7520 Update after 20 hours...

CuzPat62 · Aug 24, 2006

I have 20.2 hours on my Mahindra 7520 4 WD. So far, I have had several annoying problems with my tractor.

(1.) Last weekend my brother in law borrowed it to pick up some pallets of centipede sod. We put the pallet forks on the loader (ML275) and the loader would not pick up a pallet of the sod. We had to unload half the sod off of a pallet before the loader would pick it up. All of those present made fun of my tractor because it would not pick up a full pallet of sod. This loader has a 3900 lb. lift capacity. Surely that pallet of sod weighed less than that. What's wrong here?

(2.) I have a severe leak on the cylinder or the fittings on the hydrostatic steering. It leaks a 10 inch puddle of power steering fluid each night when it is parked.

(3.) Fuel guage is not working properly. I used it 5 hours the other day mowing hay. It was full when I started. When I got through it was on empty and the low fuel light was on. Tractor has a 15.57 gallon tank. When I filled it back up it only held 8.5 gallons. I used it two hours yesterday and it went from full to 1/2 tank in 2 hours time. Another day it was on empty and I put 2.5 gallons in it and the guage went to 3/4 tank.

(4.) Left front headlamp already burnt out.

(5.) Steering wheel upside down. With the tractor running and parked I can turn the steering wheel 360 degrees and never turn the front wheels in either direction. Drive it straight down the road and one minute the steering wheel is right side up and the next it's upside down and I haven't even made a turn. What's wrong here?

(6.) Park brake will not hold tractor on even a slight incline when it is engaged.

As of right now, my Mahindra experience has not been pleasant. I have spent a lot of money on the purchase of this tractor and I am very disappointed in it so far. I just hope that my dealer will get all this straightened out. Right now I'd let them have it back if they would take it back.

BobG_in_VA · Aug 24, 2006

CuzPat62 said:
I have 20.2 hours on my Mahindra 7520 4 WD. So far, I have had several annoying problems with my tractor.

.

Sorry to hear about your situation. You shouldn't have had that many problems with 2000 hours, much less 20.....Sounds like your dealer needs to give your Tractor a once over, but good. For your pain he ought to do a 50 check up NOW, and fix everything. Your warranty covers pretty much everything you mentioned. By the way, how does the engine run?? BobG in VA

DavesTractor · Aug 25, 2006

CuzPat62 said:
I have 20.2 hours on my Mahindra 7520 4 WD. So far, I have had several annoying problems with my tractor.

(1.) Last weekend my brother in law borrowed it to pick up some pallets of centipede sod. We put the pallet forks on the loader (ML275) and the loader would not pick up a pallet of the sod. We had to unload half the sod off of a pallet before the loader would pick it up. All of those present made fun of my tractor because it would not pick up a full pallet of sod. This loader has a 3900 lb. lift capacity. Surely that pallet of sod weighed less than that. What's wrong here?

(2.) I have a severe leak on the cylinder or the fittings on the hydrostatic steering. It leaks a 10 inch puddle of power steering fluid each night when it is parked.

(3.) Fuel guage is not working properly. I used it 5 hours the other day mowing hay. It was full when I started. When I got through it was on empty and the low fuel light was on. Tractor has a 15.57 gallon tank. When I filled it back up it only held 8.5 gallons. I used it two hours yesterday and it went from full to 1/2 tank in 2 hours time. Another day it was on empty and I put 2.5 gallons in it and the guage went to 3/4 tank.

(4.) Left front headlamp already burnt out.

(5.) Steering wheel upside down. With the tractor running and parked I can turn the steering wheel 360 degrees and never turn the front wheels in either direction. Drive it straight down the road and one minute the steering wheel is right side up and the next it's upside down and I haven't even made a turn. What's wrong here?

(6.) Park brake will not hold tractor on even a slight incline when it is engaged.

As of right now, my Mahindra experience has not been pleasant. I have spent a lot of money on the purchase of this tractor and I am very disappointed in it so far. I just hope that my dealer will get all this straightened out. Right now I'd let them have it back if they would take it back.

Bummer about the problems. Get it to your dealer, but let me make some comments.
1) Unless the pressure relief is set wrong (easy to test and adjust by the dealer), it will lift 3900 at the back edge of the bucket. A 3000 lb pallet of sod, centered 24" out from the pins would be too heavy. Forks center the weight out a ways. I don't know just how heavy a pallet of sod is, but I know my 5000 lb Hyster feels it when I lift a pallet. Remember, even a big tractor makes a little forklift. Even so, have the dealer test it.
2) Perhaps a loose hose or fitting? Put a wrench on it and check. It surely shouldn't leak.
3) Sounds like a bad sending unit, easy fix.
4) Light bulb, dealer will replace.
5) Hydrostatic steering, this is the nature of the beast on most all modern tractors. There is no mechanical connection, all hydraulic, totally normal.
6) Needs adjustment.

Sounds like the tractor needed a better pre-delivery inspection. These items are easy to fix, but it's too bad you are having to deal with it. I hope my comments help.

CuzPat62 · Aug 25, 2006

Dave,
I talked to the fella at the sod farm today where the sod was purchased from. He told me that a pallet weighed 2000 lbs. If it was wet it would weigh 2500 lbs. All of these were dry. I realize with the weight being more out front that it would change the lift capacity some but it still seems to me that a tractor this size and with the largest loader Mahindra sells, it ought to be able to pick up 2000 lbs. I may be wrong on this though. When I say it would not pick it up, I'm not meaning that it wouldn't pick it up high. I mean it would not lift it a single inch off the ground.

On the steering, that is normal for the steering wheel to change orientation to such a degree that I described?

While talking to my dealer, he informed me that Mahindra has issued a recall on the cylinders on the loader that controls the dump/roll-back of the bucket and other loader attachments. It seems that they have had some cylinders to break while the buckets were under load. He said when the cylinders come in that he will come to my house to replace them and that they will work on all of these problems then.

I have another brother in law that was going to purchase the same tractor that I bought and he has been seeing all these problems on mine. Yesterday he went and bought a orange tractor simply because of what he witnessed going on with mine. Someone somewhere down the line should have done a better inspection on my tractor than what was done, as you stated. It cost Mahindra a sell on a unit. Someone at Mahindra should know that.

By the way, Dave, seeing as you seem to be a well informed Mahindra dealer, I have another question for you. Because of the inaccuracy of the fuel guage, I have been unable to verify the fuel consumption on this tractor. How many gallons per hour will this tractor use? 7520 4WD with the ML 275 loader. I would like to know and my dealer seemed to have no idea. He sells Case, Kubota, and Mahindra tractors and they seem to know more about the Kubota and Case lines than they do on the Mahindras.

Thanks for you help and replies.

DavesTractor · Aug 25, 2006

CuzPat,

It shouldn't have any problem lifting 2000-2500lb off the ground on a pallet. You have a problem, but these problems are normally an easy fix. The steering wheel issue has been mentioned before, not just Mahindra, but most all modern tractors. The cylinder recall is for the dump cylinders. It won't affect lift capacity, but will make them stronger against breakage. I believe the cylinder size will remain the same, but the inner rod size is being increased.

There is nothing like being embarrassed in front of friends. My 2006 Dodge diesel pickup occasionally takes forever to start...it just cranks and cranks...but it only does it when my Chevy friends are watching. I could shoot it, so I know how you feel.

Let the dealer get you fixed up, then put the pallet forks on and then see what it can lift. I have a 7520 4wd and haven't found anything I can't lift with it.

Sorry about the problems, it stinks, but they are all easily fixable.

SPYDERLK · Aug 25, 2006

CuzPat62,
I have a 7520 like yours - - 90hrs. I have broken one curl cylinder - upgraded under warranty. The position of your steering wheel will vary, but it should have no "play" with the engine running. The wheels should turn right now as you turn your steering wheel! From what youve said I think you have troubles in both hydraulic systems. Your main system sounds like it is low on fluid and that may be coupled with too low a setting on the loader pressure relief valve. - When you curl your bucket back and hold it at the stop can you hear the idling engine start to work? Mine lifts 2500 pallet ok. This is enuf to make the filled rears almost dance w/o counterweight. Do your brakes work at all? If so I cant see how the parking brake wouldnt, since it justholds the brake pedal down. Pls keep us apprised on the solutions to these puzzles.
Larry

MtnViewRanch · Aug 25, 2006

CuzPat62, I am really sorry to hear about your problems with the 7520.

Hopefully your dealer will get everything fixed. I pick up a 2000lb flail mower like it is nothing. I have picked up my medium duty (2200lbs ?) offset disk using my 960lb grapple with no problems other than being a little light on the rear.

The disks were chained to the grapple 3' out, which equals a lot of weight. You should be able to pick up that sod with no problems at all.

I think that your steering problem could be from the oil leak, but no way should the wheel turn as you are moving straight. As other people have said, the wheel will end up in different orientations as the tractor is used due to the hydraulic steering. I am guessing that you are loosing a lot of fluid at the leaking fitting when you turn the steering wheel and the front tires do not turn.

As SPYDERLK said, do your brakes work? The parking brake is directly related to the foot brakes.
The sending unit and light bulb are no big deal, and easily fixed.

Fuel consumption varies greatly. It all depends on what you are doing. I use about 1 1/2 GPH when discing, 1 GPH while heavy grading and far less when grading my roads and other light clean up. You can not get a mileage rating (GPH) that is accurate. Your situation for work is just that, yours and no one else's.

Hopefully your dealer will take care of your problems, once they are fixed your brother in law will be sorry that he went another way. The 7520 is simply an awsome machine. Let us know how everything works out.

Good luck Brian

VistanTN · Aug 26, 2006

Only one thing to add to the responses from others. I have a 6500 4WD and the parking brake adjustment is just a twist of the knob at the end of the parking brake handle -- mine wasn't all that tight when I got it -- dealer is on the flat and I'm sure it held there, but on my hills it would creep. 10 second adjustment. As to the lift capacity, I've had pallets of rocks on mine, but not fully loaded. Whoever said that the biggest tractor with forks is a small fork lift wasn't kidding. Loaders can handle a reasonably full bucket of dirt, but a pallet can be loaded WAY heavier than that, especially with rock or wet sod. Forklifts I've used have been 6,000 lb and 15,000 lab -- that's way bigger than forks on a loader ...
VistanTN

Keith_B · Aug 26, 2006

CuzPat62 said:
I have 20.2 hours on my Mahindra 7520 4 WD. So far, I have had several annoying problems with my tractor.

(1.) Last weekend my brother in law borrowed it to pick up some pallets of centipede sod. We put the pallet forks on the loader (ML275) and the loader would not pick up a pallet of the sod. We had to unload half the sod off of a pallet before the loader would pick it up. All of those present made fun of my tractor because it would not pick up a full pallet of sod. This loader has a 3900 lb. lift capacity. Surely that pallet of sod weighed less than that. What's wrong here?

(2.) I have a severe leak on the cylinder or the fittings on the hydrostatic steering. It leaks a 10 inch puddle of power steering fluid each night when it is parked.

(3.) Fuel guage is not working properly. I used it 5 hours the other day mowing hay. It was full when I started. When I got through it was on empty and the low fuel light was on. Tractor has a 15.57 gallon tank. When I filled it back up it only held 8.5 gallons. I used it two hours yesterday and it went from full to 1/2 tank in 2 hours time. Another day it was on empty and I put 2.5 gallons in it and the guage went to 3/4 tank.

(4.) Left front headlamp already burnt out.

(5.) Steering wheel upside down. With the tractor running and parked I can turn the steering wheel 360 degrees and never turn the front wheels in either direction. Drive it straight down the road and one minute the steering wheel is right side up and the next it's upside down and I haven't even made a turn. What's wrong here?

(6.) Park brake will not hold tractor on even a slight incline when it is engaged.

As of right now, my Mahindra experience has not been pleasant. I have spent a lot of money on the purchase of this tractor and I am very disappointed in it so far. I just hope that my dealer will get all this straightened out. Right now I'd let them have it back if they would take it back.

Does the 7520 have a common hydraulic reservoir for the power steering and the remaining hydraulics? If you have lost enough fluid from the leak it could cause some of the problems. I know on my 4110 if the fluid gets to low I lose steering, loader operation and 3PT operation. If it is a loose fitting causing the leak then tighten it and check the level of your hytrans fluid.

In regards to the orientation of your steering wheel, the steering is hydrostatic, not power assisted like an automobile.

musa_marketing · Aug 30, 2006

CuzPat,

Please contact your dealer regarding your issues. If you need any further assistance, please send an email to marketing@mahindrausa.com and I will get our tech service support department to work on this.