Now in its fourth printing with 15 more pages, this is the handbook of the John Deere model “A,” 1934-1938. A book that should be on the “must read” list of any unstyled “A” owner. There is probably no other book on the market that goes into so much detail on a single model of tractor. Shows illustrations of nearly every change made in the parts that make up the unstyled “A.” 95 pages, 11x8-1/2 inches, soft cover.
Both books include history, specifications, serial numbers, original prices and much more A Specialized Look Into
The Handbook of the John Deere Model B 1934-1938
The same types of information as available in the book above, except now about the model “B,” written and compiled by a panel of experts who have spent decades collecting and restoring the unstyled version of Deere’s most popular tractor. This book shows nearly every change made in the parts that make up the unstyled “B.” 84 pages, 11”x8 ½”, soft cover, over 200 photos - most in color.
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The very first issue of Green Magazine was published in November of 1984, which by my count was 40 years ago. I guess that is quite a milestone and a little bit unbelievable to me. It’s bittersweet when I think about all of the friends we would not have known were we not in this business, and I remember all of the friends who have come and gone. Other than mentioning it here, we are not going to make a big deal of it, because frankly it seems that such anniversaries just come and go too fast. However, we do want to say a sincere thank you to all of the subscribers, past and present.
I consider John Deere’s 750 no-till grain drills one of the greatest implements the company produced. Right up there with the 14T baler, 40 series corn heads and MaxEmerge planters. The only thing I don’t like about it has to do with the hydraulics when used with a Generation II tractor. You see, the drill needs constant down pressure from the system and, as such, the hydraulic lever needs to be in the “down” (not float) position while working. To keep the lever in that position, Deere has provided the R52667 lever lock clip. Words cannot describe how much I hate this thing. The instructions in the manual make it sound easy to install, but I find it nearly impossible to do without breaking the slots in the console. Then when it is installed, it eventually wears grooves into the hydraulic lever deep enough that you begin to wonder if it is going to some day break off. I’m curious if anyone out there has found a better way. I wondered about, though haven’t really researched, if there is an electric add on valve out
there, something like the splitter valves you use when you don’t have enough outlets for a loader, that could be set for constant down pressure in one direction.
As I write this on October 1st, harvest is in full swing and probably half of the soybeans are already out of the field. Since we have had virtually nothing but hot and dry weather for the last two months, it seems like the beans got baked without the plants knowing they had reached maturity. This means the beans are in the single-digits moisture-wise, but the stems are green and in many cases so are the leaves and pods. It sure makes me glad that we have modern combines which can handle this sort of thing. I often think back to when I was a young farmer using a 4400 and cringing every time I would find some green stemmed plants. Or back when herbicides weren’t what they are today running into a giant sunflower or pigweed and hearing that “WHUUUMP” sound as the combine took it in and hoping that the next sound you heard wasn’t a belt squealing or the monitor buzzing. I did manage to make it to the Western Minnesota Show at Rollag in late August, which was another event with a great turnout of John Deeres. We will be running a few photos from the show over the next few months. It’s getting ever closer to Christmas, so don’t forget to order your 2025 Green Magazine calendars, featuring tractors built in 1958, either for yourself or for a gift. You can also order subscriptions and books, by phone or through our website.
See you next month.
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I really enjoy Green Magazine It’s been an invaluable source of information!
I’m 18 and started working on lawn mowers and small engines. I want to work my way up to tractors and stuff like that. So if somebody would like to help me out with this, I would really appreciate it.
I’m the oldest from a family of nine children. We are Amish. We live on a 62 acre farm. We raise about 15 acres of produce—a lot of peppers, cabbage, broccoli, beets and cauliflower, which goes directly to Heinens Stores in Cleveland and Chicago. The rest is in pasture and hay. We are currently switching from horse drawn farming to tractors.
LeRoy Keim, OH
I grew up on John Deere two cylinder tractors on our family’s farm. I began collecting the John Deere 20 series a few years ago and after obtaining the final tractor in the series, our daughter took a picture with all seven of our grandkids on a tractor beside our barn. My wife and I are standing in front. There are two 720s in my collection, one is gas and the other is diesel.
Dan Carter, MO
This 520 John Deere tractor, serial number 5208285, belongs to Dale and Carol Brooks of Sparta, Wisconsin.
Auction: Bob and the late Gary Buhrows
Complete clutch rebuild kits and clutch lining kits
&
cores, water pumps, bolt kits
PARTS TRACTORS
50 w/801 hitch • G • Uns A, 730G, 5020, Unstyled G, 430T, 2510 gas, 730 LP, 2010D, 530, Late 520, ’39 B, BN, 40U, ’53 AO, ’41 H, ‘46 A, late A’s, ‘46 B, late Bs, slant dash B, unstyled B, sty. D, G, unstyled L, M, MT, R, 40T, 40U, 40W, 70D std., 70G, 420U, 420W, 440 w/reverser and power steering, 440 gas, early & late 50s, early 60, 60 w/power block, 620, 620 LP, 630, 630 single front, 70G, 720G, 720 LP, 720D pony, 730D, 730G, 820, 1010, 2010, 2010D, 2010RU, 2020, 3010D, 3020, 4020D.
Most of these tractors are parted out & on the shelf—ready for quick shipment!
Oversize pistons available again for many two cylinder tractors
This year at Albert City Thresherman and Collectors Show, it was the “Year of John Deere.” At this Classic Green show, Hans Knutson from Hutchinson, Minnesota was set up with his beautiful John Deere tractors. Hans shared that he got started collecting when his dad, Grant, bought a “GP” in 1976. The “GP” was like his grandpa’s first tractor. Hans remembers the event. “In 1976, I was seven years old. We milked cows so there was not a lot of time for auctions and sales but occasionally my dad found a few tractors.”
Hans said, “After high school in 1987, I started collecting. I had John Deere ‘A’s,’ “Bs’ and ‘GPs.’ Later, I fell in love with the John Deere ‘Ds’.”
When asked what it was about the D that caught his interest, he said, “Just the way they were made—they made them for 30 years.”
His “D” collection is extensive and the plan has been to collect a “D” for each year they were made. Hans has made a big dent in his goal, however, currently he is missing six years: 1923, 1946, 1950, 1951 and 1953. He is still looking for a few variations.
“D” variations that Hans has added to his collection include Exhibit A and Exhibit B, a corn borer “D,” and industrial “D.” His collection is getting quite large. Currently Hans has “Ds” on four different farms, but plans to change that soon. He wants to put up a John Deere “D” Museum and hopes to do that next year.
When asked if he has a favorite “D” tractor, he said he has a few like his 1927 “D” that he plows with, and his 1928 Exhibit A John Deere “D.” This one is rather special. He said that these Exhibit A tractors were built in 1928. They built 96 of these experimental tractors with lots of variations like the three-speed transmission steering, using
a “GP” carburetor and manifold and magneto like that on a John Deere “GP.”
At Albert City, Hans brought seven “Ds” and a John Deere 8020. “I brought three loads down to Albert City, making three trips earlier in the week. On Thursday, I came with a semi and my wife, Tammy, also brought a load.”
About his 8020, he said that Deere only built 100 and there are about 80 still left.
Each of the John Deere “Ds” he brought to the show had something special about them. Hans said that the oldest “D” is the 113th John Deere “D” tractor built. It was 100 years old on Valentine’s Day. Another special aspect about this “D” is the roll down winter front, a popular option in Minnesota for their cold winters.
The second “D” was a 1924 that is his favorite to plow with. It was 100 years old in July and he bought it from a friend at an auction. The gentleman was supposed to come to Albert City to see the tractor restored, but sadly, the gentleman became ill and was unable to attend.
Another favorite John Deere at the show was his Exhibit A that he bought four years ago in Charles City, Iowa. This is a tractor that Hans took the paint off to bring it back to original. Hans finds he is drawn mostly to the original tractors: “When I see an old rusty one, I’m just glued to it,” he said.
Another Exhibit A was originally shipped to Bozeman, Montana. On this experimental tractor, he added a Moto meter, which was an option. The meter reads the temperature of the coolant. Hans also added wheel weights to the front, which is a very unusual option.
His 1937 “D” has special wheels referred to as skeletons. Hans said, “There are only four sets of these wheels known to exist.”
Hans’ 1934 “D” with spoke wheels has a KW lighting kit on it that was used during the Depression. Hans said that the “Ds” from 1931 to ’34 had a special feature that kept sparks from going out the exhaust, helping to prevent fires during dry field times. Most of them got taken off and
they later added mufflers, so this was a rare option.
The next “D” in his lineup was a rice “D” that he brought in Nebraska with the wide front and angle iron lugs called grousers. The front wheels are spreader work wheels that were made at the Deere spreader works factory.
The last “D” he brought to the show was a John Deere Exhibit B made in 1930. John Deere had 50 experimental Exhibit Bs. Out of those 50, 10 were made into crawlers. Hans Exhibit B is not a crawler, and was built with front wheels that are bigger, heavier and stronger, so they wouldn’t break. Some of the special aspects of this was a transmission cover crank case cover made from cast iron to add strength for the crawler tractors.
Hans, his wife Tammy, and the rest of the Knutson family are involved with the antique tractor hobby. Hans said, “My son is into them, he’s almost 18; my daughter, Isabelle, is 21 and going to school to be a dental hygienist.“
These days Hans keeps busy farming with his brother, Curt, where they still farm on family land. “We raise corn and soybeans mostly,” Hans said, adding, “In 1994, we quit milking cows so now we have more time for things like my ‘Ds’.”
Things have changed in how Hans finds and collects his tractors. “I used to enjoy live auctions and farm sales. You could visit with other collectors and meet new people. Now it’s just not the same anymore. Today, though, a lot of people are meeting through antique tractor Facebook groups.”
At this Albert City Classic Green Show, several
friends Hans met through the John Deere Facebook group were there—like Shannon from Pennsylvania, Brian Patterson, Harry Mullins and Kent Pribyl (who he said knows everything there is to know about John Deere “Ds.”) “Kent has an amazing collection; it’s probably the premier John Deere ‘D’ collection.”
Hans has traveled for his antique tractor hobby. He went to California a month ago and found a Deere that had been in an old barn for about 50 to 60 years. He’s been to Los Angeles for a plow, to Arkansas and Louisiana, where he has enjoyed different scenery like the cypress trees. “It’s so different down there—I’ve never seen anything like it. In California, I got to see orchards, and I met a super nice guy.”
The antique tractor hobby is a good one for Hans. He has traveled, found rare and unique tractors he was seeking, and met great people he now calls friends. Best of all, though, he shared his amazing collection so during the show touted as “The Year of John Deere,” visitors got a chance to see his amazing “Ds”!
My good friend, Marvin, has been gone nearly nine years, but rarely does a day go by when I am reminded of what he would have to say if he were still here. One of his favorite sayings when something was going badly
Zachary caught me with the camera by accident when I was working to find out why the plow quit rolling over.
Below: The 825 rollover plow nearly crated for the trip to Alaska.
was that Mr. Surprise just paid us a visit. Well, back in late summer 2023, while I had a visitor at my farm from Alaska to disassemble a three-bottom 825 two-way plow, Mr. Surprise caught me unaware that something was going to happen.
Before disassembling the 825 two-way plow, I wanted to show off the cylinder that it was fully functional (after I rebuilt it for the buyer) and had it hooked up to my 1958 720D. I fired up the tractor and rotated the plow back and forth a couple times just as I had done the night before. After maybe three complete rotations, the plow simply stopped turning over midrotation. I quickly discovered that the rockshaft would not lift either, which to me indicated that the Powr-Trol quit all together. Not having time to diagnose it at time, I lifted it off the tractor with
After some wrangling, the pump was out of the tractor.
the 148 loader on my 4020D and set to work making the plow fit into a four by five crate so it would efficiently ship to Alaska.
A few days after the 825 plow left on its journey to the other end of the continent, I took time to see why the Powr-Trol quit working. A quick check on the Powr-Trol engagement lever at the belly of the tractor revealed that the pump drive gear was engaged properly. For those who are not aware, on a 70-720-730 diesel, the Powr-Trol pump sits under the crankcase housing in approximately the same place that the starter would go on a gas/ propane/all-fuel model. I was hoping for perhaps a simple explanation of what caused the system to stop working, but I was left with more questions than answers.
Sheared driveshaft on the PowrTrol pump.
After some consideration of what might be the problem, I decided to remove the pump from the belly of the 720D. Removing the pump should be no problem; however, I learned that I had forgotten what exactly had to be done to efficiently remove the pump. I resealed the pump back in 2004 when I first purchased the tractor from Colorado and got it running again and it turns out that after some 20 years having not done the same repair job since then, my brain had misplaced some of the details. I set to work with a large drain pan next to me with a couple seed sacks on the ground to keep the dust off my back (I really ought to buy a good mechanics creeper).
I loosened the hydraulic lines
One little steel linkage pin caused the pump failure.
Below: 720D rockshaft housing with the top cover plate removed. I was last in there in the early 2000s to replace the load shaft bushings and seals.
into the pump and was able to pull out the high pressure line, but the supply line was too tight and required removing the left brake assembly and the line retainer on the rockshaft housing. With those parts out of the way, I employed my M18 Milwaukee 3/8 impact with a swivel socket to remove the three mounting bolts. It held tight to the crankcase housing from the coating of RTV silicone from 2004 so it took a prybar to persuade it loose. The pump was heavy but I managed to do this with only upper body strength.
Mister Surprise was at it again because behind that pump drive gear was engine oil at a level which dumped
With the spring and cover removed, the dash pot piston cavity was full of metallic sludge.
Below: I should have weighed the rockshaft when it came out of the housing. That thing was heavy!
at least a pint of oil on the ground before I shoved the pump back into the housing and sought to completely drain the crankcase oil. After spending another hour draining the oil and cleaning up the mess on the shop floor, I set to work disassembling the Powr-Trol pump on the workbench.
Grease did not stop hydraulic oil as the original lip seals were bad, allowing oil to leak out and collect dust and grime.
Below: Notice the hole near my thumb where the oil sump is located. The oil from the sump exits at the top next to the rockshaft through an internal cavity in the casting.
It was immediately obvious why the pump stopped working; the splined drive shaft pulled right out of the pump, revealing that it was completely sheared off. Yes, the shaft was broken, but I wondered what caused this mess. After a few minutes, I had the pump body apart and the culprit was staring
With the tractor in pieces, I decided to install a throttle friction lever rebuild kit from Green Parts of VA. I had been putting this repair off for years of having the throttle fail to stay in place.
Below: I got creative when it came to cleaning out the rockshaft housing. With about 10 feet of fuel hose, I made use of my parts washer brush and collected the solvent with a large steel pan. After four pans full dumped back into the parts washer, I deemed the rockshaft housing clean.
right at me. It turned out that a steel pin the diameter of an ink pen and about one inch long had been sucked up into the pump and wedged tight between the pump body and one of the gears. Wear on the gears indicated that the pin spent some time in that pump before it wedged tight. It is worth mentioning that I had to drive the pin loose from the crook in the housing with a punch and hammer!
Knowing the pump was completely ruined, I called my friend, Tom Ziegler, to see if he had a replacement pump. He found two pumps in his collection of parts and noted to me that in all his years of dealing in spare parts for two-cylinder tractors that not one person had before asked after a 70-720-730 diesel Powr-Trol pump. He sent both pumps with me and said that he did not want to see the extra one back, citing a lack of demand.
Back home with the used hydraulic pumps, I decided to take them apart and see what I would find. Both pumps were in serviceable condition and I ended up resealing them. I now have an extra on the shelf that I may not ever use and if anyone reading this might need one, I am willing to part with it and chance my luck. With the pump repaired, I needed to decide the next step. I figured that if this pin had fallen out of the rockshaft linkage,
My homemade sump filter screen made from aluminum screen made into a cylinder held together with epoxy. It is not fancy, but should keep any major metal object from being sucked up into the pump.
it would be necessary to have a look inside the rockshaft to see where it originated.
After removing the batteries, seat, and battery box along with the rockshaft and remote valve linkage, I was down to the rockshaft housing top cover. I have always been amazed at the wide variety of bolts in both diameter and length that were used on the cover. With the top cover removed, I spent a good deal of time observing the rockshaft linkages with a flashlight while moving the control lever and manually actuating the rockshaft. I searched all over and all the linkage pins were accounted for. The only thing that makes sense to me in explanation is that at some time in the past, before I owned the tractor, someone had lost a linkage pin into the abyss of passageways and crags to where such metal parts would fall. The only alternative possibility is that the steel pin in question might have been inadvertadnely dropped into the housing with oil while filling.
No matter the cause of the pin getting into the Powr-Trol pump, it was clear to me that I wanted to find a way to keep such a mishap from recurring. I considered the possibility of adding a filter into the suction line between the pump and rockshaft housing (sump). After asking around to some folks
New old stock dual remote valve installed. I was surprised at how closely the paint matched the old repainted housing.
The differential ring gear sheared off the washer and rivet, which could have been catastrophic.
who are in the “know,” I learned that anything too restrictive would cause cavitation in the pump, making it noisy and inefficient. It was suggested to me not to restrict the sump flow of oil with anything finer than No. 100 mesh screen. I set out looking to find exactly how the oil flowed from the numerous passageways at the bottom of the housing, which are not easily seen, into the suction passage on the left hand side of the unit.
I had planned for the day when I would need to remove the rockshaft housing from the tractor as I already had a complete rebuilt rockshaft control valve on the shelf (rebuilt by Gary McLaughlin of MacFabrications of Ohio). After I noticed that the load control function on the 720D rockshaft, while functional, was not 100 percent functioning correctly, I bought an extra valve so it would be ready when needed. I also had a brand new old stock dual remote valve assembly that I planned on installing on the tractor. While there was already a dual valve on the tractor, it did not function 100 percent to my liking with the detents not reliably returning the control levers to the home position when raising or lowering on one of the circuits.
I removed the rockshaft from the
Zachary helping me replace one bull gear and the axle lip-oil seals and outer felt seals.
Below: After nearly six months in the shop, the 720D was nearing completion.
housing so I could not only replace the grease seals on the rockshaft, but remove the piston from the sleeve to replace O-rings and packings to
increase the probability that I may never see the inside of that part of the tractor ever again. With experience working on 20 and 30 series Waterloo
the 4020).
Right: Not much more enjoyment to be had than looking back at a plowing job well done.
rockshaft housings, I knew that the dash pot valve would need to come apart to have a new O-ring and backup on the piston. Overall, I planned to disassemble the rockshaft housing and sub components as much as possible to clean and inspect everything possible.
After I removed the rockshaft housing from the tractor, I noticed a large magnet (from a blown-out speaker) I placed at the bottom of the axle housing from years ago when working the transmission. There was an excessive amount of metal shavings on the magnet and when wiping out the sludge, I came across two heavy duty washers with sheared rivet heads with each of them. At first, I thought they were from the bull gears, but inspection of the gears revealed nothing except for some excessive tooth wear on the left hand gear (might explain where the metallic flakes originated). With a flashlight, I found that the differential gear had moved on the differential housing nearly three-quarter inch after two of the three rivets holding it in place were sheared, with the third one barely hanging on.
I decided to replace the worn bull gear and differential assembly. Back in the mid-2000s, I went through the transmission of the 720, replacing some gears and all the bear-
ings. I did not, however, remove the differential or rear axle at that time and always wondered if I should have replaced the oil seals that keep gear lube in the rear end/ transmission. They have not leaked to date, but given that I had to remove the rear axle assembly to remove and replace the differential, I decided I would replace them. I got lucky that my friend Tom had a 730 gas parts tractor, which he donated to me the parts needed on the 720D.
The differential and rear axle parts were heavy but the work was straightforward. With help from my little Hyster 40 forklift, we made light work of the project. After replacing the rear axle housing complete with new seals and a good used bull gear, we set to work rebuilding the rockshaft. I studied the rockshaft and how I might install a filter screen to prevent any accidental ingestion which might wreck the pump again. I found a small 1-1/2 inch round freeze plug on the left side of the housing that after I removed it looked to be the best spot to install a screen to keep debris and other objects from getting sucked into the sump. I searched online for a solution but ended up fabricating my own with aluminum screen. It took some time but I ended up with a screen that fit
snugly. Should there ever be a problem, all I would have to do is remove the left hand draft arm support (elephant ear) and the freeze plug to access.
Everything on the rockshaft went back together smoothly and in a few short hours, Zachary and I had it attached to the tractor. Honestly, the most difficult part of the whole repair was getting the pump installed back in the belly of the tractor. It took several attempts to keep the gasket attached while lifting it with two hands and needing a third hand to start the bolts, but eventually Zachary and I succeeded and the tractor was ready to start to check out our work.
Good news as the repair turned out a success. We put the 720 to the test, operating an F145A 3-16 plow that needed to be shined up. The tractor handled that plow perfectly and made all the effort in repair worthwhile. While many of the little things done on this repair job were on the to-do list, as you can see sometimes all it takes to get it started is something small… like a linkage pin in the hydraulic pump. Mr. Surprise has once again been beaten or at least until he comes around causing trouble again.
Contact Tyler Buchheit by email at tyler@mrbtractors.com. His website is www.mrbtractors.com.
Plowing in August with my brother Alex (running
• New aftermarket, rebuilt and used parts for JD A, B , D, G, H, M, R, 320, 330, 40, 420, 430, 50, 520, 530, 60, 620, 630, 70, 720, 730, 80, 820, 830, 3010 3020, 4010, 4020.
• Used parts include: weights, 3-pts., toplinks, dual hydraulics, float ride seats, clutch parts, hubs, transmission gears, sheet metal, tires and rims, 720-730 ES parts, all-fuel manifolds, brake parts, square and round tube WFEs, heads, blocks and PTO parts.
• New parts include: manifolds, battery boxes, carburetor kits, air stacks, mufflers, grill screens, radiator cores, lights and overhaul kits.
• Rebuilt parts include: Taper-Loc flywheels, electric start conversion kits, float ride seats, starters, carburetors, cleaned and lined gas tanks. Also have crack checked heads and blocks.
Lind Bros Tractor and Parts, LLC
Deere’s first vertically oriented engines were installed on the company’s smaller tractors and some powered implements. As such, the Dubuque factory and its engineers were the ones tasked with designing and building the engines. When all new engines for the New Generation tractors were being created, the engineers did not start from scratch. The lessons learned in Dubuque were applied, and those small engines gave a jumping-off point for the creation of the new machines.
The Dubuque factory remained the place where Deere’s smaller tractors would be built into the New Generation. Two machines, the 1010 and 2010, were to be constructed there. Work on the 2010 began in 1954. Deere’s first tests had engineers put a new four-cylinder, 145
cubic inch gasoline engine in a 420 tractor. This machine was sent out and tested, but the 50 horsepower that the engine could create proved to be too much for the transmission on the machine that was accustomed to just 30 horsepower. The project was shelved while a new power train was developed.
Deere created and opened the Product Engineering Center in 1956. This facility became the home for
many of the engineers and designers working at Deere. During the development of the New Generation series, the Product Engineering Center was where all of the secrets were created and kept. They succeeded in this secrecy, but they also succeeded in creating some engineering marvels. The brains at the facility were at Dubuque’s disposal when they were working on a new chassis, transmission, and final drive to go
A 2010 gas row crop utility.
with their 50-horse engine. Things moved along well with so many on the task.
The engine, too, underwent a few more tweaks before production. The four-cylinder, 145 cubic inch configuration was retained from the 1954 machine, but it was set down a bit to 45 horsepower. An LP-gas version of the engine and a 165 cubic inch diesel were also created. Each of these engines used a compact sleeve and deck design, and they ran at a rated engine speed of 2,500 RPM. The bore in these engines was greater than the stroke, which is a bit peculiar. Engines built this way tend to be a bit more reliable with less wear than engines where the stroke is the greater number, but the low-end torque is less.
Dubuque’s diesel engine was unique to Waterloo’s in a couple of ways. First, it included glow plugs in its “power-cell” pre-combustion chamber. These were a benefit in cold weather starting. The diesel in the 2010 also had a distinctively high 19:1 combustion ratio. The primary reason for this design choice was that it kept the engine noise down.
The 2010 came equipped with the eight-speed Syncro-Range transmission. Two forward gears in each of four ranges were provided, and the shift between the two gears could be made on the go. Collar
Left: Even you haters have to admit that the 2010 row crop with wide front pulling the baler isn’t a bad looking tractor.
Below: A 2010 gas Hi-Crop.
shifting made the operation smooth.
As the time drew closer for the big debut of the New Generation lineup at John Deere Day in Dallas in August 1960, there was still a lot of work to be done to finalize the 2010. A number of tractors were built to display at the introduction, but the diesel engine was not ready in time for the show. It was not released until autumn 1960.
Four chassis versions of the 2010 were available—the row crop, row crop utility, Hi-Crop, and industrial “wheel” tractor. Options included single or dual hydraulics, independent “live” PTO capable of both 540 and 1000 RPM operation, a universal three-point hitch, vertical or rear exhaust, front and rear weight packages, power steering, and a regular or deluxe seat.
The row crop tractor was available with various wheel configurations, including dual front wheels or a single front wheel sized at either 6.50x16 or 9.00x10. It can be equipped with a Roll-O-Matic front axle with 6.00x14 wheels and a 50 to 74 inch adjustable wide front or a 62 to 88 inch adjustable wide front. The rear wheels are adjustable, coming in manual or power-adjusted options, and are available in 11.2x36, 12.4x36, or 13.9x36 inch sizes. Depending on the axle and wheel packages chosen, the rear tread widths on the 2010 model range from 53 inches to 106 inches.
The 2010 row crop utility was a bit more stable than the row crop, but that came at the cost of less crop clearance. The wheel options mostly matched the row crop tractor but fenders were standard on the row crop utility. Added wheel options for this one included 12.4x28, 13.6x28, 14.9x28, and 16.9x28 inch tires. Both manual and power-adjusted wheels were offered.
The 2010 Hi-Crop was the tall man in the lineup. Able to ride
2010 Serial Number Breaks
Year
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
Beginning/Ending
10001-19239
19240-27879
29001-40263
42001-54825
54826-68259
2010 Production Numbers
over 34-inch plants without touching them, the Hi-Crop was perfect for special crops that required care late in their growth. The final drive housings on the Hi-Crop were 48 inches apart. All of the options from the row crop were here with the Hi-Crop, but different wheels were on the list to work with the machine’s height. Your options here were 11.2x38, 12.4x38, and 13.6x38 rear tires and 6.00x16, 6.50x16, and 7.50x16 inch front tires. Special front axles were made for the Hi-Crop. Each of these were wide front and included a 54 to 84 inch and a 54 to 90 inch adjustable axle.
For quite some time, Dubuque had been ahead of the rest of Deere in appealing to the industrial market. The 2010 continued with that tradition, as an industrial version was released. The 2010 wheel tractor was based upon the row crop utility tractor, but it was strengthened in many places to make it more capable of industrial work, adding over 1,000 pounds to the machine. While most of the options list remained on the table for the 2010
2010 industrial crawler.
wheel tractor, there were a couple of choices that were not available. The machine was available only with a gasoline or diesel engine, not LP-gas, and no adjustable front axle was made for it. These tractors also had a transmission that was unique and meant to fit their particular role. The H-L-R transmission had, on a
the quality of the machines built in Dubuque over time.
The 2010 had a persistent issue with the diesel engine’s starting performance, especially in cold weather, despite the presence of a pre-combustion chamber and glow plugs. Several attempts were made to improve this, but the problem
second shifter, high, low, and reverse gears that the operator could quickly and easily shift between. This was coupled to a SyncroRange transmission. The HL-R made dozer and loader work quicker and easier to do, and more comfortable for the operator. The styling of these industrial machines followed in the footsteps of the 440.
The 2010 faced some unforeseen issues upon entering service, which is not uncommon for new machines. Deere acknowledged these issues and provided free field installations of solutions to customers. These solutions were also integrated into the production of tractors, resulting in a steady improvement in
was never completely resolved. Some of the issues in 2010 that were addressed and improved included slow power steering, a rockshaft that would lower very gradually when not under any load, suboptimal transmission speeds, and the absence of a rack and pinion adjusted rear axle. Later 2010s were better machines than the early models in several ways.
The 2010 tractor had its share of issues, but overall it was considered a successful machine. Its versatility was highly regarded, leading to the decision to introduce another chassis type to the 2010 lineup in 1961. The new industrial crawler was the first of its size and power class from Deere, and it generated a lot of excitement upon its release. Buyers were given the option of choosing either the eight-speed Syncro-Range transmission or the H-L-R transmission for the crawler.
The 2010 row crop utility with LP engine wasn’t exactly rare, but they are not often seen.
The 2010 industrial wheel tractor was based on the row crop utility.
The 2010 used a set of five-roller tracks and also offered a threepoint for the crawler, providing more than just the capability to push things around. Additionally, a double-valve hydraulic system was available for the 2010.
The 2010 Special, released in 1963, was based on the chassis of the row crop utility. It was equipped with a diesel engine and a steel pan seat. These tractors were specifically designed for the export market, with a focus on affordability for budgetconscious consumers.
In the same year, the 2010 agricultural crawler was introduced. This tractor had the same form as its industrial counterpart but was painted green and yellow. It was equipped with the eight-speed Syncro-Range transmission, and although both gasoline and diesel engines were available, it seems that only the diesel version was sold.
In 1964, Deere introduced the 2010 forklift tractor, which was essentially a modified 2010 wheel tractor with the H-L-R transmission and the option of a gasoline or diesel engine. The design involved placing the seat where the steering wheel would typically be and constructing a dash on a frame above the platform. It featured hydrostatic steering and a 14 or 21 foot mast. The 21 foot forklift came with a standard canopy over the operator’s station, while it was optional for the 14 foot version. Additionally, a ballast box was attached to the front of the tractor. Interestingly, these tractors were exclusively intended for sale to John Deere dealers and were not marketed for public purchase. Despite this limited target audience, Deere managed to produce over 300 of these machines.
In 1964, Deere identified several issues that had arisen during the early years of production and use of the 2010 model. Although progress had been made in addressing most of these problems, Deere decided
to implement further changes and fixes for the 1964 model year. The initial tractors to incorporate these modifications were the 2010 crawlers. Production of the 2010 crawlers ceased in November 1964 and was succeeded by the new JD 450 crawlers. These featured a new engine designed by engineers in Waterloo and manufactured in Dubuque. As the agricultural crawler did not sell well, it was not replaced. Farmers interested in a Deere crawler of this size had to order the industrial version.
The 2010 concluded production on September 29, 1965, and was succeeded by the 2020 and 2510, both of which continued to utilize engines engineered in Dubuque.
The 2010 had a decent number of units sold during its production so, in general, it’s not particularly expensive to buy. However, there are some rare versions of this tractor, like the forklift, agricultural crawler, Hi-Crop, and those with
an LP-gas engine. Unfortunately, finding parts for the 2010 can be challenging, so you might need to use parts from multiple tractors to complete one. Some engine components can be sourced from other John Deere equipment that used a similar engine. If you’re planning to rebuild one of these tractors, make sure to research thoroughly, as the parts may be available from various sources.
The 2010 is one of the exceptions when it comes to Deere tractors in that it is one of the more troublesome, less reliable machines that the company built. Despite that fact, there are many 2010s out there that have hardly given their owner any grief over their lifetime. If you like the 2010, don’t be afraid to go after one. A good running example will be your best bet for a collection or restoration, but if you like a challenge, feel free to jump into the unknown and try to bring one back to life.
The 2010 forklift.
The Lanz company began development of combines in the 1930s; however, the breakout of World War II postponed the completion of the project until 1953 when the MD 180 was put into production. A year later, the larger MD 260 was introduced and in the following year, several other models joined the line. In 1956, Deere and Company purchased the Lanz company.
The late Neil West was a collector of Lanz tractors and equipment and one of the machines he brought to the U.S. was a model 150 combine. Kevin Bos of Streator, Illinois purchased it at Neil’s auction in the summer of 2023 and brought it to the Albert City, Iowa show this last summer.
As far as Kevin can tell, the little combine is about a 1960 model. The four cylinder Perkins engine is rated at 34 horsepower. If the buyer of one of these combines had opted for a gasoline engine, it would
Left side of Kevin Bos’ Lanz combine. Below: Right side of the machine. Notice where the return elevator empties its material.
The grain sacking platform with two attached. Slightly larger bags that would sit on the platform would normally be used. The fourth spout could be used to collect weed seeds and chaff.
If the operator’s platform looks small and cramped, that’s because it is. Below: Best not to wear any loose fitting clothing while operating the Lanz.
The Perkins four-cylinder engine is easy to keep an eye on from the operator’s platform.
have been fitted with one built by Volkwagen. This combine has no grain tank; instead, grain from the sieve is sent to another rotary cleaner, very much like the Scour-Kleen systems on many of the U.S.-built combines of the 1950s. There three different spouts funnel the threshed seeds into bags. Interestingly, grain coming from the first spout is very clean, the second has somewhat more foreign material, and the third more than that. To put even more stress on that 34 horsepower engine, many of these combines also incorporated a baler at the rear, though it has been removed and a more conventional rear hood added to this combine.
The baler or binder on the back of another Lanz combine. As someone once quipped, “The smell of hot belts was the first combine monitor.”
Wiring Harnesses - Cables - Switches
We build restoration quality wiring harnesses to fit these John Deere models and their variations:
We also carry: Starters, Regulators, Generators, Alternators, Relays, Coils, Lights, Alternator Brackets, Pulleys We make alternator conversion harnesses
Books just for kids!
AVAILABLE FROM GREEN MAGAZINE
A Tractor Goes Farming
Book: A Tractor Goes Farming
Author Roy Harrington (co-author of John Deere Tractors & Equipment, Vol. 2) has put together a book that places the child in the driver’s seat of a variety of tractor makes and models. Short sentences that kids will be able to read alone or with help and full color photos to please everyone.
32 pages, 7 x 8-1/2, hardbound.
AS6T - $10.95 U.S. • $16.95 Canada /Foreign
Grandpa’s
John
Deere Tractors
Book: Grandpa’s John Deere Tractors
This book for kids tells the history of Deere and Company starting with John Deere and his steel plow. Then in 48 pages with 50 color photos, it talks about how farming and JD tractors have changed. Best for kids 5 to 10 years. 7 x 8-1/2, hardbound, written by Roy Harrington.
AS8K - $13.95 U.S. • $19.95 Canada/Foreign
How John Deere Tractors and Implements Work
Kids are always asking questions, especially about big machines. This book will give kids the answers they crave as they step into the field with impressive John Deere tractors and implements. Ages 8 to adult. 8-1/2 x 11, hardbound, 48 pages.
Book: How John Deere Tractors and Implements Work
AS9H - $14.95 U.S. • $21.95 Canada/Foreign
Engine
Battery
Steering Wheels
Clutch
Tractor Parts We Fabricate
Weight Bracket
5010, 5020, 6030: AR58358, Pr $460
Rear Engine Panels
4620 Right, AR43290, $155
4620 Left, AR51804, $255
2510 Right, AR38206, $300
2510 Left, AR38207, $220
2520 Right, AR38838, AR38202, $300
2520 Left, AR38839, AR38203, $220
5010, 5020 R, AR35023, $300 L, AR35024 OR AR36796 $300
6030 Right, AR53645, $350
Step w/Pads
5010, 5020, 6030 - AR40914, $165
Step U Bolts $18
Seat Base Cover for Tractor w/o Rock Shaft - AR26846, $295
4000 & 4020 Std SN 201,000 & Above
AR40773 LH Rear Eng Panel = $80
AR40774 RH Rear Eng Panel = $80
AR40871 Platform (can modify AR48727) = $155
AR41097 Platform Support = $84
Fabricated tractor parts: Dave Haala
6030 Left, AR53646, $350 Dust Shields
5010 Right, AR35334, $320
5010 Left, AR35335, $320
5020, 6030 RC Right, AR40930, $350
5020, 6030 RC Left, AR40931, $350
5020, 6030 Whd R, AR36772, $350
5020, 6030 Whd L, AR36773, $350
Rock Shaft Cover
5010, 5020 Right, R36420, $295
5010,5020 Left, R36422, $160
5010, 5020, 6030 Center, AR55756, $70
6030 Right, AR55755, $295
6030 Left, R51485, $160
Toolbox Cover
5010, 5020, 6030 - AR35050, $65
Hood Air Cleaner Cover
4050, 4520, 7020 - AR43256, $165
Hydraulic Dipstick Cover
5010, 5020, 6030 - R36421, $80
AR41098 Platform Support = $84
AR41137 Dust Shield RH = $315
AR41138 Dust Shield LH = $315
AR41174 Support To Dust Shield=$27
R41253 Ext Front Right = $156
AR41451 Ext.
Small Town Saturday/Premiere Deere Weekend
Online Only Timed Auction
Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st 3 PM CST Each Day Go to dreambigbidon.com to register and bid Shipping available worldwide! NOW A FULL 2 DAYS! This will be our 5th annual Small Town Saturday Special and it is shaping up to be our best one yet. This auction will feature a complete dispersal of the BEST in John Deere consumer products, toys and literature from one of the most legendary John Deere collections known to exist, along with the complete toy and memorabilia dispersal from Ernie Vietze of Kansas City, MO.
Auction conducted and clerked by Mason Auctions LLC 2744 Hope Avenue • Odebolt Iowa 51458 Justin Mason, Auctioneer • 712-660-6050
Memories of a 1935 “B”
In the summer of 1935, Arthur Eide of Osseo, Wisconsin purchased a new John Deere “B” in Mondovi, Wisconsin. This unstyled “B” was the 4,339th built and had been entered into inventory records on May 7, 1935 at the factory in Waterloo, Iowa. With serial numbers starting at 1000, the brass tag has a serial number of 5339. The tractor was shipped to the Minneapolis, Minnesota branch with a destination of Mondovi, Wisconsin. In and about that time, the dealer in Mondovi was Steiner & Haugen. Later the business was sold to Ed Bloss. The dealership was located on the corner of West Hudson St and South Franklin St.
The tractor and a one bottom No. 51 plow served Arthur’s small farm until 1953. When Arthur died, my dad (Myron “Mike” Eide) bought his cousin’s tractor and brought it home to our farm in rural Mondovi. On September 29th of 1953, my older brother Maurice (Moe) drove our uncle Thomas’s 1947 styled John Deere “A,” pulling our large two wheel trailer the 23 miles to Osseo to retrieve the little tractor. The “A” had a top speed of around 13 miles per hour, so the trip probably took a couple of hours each way on back roads. Our farm was located in hilly country at the foot hills of a large bluff. Conventional four wheeled wagons were too tippy for the terrain, so we used the large low trailers with front mounted standards to haul crops from the fields and equipment between our two farms.
The “B” came with Goodyear 7.50 by 36 “All Traction” diamond grip tires on the rear. Dad installed a set of French & Hecht W161 rear wheel
Moe bringing the “B” home from Arthur Eide in Osseo, Wisconsin. Below: Moe raking and his dad baling.
weights weighing 150 pounds each to improve traction. Then Dad had a welder in Mondovi, Ray Moore, cut off the spokes of the steel front wheels and weld on rims for rubber tires. We used the little tractor for some limited plowing, for dragging (after discing), raking hay and planting corn with a two row planter. Of course it was a
good tractor for cultivating, powering the elevator for grain or hay bales, etc. It was a great little workhorse and certainly did its share of the work on our farms. We had a 120 acre dairy farm and another 80 acre crop farm four miles away. We even used it on more level areas of the farm to pull a John Deere 114W or 116W wire tie
baler. Those wire tied bales were very heavy. The baler had an air cooled four cylinder Wisconsin engine on it that would vapor lock when hot. That said, we never shut off the baler during lunch breaks.
As a young boy, I enjoyed operating the little “B.” The hand clutch and brake placement fit a kid well. The platform allowed operation standing up, which allowed a break from sitting and also a better view.
Starting the tractor could be a challenge to a kid. Even though it had the smallest horsepower engine in the “B” series at 149 cubic inches, it didn’t have petcocks like the later “Bs” to ease the chore of cranking by hand. We usually tried to park on a hill so we could coast it to start.
Fortunately we had lots of hills!
I have so many memories of time spent with the “B.” One memory as a young kid was getting caught in a bad hail storm while dragging a field. I jumped off the tractor and crouched under the belly of the “B” between the flywheel and the belt pulley to avoid those big hunks of ice!
Another time, while home on leave from the Army and doing some field work, the little “B” backfired coming down hill adjacent to a wooded area. Apparently a hot ember from the exhaust landed in the leaves under the fence row. When I came back around the field for the next round, I saw the forest floor was on fire. I ran over and tried to stomp it out, but it grew too large to contain. I was short of breath,
but managed to run over the windmill hill to the farm house to have my folks summon the fire department.
After Dad quit farming, my older brother Maurice “Moe” became the caretaker for the little “B.” He continued using and caring for the tractor until passing it on to me in 2014. Since then, my effort has been to research and restore the tractor closer to its original form and function.
I was certainly blessed to have grown up on the farm where hard work was rewarded with knowledge and mechanical skills. Working on the little “B” has rekindled many nostalgic memories of life on the farm.
Submitted by, Joe Eide Eau Claire, WI
Moe loading firewood, September 1955.
Joe with the “B” on the farm and then, years later, Joe again with the “B.”
The “B” and F-20 with plows.
Kit Cleans Up Older Deere Hydraulic Mess
Scott Grove cleaned up leaky hydraulic valves on his older Deere tractors with a simple insert. The long-standing problem is one the company has yet to fix. Grove says it forces him and other owners of Deere tractors to replace O-rings on a regular basis, only to have the mess return. Grove’s fix eliminated the mess and the need to replace parts. With the Grove Conversion kit:
• Convert to ISO with easy push-pull connection
Wapsi Innovations
• Couplers connect under residual pressure with breakaway feature
• Kits available for 10 through 70 series JD tractors manufactured from 1961 through 1996
• Inserts are made in the USA. This product is protected under US Patent 10,760,725 B2 and other patents pending.
Installation consists of stripping the OEM outlets down to the block, removing the barrels and O-rings, and replacing them with the inserts. Grove then adds the aftermarket ISO coupler that threads into the insert. Installation instructions can be found on the Wapsi website.
Kits for 10 series are priced at $315, kits for 20-40 series are priced at $329, and kits for 50-70 series are priced at $355. Also watch the website for more additions coming soon. Grove suggests checking with local Deere dealers & local repair shops or Wapsi Innovations directly.
DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE “COPYCAT” version!
Right: A 1951 John Deere “A” pulling a 1957 John Deere 30 combine, owned by Adam Dirksen, who was getting the combine lubed and ready for its first bean harvest in probably 30 years.
Chris Hughes and his wife Kim pose on their wedding day with a family tractor.
Right: Larry Roers brought this 1966 model 510 to the Rollag, Minnesota show this fall.
Left: Jim Everhart combining oats in the summer of 2024 with his John Deere model 40 combine, which was purchased brand new by his father in the ’60s.
A “G” diesel? Sure—why not? Built by Doug Rinkenberger.
Left: A model 60 with a beet harvester seen at the Western Minnesota show.
I definitely remember selling parts to Gutshalls (Photo 11). They were founded in 1940 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. They opened their second location in 1974 in Loysville, Pennsylvania. The article remarks that there were six Gutshall family members working at the dealerships. Today their Carlisle location is occupied by Desperate Times, a brewery, while the Loysville location is occupied by Perry Power, a Kioti tractor and Husqvarna dealer. Atlantic Tractor today has the John Deere franchise in Carlisle. The ad is a good one, showing the product range offered by Gutshalls, from the big four wheel drive to the little 108 lawn tractor.
Photo 12 is of I.G. Sales in Silverdale, Pennsylvania. The article says they had been offering John Deere equipment since the turn of the century but then says the John Deere dealership was established in 1970. It does say it was formerly known as I.G. Rosenberger and they were an older dealership, so I guess I.G. Sales was started in 1970. One thing in the article I found very interesting was the mention of I.G.’s parts manager. His name was Willis “Tip” Benner and he had been there for 50 years. Wow, 50 years. This means he started with John Deere in 1935. Can you even imagine what he saw during this time? Just the tractor transitioning from two cylinders to the current (in
Photo 11
Photo 12
1985) 50 series row crops, to say nothing of the equipment and the changes in the farm industry. I imagine he had parts knowledge beyond comprehension to almost all of today’s parts personnel.
I remember one time I received a call for an obsolete part from a parts manager in the Midwest—I am very sorry I have forgotten his name and dealership. We got to talking and he told me had been in the John Deere parts business for 50 years. I told him I was amazed at his length of time in the business. He said that he was retired now and only
came in two days a week! I told him that is exactly what I would expect him to say! How I wish I could have spent a day talking with him. It is sad as online I discovered that I.G. Sales had to close their doors and have an auction in late 1992. The reason given was the accelerating loss of farm ground to development in Buck County. That would be a tough day for anyone. The ad is interesting as not only does it advertise machines, it also lists what they had in stock. I never sold them any parts that I am aware of.
This one bothered me. I had sold Kermit Kistler a few obsolete parts and had heard good things about them. They had been a John Deere dealer since 1945 when they, like so many other multi-generational established small dealerships, had their contract cancelled by John Deere. This happened in 2022 so it is a fairly recent event. They were also a longtime Polaris dealer and continue on with that today. I looked online at some older pictures they had of different equipment they offered, and you can see their showroom shelves in the background. Then I looked at more current pictures and of course the Deere equipment is gone but on their shelves are now Polaris items as well as leftover Deere items. To me, this is a sad event. I do love their sign, though—it says “Farm Machinery, Lawn & Garden Equipment and Snowmobiles”! I have not seen too many signs with snowmobiles on them (Photo 13).
Photo 14 is the notice Kermit Kistler put online when Deere cancelled their contract. The second sentence says a lot: “John Deere has been closing down single-location small dealership nationwide. It is their corporate philosophy to eliminate all the single-location small dealers.” They went on to say, “John Deere has cancelled our dealer agreement after being in the John Deere business for 68 years. Kermit Kistler started his family-owned business in 1945 as a Massey Harris dealer and then became a John Deere dealer in 1954 and took over the Polaris line in 1964.” You can sense the frustration and sense of betrayal in these few lines. It is still confusing to me why Deere has this policy. Oh, and Kermit K. Kistler has a new sign although it is not nearly as neat as the old one, in my opinion.
Landis Brothers was another dealership I had dealings with. They were founded in 1920 and in 2004 merged with Adamstown Equipment to form Deere Country Farm & Lawn. I found an online article which mentioned this original building had a ramp to the second floor where Landis Brothers would park their model “D” tractors! I thought that was very interesting. I sold them obsolete parts a few times also (Photo 15).
Photo 16 is great as it provides a list of most of the John Deere dealers in the areas shown in 1985. As I said, finding information on many of these
Photo 13 • Photo 14, below
Photo 15
dealers today is all but impossible, even with the internet, and they are not that old in the overall scheme of things.
Pikeville Equipment was started in 1936. They sold their first tractor that year, an unstyled model “B,” and many years later were able to get it back and restored it. Pikeville was also a multi-generational dealership, and I knew them. They enjoyed great success and support from their customers in their area, until Deere cancelled their contract in 2011. They continue on today with different lines and appear to be doing well. Another casualty of Deere’s “no small dealers” policy (Photo 17).
There are a lot more dealers covered in the Lancaster Farming supplement, but this is probably enough for this article. What I would like for you to take away from this article is this. First, how difficult it can be to locate any information on dealers that were around just 20 to 40 years ago. It is often harder to find anything on these dealers than it is on dealers from the 1930s. What little can be found is from dedicated online investigating.
Second, these once thriving dealerships are, with few exceptions, all gone today. This is due to many factors. One is that many simply age out, the owner grows old and
retires and sells out. A few were forced out by changing markets and market conditions. Finally, more than a few were closed or absorbed due to Deere’s big dealer policy that continues today. One place online I found said that in a recent study from 2022, an estimated 95 percent of John Deere locations are owned by dealership groups with five or more ag equipment locations. This was up from 91 percent in 2021. The trend is and has been obvious. Finally, many of you may know these old dealers but may not have known their history. I really do not like ever seeing a dealer who has had their contract pulled and they had been in business for decades and multiple generations. It sure seems like if they had been doing a good job for Deere for all those years and generations, they could certainly continue to do so today. In my mind, and many of yours I am certain, bigger is not always better. Many things are lost along the way and the dealers who helped build Deere are just one of them. Hope you enjoyed this article—until next time!
Write Greg Stephen at The Old Tractor Company, Box 89, Franktown, CO 80116; phone 231-846-8243 or email deeredr@hotmail.com
Photo 16
Photo 17
Ertl John Deere farm toys started out as nothing more than simply toys. It wasn’t until the 1980s that special edition, commemorative edition, collector’s edition, or anniversary edition models were produced. These special “toys” were and are intended primarily for collectors of farm toys. They typically have unique cartons that include special graphics and the toys usually have some unique characteristics as compared to the regular, or shelf model, miniatures. To further signify the “uniqueness,” there is often a special cast inscription or decal on the model identifying it as a special piece. This month I am going to share a relatively recent release from Ertl that is a 60th anniversary set of lawn and garden tractors. It carries their stock number LP84508 and was available earlier this summer through John Deere dealerships.
Before we get to the current anniversary set, I think it is worth noting an earlier version that was produced in 2013. At that time, it was a 50th anniversary collector’s edition set that included a 1/16th scale 110 lawn and garden tractor and an X320 lawn tractor. The carton for these tractors is shown in Photo 1. It has a clear plastic viewing window and traditional green, yellow, black, and white graphics. Note the special circle with the number 50 in the center. This emblem states: “John Deere Lawn & Garden Tractors 50 Years Of Proven Quality.” A tiny decal with the same emblem was placed on both of the tractors included in the set. The carton also identifies the
110 as a 1963 version and the X320 as a 2013 model. My 110 tractor from this set is noticeably absent since I used it for a Christmas display (Photo 2) that I made several years ago.
Photo 3 shows the carton for the 60th anniversary set. In this case the carton is a fully enclosed box with green and white background colors and yellow stripes. The top, front, and rear panels include full color pictures of the actual toys. One end panel has a “colorized” picture of a real 110 tractor at work and the other has a full color
picture of a real X394 tractor. Each panel has a 60th anniversary emblem that is identical to that for the 50th anniversary except for the number in the center. What strikes me as a little odd is the fact that this set was released in 2024 rather than 2023. Given that the first 110 tractors were built and shipped in 1963, the year 2023 would have been the actual 60th anniversary year. It’s hard to say what drove this. I really like the way the toys are packaged in this case. Photo 4 shows the clear plastic upper and lower halves of the internal box used to hold the tractors. Gone are the paper or plastic wire ties and plastic supports used in so many cases with open front cartons or those with clear viewing windows. The upper and lower pieces “snap” together and can easily be pulled apart to completely remove
Photo 1 • Photo 2, below
Photo 3 • Photo 4, below
the toys. This is a great feature that I would like to see used more often.
The model 110 tractor for the 60th anniversary set is identical to that from the 50th anniversary set, with one exception. The tractor in the new set has no circular anniversary emblem. In both cases, I think that this is a really nice replica of the real tractor. The left side of the tractor is shown in Photo 5. Based on the amount of detail, and the fact that there are no plastic parts, I would say that this model falls most closely in the Prestige line of Ertl miniatures. While there are two main cast halves to the tractor, the quality of the parts hides most of the seam in the center of the operator’s station and a separately cast hood covers the entire seam over the engine area. In Photo 5, you can see the engine and fan shroud, the fuel tank, the clutch/brake pedal, the lift lever, and the gear shift lever just ahead of the seat. Photo 6 provides a right side view that shows the ground speed control lever, the other side of the fuel tank, and the muffler highlighted with black paint. Note that the grips on all of the levers are also accented with black paint.
Photo 7 provides a close-up view of the front of the tractor. Here it is
possible to see the fluted front screen cast directly in place, along with the front mower deck mounting plate. Note the great John Deere trademark printed on the face of the mounting plate. Photo 8 is a closeup view of the operator’s station. The dash is painted black and includes “John Deere” and “Variable Speed” printed in silver letters above the steering column and “Choke” and “Throttle” printed below. There is also a full serial number plate attached to the green vertical surface below the steering wheel that includes the model number and an actual serial number! The gear shift pattern is printed in yellow on the platform to the left of the shift lever. Also take note of the leaping deer in the center of the steering wheel.
fact that this toy has no moveable hood, there is no engine detail to see. However, there is a groove on each side just below the yellow stripe to represent the air vent. A lift pedal is cast into the left side toward the rear of the hood and the fuel cap is cast into the left rear corner of the fender. Both of these items are accented in black.
The tires are rubber and have a very authentic tread pattern in them. The wheels are all metal with accurate center hubs, and those on the rear are correctly accented in green. The steering wheel does turn the front wheels through a very intricate set of parts including an oscillating front axle, tie rod, and steering arms. The die-cast metal mower deck is pinned to the tractor so it cannot be removed. Photo 9 shows the bottom of the tractor where you can see the three mower blades, the anti-scalp wheels, and a portion of the steering system. Also note the 60th anniversary notation printed towards the right side in the picture.
In my opinion, the 110 miniature is definitely a better model than the X394. I say that because the details are crisper and the fit and finish are much better. A left side view of the X394 is shown in Photo 10. This tractor is also made from two cast metal halves, but in this case the seam is very noticeable, especially on top of the hood. Due to the design of the real tractor, and the
Photo 11 shows the right side of the tractor. Here the brake pedal is visible just to the rear of the hood, and the forward and reverse pedals are represented by a “block” of cast material at the forward end of the foot rest. The foot rest “material” is also cast in place and accented in black. A cup holder and storage bin are cast into the top of the right fender. The front of the tractor is shown in Photo 12. The grille and headlight assembly is a die-cast plastic part with the headlight lenses painted silver. Unfortunately, the right headlight on my tractor is scratched, but I can easily repair that with some silver model paint. Here you can also see the size of the center seam and the poor job of masking off the black paint where the front weight bracket meets the lower green portion of the hood. A tiny leaping deer trademark is printed in green and yellow between the headlights.
The dash and part of the operator’s station are shown in Photo 13. Ribbed “mats” are cast into the foot rests and are accented with black paint. Between the foot rests is a large, full color instructional decal and the mower deck height adjustment knob is
Photo 5 • Photo 6, below
Photo 8
Photo 7
placed in the center. On the dash, there are small “knobs” representing several of the main controls such as the throttle, PTO engagement paddle, and the brake lock. Unfortunately, the yellow and orange colors added to highlight these items could have been applied more accurately. A small dash decal located in the center just ahead of the steering wheel includes an hour meter and a John Deere trademark. The seat is a plastic item with a yellow cushion and the leaping deer trademark on both the front and back. It tilts forward as well.
The mower deck is a single cast plastic item that can easily be removed from the tractor by simply pulling on it (Photo 14). It is very realistic in that it includes the belts, belt pulleys, springs, pulley guards, and anti-scalp wheels. The discharge flap and “hinge” are also provided. Black and silver paint were used to accent all of these items. Note that the deck is green, rather than yellow, which was a change that John Deere made to their mower decks in the last year. For what little it’s worth, I’m not a big fan of the green decks. I think that the yellow decks give the overall machine more color and look much better.
the mower deck is removed. This picture also gives a clearer view of the steering system.
All things considered, this is a nice set. You can find it with most John Deere dealers at a price around $50. In my opinion, the 110 is a better quality toy than the X394, but both have some very nice features. For those who already have the 50th anniversary set, there may not be much incentive to also purchase this one. However, for collectors like me who try to follow John Deere history in miniature, this set with the newer styled X394 tractor is a must have. Enjoy.
Contact Bill Proft at N1366 Woodland Dr., Greenville, WI 54942 or email billproft@sbcglobal. net
Photo 15 shows the bottom of the tractor. The main purpose behind this picture is to show some of the linkage designed into the toy to give it the actual “4 Wheel Steer” capability. There are tie rods and steering arms at the front and rear which move both sets of wheels when the steering wheel is turned. I give the team at Ertl a bunch of credit for designing this feature into a toy of this size. Also note the rubber tires with the detailed tread pattern. Unlike the 110, this tractor has plastic wheels that are cast in yellow.
The only identifier on the X394 to indicate that it is a special model is the “Collector Edition 60th Anniversary” printed on the bottom of the right foot rest in black letters (Photo 16). This is visible only when
Photo 9 • Photo 10, below
Photo 11• Photo 12, below
Photo 15 • Photo 16, below
Photo 13, left• 14, below
To kick off this article, a big HELLO and thank you to GM readers Dale and Carol Brooks from Sparta, Wisconsin. They made it a priority on their trek across the state to stop in to our farm to say hello. They were on the hunt for rear rims for their latest John Deere restoration project—that being a 1010. They said that those particular rims are getting hard to find and so far they are coming up “empty.” They have a beautiful collection of restored New Generation Deeres, patio lawn tractors, and toys the likes of which most have never seen. You may recall an article from the past called “Dale’s Deeres” that highlighted a portion of their lifelong collection. Finer folks than the Brooks would be as hard to find as John Deere 1010 rims, and it was so good to see and talk to them (Photo 1).
There was a time when 10 hours of my day were spent grinding threeangle valve seats on new casting big block Chevy heads for better performance. Move on a year or so and I found myself standing in front of a state-of-the-art Swedish made valve seat machine called a Serdi that could do everything but remake a cylinder head and perform multiple functions at one time with dead-on accuracy. The price tag for that machine back then was far beyond reach of any independent shop; I can only imagine what it would be these days. As you all know by now, I like to think outside the norm a bit, and over the years, I have often wondered about the mechanics and the technology involved with the internal
combustion cylinder head and its valve and seat mechanisms. To my way of thinking, we have just improved an old system that has been in place since day one. To me, the valve and its stem are just in the way of the intended path of the air flow. No matter what you do or how you improve on it, it is still the same principle of operation. We can send a rocket to the moon and back, we can successfully bring back a “vehicle” that has just docked and undocked from the International Space Station, we can bring a booster back accurately enough to land on a ship at sea, and we can all have access to portable communication devices that just a few years ago would have boggled the mind. Well, that is of course, all except for ME. I have no use for them.
But what if we left behind the cylinder heads, valves, and seats and with some electronic device, we controlled the cylinder head’s air flow by some other means. This could have endless
possibilities for split second control to allow complete combustion and unlimited power output, and most likely near zero emissions. I would imagine such a system would lessen the total engine’s weight instead of making it much heavier as the new electric vehicles are now. It has recently been on the news that we need to change the infrastructure of our roads and bridges and also build our guard rails stronger to accommodate the extra weight of those new EVs. But I suppose that an engine with electronic air flow would NEVER fit into government over reach and “policy.” So just forget that whole innovation…let’s do a good valve and seat job.
The importance of an engine’s valves and their proper mating to their respective seats in the head casting cannot be overlooked for the engine to run and perform as it is meant to. The procedure, the techniques, and the equipment needed to do it will be the words for this article. Additionally, I’ll talk about a few simple things to do along the way that will enhance the cylinder head’s air flow and thereby increase the horsepower output. Every cylinder head’s valve and seat recondition procedure is not the same; many need new seats and a very light refacing of the valves. Others need new valves and new seats. And in this cylinder head’s case, the seats had been replaced and were in good condition. That being said, they were not ready to properly mate and seal to a new valve.
The intake and exhaust valves
Photo 1
did not come along with this head purchase, and I decided that refacing the take-out valves from my cracked cylinder head was not a good idea because of their margin width. These valves had been refaced a time or two, thus narrowing the margin width at the outer diameter of the valve’s head (Photo 2). A new valve with a wider margin will enhance the valve job and the performance of the engine in two ways. First, it will keep the outer diameter of the valve cooler because as the margin narrows, the valve tends to run hotter especially on its outside edges. Secondly, as the valve face wears and gets resurfaced, the valve will recess or drop down further into the seat. This action/reaction is called valve recession and its end result is messing with the intended air flow and dropping the compression ratio. As valve heads drop down in the combustion chamber, it will increase in the number of cubic centimeters and lower the engine’s compression ratio. Changing the intended air flow and lowering the compression ratio will lower the engine’s intended horsepower.
This 620’s head will get new valves and a very precise seat recondition to be placed on the valves as should be. Valve seat width is extremely important and is directly related to the width of the valve’s face. Any I.T. or other manual will give the intended specs for this purpose. If the valve seat is too narrow, the valve will burn from lack of heat dissipation when the valve is on its seat. Too wide of a seat and the valve-to-seat seal will fail as carbon builds up on it. A single angle can be left to match the valve, but for better air flow, the seat should be narrowed from the top with a lesser angle than that of the valve, and if pos-
Now we have the proper size
sible, narrowed from below the seat with an angle greater than that of the valve seat. This three-angle approach with the valve seats will provide a much easier path for both the intake and exhaust gases to get where they need to go and to do their job as they should…maybe even a little better than when everything was new.
There are other tricks to this trade that will be mentioned as we go through this procedure, but let’s go from talking the talk to walking the walk and get this valve job underway on this 620. We will be using seat stones and its equipment for this job—still widely used but somewhat now more antiquated than the newer three-angle cutting blade system that is out there that would cut all three angles at one time. I’m getting a little oldish to change over to that newer valve seat system, and my variety of stones and pilots will accommodate every valve and seat from one inch up to six inches with pilots to match. For me to set all of this aside and change to the newer system would be like going out and buying a new Rolls Royce when my old Chevy gets me around just fine.
The first thing that we need to do with this valve and seat procedure is to get the facts regarding valve face and seat angles. For this 620-gas head, they are as follows (Photo 3). As you can see, both valves use a 45 degree
angle with a slight interference on the valve face. Sometimes this is used as a means of faster sealing between the valve and the seat. I feel that it has some merit and I will adhere to it.
So, let’s start with the exhaust seats. Here is the correct diameter stone, the stone dresser with its industrial cutting tip (Photo 4), and the electric driver and a mandrel. The stone to fit the seat diameter is now dressed to 45 degrees (Photo 5) and is sharp to cut the hardened seat metal.
stem
Photo 2
Photo 3 • Photo 4, below
Photo 5
a very light stone resharpen to remove the carbon from the valve seat, and then one more very short hit on the seat again, you should see a very distinct and clean 45 degree valve seat. Now we have a 45 degree cut on the seat, and it is just slightly wider than the recommended width of 1/8th inch. We will come down on the seat from the top with a stone cut at a 15 degree angle, just enough to touch the top of the seat and narrow it slightly from the top. Next, we sharpen up a stone at a 60 degree angle and run a very short burst that will just cut the sharp edge off the bottom side of the seat. We now have a three-angle valve seat; I found it impossible to show the 45, 15, and the 60 degree angle of the shiny new seat with my camera. Much more to say about this matter, especially for the intake valve and seats, also final valve lapping and checking for a
perfect fit. There will be to come even a few final assembly tips. But what’s that I hear? Why it’s the “your article is getting too long” buzzer going off. I guess that it is just as well, because I need to be on “pumpkin season duty” (Photo 9). God willing, I will be back
next month with Paul Harvey’s old saying—“the rest of the story.”
Until we meet again, may God bless. Pray for peace and have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
This column is written by Ron and Jo Anne O’Neill.
Photo 6
Photo 8
Photo 7
Photo 9
G’day, mates. As I write this the end of September, it is hard to believe we are one month into spring here already. As I mentioned last month, our area was being affected by bush fires again. The fires are usually started by farmers and individuals who are doing controlled burns of dead grass on their properties. By removing the dead grass on these cattle fields, called “paddocks,” the new growth of grass is easy for the cattle to access. The problem happens when the wind picks up speed and pushes the controlled grass fire out of the area that it was meant to stay in. This out-of-control fire then threatens all the surrounding properties.
In early September, we had one of these out-of-control bushfires burning on our road, approximately one km/.6 miles from our place. There were two water bomber helicopters working to extinguish the fire as well as several crews from the Rural Fire Service (RFS). The RFS is established in all districts/townships, and they are volunteer fire fighters who work to keep the areas safe from these fire problems. It was kind of nerve wracking for us with the fire so close to home. The helicopters were flying towards the fire after loading with water, and then returning within 60 seconds, flying low over our house.
The main reason for the helicopter firefighting assistance is that the terrain is quite rugged in areas, and the RFS cannot access with their off-road fire trucks. We are quite safe
from having our property damaged by fires like this, as the area around our buildings has the grass and foliage trimmed short, but it is still a worry. There have been other dangerous fires on the other side of our community as well, which also needed helicopter assistance. As I write this, the fires have eased, but the air smells smoky, and there is a haze of smoke still in the air in the distance.
I am working on getting a site excavated at our property for a storage shed for my collection of vintage John Deere tractors. The local excavation crew was here for four days in June. They got a good start on the area where the shed is going. A large area of the hill on the north side of my current shed was excavated and the dirt was then transported to the south side of the shed and leveled into a second pad area. I really should have left them working here, but I was concerned about the fact that I was going to be away for a week of training, and I would not be on site to keep an eye on how things were being done. I think
it is better to be on site while work is being done as opposed to not being there, with the chance that work is not completed as per my request, and then the work must be altered or redone. The challenge as I write this article is to get them back on site to finish the job. Since the excavation work and shed purchase are not a free operation, I decided something had to be done to raise funds for the project. The only way I saw fit for this fund raising was to sell a couple of the tractors in my collection. It was a tough decision to try and pick two tractors to sell. Since I have my two 110 mowers now in Australia, I decided to sell the 112 mower that I purchased here in Australia. It had been imported by the previous owner from the USA. It had arrived in used condition and needed quite a few repairs. The previous owner had rebuilt the engine and mower deck with all new spindle bearings. The deck had been repainted with new decals installed. I needed to finish off the deck by reinstalling the spindles, anti-scalp wheels and rollers. New blades, belts and idler pulleys needed to be purchased to put the deck back together. The deck mounting arms were missing, so I measured from my 110’s identical deck’s mounting hardware and replicated the parts. The mounting pins were also missing, so instead of using a generic bolt or pin, I purchased the exact replacement pins from the dealer.
The tractor part was in good condition but needed some attention. The
112 with seat cushion installed.
steering wheel and center medallion were replaced. The old steering wheel was deteriorated to the point that I had a layer of black material on my hands every time I grabbed the wheel. Since it had a damaged cigarette lighter installed, I replaced it with a new one and wired it, so it worked correctly. I repaired the generator light as the spring was missing on the back side.
As I was doing other repairs, I found that spring down below that had been dropped by the former owner. I removed the starter/generator and disassembled the unit. Every mating surface was cleaned up as well as the commutator bars. It reassembled easily and once mounted back on, it spun the engine as good as they do. Anyone who knows these machines knows that a traditional tractor generator is used to charge the battery as well as start the engine. The starting part of the generator is never a fast spin of the engine, which is not necessary if you have fuel, air and spark. I refurbished the carburetor and cleaned all the ignition parts. It started and ran good once all was repaired. The deck mounted correctly and engaged with the foot pedal. I was able to buy a green and yellow seat cushion for the pan seat from Steiner Tractor Parts; it fit good and looked great!
The second tractor I decided to sell was my 1965 model 3020 diesel standard. It was a drawbar model with only one set of hydraulic remotes. I had three model 3020 tractors in my collection. This was the best one of the three, as the other two both need engine repairs or replacements. The other two both have three-point hitch, one is Power Shift and the other is a Syncro-Range transmission. The 1965 model I decided to sell looked okay, but it still needed some restoration work to be able to sell it and generate funds. Since we moved here from the other property three years ago, it has had to sit outside. We do not receive snow but do get a good share of rain. This moisture was able to move past the broken rubber brake pedal boots and seize both brake pedals solid in the off position. The shifter lever and
throttle were also showing signs of moisture damage as they were stiff to move. While the engine was running, there was a fair amount of noise rattle from the hydraulic pump drive area, possibly due to rubber bushing failure or coupler play.
I got the 3020 into my shed and started on the repairs. After gingerly removing all the brake lines from the brake valve, most needing torch heat to loosen, I got the brake valve off and on the bench. The valve and pedals all came apart easily and then found the issue with the seized operation. The brake pistons were seized into the guides. Using torch heat, I was able to disassemble the seized parts. All seals and O-rings were replaced in the valve as well as the brake pedal bushings. The next job was the cooling system. The previous owner had found issues with the engine oil cooler. There was engine oil in the cooling system, sitting on top of the coolant in the radiator. He had looped the coolant hose away from the engine oil cooler. I purchased a used engine oil cooler last year from the USA. I could quickly see the difference in the coolers. The one from the tractor showed excessive rust on the coolant pipes, whereas the cooler from the USA had been on a tractor with antifreeze and the pipes were like new.
I pulled the radiator off to clean it thoroughly inside and out. It took a few repetitions, but I was able to get the oily residue removed from the inside areas of the radiator, at least it would not rust out with that in there! With the radiator removed, I could easily work on the hydraulic pump drive coupler. I removed the alloy clamps that were still tightly held to the rubber bushings. The noise I was hearing while the tractor ran was from the splined coupler, which had not been tightened previously and it was loose on the pump shaft. On further inspection, it appeared that no damage had been done to the pump shaft with the coupler running loose. I removed the old rubber bushings, and after inspections, realized that they were pieces of heater hose that had been cut and fitted onto the drive screws. I installed new rubber bushings, a new fan belt, and then reinstalled the alloy clamps and tightened the coupler onto the pump shaft. The water pump seemed to be in good condition but, on further inspection, the bearing was dry and noisy. I pulled apart the water pump and replaced the bearing, seal and impeller. I reinstalled the water pump and fan followed by the radiator. New coolant hoses were purchased and installed on all points, including the engine oil cooler and thermostat housing.
The steering wheel was removed and then the throttle lever assembly. I repaired the throttle lever stop assembly including a new knob. A new steering wheel and center medallion
Rubber hydraulic pump drive bushings compared to heater hose made bushings.
Seized brakes rust. Right: Seized brake pedal pistons and guides.
were installed after the throttle was fixed. The tractor started pretty good, but I decided to remove the starter and refurbish it anyway. The internal parts were all good, but just needed all the surfaces shined up and commutator touched up. The battery box was a mess. It was an earlier fabricated box with many rust holes in it. I fabricated a new box from flat steel sheet and welded the parts together. The right fender was suffering from the same rust issues that my 720 diesel had. The area where the truss support was had rusted out and needed repairs. I did the same repairs as on my 720, cut the poor section out and MiG welded in a new patch. I painted the repair, and it turned out good.
The hood’s paint was in poor condition. I sanded the whole hood to remove the rusty areas, then I repainted the whole hood and instrument cowl. New John Deere emblems were installed on the sides of the hood. A service was completed as well on the tractor’s oils and filters. One shock during the service was the dry air filter element. When I pulled out the old element, it had the date written on it when it was installed. Would you believe the date was 1-8-91! Aussies write the day first, so it is August 1, 1991! That filter had been in there 33 years! It was not too dirty, as I think the tractor has not seen hard work for a long time before I bought it. Nevertheless, I replaced the air filter element!
The rear wheel rims and centers
were quite rusty and would not look good when trying to sell the tractor. The rear wheels were also set out quite wide, which makes it harder to load on a truck and causes it to take more room when storing it. I pulled the two wheel weights off each side and then tackled the wheel wedges. The wedge bolts came loose easily. I moved the pusher bolts in and out a few times, and then wound them all the way out. This action of removing the pusher bolts also strips the soft snap rings that are on the pusher bolts, so the bolts do not thread out by themselves and get lost. Once I had the pusher bolts out, I ran a thread tap in the pusher bolt holes several times in each hole. The pusher bolt threads were also cleaned up using a thread die nut. Once the pusher bolt and hole threads were cleaned up, the lubricated pusher bolts threaded all the way in with my fingers. This cleaning of the threaded holes and pusher bolts is a critical step in loosening the wedges. If the pusher bolts are tight in the holes and hard to turn, a lot of pushing power is wasted when trying to turn in the pusher bolts to loosen the wedges. On the first turn in of the pusher bolts on both wheels, the wedges came loose easily! I could not believe how well this worked.
I removed the wedges and cleaned up the inner and outer surfaces as well as the outer wedge contact surface on the wheel centers. While the wedges were out, I applied never seize to the pusher bolts and reinstalled
3020 before, above, and after all repairs completed, below.
them all the way. New soft snap rings were installed on the pusher bolts to hold the pusher bolts from working themselves out. Once I had the wheel wedges reinstalled, I adjusted the wheels inward until the outer end of the axles was flush with the outside of the tires. I then repainted the inside and outside of the centers, rims and both weights for each wheel. Once the paint was dry, I reinstalled the wheel weights and painted the axles with John Deere Blitz Black paint. The front wheels were also painted yellow and turned out great.
I listed both tractors to sell in an online vintage tractor auction. When the auction was over, the final bid was for double the money I was expecting for the 3020, and more than I was hoping for with the 112. It really pays off to do the extra work when selling tractors! It was a great experience! That’s all for this month. Stay tuned for stories on my 1938 model “D” tractor sale and follow up 1953 model “D” purchase, and the purchase of a long-time dream tractor, a 4020 diesel Power Shift. I am hoping everyone in the Northern Hemisphere experienced a great harvest and good fall weather! Until next time, cheers, mates! Contact Ken Nicklas by email at kenanicklas@gmail.com
Patch spot welded in, left, and repainted fender patch, right.
The past few weeks have produced a few local sales here in northwest Minnesota that caught my eye. So I decided to go take a look. A friend of mine, Jon Smith, picked up an 80 John Deere and has been busy working on it for a while. It is going to be quite a great 80 when it is all done. One of the local sales that came up also had
an 80 so I just had to go take a look. The tractor was part of the Frank and Sharon Skappel sale near Lancaster, Minnesota. I talked to Frank at the sale and he informed me he had bought the 80 in the early 1970s and farmed with the 80 and an 830. He had sold the 830 earlier to Don Dufner of Buxton, North Dakota. The 80 had good paint and started right up! It had 18.4 by 34 rears with duals; the tires were probably the only thing that was not great on the tractor. The bidding got down to $3,000 before it started and I quickly chimed in at $4,000…back to me for $6,000, finally selling for $7,500! No, not to me but it was fun see the 80 start and sell!
The sale also included a 1951
“A” John Deere with a wide front. The part about this “A” that I liked is it was a flat back model. Later, needing hydraulics, a reservoir was added along with a hydraulic pump mounted behind the the distributor, giving the “A” a live hydraulic system. I didn’t happen to bid but I probably should have. The “A” sold for $1,900!
The week prior, I also attended the Bob and Lynette Blawat sale near Greenbush, Minnesota. At this sale was a 1949 “A” John Deere with a wide front also. The tractor had decent paint and tires, all the lights worked,
and an add on three-point hitch. When Bob jumped up on the tractor to start it, it fired up with probably less than a full revolution of the flywheel. I tried to throw in a bid but it quickly went from an opening bid of $1,000 to over $2,000! Final selling price $2,750—somebody got a nice tractor! All three of these tractors were sold by Jason Rominski Auctions.
Some of you who follow sales and auctions as well as Facebook pages probably heard about this one, a 1939 “H” John Deere, serial number 1001. With this serial number, the tractor would be the second “H” John Deere
ever made, but the first one, serial number 1000, was scrapped at the factory. So I guess you could say number two is actually number one! The tractor’s engine is stuck but if you didn’t hear, listen to this…this little “H” sold for $58,600.The tractor was sold on the Algie Slindee Antique Collector Estate Auction in Elma, Iowa by Fox Auction Company.
I ran across the a sale that gave us plenty of interesting tractors! It was the Marty Family Retirement Auction
put on by C.A. Tesch Equipment in Waterloo, Wisconsin. Let’s jump in with the first one that caught my eye. The 830 tractor has pony start and runs strong. Rubber means a lot and this one had excellent Firestone tires all the way around! It also had PTO, hydraulics, a cylinder hanger, and all the correct rice shields and components. Another plus is the fact that the pony motor had been gone through. Rounding things out, a nice older paint job and BIG rubber make it look like quite the beast. Serial number 8303620 has been in storage but brought a final bid of $11,500. A very nice looking tractor at a responsible price!
Keeping with the 30 series tractors, we move from an 830 to a 730. Serial number 7318389 is a row crop wide front diesel with electric start. Add dual hydraulics, factory wide front, factory three-point, three piece front weights, and original two cylinder flat top fenders make this into one nice tractor. Now add nice 15.5-38 rear tires and an umbrella bracket, this tractor is ready to go for a ride or put it to work doing some chores. The great driving tractor runs great and sold for a final bid of
$14,400. Simply put, one nice tractor! Let’s not stop here with the 30 series—we’ll get a little bit smaller, a 330 John Deere, serial number 330938. 330s have been good sellers and this one is no exception. This sweet little utility machine has original drawbar
and straight sheet metal. Being one of only 247 ever made that you can drive on the trailer! How does $22,000 sound to you?
I have to add another little Dubuque tractor. This one is an ex-
cellent running 1958 320 John Deere, serial number 325324. This slant steer industrial model has a No. 47 mower mounted on it. It also has brand new Firestone Period Correct Tires. This top notch restoration was done in 2009 with over 25K spent. You don’t usually get all your money back on a serious restoration job but this was close! Selling price on this 320 was $21,000. The Marty Sale gives us a few more two cylinder tractors to talk about. Let’s start with one I would have loved to have, 1949 “G” John Deere, serial number 37852. Something
about a wide front “G” makes me smile! Maybe I liked this one because we had a 1949 wide front “G” when I was a kid or maybe the duals on this one reminded me of my friend, Jon Smith, and his wide front “G” with duals. Yes, with duals—this one also had them! Not only duals but like new 13.6 by 38 rear tires to go along with it. A good running and driving tractor, it sold for a bid of $5,400! I just know someone is smiling from ear to ear!
The last one at this sale we will talk about is another “little” tractor. Just tell me you don’t think a little model “BR” is cute? Serial number 330889 makes this one a 1940 model. Nice tires all the way around, PTO, and running and driving great: What do you think? The gavel came down at $4,250!
We are moving ahead to the Larry Scherer Consignment Auction at Oxford, Indiana, where we found a 4430 and 4440 tractor. Many of us old timers will tell you it is hard to beat a 4020, but if you are younger than I am, you might have told me either of these models! First the 4430, serial number 045337R, 11,458 hours, two hydraulics SCV, Quad-Range trans-
mission, and two rear wheel weights on each side. Someone got a pretty good deal, $14,900. Now a 4440, serial number 022428R, showing 6,129 hours. Again, the 4440 was equipped with a Quad-Range transmission and two hydraulic SCV. Another good one selling for $23,500!
The Scherer Consignment gives us one more, a nice little model “M,”
featuring a very nice restoration and new 11.2 by 24 tires on the back as well as new fronts…SOLD for a bid of $2,100.
We’ll add three more interesting “BW” tractors from the Stan Heinze Tractor and Implement Inventory Reduction Sale held by Aumann Auctions. It is a 1938 model “BWH,” serial number 57717. Here we go: 9-40 rear wheels, round spoke rear wheels, good sheet metal. Give me a $22,330 bid—SOLD!
That’s one, now number two! This one is a a 1937 model “BW,” serial number 39444, with 9.5 by 36 tires that are like new. The hood does have a few dings but it’s a really nice tractor. It could have been yours if you would have bid more than $10,890!
Finally, a 1935 “BW” John Deere with serial number 9429. Once again, this one has 9.5 by 36 tires, like new, on the rear. It also has unique 4.00 by 19 fronts. It has an adjustable set screw wide front end (that I am not familiar with) and power lift. Although not original, it is advertised as having a unique patina. The only minus is they did disclose it does have a noise in the governor. An interesting and unique tractor and it sold for $9,680!
Time should slow down! It seems I just got done writing an article for last month’s edition and now it is time again! Any cool tractors out there? Let me know. I appreciate all the leads! Email me at mickelsonauctions@gmail.com. Happy auctioning!
If you want to send a message, email Eric W. Mickelson at this address: mickelsonauctions@gmail.com
Looks like we struck out in our quest to find a 406 or 407 loose ground lister. I’m not terribly surprised though, as they were likely used in only a few small areas of the country, and technologically they were for the most part obsolete 50 years ago.
In the past, I have expressed my disdain for sickle mowers, proclaiming them to be 19th century technology whose time has passed. While I am sure that many of you are still using them successfully, I don’t have the patience to keep them tuned up and ready to cut through gopher mounds, clumps of old missed windrows, and anything
else that will commonly cause them to clog. However, if I did have to use a sickle mower, the 250 side mounted mower shown here on a 4230 wouldn’t be a worst case scenario. Besides the comfort of a Sound-Gard cab, you would be able to see your work in front of you. I know we have searched for these mid mount mowers before, but never on a Sound-Gard tractor.
Do you have a 250 mower currently attached to a Generation II tractor? If so, be the first to get to us a photo of it without yourself standing proudly nearby and we will add one year to your subscription.
FRONT MOUNTED ROCKSHAFTS
By Dean Van Peursem
This is a follow-on article on the JD 520 to 730 front mounted rockshafts that was first mentioned in the May and twice in the July issues of Green Magazine, intending to provide a little more detail on their parts make up and their configurations. Single and dual versions of the front mounted rockshaft were offered for each the 520/530 and 620/630 and 720/730 series of tractors. The front mounted rockshaft assemblies were used with four and six row front mounted cultivators such as 60F, 62F, 64F, 66F and 68F, which were wider and heavier and too heavy for the traditional pipe pushed lift from the rear rockshaft. They also offered better viewing of the crop since the push pipes were no longer in the way.
The single version using one hydraulic cylinder offered lifting of both sides simultaneously. The dual version using two hydraulic cylinders provided the capability of independent lifting/dropping of each side at uneven end rows, sometimes called point rows. Our farm in northwest Iowa had a railroad run through it, causing all kinds of weird row ends. The left front and right front cultivators could also be lifted/dropped independently of the rear rigs. In the past, the JD letter series tractors could be outfitted with a mechanical PTO driven lift for independent side lifting but the early numbered series tractors did not offer this capability. Subsequently, these front mounted rockshafts became available as an option on the 20 and 30 series two cylinder tractors.
To make use of the dual capability, a dual remote hydraulic valve
Parts used for a 520/530 single, not including the 16 inch shaft.
or an added Baker valve is required, providing two ports for independent remote hydraulic cylinder control and the third to control the rockshaft, which also allowed all three to operate independently—a significant improvement over the early numbered series.
A 1958 JD Price Catalog shows a $93 or $167 list price for a single or dual front mounted rockshaft including the hydraulic cylinders. One or two cylinders with hoses sold for $53 and $106, respectively. These front mounted rockshafts have become increasingly popular as of late for the 20/30 two cylinder tractor collectors who want to add the option offered with this popular series of tractors, also increasing interest in the dual hydraulic valve system.
Parts used for a 520/530 dual, not including the 16 inch shaft. The dual lift arm in this photo is a B3703R modified to function as a B3704R.
Did the Green Magazine article start this craze? Some recent auction results: A July 2024 auction in eastern Nebraska for a dual version brought $1,870 including the two hydraulic cylinders and shafts for both the 620/630 and 720/730 tractors. This is the highest I have seen (https://bids.aumannauctions.com/auctions/38501/ lot/5749279-john-deere-front-dualrockshaft-assembly). And also, at the same auction, a single version without hydraulic cylinders sold for $350 (https://bids.aumannauctions.com/ auctions/38501/lot/5749340-johndeere-front-rockshaft).
A Facebook auction, also in July
The three different shaft lengths used.
A 620-730 single left side installed.
Right: A 620-730 single right side installed.
in northwest Iowa, a dual with hydraulic cylinders brought $1,000. Must be a lot of collectors out there needing to pick up their lawn chairs one side at a time when on display at shows.
Fortunately, since I own a few 520s, a 1958 620 High Clearance, a 1958 720 row crop and a 1957 720 LP Standard, I’ve had some recent hands-on experience with single and dual setups for a 520/530, a single and dual setup for a 620/630 and two dual setups for a 720/730, including one I installed, for fun, on a 1957 John Deere 720 LP Standard to see if I could wake up the local correct police. I also would like to thank Rod Elm from eastern Nebraska, also a multiple front mounted rockshaft owner, who jointly verified some of these details.
General equipment overview:
To add a single front mounted rockshaft to a 20 or 30 series tractor, a frame bracket is required on the left side to accommodate a remote hydraulic cylinder and a splined lift arm fitted on a splined cross shaft, which is required to control the front implement and also connect to the hydraulic cylinder. The front of the left bracket includes a bearing hole for a splined shaft that is used to transfer that action to the right side where a bracket on the right side frame positions the splined shaft to where a splined lift arm is attached to lift the implement. Both sides controlled by one cylinder. To accomplish a dual version, nothing changes on the left side but a new frame bracket is required on the right side to add a second remote hydraulic
cylinder and the right lift arm without internal splines is included to allow independent action on the shaft and a hole is added in the lift arm for the hydraulic cylinder. Now the right side can be controlled by the operator independently from the left.
Consult with each John Deere Tractor Parts Catalog and/or the Attachments for John Deere Tractors and Engines AC-1000 information provided for the various front mounted rockshaft versions used on the 520/530 gas and LP, 620/630 gas and LP, 720/730 gas and LP, 720/730 diesel. See Exhibit A for detailed part
Parts used for a 620-730 dual, not including the 23 inch or 25 inch shaft.
Below: A dual front mounted rockshaft installed on the left side of a 1957 JD 720 LP Standard. NOTE: For correct police consumption only.
number information on what primary parts are used on each version of the front rockshaft installed on the different tractor models plus some additional details. The 20 series sales information for two cylinder tractors document also offers some very good pictures.
All primary cast parts used with the 520/530 versions of the assembly are completely different from the others including a unique 16 inch shaft. There are no common primary cast parts with other tractor model versions; however, hardware used is common amongst all versions. Also note that the only difference between the 620/630 single and dual rockshaft assemblies and the 720/730 single and dual rockshaft assemblies is the length of the rockshaft itself: 23 inches versus 25 inches, respectively.
Exhibit A:
A dual front mounted rockshaft installed on the right side of a 1957 JD 720 LP Standard. NOTE: For correct police consumption only.
Primary Front Mounted Rockshaft Components
Description/Casting Number
Left Side Single and Dual
Front Rockshaft and Cylinder Bracket. L.H.
Front Rockshaft Cylinder and Lift Arm, L. H.
Heat Shield L. H. (Single and Dual Control)
Rockshaft Single and Dual
Front Rockshaft B3706R (16") A5592R (23")
Right Side Single
Front Rockshaft Bracket, R.H. (Single Control)
Front Rockshaft Lift Arm R.H .(Single Control}
Right Side Dual
Heat Shield R. H. (Dual Control only)
Front Rockshaft Cylinder Bracket, R.H. (Dual Control)
Front Rockshaft Cylinder and Lift Arm R. H. (Dual Control)
2.) Front rockshaft diameter - All typically 1-3/4"
3.) All rockshaft shim washers 24H1564 0.180" thick—use as required
4.) No heat shields required for R. H. (single control)
F2923R F2923R
F2921R F2921R
5.) Only difference between 620/630 and 720/730 front rockshaft is rockshaft length—23" vs. 25"
6.) R.H. rockshaft lift arms in dual versions do not have splines
7.) All dual control rockshaft assemblies require the use of dual remote hydraulic valve system on tractor
8.) Front rockshaft assemblies do not change due to gas, LP, all-fuel, diesel configurations
9.) Hyd. cylinders used with the 520/530/620/630: 3" AA5603 (A4720R) and 720/730 3.5" AA1568R (F1425R)
For Sale
1939 John Deere H in good running condition. New front tires and good rear tires, SN 2679, $2000 or best offer. Ph. 484-7981394. PA
John Deere 50, rebuilt generator, starter and carburetor and new condensers in magneto, excellent paint job, runs great, $4500. Ph. 717-715-6864. Lancaster, PA.
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John Deere 70 diesel tractor, SN 7022639, with pony start, very good tin, wide front end, $2500. Ph. 406-547-3843 evenings. MT
1938 JD A, complete tractor including shutters and radiator screen, runs, smooth back, older paint, new rear tires with flat spokes, $3000. Located near Burnsville, MS, $3000. Call Jim after 5 PM, ph. 865-607-1190. MS
720 gas wheatland, 3-pt., dual hyd., wheel weights, handles and steps, hammer strap
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Ridenours - L parts John Deere L, LA, LI and Unstyled L Parts
SOME NEW AND USED New parts include battery box, seat, metal belly pans, light brackets and more The Ridenours Trenton, OH Ph. 513-988-0390 Visit our website: www.antiquejohndeere.com
drawbar. Excellent paint, $8000. Ph. 715676-2220 evenings, leave message. WI
We have clutch covers, grill screens, manifolds, battery boxes, water pumps, steering wheels and more, plus a yard full of used 2 cylinder parts tractors. Over 25 years of experience. We also have battery boxes, grills, steering wheels and other parts for New Generation tractors. Call Shepard's Tractor Parts, 715-928-1039 (cell) or 715265-4988. WI
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New, used & reproduction
Crawler parts: Lavoy Wilcox
JD CRAWLER PARTS
Steering clutch parts, brake bands, bearings, final drive gears, engine kits, carb kits, radiators, fans, water pumps, battery sheet metal, seat cushions, gauges, light switches and more www.jdcrawlers.com
Lavoy Wilcox • Horace, ND
Phone 701-361-1006 • 8-5 CST No Sunday Calls
JD L, SN 633349, featured in Green Magazine Feb. 2007. Also, six Ls, four Ms, five Hs, MT with wide front, 40T, 40W, three 50s, two 60s, 620, 520 LP, G electric, four Ds, and a BR. 2-way plows: 3-point 1x Yakima, 3-point 2x, 1x pull type, 2x pull, 4x disc plow. 11.2x34 tires mounted on 9 bolt centers, matched pairs and many other sizes. Factory wide fronts, round and square, Schwartz also. Plows, KBA discs. 400 2-cylinders parted out on the shelf. I’m 81 and paring down collection. Please - no text or voicemail or pictures. Dave Steiner, phone 810-869-3897 (MI), 9 AM to 7 PM M-F; please say your phone number clearly and slowly. See the last 3 pages in back of Steiner catalog.
John Deere A, SN 464685, new paint and rubber, rear wheels, H481. Asking $4900. Ph. 712-567-4031. NW Iowa.
1965 JD 110 lawn tractor, with 38” mower, 42” front blade, 80 dump cart, two M11029 slab weights, original wheel weights, complete restoration, asking $3500. Ph. 419-825-3333. OH
We can also repair individual components on all two cylinder and New Generation Deeres
2495 Hwy. 46 North • Seguin, TX 78155 Ph. 800-933-6380
JD 330S, extremely good condition, 3-pt., $16,000. Ph. 330-806-0145. Please do not text. OH
Used John Deere two-cylinder tractor parts. Wide variety. Also, some New Generation parts. 30 years’ experience. Call or text Darwin Gingerich, 620-386-0071. KS
JD 45 combine, 10’ platform, 235 corn head. Last run 2015 cutting wheat. $2500. Ph. 618-779-2066. SW IL
Gift a memory this holiday season. Epic hats inspired by letter series Deere classics. What a perfect gift for the Deere person in your life! Order one today! Website: www.classicironhead.com or phone 330554-9531. MI
1950 styled AR, many unstyled G parts. 70 diesel just fresh in! Parting out: 70 gas burner, 630, good tin; styled G, also H. Parts for unstyled A, B, GP, D. Styled A, B, D, G, 50, 60, 520 and 620. Some R parts. Call Larry Frederick, 308-520-7416. NE I3X
Unique and rare two-cylinder John Deeres including A’s, Bs, Gs and Ds. Styled and unstyled, including parts and tires. Southwest Minnesota. Ph. 507-694-1665. MN J3X
Several John Deere two cylinder tractors, some restored, others for parts or repair. AR, D, A’s, Hs, MTs, several Bs from 1935 to 1952 and many parts call for details. Ph. 320-980-5090. MN K3X
1958
$4750 OBO. Ph. 402-340-8151. NE
New Generation seat extended brackets, 4 inches longer than stock, not painted, 4 piece set, $120. ALSO: Axle wedge removal tool, 530-4620, three sizes, $260 each. Brett, 402429-5311. NE I3X
3 bottom 825 Nebraska plow, mold boards very good, matching deep suck points, new tires and hoses. Coulters mismatched. Nice original patina, put to work or restore, $2500. Ph. 217-502-4504. IL J2X
For sale: 1937 D, 1944 D, 1937 AR, 1948 G, 1950 B. Call for details. Ph. 785-821-2600. KS I3X
Fuel gauges for John Deere 2 cylinders with original face. Six or 12 volt positive and negative ground comes with new fuel tank sending unit. $135 for the set. See our ¼ page display ad for other gauges. EverGreen Restoration, 715-520-7876; www. evergreengauges.com WI J3X
Electric starter kit for 70/720/730. Includes 12 volt starter, bracket, alternator and brackets, engine cover, breather standpipe, plug and caps for water ports, $1280. Kit for 80/820/830, $1350. Battery box now available. Free shipping. Also battery cable kit now available. Ph. 717-445-9465. PA J3X
Piston ring sets: A, B, D, G, GP, H. D 6-1/2” std., .045, .090. D 6-3/4” std., .045, .090, .125. G 6-1/8” std., .045, .090, .125. Piston kits for most two cylinder JD. ALSO AVAILABLE: Two cylinder tractor parts; valves, guides and valve springs; 2 and 4 cylinder pony motor parts; injector tubes OEM, AF3190R; brass push rod tubes, $28; oversized wrist pins. H&J Machining, 701-652-3289 (NDE3X alt), www.handjmachining.com or racinghenry@hotmail.com
‘39 JD B, SN 64503, heavy cast rear wheels, newer rear tires, been stored indoors for 18 years, $1000, tractor in Kirkville, NY. Call Jim after 5 PM, ph. 865-607-1190. MS
John Deere 630, row crop, 3-pt., LPTO, remote, PS, flat top fenders, original paint, excellent tires. Ph. 330-806- 0145. Please do not text. OH
1960 430W and 415A 2-14 plow. Both rebuilt for show and serious plowing. Everything correct and functional. All manuals and extras. $7000. Ph. 505-250-4065. NM J2X
Scott’s Tractor Restoration, 14025 Haumesser Road, Shabbona, IL 60550. We offer complete restoration and mechanical repair on all makes and models of tractors. Showroom quality. Ph. 815-762-0851, website: www.scottstractorrestoration.com or email: twocylindersh@aol.com. A12X
New and used John Deere small square baler parts. Knotter rebuilding service. Our free catalog makes it easy to figure out what your baler needs. Call Finger Lakes Equipment, 585-526-6705. NY C12X
• Two Cylinder diesels—our speCialTy
• CompleTe Two Cylinder diesel
• Fuel injeCTion repair and CalibraTion
• Cylinder bloCk boring up To 8”
We also have good sources for aftermarket products for two cylinder John Deeres including Taper-Lock flywheels, engine parts, grilles, battery boxes, manifolds, mufflers, pony motor ignition parts, etc.
• 2 cyl. & later JD air cleaner conversions, Lindeman through 430C trunion bushings
• 70-830 diesel piston kits in stock, STD, .045, .090, .125 os
Renaissance Tractor
Polymatrix Super Coat is an extraordinary system designed to clean and restore your painted surfaces, while creating a gloss luster and a protective coating on the surfaces, 22 oz. bottle, $49.95. Polymatrix Restore is a blend of selected abrasives, which remove oxidation, scratches, and water spots. It’s recommended for metallic paint, industrial finishes, older cars and oxidation removal. Clear coat safe, 8 oz. bottle, $29.95. Free shipping with phone order for the holiday season. See website: protectivecoatingsystems.com or phone 208-509-9319. I3X
Fender grommets – part #R44619 and #R44621, left and right side for JD 4520, 4620, 5020, 6030 with roll bar and fenders. $149.95 per set plus freight. Ph. 712252-0423. IA I3X
New Generation fuel gauges for 10 and early 20 series tractors, negative or positive ground, comes with new fuel tank sending unit, $160 for set. All our New Generation gauges fit in dash without modifications to the clamp bracket. Also have temperature and pressure gauges for same tractors. EverGreen Restoration, 715-520-7876; website: www. evergreengauges.com. WI F3X
Looking at a tractor but don’t know how to ship it? My name is Matthew Wasinger. I’m with King of Freight and specialize in long distance trucking of all things equipment. Midwest born and raised. Ph. 316304-4928. KS
THREE PIECE FRONT WEIGHTS for JD 520-730. Good reproduction. U.S. made. $1000. Also numbers 4, 5 and 6 are available, $350 each. Detwiler Tractor Parts, Spencer, WI. Call 715-659-4174, 715-659-4252 or 715659-4525 (office) 9-5 M-F. H6X
Carburetor, water pump, distributor rebuilding. Farmers Service Incorporated. Ph. 330-482-4180, www.farmersserviceinc. com OH F6X
JD 3020 gas standard, 1965, SN T121R071126R, one of 160, 5785 hours, single hydraulics, all new tires, four rear wheel weights, front weights, one of the nicest original tractors you will find, asking $8500. Ph. 419-825-3333. OH
Reproduced aluminum WARNING PLATES for 3-pt. Quick Hitches. Motorola alternator and amp regulator plates, 35-5572 amp. Hydraulic cylinder stop pins with chains, spring steel clip, like original, three sizes – 3/8,” 7/16” and ½.” Ph. 712-660-8447 cell. IA K3X
WIRING HARNESSES, battery cables and spark plug wires made to order for restoration or repair. Covering models from the 1930s to the 1980s. Electrical parts including: switches, regulators, lights, relays, alternators. Wiring harness repair/ rebuild service. Worldwide shipping. See our display ad in this issue. Call or email for a free catalog. Agri-Services, 13899 North Road, Alden, NY 14004. Ph. Website: www. wiringharnesses.com. Email: agriserv@ rochester.rr.com. J3X
PAUL’S ROD & BEARING
Paul's Rod & Bearing
Specializing in JD babbitt bearings
Let us repour your rod & mains for models A, B, D, G, H, L & LA Ph. 816-587-4747
Since 1952
6212 N.W. Bell Road Parkville, MO 64152
FM 1262 • Gruver, TX 79040
Fits H, R, 80, 820/830: $35.00 plus S/H
SHEET METAL BOLT SETS
Early styled tractors (pan seated models) A, B hand start • A, B long hood • G, GM & H $35.00 plus S/H
John Reed Antique
Tractor Parts
RADIATOR BOLT SETS
Buddy seat! For 20 and 30 series two cylinders. Will fit float ride seat or bat box. Looks like the original buddy seat! $495 plus S/H, includes cushions. Ph. 260-901-3076. Callaway Restorations, IN. K3X
Recovering original tractor steering wheels for 14, 15 and 17” three spoke flat or round wheels, $95; 19” four spoke wheels, $110. Please send your core or call for information. EverGreen Restoration, W7619 Walnut Dr., Spooner, WI 54801. Ph. 715-520-7876. Made in USA. WI C3X
New and used JD two cylinder parts. Specializing in H, M, MT, 40, 420, 430, GP, 800 and 801 3-points and parts. Also: See my eBay store for specials and NOS parts. Some NOS parts, many reproduction parts. Dave Cook Tractor Parts, 715-373-2092. Morning calls are BEST. WI H6X
New parts for L, LA and LI. Bases, propeller shaft guards and shield assemblies. Leave message and phone number, will call you back. Ron Brungart, cell 570-6604573. PA I3X
Parting out John Deere M-MT-40-420-430 and A-B-50-60-70 tractors. Call us for new, used and reproduction/replacement 2 cylinder parts. John Shepard, 715-2654988. WI
Unstyled tractors: $45.00
Styled A, B, G and H + 50, 60 & 70: $40.00 520-up: $30.00 • plus S/H
We specialize in JD model H tractor parts— new, used and reproduction THOUSANDS of model H parts!
Carr’s Repair: We’ve got you covered! D and R overbore piston kits for sale - D overbore .125-.250, R overbore .045-.125, SPECIAL $595! 720-830 JD diesel .125 overbore piston kits. Restore those JD tractors to original! Ph. 807-487-2548. International Falls, MN. No Sunday calls. Website: www. carrsrepairvintageparts.com (A12X)
Currently parting out styled and unstyled A, AR, styled and unstyled B, styled and unstyled D, H, R, 40, 50, 60, 70 gas, 80, 420, 720, 820, 840, 1010, 2010, 3010, 4010, 3020, 4020 and 2030. Countryside Tractor, 618-731-6625. IL K3X
New and used parts for JD two cylinder tractors and crawlers and some NOS parts. Models A, B, D, G, H, LA, M, 40, 50, 60, 70, 70D, 440, 520, 620, 720D, 530, 630, 730, etc. A&L Parts, 315-536-0543. NY C12X
Automatic release brake locks for two cylinders. Parts: 420W, 50 and 630 RC; 520-630 LP and A-730: air stacks, 3-points. Hose and breakaway kits for dual hydraulics 520-730;: also Behlen overdrives, round spokes and lugs. 800/801 hitches and parts. Aftermarket parts. 3-16s 825 rollover plow; 820, 825 rollover plows and plow parts. Marlin Smith, Pine Valley Farm Equipment. Ph. 712-579-9922. IA I3X
1959 730 John Deere diesel, electric start, wide front, flat top fenders, excellent tires, complete 3 pt. hitch. Ph. 605-641-7472. SD
Just in: Many, many mags and carburetors from big estate sale, including historical mags you won’t find anywhere else. Call for info. Over 30 years’ experience. Call EZ Tractor Shop, ask for Eldon, 785-3325482. KS I3X
John Deere 530 gas, 3-pt., PS, LPTO, show condition, $8500. Ph. 330-806-0145. Please do not text. OH
2010 JD X740 diesel garden tractor, with 62” mower, 47” snow thrower (used twice), 54” front blade, very rare 60” center mount blade, chains and wheel weights. Ph. 419825-3333. OH
John Deere tractor repairs and restorations – all two cylinders and New Generation tractors. Pickup and delivery available. 4177 White Oak Road, Paradise, PA 17562. Ph. 717-687-3761. K6X
Large inventory of good used two cylinder parts. Call for parts needed - casting numbers and/or parts numbers appreciated when you call. Detwiler Tractor Parts, Spencer, WI. Ph. 715-659-4174 or 715-6594252 weekdays 9-5. I6X
Dubuque tractor HOOD BOLTS: Airlock 160 threaded hood bolts, looks like original Airlock ¼ turn fastener. Has same face, but allows you to snug up metal without harming paint. Set includes 11 Airlock bolts, unuts and nylon washers. For all M, 420 and 430 series. $60. Battery box winged Airlock bolt also now available, $15. Both for $70, includes shipping. Ph. 217-502-4504. IL F6X
We have parts for your 45 combine! www.45combineparts.com. Ph. 417-2592520. MO G6X
Gear reduction starter built for 3010 JD through xx60 series. Adaptable to some 8000 series JD tractors and some JD loaders. Starts easier. About $100 cheaper than OEM. No core charge. Call 218-234-6500. NE I3X
PARTS AND DECKS for older Deeres. 110, 140, 200s, 300s, 400s and over 150 lawn tractors for sale. Ph. 219-942-2242, website: tractorsalesandparts.com. IN H6X
ELECTRIC STARTER KIT for R, includes 12 volt starter, bracket with battery box, breather, water manifold, water pipe. Alternator with top and bottom brackets, mounting hardware and battery cables. $1595. Free shipping. Ph. 717-445-9465. PA J3X
Canopies for JD 3020, 4020, etc. Powder coated yellow. $1135. Quantity discounts. Ships truck freight. Nelson Horning, 585526-6705. NY C12X
Toys, Books, Manuals & Videos
TRACTOR MANUALS AND LITERATURE, large selection, ag, industrial, L&G. Jim Robinett, 5141 Kimball Road, Ontario, OR 97914. Ph. 206-713-3441, send email: tractrmnul@aol.com. OR C12X
The Corn Picker book: 804 pages/over 1500 pictures, all brands. Corn Cribs book: 330 pages/over 1200 illustrations. NOW ALSO in hardcover! COMING SOON: Corn Choppers: Field Corn Forage Harvesters. See website: www.CornPickerBook.com or call Corn Picker Bob at 815-761-3709. Email: mrcornpicker@aol.com IL E8X
Wanted & Announcements
Wanted: JD stationary hay press, motor driven or other for restoration. Ph. 208313-3020. ID
Wanted: Looking for a JD model H, electric start. Looking for a very nice model, prefer restored. Good mechanical condition. Will pay good price, depending on condition. Ph. 270-253-2615 or send email: bradfordgregory@bellsouth.net
Wanted: 1971 JD 4020 diesel Power Shift wanted, parade ready or in excellent condition. Ph. 712-249-0194. IA
Wanted: Part for a 672 JD hay rake, part #620211E. Ph. 920-923-4240. WI K2X
Wanted: JD 4430, or 4440, open station, in good condition. Ph. 309-256-1100. IL E7X
Wanted: 1969 to 1972 4020, propane or diesel, Power Shift. Ph. 620-923-3364. KS J3X
Wanted: Green Magazine book, “The John Deere 30 Series - 2nd Edition” by J.R. Hobbs. Ph. 765-594-4002. IN J3X
Announcing: Glendale, Arizona, February 8, 2025, 9 AM to 4 PM, Sahuaro Ranch Park Historic Area, 9802 N 59th Avenue (between Olive and Peoria). Sponsored by Arizona Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association. Tractor pull and parade. Kids’ tractor drive. Antique gas engine displays and demonstrations. Classic and antique tractors, all makes. Admission: adults $5, children 12 and under free. For more info: 623-435-3955, www. aedgeta.org. AZ K4X
2-Cylinder Plus, 65
2025/1958 calendar: Green Magazine, 3
Agri-Services, 30
A&L Parts, 33
Auction: Bob and the late Gary Buhrows, 7
Auction: Ernie Vietze, 32
Auction: Erv Weaver, 33
Auction: Greg McGrew, 9
Auction: Premier Deere 2024, 13
Auction: Small Town Saturday, 32
Auction: Steven Huffman, 27
Book: A Tractor Goes Farming, 30
Book bundle: Green Magazine, 2
Book: Grandpa’s John Deere Tractors, 30
Book: How John Deere Tractors and Implements Work, 30
Book: Mr. Thinker’s John Deere Almanac, Fourth Edition, 68
Book: The Green Experience, 32
Book: The John Deere Unstyled Letter Series, 67 Brillman Company, 69
Central Fuel Injection Service, 67
Countryside Tractor, 33
Crawler parts: Lavoy Wilcox, 61
Decals: QuipCal.com, 62
Dennis Polk, 21
Detwiler Tractor Parts, 31
Dillner's Tractors, 61
EverGreen Restoration, 33
Fabricated tractor parts: Dave Haala, 31
Fisk Carburetor and Ignition, 14
Garry Power, 65
GreenLight Products, 67
Green Magazine back issues, 71 Green Magazine binders, 71
Green Magazine Bookstore, 70
Iron Bull Mfg., 36
John Reed Antique Tractor Parts, 64
Jorde’s Decals, 36
K&K Antique Tractors, 14 & 31
L and LA parts - Ron Brungart, 64
Lakeside Service & Supply, 65
Lind Bros Tractor and Parts, 21
Little Green The Tractor Magazine for Kids, 21
Lundell Tractor, 62
Martin Parts & Repair, 8
Martin Repair, 14
McDonald Carb & Ignition, 31
M&D Reproduction Parts, 62
Medallion AR77663K&K Antique Tractors, 31
Obsolete parts - The Old Tractor Company, 30
Paul's Rod & Bearing, 64
Renaissance Tractor, 63 Restoration Services, 61
Ridenours - L parts, 60
Scanlan Tractor Restoration, 33
Scenic View Engine, 60
Show: Classic Green Reunion, 37 SMV emblem support bracket -
K&K Antique Tractors, 14
Steiner Tractor Parts, 75
TP Tools & Equipment, 15 Wapsi Innovations, 36
Bookstore
The place to go for accurate and informative books
A Specialized Look Into The Unstyled Model B: The Handbook of the John Deere Model B 1934-1938 This book should be on the “must read” list of any unstyled “B” owner. Offers the same type of info as the unstyled “A” book (at right). Written by experts who have collected and restored the unstyled version of Deere’s most popular tractor, 84 pages, 11x8-1/2,” soft cover. GM8B - $39.95 US, $47.95 C, $52.95 F
The John Deere 20 Series New Generation Tractors This book is packed with info on the JD 820, 1020, 1520, 2020, 2520, 3020, 4000, 4020, 4320, 4520, 4620, 5020, 6030, 7020, 7520, 8020, WA-14 and WA-17. History and development, specs, production numbers and horsepower ratings. 8-1/2x11,” soft cover, 128 pages. NG20: $28.00 US, $35.00 C/F
A Specialized Look Into The Unstyled Model A: The Handbook of the John Deere A 1934-1938 Now in its fourth printing, no other book goes into so much detail on a single model of tractor. Shows illustrations of nearly every change made in the parts that make up the unstyled “A.” Written by Wes Malcolm, 95 pages, 11x8-1/2,” soft cover. GM7A - $39.95 US, $47.95 C, $52.95 F
THE GREEN EXPERIENCE
Articles first seen in Green Magazine 1984-2000
The John Deere Unstyled Letter Series Covers the JD unstyled GP, D, B, A, L, G, AR, AO, AI, BO, BR, BI, BO Lindeman, DI, 62, Y, W, AOS, Waterloo Boys and predecessors. Production numbers, year/SN breaks, original prices, matched working equipment, magnetos, carbs, wheels, history. 8-1/2 x 11,” soft cover, 160 pages. GM10: $24.00 US/C, $31.00 F NOW ON SALE! $18.00 US, $30.00 C/F
Approximately 96 pages of the best articles taken from Green Magazine’s first 15 years. Every member of the family will enjoy this book of restorations gone awry, trips that didn’t go as planned, cherished memories and sometimes profound situations. Not a technical or historical book, but a book about the lives and experiences of those who enjoy John Deere tractors. 11”x8-1/2,” about 96 pages, soft cover. GREX - $20.00 US, $30.00 Canada, $40.00 Foreign
Mr. Thinker’s John Deere Almanac, Fourth Edition All the same info found in earlier editions plus now Dan Brotzman’s New Gen and Gen II SN guide. For all models built from 1918 to 1972: history, SN/year breaks, accurate production numbers (no 820 three cylinder, 1020, 1520, 2020), notes on some significant changes, charts on tractor fluid capacities, cubic inches, compression ratios, torque specs, list of plow beam numbers. Info on proper colors of mufflers, axles, horse drawn equipment, fuels/lubricants, E/W stationary engines, L&G tractors. Chart on heights, weights and top speeds; SN/year charts for models 45 through 105 combines; tractor/loader application chart; SN/year charts for all tractors built from 1973 to 1990; and production numbers for models 4030 and 4230. 8-1/2”x51/2,” soft cover, black/white. MRT4 - $19.95 US, $28.00 C, $36.00 F US = United States • C = Canada price • F = Foreign price
The John Deere Hi-Crop Book This book provides serial number lists for JD models A, G, 60, 70, 620, 720, 430, 630, 730, 2010, 2510, 4010, 2520, 3020 and 4020. Verify Hi-Crop serial numbers, build dates and shipping locations in a pocket-sized book that’s easy to carry anywhere. Production summaries of two cylinder HiCrop tractors provided, as well as Hi-Crop totals by state and more. 72 pages, 5.5 x 8.5,” paperback, limited quantity. Order GMHC - $19.95 US, $26.95 C/F
A Tractor Goes Farming Author Roy Harrington (co-author of John Deere Tractors & Equipment, Vol. 2) has put together a book that places the child in the driver's seat of a variety of tractor makes and models. Short sentences that kids will be able to read alone or with help and full color photos to please everyone. 32 pages, 7 x 8-1/2, hardbound. AS6T - $10.95 US, $16.95 C/F
Grandpa’s John Deere Tractors This book for kids tells the history of Deere and Company starting with John Deere and his steel plow. Then in 48 pages with 50 color photos, it talks about how farming and JD tractors have changed. Best for kids 5 to 10 years. 7 x 8-1/2, hardbound, written by Roy Harrington. AS8K - $13.95 US, $19.95 C/F
How John Deere Tractors and Implements
Work Kids are always asking questions, especially about big machines. This book will give kids the answers they crave as they step into the field with impressive John Deere tractors and implements. Ages 8 to adult. 8-1/2 x 11, hardbound, 48 pages.
AS9H - $14.95 US, $21.95 C/F
A book is a great gift — for yourself or someone else! Orders can be called in or placed online with a credit card or by mail with a check. For more information, see yellow box in opposite column.
Green Magazine back issues
COST FOR BACK ISSUE S, NOW AVAILABLE PER SET
Order BIN1
No need to punch holes in those precious magazines to hold them in a three ring binder. These binders have inserts to hold your magazines in place. Magazines are easy to put in, easy to take out and can be read while in the binder.
Order BIN1 • Binders are now available in sets of 2 Each binder comes with 12 inserts • Additional inserts can be ordered—prices listed below
U.S. $48 for set of two binders w/12 inserts each or $88 for set of four binders w/ inserts Additional inserts are $14 per dozen or $34 for three dozen
CANADA $68 for set of two binders w/12 inserts each or $128 for set of four binders w/inserts • Additional inserts are $24/dozen or $54 for three dozen ALL OTHER COUNTRIES $88 for set of two binders w/12 inserts each or $168 for set of four binders w/inserts • Additional inserts: $34/dozen or $64 for three dozen
Mr. Thinker,
I recently came across a late model “D” equipped with hydraulics. They look like they have always been there, and the previous owner said they were on it when he bought it. Could it have left the factory with them?
S.S., Ohio
Even the latest factory price list and option sheets for the model “D,” dated from the spring of 1953, do not show hydraulics as an option. However, shortly thereafter, the AD2880R kit became available. It included a governor driven hydraulic pump, reservoir and Powr-Trol assembly from a styled “AR.” So, said tractor likely didn’t leave the factory with hydraulics, but it might have had them for over 70 years. MT
Mr. Thinker,
Answers to Mr. Thinker are provided by a variety of “experts.”
Mail a question to Mr. Thinker/Green Magazine PO Box 95 • Bee, NE 68314 Email: info@greenmagazine.com
I have a friend who has been trying to tell me for years that the 8010 and 8020 were built by Wagner for Deere. I told him that he is thinking of the WA-14 and 17. He is adamant. Can you settle this?
C.A., Colorado
This has been a persistent but false rumor for decades. Mr. Thinker guarantees you that if you posted this question on some general farming message board, someone would regurgitate the same wrong information. The 8010 and 8020 were built by Deere in a Deere factory. The WA-14 and WA-17 were built by Wagner for Deere. MT
Mr. Thinker,
The steering on my 3010 locked up. I cannot turn the steering wheel while the tractor is running. Would the problem more likely be in the front steering motor, or in the valves under the dash?
K.P., Kansas
The problem is almost certainly in the steering valve assembly under the dash. Pressurized oil is somehow finding its way into the return circuit. The cause might be a ruptured packing or O-ring, a broken spring or a worn valve. Before you dive into it, you should definitely pick up a service manual and a seal kit from your John Deere dealer. These two items should provide you with
the necessary knowledge and parts to fix the problem. And if cleanliness was ever next to godliness, this is one of those cases. If this is something that you aren’t comfortable tearing into, there are shops out there who will do it for you. MT
Mr. Thinker,
My son and I are new to the hobby and would like to restore a two-cylinder. Would prefer electric start. We are not poor, but not rich either. It wouldn’t hurt if it was a little bit “usable.” What would be a good starter project?
C.K., Ohio
How about a model 50, 60 or 70? Inexpensive to buy and most parts are readily available. They will have live hydraulics and most likely PTO. They might even have power steering and can be fitted with a three-point hitch. MT
Mr. Thinker,
My dad farmed with 40 and 50 John Deere tractors. I have sold all the tractors but there was a set of wheel weights. I would like to know if they are actual JD. They have a W163 and JD is pressed into the cast. Would French & Hecht have made this?
L.T., Nebraska
W161/162 is the common F&H weight set for round spoke wheels. Mr. Thinker has never seen a reference to an W163 weight. The weight in the photo looks exactly like D2628, which was designed to fit on JD produced cast center wheels for rubber tires. MT
Mr. Thinker,
I was looking through some old issues of Green Magazine, something I do now and then, and in the letters section of the December 2005 issue, I came upon this photo. A light went off in my head, and I looked through some more recent issues and found that in this year’s February issue, someone asked about this tractor. You might want to go look it up to find answers to the man’s questions.
J.S., Alberta
Good save! From the info published with the photo, it was built by J.B. Mangus of Renick, Missouri. The front axle is from a “C” Case, the steering Ford truck and the rear wheels are from an old New Holland baler. It also includes aftermarket hydraulics. Pity that it fell into such a state. MT
Mr. Thinker, I have a Deere remote hydraulic cylinder that is compatible with the 30 series two-cylinder tractors (31/2 RC65259). The problem is that the retracting travel length adjustment works too well. My Powr-Trol service manual only covers parts located within the tractor. A substitute cylinder works fine, so I am confident that
the problem is within the cylinder.
The extending function works fine, but retracting does not—it allows only the override function to work at a very slow rate, like it is supposed to do. Inspection of both valve spools indicates that they are in good shape doing their job correctly. The “stop rod” and associated parts are apparently providing stop data to the larger spool 100 percent of the time regardless of its location. Am I overlooking something here? My parts book picture is a bit vague in this area. I want to understand how the rod does its job before I disassemble this area and maybe do more harm.
Deere service technicians in my area are too young to be familiar with this issue. Sounds like I need to talk to someone with a well-worn Medicare card!
D.S., Michigan
The first and easiest thing to do is to switch your hose tips. Sometimes these will cause trouble and not allow return flow. If this doesn’t work, disassembly of the cylinder will be necessary. On page 70-26 of PC-530 (720 and 730 series), there is an exploded view of the cylinder. Possible causes of your problem could be number 15 or 16, stop valve is scored, number 14 spring is damaged, number 18 bleed valve is scored or its spring could be damaged. On some later cylinders, this bleed valve was omitted. The sole purpose of this valve is to allow a slow override of travel for the cylinder rod. This valve can be removed and the cylinder can still be used, just without the slow override feature, which isn’t used often anyway. Slow raise or lower is still available within the remote hydraulic valve. MT
Mr. Thinker,
Do you know where I can find a wiring diagram for a 12 volt “B”?
G.D., Michigan
Since the “B” was never offered as a 12 volt from the factory, it’s going to be a little hard to find; however, it should be the same as a late “A,” other than having two batteries. You can find a wiring diagram for just about every twocylinder Deere ever built in the SM 2029 manual, which you can order from Deere by calling 800-522-7448. MT
This 1926 nickel hole “D” was owned and restored by Chris Durham of McClure, Ohio.
Photo taken by his fiancé, Cassandra Cameron, at The Farmers Antique Tractor & Engine Association show in Adrian, Michigan.
