Discouraged

[Derweibhai]

I have collected a few Deere's throughout the years including a 1936 B, 1937 A, 1939 H, and a 1945 B. All in various states of brokenness. I am not brand loyal, as I have several a Case SC's and a couple Farmalls. I have a great amount of mechanical aptitude and a machine shop with a lathe and mill as well as several welders. What I always wanted to do was to restore a tractor here and there and use them for field work on my 40 acre property. I have no interest in tractor shows or collecting, I like them for what they were originally intended for.

Here lies my issue. Deere tractors have a certain appeal due to their seeming simplicity and of course the sound. Unfortunately what I have found over the years is that they are the most frustrating brand to work on. Even though you can see every part on them, you have to remove 10 things to get to anything! Nothing is a simple repair, and the parts must be made of gold for how hard they are to source and what people ask for them. Working on my Case tractors is a dream compared to any of my Deere's, same with the Farmall's.

I really want 1-2 fully restored old Deere's for field work, but a guy can put $5000 in one real easy and have a $2000 resale value and a tractor that will eat its crank splines if you try to work it hard. I get that this is an un-economical "hobby", but green seems to be the worst in this regard. I am real close to just giving up and going all orange or red at this point. Please someone talk me off the ledge!!!!!!

 

[wore out]

I have collected a few Deere's throughout the years including a 1936 B, 1937 A, 1939 H, and a 1945 B. All in various states of brokenness. I am not brand loyal, as I have several a Case SC's and a couple Farmalls. I have a great amount of mechanical aptitude and a machine shop with a lathe and mill as well as several welders. What I always wanted to do was to restore a tractor here and there and use them for field work on my 40 acre property. I have no interest in tractor shows or collecting, I like them for what they were originally intended for.

Here lies my issue. Deere tractors have a certain appeal due to their seeming simplicity and of course the sound. Unfortunately what I have found over the years is that they are the most frustrating brand to work on. Even though you can see every part on them, you have to remove 10 things to get to anything! Nothing is a simple repair, and the parts must be made of gold for how hard they are to source and what people ask for them. Working on my Case tractors is a dream compared to any of my Deere's, same with the Farmall's.

I really want 1-2 fully restored old Deere's for field work, but a guy can put $5000 in one real easy and have a $2000 resale value and a tractor that will eat its crank splines if you try to work it hard. I get that this is an un-economical "hobby", but green seems to be the worst in this regard. I am real close to just giving up and going all orange or red at this point. Please someone talk me off the ledge!!!!!!

If you start out with a DEERE with "good" crank splines and the flywheel and clutch driving disc bolts are properly tightened and work it as intended it's very unlikely you will have "spline trouble" at either end of the crankshaft.

 

[GreenEnvy]

I have collected a few Deere's throughout the years including a 1936 B, 1937 A, 1939 H, and a 1945 B. All in various states of brokenness. I am not brand loyal, as I have several a Case SC's and a couple Farmalls. I have a great amount of mechanical aptitude and a machine shop with a lathe and mill as well as several welders. What I always wanted to do was to restore a tractor here and there and use them for field work on my 40 acre property. I have no interest in tractor shows or collecting, I like them for what they were originally intended for.

Here lies my issue. Deere tractors have a certain appeal due to their seeming simplicity and of course the sound. Unfortunately what I have found over the years is that they are the most frustrating brand to work on. Even though you can see every part on them, you have to remove 10 things to get to anything! Nothing is a simple repair, and the parts must be made of gold for how hard they are to source and what people ask for them. Working on my Case tractors is a dream compared to any of my Deere's, same with the Farmall's.

I really want 1-2 fully restored old Deere's for field work, but a guy can put $5000 in one real easy and have a $2000 resale value and a tractor that will eat its crank splines if you try to work it hard. I get that this is an un-economical "hobby", but green seems to be the worst in this regard. I am real close to just giving up and going all orange or red at this point. Please someone talk me off the ledge!!!!!!

What is so complicated to work on a 2 cylinder JD because I've had the opposite experience. You didn't give any specifics? I have worked on a few 2 cylinders, Farmall Super AV and my Case 500. I had to put a new crankshaft in the 500. Had to split the tractor in 2 places. Had 3 heads to deal with and 6 pistons/rods/bearings and 7 main bearings. How about replacing the the clutch? You can do that in 15 minutes on a 2 cylinder with out splitting the tractor. Don't get me started on IH gas start diesel tractors.

 

[docmirror]

I am with the OP. I bought one of JD's successful 'failures' in a 2010. The shift mechanism on most tractors will stand the test of time, and wear with grace and aplomb. OH no, not the 2010. Levers, latches, gates, trunions, bells, whistles, and some voodoo tossed in. If I was lucky, I would get one of the forward gears, and I left the shifter alone until the tractor was shut off. Because finding another gear - was like playing lotto.

The governor system on Ford and Allis are stupidly simple and robust. JD? OH no, it's a mech monster, with 8 different settings and adjustments. The power steering box on the JD weighed triple what the Ford 961 PS weighed, and the pressures were way higher. The Ford steered just fine, and so did the JD, but changing the PS system on the JD was like abdominal surgery with a list of special parts.

I sold the JD and never looked back. Ford and Allis for me, and I don't farm.

 

[Tx Jim]

I am with the OP. I bought one of JD's successful 'failures' in a 2010. The shift mechanism on most tractors will stand the test of time, and wear with grace and aplomb. OH no, not the 2010. Levers, latches, gates, trunions, bells, whistles, and some voodoo tossed in. If I was lucky, I would get one of the forward gears, and I left the shifter alone until the tractor was shut off. Because finding another gear - was like playing lotto.

The governor system on Ford and Allis are stupidly simple and robust. JD? OH no, it's a mech monster, with 8 different settings and adjustments. The power steering box on the JD weighed triple what the Ford 961 PS weighed, and the pressures were way higher. The Ford steered just fine, and so did the JD, but changing the PS system on the JD was like abdominal surgery with a list of special parts.

I sold the JD and never looked back. Ford and Allis for me, and I don't farm.

As you personally determined JD 2010 tractors didn't get labeled as ""the sorriest JD tractor"" built by accident. I never had trouble determining or engaging different 2010 transmission speeds

 

[docmirror]

As you personally determined JD 2010 tractors didn't get labeled as ""the sorriest JD tractor"" built by accident. I never had trouble determining or engaging different 2010 transmission speeds

I guess that makes you a better tractor driver.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

New generation are more difficult to work on than the older stuff no matter the brand and especially 2 cylinder Deere’s. IMO there isn’t anything easier to work on in the shop than the letter series you listed above. All depends what you are doing however. The b for example you can pull the head without taking the hood off. In fact I did that on a g recently pulled carb and intake. Then valve cover rockers head. Needed to pull the block next when we found a scored liner so it needed everything off at that point but cam and lifters and crank all stays in time. I actually didn’t drain the oil till last week. Nothing easier to work on than that clutch too a hundred years later I feel like we have gone backwards. If you are using them using them you will find your weak points quick and might be better off with something g sized for a lot of the implements today. And at that point your fuel savings go out the window vs a farmall m or most other comparable tractors unless you upgrade to the diesel 70 or later. You start loosing ease of serviceability as it gets bigger and later too. The twisting off of the crank you probably have learned pay attention to the flywheel and the end play. There’s a neighbor who farms with a 70 gas as the big tractor a bit and 60 for the rake and his little sprayer. So that’s a g and an a. Mostly you have discovered that a b John Deere isn’t worth a million dollars if you fix it up. The pieces are too expensive and especially the 1945 isn’t honestly worth anything. It is worth its weight in gold to me on the hay rake, little auger and the finish mower in my yard however. The little b uses no fuel and if you consider you can buy a 1200 dollar tractor and 400 dollar woods mower vs a 6500 dollar lawn mower that’s what my most used b gets for. If you are trying to do tillage with it you might want to think about a different plan or even just a smaller tillage tool. Restored also doesn’t mean perfect id argue you are more likely to find a crank problem on that that you acquire than something you just fixed.

 

[620 John]

Well I guess I'm a little narrow minded because I've never worked on a Farmall, Case, Ford, or Allis ect. I will say that I have almost accomplished what you are talking about. My 51 B has been rebuilt to the point where all I have to do is jump on and go to the field. Yes it's expensive but now I have a tractor that will last my lifetime. I went through the entire transmission and rear end with all new bearings, bushings, and seals. Even had to install a new crankshaft because of flywheel splines being worn. I thought the B was pretty easy to work on. Heck didn't even need to pull the hood off to replace the crankshaft. To split the tractor I didn't need a splitting stand, just wooden blocks and a cherry picker to remove the axle housing.

I will say though that the latter numbered series tractors are harder to work on. Good example would be trying to get a power steering pump out of a 620. That's a good case of remove 10 things for one thing. My goal is to get the 620 rebuilt to the point of "hop on and go to the field".

Again I have no idea what other brands are like but I'd say it's pretty amazing at the amount of parts still available from JD for a 80 yr old machine.

 

[Tx Jim]

I guess that makes you a better tractor driver.

More accurate description would be I was employed by JD dealer when JD 2010 were almost new therefore I got experience shifting 2010 transmissions while loading/unloading/operating 2010's on pickup/delivery truck.

 

[docmirror]

More accurate description would be I was employed by JD dealer when JD 2010 were almost new therefore I got experience shifting 2010 transmissions while loading/unloading/operating 2010's on pickup/delivery truck.

So, you drove brand new, fully adjusted, no slop 2010s - and had no trouble finding gears. Did you know, you are on a vintage tractor forum? Where the age of the guys, and the tractors is about 50+ years old?

 

[Tx Jim]

I'm no Spring chicken due to being 79 yrs of age. I been an ACTIVE member of this discussion forum a few more yrs than you having replied to over 32,000 messages on this forum so YES I'M AWARE THIS FORUM has discussions about vintage tractors. I grew up on a farm & began driving tractors in the field when I was 9 yrs old. I was employed by JD dealer for 21 yrs having to drive many different brand tractors. I hope you have a wonderful day, Jim

 

[Fordy20]

If you feel it's that difficult to work on a John Deere and they are that unreliable and parts are that expensive, you would be far better off sticking with your Cases and Farmalls.

 

[wore out]

So, you drove brand new, fully adjusted, no slop 2010s - and had no trouble finding gears. Did you know, you are on a vintage tractor forum? Where the age of the guys, and the tractors is about 50+ years old?

I have maintained several old 2010's for customers over many years and don't recall them shifting and worse (or better) than lots of other old tractors.

 

[NoDakInMN]

A lot depends on the condition of the tractor when you get it. You might save a few hundred dollars by getting one that needs some work as opposed to buying a good runner, but you will always spend far more fixing it than you save. This remains true of all brands and colors.

 

[bernieinva]

So, you drove brand new, fully adjusted, no slop 2010s - and had no trouble finding gears. Did you know, you are on a vintage tractor forum? Where the age of the guys, and the tractors is about 50+ years old?

You know nothing about TxJim. Go someplace else with your negativity!

 

[Tx Jim]

You know nothing about TxJim. Go someplace else with your negativity!

Bernie thank you but no need to defend me. Tractor/vehicle operators come with different amounts of operating times & skills. I've driven many different brands of tractors for well over 65 yrs. I've driven trucks hauling all types of agriculture commodities including driving 18 wheelers. In defense of docmirror JD tractors with Syncro-range trans similar to JD 2010 especially if shift linkage/synchronizers are worn can be very challenging to shift. 2010 shift pattern is much simpler to understand especially for novice JD tractor driver compared to other JD rowcrop tractors with Syncro-range transmissions. 2010 Syncro-trans shift pattern shown in photo below.

 

[rrlund]

Aw come on. Anybody with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers can fix a two cylinder Deere. It must be true, I hear it over and over. I know just what you mean though. I knew a couple of city folks who each bought an A more than 40 years ago because they believed that myth. Then they brought them to me wanting to know if I could fix them. You about had to strip them to the fame to get to the simplest thing. I never did get anything fixed for them. I bought a non-running B when I was a kid and learned my lesson on that one. I had a 60 and a 730, but they were good running tractors when I bought them.