1971 2520 John Deere

G-Daddy

New User
Looking at a 2520 Row Crop Diesel Tractor to purchase. Owner says the shifter doesn't always go in gear smoothly and the tractor has to warm up about 5 to 10 minutes before the power steering starts working. I would like input on the shifter repair or rebuild and the power steering issue. Thanks.
 

Welcome to YT
I'll recommend to change hyd filter & check/clean hyd sump screen. Check shifter linkage for correct adjustment & remove any looseness in quadrant on dash with new bushings & shim washers.
 
Sooner or later you will have to rebuild the top shaft in the trans. That is expensive but there are a few things to do that might make it go a long time before that. Like Jim said below go over all the gear shift linkage taking out as much play as possible. Usually the block in the gear shift itself needs replaced. Take all the end play out of the shifter shafts and make sure the holes in them are not wore egg shaped. I also replace the shifter detents in the trans case. The originals are a pointer with a spring. I replace them with ones from a late 4230-4430 which are a steel ball and a retainer. Sometimes you have to use different springs. My dealer keeps a box of different ones and sends them along and mix and match to get what I like. The ball fits the shifter cam much better than the pointer. Even a cam with a bad groove wore in it from the pointer can be made to work a good while longer. It is not uncommon to have to wait on steering when you first start a Deere new generation tractor. There is an update kit that puts a check valve in the hyd line to keep oil from draining away from pump and can greatly help with the problem. A 2520 and especially a diesel is a great 60 hp. tractor and should hold it's value as they are very sought after. I have a 1972 2520 diesel and a 2510 diesel. Tom
 
Probably the check valve is bad allowing oil to drain back while not running.
Hard to get in gear could be clutch dragging. Hard to get in gear w/o gears buzzing
is worn synchronizers. If it will go in gear if you are careful you might want to
live with it that way. Parts are probably over $2000.
 
Thanks for the info, my friend said the same, he thinks I can do some adjustments and make it shift better before any major work needs to done.
 
I have some more questions since you own one. Will the 2520 Diesel pull a 3 bottom plow and will it pull a 3 point, 8ft, 24 disc harrow with no problems. Thanks
 
Dad had a brand new 2520 and with the fuel pump turned up he pulled a 4 bottom IH 710 reset plow. We had fairly light ground. You should be fine with three sixteen bottoms or if you have heavy soil consider three fourteen inch bottoms. I have never had a plow hooked to the one I have as we have several 4020's for the little bit of plowing we do. Tom
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top