did not have the BH we would not have done half the projects, or more. Money is worthless unless you spend it, just sayin:cheers: :focus:
 
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