John Deere 4000 Twenty Series owners

[Matney4520]

I have recently purchased a John Deere 4520 equiped with the 400X loader, and I have a couple of questions for any other 4000 Twenty series owners.

1. Has anyone inverted their rear wheels to widen the stance of the tractor for stability reasons? I have heard this somewhere, but have not seen or tried it, but looks as if it would add about 20-24 inches of width to the back tires print. I would think this would help tremendously with loader work.

2. Bush Hogs and Disc Mowers. Has anyone hooked any category 2 equipment to their tractors, either by a cat 2 quick hitch, or by changing the linkage pins? If not, or if so, what size machines do you guys use? 6', 7', etc.?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tact]

I've been thinking of swapping my wheels as well. I once flipped a tractor and luckily it landed on it's side and I didn't get hurt, only changed my underwear afterwards. So, I've always been somewhat leary while doing tractor work on inclines. I now work hills or inclines going straight up or down.
I assume widening the tractor's stance would also help with loader work as well.
I'm only waiting for a friend to come over and help. I don't really know the weight of the wheels and tires but I'd feel more comfortable with some one else's help.
Currently I use a Wood BB72 BrushBull and I works great. I could easily use a 7 foot but the 6 foot does fine.

 

[Matney4520]

I am not sure of the wheel and tire weight either, but I have also had fluid added to the rears for more stability, I know the fluid added about 400 pounds per tire according to my dealer, and the tractor still gets a little uneasy with a big load in the bucket.

 

[Greyfields]

My rear tires are filled, so I haven't ever felt I was pushing it with the front loader. In general, weighing around 4,000 lbs, my 4120 feels a little more "wobbly" than the 5105 I drive sometimes. Had I never driven the 5105, though, I would have never felt the 4120 is unstable.

I have a 6'6" disc mower and a 72" rotary cutter. Both are category 1 hitches. Both implements are category 1/2 and I'm able to hook up just fine. My seed drill is category 1/2, but for some reason teh top link only takes a cat 2 pin. So I bought a top link adapter which is Cat 1 at the tractor and Cat 2 at the attachment end.

 

[ArkLaTexSam]

When I purchased my 4320/cab the wheels were all the way in and stability was constantly on my mind when bush hogging ditches etc.... With the help of one other person I was able set the rears in the widest position. It has made a huge difference as far as stability and smoothness of ride. Both of my rears are filled with window washer fluid. You will need a partner to help u maneuver them but it could be done with one person. Doesn't take a lot of time to complete the job. Take some measurements to make sure your tractor will still load on your trailer with the wheels in the wide position (don't ask) and be sure to use jack stands or blocks for support.

ArkLaTexSam

 

[clarityconnect]

I have recently purchased a John Deere 4520 equiped with the 400X loader, and I have a couple of questions for any other 4000 Twenty series owners.

1. Has anyone inverted their rear wheels to widen the stance of the tractor for stability reasons? I have heard this somewhere, but have not seen or tried it, but looks as if it would add about 20-24 inches of width to the back tires print. I would think this would help tremendously with loader work.

2. Bush Hogs and Disc Mowers. Has anyone hooked any category 2 equipment to their tractors, either by a cat 2 quick hitch, or by changing the linkage pins? If not, or if so, what size machines do you guys use? 6', 7', etc.?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I have recently purchased a new 4120 and had the dealer set my rear tires out 4" more on each side. They also set out the front tires to be in line with the rears. I chose not to fill the tires as I'm going to use wheel weights along with probably a ballast box.

Ed

 

[Matney4520]

Thanks for the info guys. I will let you know how my conversion over to a cat 2 quick hitch goes. I did also talk to my dealer and he said that the rears could be inverted to provide more stability, but then it would not fit on my trailer, guess I will have to build another trailer. I have been wanting a hydraulic dump anyways.

 

[GalwayBoy]

My 4120 was delivered with the rears set at their widest position. The driver said that they do this as a matter of course with any machine that has a backhoe. Funny thing was that he trailered it to my site with one wheel in and one out, because it wouldn't fit on the trailer otherwise. Once off the trailer, we set the BH outriggers down and reversed the other wheel.

I used the machine with this configuration for about a year, then finally reversed the wheels to their narrowest setting. This provides me greater maneuverability in the woods, and allows me to mow right up to my fences with my six foot equipment. However- my land is flat, except for a small hill outside my riding ring. I mow that slowly with the loader way down.

I brush hogged some new pasture for a neighbor last week that was all hill, and needed to go all up/down which was time consuming. While it is likely that I would have needed to cut this field the same way in the outermost setting, it would surely have provided a higher margin of safety in moving around the site. In addition, wide would have made the erosion ditches that I encountered much less unnerving.

Bottom line is that wider is more stable and hence safer.

Jon

 

[Matney4520]

For you guys with the rear wheels inverted to their widest position, do you know the overall width from outside of tire to outside of tire? Before I go through the trouble of changing my wheels and tires around I would like to know how wide it will make the tractor in the rear for bush hogging purposes and trailering. I currently mow with a 7' Howse mower and would like to still be able to cut my tracks out, and also my trailer is 7' wide.