Upgrading from JD 870 to JD 3x20 series

[Sukee]

I think it's time to upgrade my 13 year old JD 870 (lots of little annoying breakdowns the last few months!) and am looking at Deere's 3x20 series of tractors.

Any JD owners who have done a similar upgrade (I'm looking at 3520/3720 machines)?

I know a new JD 3x20 series tractor will give me alot more convenience and controls (especially if I go with an e-hydo model).

But will it be as "rugged" as my 870. Also, I'm concerned about stability issues (my property is rather hilly). What say you former 870 owners about the comfort level of 3x20 series on slopes as compared to your 870 experiences?

 

[slaveToHorses]

I had an 855 and put some serious time on a 850 before I got my 3720. Those tractors both had ag R-1s. I have the wide R-4s on my 3720 and they are all filled. I find it more stable than the other tractors. It is without a doubt more capable. Also, because of the hydrostatic transmission, you can creep around tight places pretty easily.

as to ruggedness, well they are more complex so there is more to break. There are also more lines running underneath. Other than that, it seems to be pretty solid.

 

[DRod]

Well, take my experience as that of a newbie to tractors, but here it is ...

Having recently bought 25 acres with varying terrain (flat at the bottom, a pretty good hill going up, and then level on top), most in ovegrown brush, I spent a lot of time looking at what to buy.

I originally looked at a used 790 from a private party. Liked it, but feedback from here, other forums, and a dealer convinced me that I should look bigger. Had both 3x20 and 4x20 machines suggested.

Next stop, after much looking, searching, thinking, talking (although apparently not enough), was to purchase a used 3520 PowerReverser with filled R4's that was only a couple years old with low hours. I was in love with it, until I spent 15 minutes driving it over uneven ground. Now, a lot of this is probably operator inexperience, but it did not feel stable at all. Looking at it, the wheelbase was essentially square (same front to back and side to side).

Rather than digging myself in deeper, I threw myself on the mercy of the local dealer, and asked for help. They got me a new 4320 EHydro last week, with a very reasonable deal. The rear tires (R4's) are set to the medium-wide setting, and are filled.

The difference in feeling of stability between the 3520 and 4320 is amazing. There are others here (like Nuru) who seem to like their 3520's on slopes, so I would definitely consider their experiences too. For me, though, having a whole 15 hours of tractor time under my belt, the larger machine was definitely the way to go. Again, probably inexperience speaking here, but the EHydro helps the feeling of stability quite a bit for me - very easy to slow down and crawl over a rough spot, and stops when you take your foot off.

I hope this helps

DRod

 

[sunnyside360]

I can't speak to the 870 but I do have a 3720 cab with loaded R4 tires. Use it mainly for cutting grass and hay, and for clearing snow from about 2000 feet of driveway. It has served me well for two summers and one winter, and I wouldn't want to part with it for any other tractor for what I use it for. It's more hp than I need but I couldn't refuse the deal on a trade.
Stability on steep hills is a concern, and that is why I have filled rear tires. Early on when mine was new, I thought also about getting the rear wheel spacers to help but as time passed my confidence in stability improved so never did get them and now believe they are not needed for my applications.
So if you are concerned about tractor stability there are some things you can do.

 

[Sukee]

Thanks for the replies so far!

I agree the JD 4x20 series seem much more stable. However I really need/want the smaller frame size of the 3x20 series because of my uses (small market garden plots and also manueverability around the basement of my barn).

I like the fact that the Ag tires on the 3x20 series can be set narrow (great when I'm using my Kuhn 50" tiller on my flat garden plots).

However, when I bushhog my hilly back field I want stability. How wide can the Ag tires be spaced on the 3x20 series??? (And, yes, I will get the tires loaded for added stability.)

On a side note, one of the recent breakdowns on my JD 870 was the front tie-rod breaking. The tie-rod itself didn't break but it snapped at the threaded bolt connecting it to the right front tire set up. When I was telling this to the Kubota salesman (I'm blessed with both a John Deere/Mahindra dealership AND a Kubota/New Holland dealership both within 1 mile from where I live!!!) he told me that the Kubota's do a very good job of protecting/shielding the tie-rod. Sure enough, I looked at the Kubota set-up then the John Deere set-up and the tie-rod is much more exposed on the JD.

Granted, I think the breakage on my 870 was a freak accident and could have happened even on a brand new machine but I did like the Kubota set-up better.

If Kubota made a high horsepower tractor in the smaller 3240/3540 frame size (like the JD 3520/3720 tractors) I think I'd definitely be giving them a closer look. I just feel like if I'm "upgrading" from a JD 870 I need to go larger then a Kubota 3240!

 

[RogerH]

On a side note, one of the recent breakdowns on my JD 870 was the front tie-rod breaking. The tie-rod itself didn't break but it snapped at the threaded bolt connecting it to the right front tire set up. When I was telling this to the Kubota salesman (I'm blessed with both a John Deere/Mahindra dealership AND a Kubota/New Holland dealership both within 1 mile from where I live!!!) he told me that the Kubota's do a very good job of protecting/shielding the tie-rod. Sure enough, I looked at the Kubota set-up then the John Deere set-up and the tie-rod is much more exposed on the JD.

Note that the tie rod on the John Deere 3000 series front axle is BEHIND the axle - much better protected than your 870 and in my opinion better protected than the Kubota tie rod.

 

[slaveToHorses]

I don't know how often you are really going to want to change the track width, especially with filled tires. Granted the 3x20 tires aren't really large but you will still need lifting/moving tools to manipulate the wheels and a helper.

 

[Nuru]

Hello DRod, thanks for waking me up to respond!

Sukee, here are a couple of threads where we talk about using the Turk specials and the 3520

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/jd-owning-operating/122440-3520-mmm-super-turfs.html


Hub spacers

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/jd-owning-operating/96452-hub-spacers.html

3320 vs 3520

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/jd-buying-pricing/119208-3320-cab-vs-3520-cab.html

I hope all this discussion helps you make your decision!

 

[dirtworksequip]

Sukee, I did that exactly! I owned a 1995 JD870 and loved it. I bought it new and had just about every attachment you could plus the backhoe. I did tons of work with it and it always was able to do the task at hand. There were a few years that I never missed a day on it. That machine never let me down and the few times that anything broke on it was because I broke it.

I always wanted a cab machine, so when the Deere's came out with a cab I was really excited. Finally I saw a 3520 w/cab on ebay with only 7 hours on it. It also had a 300cx loader,fertilizer spayer,cone spreader and loader mounted blade attachment. I figured I could sell all the attachments except the loader and recoupe some of my money. I ended up winning the auction and driving to Illinois to pick it up. Everything was like new................well it was new!

Got the 3520 home and loved the cab. Hated the ehydro and stability. Almost upset it on a cross slope that my old 870 went accross without even thinking about it. Love the cab.
Anyway I finally went with some Unverferth wheel extensions to get a wider rear wheel stance and improve stability. That did help, but its still no where near as stable as the old 870 was. The 3520 also does not ride as nice as the 870. I'm not sure why, but the 870 did seem to follow the ground better. Although I love the cab, I really don't like the tractor, but I'll have to live with that. Before you jump into buying a 3x20 series I would strongly recommend that you try one out at the dealers where you can put it on a slight side slope. You will quickly see the difference between the 870 and 3x20 tractors. Go slow and be careful and don't let the dealer tell you it's just the way it feels cause your not used to it. It's not. If you are close enough to me come try mine out.

I ended up selling the 870 on ebay and have missed it ever since. The 870's are one h3ll of a tractor!
New tractors are nice, but sometimes not better. I do love the cab on the 3520!

One other thing...........I think if you hooked the two together drawbar to drawbar the 870 would have drug the 3520 around all day.

Here's the 870 with 2018 hours on it up for sale on eBay.

Here's the 3520 with the added 8 inches to the rear with the wheel extensions.

 

[Sukee]

dirtworksequip:

Nice looking 870! Mine's a bit "rougher" then that but a lot fewer hours. Something tells me I should just continue to fix my 870 as needed. If the operator (me!) was a bit more careful/patient when operating it then probably it would need fewer repairs (and the operator would be less likely to have a dangerous accident!).

It's just that I have this "itch" to buy a new tractor!