Jumping out of 4 wheel drive

[wooden]

This topic came up back when I first got my 2720 back in 2010. I now have 300+ hours on the machine but the problem still exist. I Had the unit run away on me on a down hill crawl a week ago that could have been a real problem if I didn't drop the ballast box to slow me down. Kept the bucket off the ground so I could control my direction. Yes, I was on a steep incline and on loose dirt, so the rear tires just stopped and slid away!

Does any one know if JD ever came up with a fix for this? seems to be a common problem in the 2520 also, as I remember several discussions on the topic back when I first questioned it in 2010. It also seem to be happening much more often as of late. I love this little CUT but have had several problems with a recurring high pressure line splitting in the weld seam at a bend where it goes into the banjo fitting at the SCV under the seat, and at $450+ a pop plus shipping, and JD refusing to re call the lines, I am a little pissed at them. This is also a problem in the 2520 which is the same tractor with less HP. this was also a topic heavily discussed back then, with no answers from John Deere and absolutely No help from my dealer.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Take JD to small claims court before you have to make a BIG claim.
larry

 

[paulfun9]

Get rid of the machine and buy something else. Why didn't JD fix the problem when it was new?

 

[wooden]

Get rid of the machine and buy something else. Why didn't JD fix the problem when it was new?

It's not as simple as that, I live in the US Virgin Islands so you just don't drive down the road to the next tractor dealer and pick up something else. And, If you re read my post , you'll see that I stated that JD refused to re call the lines, and their dealers are no help.

 

[taborekle]

If the tires stopped and then slid away then your on a slope that your tires could not grip enough to hold the slow crawl, so this is not a tractor issue but rather a tire/slope issue. I've had this happen several times on my JD 425 mower on a small but steep hill on my property. The soil conditions can change (after rain, less grip). I -do- find that I have more traction mowing UP a hill then down a hill. So I usually tackle this slope by mowing up hill.

 

[paulfun9]

IF the machine would have stayed in 4 wheel drive I doubt he would have had a problem. Someone needs to open up the machine and figure out why it slips out of 4 wheel drive.

My comment about why JD didn't fix it from the start is two part. One I am curious to what they told you that let it get out of warrantee without you forcing the machine back on them threw the court system? also what is the reasoning they have given you for the problem even being there to begin with.

I would make certain if any tractor I purchased didn't work properly and the problem was also a safety concern they would have refunded my money and I would be running a different brand machine. Also even if it was a second hand machine it would be fixed or sold off and a suitable replacement purchased as my life is worth the aggravation and hassle even if it means paying to freight it out and the new one in!

 

[wooden]

Ok I have been away for a while and didn't do any follow up on this post so here goes!! seems this is in fact a problem with many of the small 2720's and 2520 Not sure what other CUTS do this but as I stated in my post , this was heavily discussed back in 2010 and 2011 I sure would like to hear from some of those folks that complained about this. Seems there is a ball bearing with a spring that holds this shifter in position. and mostly on down hill runs, there may be a small issue with the 4 wheel drive system that puts some pressure on the tranny, since the front wheels are so much smaller than the rear. I seem to remember some talk about that. Anyway. I do not know if JD ever decided on a fix for this, so I simply lightly rest my left foot on the shifter when going down hill with a load . Hope to hear from any 2720 or 2520 owners that has had this problem.

 

[boggen]

i am most likely off my rocker and i honestly don't have a clue about your actual problem but....
have you double checked the wheel diameters of fronts vs backs? if you have wrong size tires for front vs rear for correct tire ratios for 4x4 / MFWD you might be putting undo strain on the drive train. were the front wheels well want to either turn faster or slower than what they should vs the rear tires. other words did you have some newbie select tires of wrong size for your tractor?

have you double checked correct tire pressures for what ever load you are placing on the tractor?

are you getting the grease gun out and hitting some hard to reach places for the given drive trains and axle bearings, etc....?

have you double checked all the "cable linkages / rod linkages" and re-adjusted if need be?

if memory serves JD has a good online "part list" website with pictures/diagrams of all the parts, that lets you look through everything, if you got a "shop manual" for your tractor that should cover adjusting and dealing with everything, tear down / torqure settings etc...

 

[arlen4720]

There is a fix, and there is a thread over on GTT about it. It is a stronger spring kit. It seems to cure the problem. The fix has been out for a long time.

 

[wooden]

i am most likely off my rocker and i honestly don't have a clue about your actual problem but....
have you double checked the wheel diameters of fronts vs backs? if you have wrong size tires for front vs rear for correct tire ratios for 4x4 / MFWD you might be putting undo strain on the drive train. were the front wheels well want to either turn faster or slower than what they should vs the rear tires. other words did you have some newbie select tires of wrong size for your tractor?

have you double checked correct tire pressures for what ever load you are placing on the tractor?

are you getting the grease gun out and hitting some hard to reach places for the given drive trains and axle bearings, etc....?

have you double checked all the "cable linkages / rod linkages" and re-adjusted if need be?

if memory serves JD has a good online "part list" website with pictures/diagrams of all the parts, that lets you look through everything, if you got a "shop manual" for your tractor that should cover adjusting and dealing with everything, tear down / torqure settings etc...

Yes you are a bit off your rocker, the tractor came with R4 tires from the factory and that is why I mentioned it here back in 2011 and there was a slew of owners with the same problem. From drawings of the system we figured there was a possible weak spring problem but no one back then had solved it either by themselves or by their dealers. And as usual JD didn't want any part of it.
Thanks to Arlen 4720's post below I see that I may have been right all along but I wouldlike to read a little more on what or who came up with the fix. I know it won't be a simple job to pull this system down, but there are no JD dealers here in the VI so I'll just live with it for now till I get up enough courage to take it on.