Backhoe Backhoe question for JD2520

[North of 60]

Newbie here - I purchased a JD2520 a year ago and now falling into the abyss of what other attachments and toys I can get for my little green monster.

My question - I am considering a backhoe and have read alot about the Woods BH70-X - is this too much for my JD2520? or should I stick with the JD 446. My main uses will be small trenching, small tree stumps, & other odd jobs around the yard. Assuming there is a 4pt (sub-frame) available for the 2520 ...anybody have any experience in this.

Any info is appreciated.

thx.

 

[Gizmo2]

Does JD make a 446 yet or is it still the 46?

 

[jimgerken]

The 46 fits the 2520. It has a full subframe that puts a lot of the stress onto the loader mounting arms, way up on the sides of the engine area. Anything less than the full subframe plan risks pulling a big chunk of jagged cast iron out of the back end of your tractor. I just traded in a perfect little one-year-old 46 backhoe, as I trade in my 2520 for a bigger tractor. If you are near southern Minnesota....

 

[Rob-D]

I'd go with the 46 BH. It is designed for the 2 series and works well.

Rob

 

[Paystar]

When you have the JD backhoe on a 2520, can you still put on the mid mount mower? I read in one of the JD forums that (I can't remember which is which) but between the 2320, 2520 and 2720 some say you have to unbolt the frame mounts that the bh subframe connects to to put the mower back on and one of those models you don't?

 

[jdbower]

You can't have both the mower and the backhoe on at the same time, but switching between the two isn't awful. I don't think there's an issue with the mechanical lift version other than needing to remove the deck first, but here's how to switch with the independent lift which is slightly more involved (four bolts and a few hairpins and the like).

 

[Rob-D]

JD says the MMM and the BH are not compatable. When I had my 2320 I also had the MMM and the BH. In order to put to BH on I had to remove the front mounts for the BH under carriage. They mount to the FEL mounts on the tractor. It wasn't that it was terribly hard to do but it wasn't "tool less" and what invariably happened is that the lawns would go unmowed because once the BH was on and the arms adjusted just right we became reluctant to remove them, besides the fact that the nuts are not designed to constantly be removed. Remember too that you have to take off the FEL unless you want to mow with that thing bouncing up and down! So there's considerable work to make the transition in my view.
On the 2720 the frony bracket arms for the BH take much more work to get off.(I don't know if the new 2320 has the better arms). I went with a Ztrak to do the grounds and I like this option much better. Several people have commented that they have done the same.
The lawns get mowed and when I take the BH off to put on 3pt. implements it's an easy transfer.
It depends on how much BH work you do and how much mowing you do but the MMM runs about $2500.00 (more if you get the hydro lift which drops out half the time) and for another $1000.0 you can get a Ztrak that is much faster, gets in and out of places better and has a wash out port for the deck and other options that tilted getting it over the MMM for me.
One more thing. I can take out the Ztrak when the lawns are still a little damp from the rain and it mows fine. I wouldn't take the tractor on the lawns if they were even slightly wet and we get lots of rain here!

Rob

 

[jdbower]

JD says the MMM and the BH are not compatable. When I had my 2320 I also had the MMM and the BH.

That's odd, the 2520 doesn't need to remove the front BH brackets at all - just the lift kit. But there are subtle differences between the 2320/2520/2720 geometries that may cause issue.

 

[Rob-D]

That's odd, the 2520 doesn't need to remove the front BH brackets at all - just the lift kit. But there are subtle differences between the 2320/2520/2720 geometries that may cause issue.

JD,
What I found was that the MMM would only go up about half way as it hit the brackets on the 2320. It wasn't that you couldn't get it on, it wasn't fully funtional. I had the hydro lift kit too but I'm not sure what difference it made although I didn't have to remove it.

 

[Paystar]

Thanks for clearing that up. Like I said, I did read somewhere that one of the 2000 series you didn't have to unbolt those mounting brackets and the others you did, I just wasn't sure of which. Kinda funny they would be different?