Break in Period????

[Gobblin Tom]

After reading the post about running out of power, is there a reasonable break in period on tractors? I have worked my 2520 pretty hard and have around 15 hours on it. Sometimes I think it is under powered and other times it surprises me! It makes me curious what everyone else thinks????

 

[glc24]

I don't know Tom,I've only 70 hours and I've yet to have a power problem,no matter what I've been using it for. I think somewhere it was stated that those Yanmars aren't truly broke in 'till around 200 hours!

Greg

 

[SSdoxie]

I have 27 hrs. on my Bobcat now, may be wishful thinking but seems like it is differnt tractor now than 3 months ago. I have 1 hill going up to my shed that at first could only run up in low range. Yesterday it took that hill in mid-range @ 1/2 pedal stroke.

I have run mine from new same way I plan to always operate. Did not "baby" it.

 

[Edward. S]

I remember when I broke my 5085M was the first day I got it. Full Throttle in D4. Hit 21.1 MPH

 

[Cat_Driver]

Anything I have ever purchased new I ran it like I stoled it and never ever had an engine problem.

The first day I got my Kubota I ran it hard for 10 hours and never had a problem in the 10 years I owned it.

 

[DMax2210]

Hi Tom, I'm just about to turn 10 hours, probably half of those are mowing. I think I'm finding it similar to what you are saying. After reading about how it's too high sped in high range, I was shocked when I found that I can mow my back hills in high range with no problem! But right behind the house it is a much steeper hill that sometimes requires 4wd to get started up it - I find that even in low range, it has a hard time accellerating up the hill without dropping about 500 RPMs... Loader and tiller work, no power problems at all and with a 1 bottom plow a good 8 inches in the ground, it didn't break a sweat. I haven't babied it any because it is new, just use it as I need it.

I'm hoping that as the hours rack up on the meter I'll see less and less of the power drops and more of the "I can't believe it just did that" moments :thumbsup:

 

[Wacky]

Anything I have ever purchased new I ran it like I stoled it and never ever had an engine problem.

The first day I got my Kubota I ran it hard for 10 hours and never had a problem in the 10 years I owned it.

That is how I have been told to do by several dealers and have done that too! 55 hrs., and I swear it is getting stronger?!:confused2:

 

[Gobblin Tom]

I drag a set of steel beams on a chain behind my tractor on my driveway to smooth it out. When I do this I run in low range at 2500 rpm and it seems to bog down a good bit when going back up my driveway. It may be because the ground is soft in places, just not sure? I did notice yesterday while mowing in low range it would drop about 600-700 rpm while going back up the hill and then recover... I'm just hoping it gets stronger with time!!! I can't complain to much though, it has saved me a lot of work and my grass cutting went from 2 1/2 - 3 hrs to 1 hour yesterday!!!!

 

[PCABE5]

After reading the post about running out of power, is there a reasonable break in period on tractors? I have worked my 2520 pretty hard and have around 15 hours on it. Sometimes I think it is under powered and other times it surprises me! It makes me curious what everyone else thinks????

Brake-in will be different for each of us as it will depend on how hard it has had to work. Doing stuff that will put a load on the engine will help with break-in. After 50 hours replace your break-in oils but it will more than likely not be broke in yet. I would guess that you will see improvements all the way up to 100-150 hours of use and longer for users that do not work it hard. I would recommend don't do a lot of idling (I would say greater than 5 minutes) and work it hard and don't baby it.

The reality is the power issues are rare with the 2520. Most posters are impressed with what it can do, I know I am, but there is that post on lack of power but there is something else going on I suspect as it is far from normal. Having traded my 2320 I can compare the two and the new 2520 has a lot more power doing the same work.

I know this probably didn't answer your question but as you already know there are a lot of variables.