2520 popping out of 4WD

[megaboz]

How do you figure that is a foot activated lever? Because of a video?
If that is JD's idea of a foot activated lever,some engineer is getting paid way too much money.
Funny,I never even thought of the lever that way. I always thought,and still do think of it as a hand engagement lever. One thing for sure,I'll never have to worry about applying too much pressure.

Greg

I guess since my dealer told me as well, the video showed it, and the fact that I couldn't reach it with my hand would be part of the reasons.

Just like the locking in the rear wheels, ever try that with boots on when you wear a size 12? My foot doesn't fit there and they call that a foot lever.

 

[Gobblin Tom]

I sure hope they are!!!! Just don't seem right with the false advertisement. If something like this happened and you were out of warranty they would probably just say "Well it says in your manual to avoid damage use your hand".... Hopefully my chains will be in soon and I will send it over for the repair, my fear is that they take it apart and the spring and balls are intact, then what? I went to the dealer and ordered a new Stihl chainsaw on Saturday, we talked about the tractor a little but more about the chainsaws....

 

[Larry 111]

Goblin Tom, just read the whole post about your 2520 popping out of 4-wheel drive automatically while going down hill. Same thing is happening to me with my 07-2520, found out one day like you going down hilll pulling a trailer when it decided to want to be in 2 wheel drive. Problem is that when that happens, you also have only two(rear) wheel braking, which means the rear tires are probably locked and skidding down the hill while your trying to jam the brake pedal through the floorboard deciding how to stop the tractor. Makes you realize the meaning of "pucker factor" while sitting on your tractor!

Four wheel brakes only work in four wheel drive, so I try to always remember to keep my foot on the four wheel brake lever when going down hill so as not to get another "joy" ride. I was thinking of adding some kind of locking lever to the floorboard to mechanically hold down the lever but haven't really looked into it yet, looking forward to see the outcome after your dealer checks it out.

Had a problem with my brakes holding enough while parked up or down hill, a search on this forumn will help you adjust your brake linkage for the 2520 so you can lock it in solid when parking. Other problems was with the rear draft arms rubbing, also covered in great detail on this forumn, I was able to get the dealer to cover the full cost of replacement. Lastly, had an issue with the mid-mount mower staying up while using the three point hitch, guess where I found info on how to take care of that situation--gotta love this forumn!!

Best of luck at the dealer, all in all, still love my 2520 tractor, don't know what I'd do with out it!

 

[Gobblin Tom]

Goblin Tom, just read the whole post about your 2520 popping out of 4-wheel drive automatically while going down hill. Same thing is happening to me with my 07-2520, found out one day like you going down hilll pulling a trailer when it decided to want to be in 2 wheel drive. Problem is that when that happens, you also have only two(rear) wheel braking, which means the rear tires are probably locked and skidding down the hill while your trying to jam the brake pedal through the floorboard deciding how to stop the tractor. Makes you realize the meaning of "pucker factor" while sitting on your tractor!

Four wheel brakes only work in four wheel drive, so I try to always remember to keep my foot on the four wheel brake lever when going down hill so as not to get another "joy" ride. I was thinking of adding some kind of locking lever to the floorboard to mechanically hold down the lever but haven't really looked into it yet, looking forward to see the outcome after your dealer checks it out.

Had a problem with my brakes holding enough while parked up or down hill, a search on this forumn will help you adjust your brake linkage for the 2520 so you can lock it in solid when parking. Other problems was with the rear draft arms rubbing, also covered in great detail on this forumn, I was able to get the dealer to cover the full cost of replacement. Lastly, had an issue with the mid-mount mower staying up while using the three point hitch, guess where I found info on how to take care of that situation--gotta love this forumn!!

Best of luck at the dealer, all in all, still love my 2520 tractor, don't know what I'd do with out it!

That is the thing that worries me?? I just wander if there are a lot more people that would have this issue if they tried the exact same thing I did? Maybe there is nothing wrong with the spring and balls and their placement. Maybe the issue is a week spring?? I guess we wont know until someone else tries some of these same tasks. My tractor has loaded rear wheels, had the rear blade on and heaping buckets of dirt/rock mixture on a steep incline. Maybe its just too much weight to hold back on the front end? Maybe we should see if some other members can test it out and see what happens???

 

[bz1]

I would bet what happened here is JD originally intended this to be a foot actuated lever but had problems with people standing on it and breaking something. So they added the note to the manual but never changed their advertising. As I think back in time I had a 1998 JD4100 that had the identical linkage. The manual on that machine told you to operate it with your foot if I remember correctly. When I got my 2008 JD2520 I noticed the manual had the warning to hand operate. I know I've seen a few guys on the forum who have the older 4100 machines, maybe they could look this up to verify.

 

[smalltown]

Tom my new 2520 arived (post on the JD pricing section)
I was thinking of you and you 4WD issue as I ran my tractor yesterday for the first time

I have been operating the 4WD each pass throught a soft gravel area then immediately after I take it out of 4WD. So I have used the lever quite a bit yesterday and today

When I engage my 4WD lever with my hand there is a definite tactile indication it has gone into 4WD. It feels like I have moved from one detent to another.

I noticed two things: The first couple of times I tried the lever I would push down and the 4WD light would illuminate, but unless I pushed further and felt the detent it wasn't in 4WD.

I also noticed that when coming out of 4WD that sometimes while gently pulling up on the lever it needed a little forward or reverse pedal to apparently releive pressure (what felt like gears)and it would slide very easily out of 4WD.

 

[megaboz]

As for geting out of 4 wd I usually just try to drive straight and it slides right out.

 

[pdp11]

I finally got to sit down in front of a real computer with the service manual. Here is a picture of the FWD output shaft that shows the collar and detent balls.

 

[Gobblin Tom]

Tom my new 2520 arived (post on the JD pricing section)
I was thinking of you and you 4WD issue as I ran my tractor yesterday for the first time

I have been operating the 4WD each pass throught a soft gravel area then immediately after I take it out of 4WD. So I have used the lever quite a bit yesterday and today

When I engage my 4WD lever with my hand there is a definite tactile indication it has gone into 4WD. It feels like I have moved from one detent to another.

I noticed two things: The first couple of times I tried the lever I would push down and the 4WD light would illuminate, but unless I pushed further and felt the detent it wasn't in 4WD.

I also noticed that when coming out of 4WD that sometimes while gently pulling up on the lever it needed a little forward or reverse pedal to apparently releive pressure (what felt like gears)and it would slide very easily out of 4WD.

When I put mine in 4wd by hand it feels like it engages also, thats what I was worried about that if it was just not made to hold all the weight back going down a steep incline... I wish I could have someone here doing the same job and see if theirs popped out.....

 

[wooden]

Ok so I checked under the tractor where the 4wd lever is and there is an electronic button there. There was definitely nothing in the way or preventing it from moving. Does anyone know if that switch is just for the 4wd light? Does that 4wd lever switch something internally? It moved about a half inch from the end of the switch....

Time to weigh in. I have a 2720 with the same problem My tractor just went past 70 hours. We have exactly the same problem as I have a steep section of land that I cut with the MMM. I have a ballast box with about 200 lbs of led in it but I never have load in the Loader when I cut that field. Always on the down hill run , it will pop out 2 - 3 times per pass. I find it annoying because if the grass is wet I will pick up speed, which could be dangerous. There is no mud or anything that is holding it out ,and it engages properly when I shift into 4WD Is there an adjustment of any kind that I may try? The 2720 and 2520 are the same tractor except I have a little more HP @ 31.4 I believe the 2520 is 26 HP?