1520 tractor splitting in half

[Anonymous Poster]

just needed to know if a friend is right. He tells me that a 1520 with a loader and a backhoe installed if worked hard the tractor will break in two at the clutch housing. has anyone else heard anything like this? Im told this by a man who works for n/h. Mine is a 1990 4x4 hydro with both a front loader and a backhoe .I love it so far, I only have it 4 weeks and now I wonder if im going to have trouble if I work the loader or backhoe to much. thank you

 

[Bird]

Brad, I don't remember where to find them on the forum, but yes, there has been a good bit of discussion on that topic, and apparently it has happened from time to time. I don't have a backhoe, so maybe some others can tell you more, but I think it's mostly a matter of using a little common sense with the backhoe to prevent excessive stress on the tractor.

Bird

 

[JATO_RaT]

Brad, I had a 2120 that continuously had the main bolts between the engine/bell housing and transmission loosen up. It got so bad that after a days work some had completely backed out. To make matters worse, it would loose a bunch of hydraulic fluid. It seemed to be most noticeable with heavy loader use. I'm not sure, but after cleaning, priming the threads with Kleen Kote (a primer to make LocTite stronger) Loctite and tightening the bolts tight I might have licked the problem. You see with out those bolts tight, the interface between the 2 halves also add to the strentgh and without that mate, things wiggle around a bunch. Make sure bolts are tight. The 2120 was not what it should have been. I think the diesel engine is weak on that model especially for its size and price. The Boomers are certainly a welcome addition that was needed in the NH tractor lineup. Rat...

 

[TomG]

A backhoe can put a lot of stress on a tractor. Tractors aren't necessarily designed for hoes, much like older tractors weren't designed for loaders.

You should take care using the hoe. There's a lot of hydraulic power at the end of long arms that provide a lot of leverage to multiple forces applied to the tractor. The hoe mount makes a big difference to how a tractor is stressed by the hoe. A sub-frame mount distributes forces more evenly across the frame than a 3ph mount.

I have a 6.5' 3ph hoe on a Ford 1710. I like the convenience of the 3ph, the soil is sandy here, and I don't use the hoe regularly. Never the less, I take care not to work the hoe too hard. I wouldn't try to move a big rock in a trench or break a big root. I also try to keep the digging fairly close to the tractor to reduce the leverage and force applied to the tractor (However, not too close or else you end up with you and the tractor in the hole).

I believe that a 6.5' 3ph hoe combined with educated operating technique is OK for my tractor, and it also gets the work I done that I need to do. However, I do have to remind myself not to get carried away with having TRACTOR POWER. A 1520 is one step smaller than my 1710. If it's a 6' 3ph hoe on the 1520, the tractor is more vulnerable to stress failure than mine and more care should be taken.

 

[Rowski]

Rat

I curious as to what makes you think the engines are weak? Was or is there anything one could do to help it out, i.e advance injector pump timming. Also you mention to me when I first got the tractor to keep an eye on those trans bolts (and agian in this post). I checked them today (100 service performed, 150 total hours) the ones that are easy to get at were tight and no fluid leaking. So far there hasn't been any problems with the tractor at all. Are there any other things to look out for on this tractor? Thanks

Derek

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I have seen this happen. A friend owned a rental agency and had a 1720 which usually went out with a 3 pt. hitch backhoe attached . When it broke, it wasn't at the bellhousing but right between the operators' feet. Tractor was in two pieces but the operator escaped without a scratch{ I suspect he needed a change of underwear}. The broken casting was very thin on one side and the the unit was probably being used very hard, read abused. Ford refused to provide any warranty assistance even though the tractor was a few months old with only about a hundred hrs. on it. Their argument was that only sub-frame mounted backhoes could be covered by a warranty even though they hadn't mentioned that when he bought the equipment.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

my 1520 has a 757 b hoe it slips over the pins where the 3point hitch use to be with two long steel 3in c chanel extending to where the engine meets the hydro where it is pined to two brackets that are bolted to the side mounts of the eng like where a mid mount mower would be mounted is this the type that you say would have been covered thanks alot for all the post

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Brad. The incident I described happened about 10 yrs. ago and I wasn't directly involved, so I really could'nt say what their requirments were. I suggest you have a talk with your dealer to see if your mounting system is considered adequate. It sounds from your description that it is. Dave

 

[JATO_RaT]

Derek, That is all that I have found wrong on this tractor. Believe me that I am being a little picky when it comes to any tractor. I do find all of them to be a great asset. The 2120 may have a weak engine for its size/price, but still I must admit, does little to diminish its usefullness. I guess what ends up happening on a forum like this is you find yourself wanting to participate and when that oppourtunity presents itself, you delve into whatever experiences you have had. You always remember the less fourtunate ones and tend to overlook the good ones as the norm. At any rate, I still consider the 2120 a pretty decent tractor. Rat...

 

[Rowski]

Rat

<font color=blue>You always remember the less fourtunate ones and tend to overlook the good ones as the norm.</font color=blue>

Now that you mention it, it is so true. I do it in my profession. Someone asks me what I think about a certain model of car, I alway seem to list the negitives first. Sometimes after you make a big purchase (like a tractor) you get a little funny feeling like you may have gotten the wrong one or options. The only reason why I ended up with the 2120 but more so HN is the price. The bigger TC were not availible (at my dealer) when I got the 2120. The only thing that I regret is getting the gear instead of shuttle shift. May be in a few years or 500ish hours (if resale value is good) I might sell and get something else. But for now it better than a shovel and wheel-barrow. Thanks again Rat.

Derek