John Deere D Information

I'm hoping to get some information on my John Deere D SN 163598. Any manufacturing information would be appreciated. Are there any records regarding what wheels or other options it would have been shipped with? How about if it was shipped with a PTO or an electric starter. It is currently a hand start which seemed a little surprising to me with a 1946 model? Looking at the parts book, it almost seems like the electric starter was shown as an option. Any information is apprecated.

PTO and Turning Brakes were options as well as powertrol hydraulics.

It's my understanding from what I've read about the D, electric start was never standard equipment . I think the pto was the same. You could order it with either or both. My 1947 has electric but no pto. It was originally bought in Texas. Will try to post a couple pictures of wheels and I know they are original.

The John Deere D was built hand start through it production, electric start was an option. You could even get the D with hand start and electric lights. My '51 D is hand start and had the lights option. It came with PTO and no brakes, not even a parking brake.

(1) Call TWO-CYLINDER @ 1-888-782-2582 or 1-319-824-6060:

(2) Purchase a subscription to the Magazine "TWO-CYLINDER":

(3) Send TWO-CYLINDER your TRSACTOR S# and Model:

(4) You shall receive a Notarized document of the info you seem to be interested in:

I've obtained "TRACTOR SERIAL NUMBER RESEARCH" from TWO-CYLINDER service for several JD "Ds" I own.

First, if you are trying to help, thanks; however, your detailed presentation looks like you are treating me like a 5-year old. I have a subscription to the magazine and I have ordered several of the "certificates" in the past for various tractors so I understand that process. Those certificates normally come with the shipping date and the destination. Sometimes the dealer or branch is listed. I haven't received one that lists the options it was manufactured with (wheels, electric start, PTO etc). I'm trying to find out what options were on the tractor when this tractor was manufactured.
That's my question plus I'm sure that someone on this forum can give me the same information that comes on the two-cylinder certificate much sooner. While I like looking at the nice presentation from Grundy Center, I'm looking for a little more.
Do any of the certificates for your D's have information like what I'm looking for?

If I up set you in any way please accept my apology. I tend to keep my help/information a short as possible. Have a great day and by no means was I looking down or trying to up set you Sir:

I think Deere kept pretty detailed records in the 20s and 30s and then sorta slacked off. You could get the serial number researched but I don't know if it would give more then the build date and such.

The D didn't have too many options. There were different wheel changes over the years but by the time yours was made it was pretty standardized.

Options:
Steel wheels/Rubber tires (a few different sizes and tire treads)

The variety of steel wheel options is pretty crazy. Extensions, lugs, etc.

If rubber tires, there was the option of turning brakes, and a couple small variations in those.

There were dual rear wheels (rubber tires) available at some point for styled Ds

The parking brake was standard equipment, but could be deleted (usually in rice fields). There were also mud guards for the rear axles (again, usually rice fields). Depending on the serial number I seem to remember some Ds had fenders narrowed for tire/mud clearance. Also wheel scrapers for the steel wheels as an option.

Hand start was always standard

Could get a 6 volt system for lighting only
or 12 volt for lighting and starting

PTO was optional

You could get a kit to put hydraulics on the D, from Deere, but they were not BUILT that way.

Also could get a padded seat.

This was quick, I'm sure I've forgotten a lot

Brandon

In addition the D was available with a gas engine starting in 1951.

There were also different speeds available by changing the final drive sprockets with a shorter or longer chain

standard (slow) was 41 tooth
then 35 tooth
then 28 tooth (this pretty much doubled the speed of the D across all the gears)

There's also the narrower/further offset front axle, I believe it was for certain row crop uses.

Brandon

I just took inventory of my styled Ds. I have 5 of them and the years range from 1939 to 1945 Two of them have electric start with lighting. One of them has the generator mounted near the front of the fan shaft and tractor. The other has the generator mounted right in front of the governor with a special bracket coming off the governor which I have read is kind of uncommon. Only one of the Ds has a PTO and its the 1939. All three hand starts have no lights and none of the 5 have turning brakes or hydraulics. The wheel arrangements are kind of mixed. The 1939 D is on spoke tires all around but they are cut offs. The next 2 have cast tires on the rear and front spokes. The fourth D has cast rims on the back, one front spoke and one dish wheel. The last D the one with the unique generator also has one front spoke and one front dish along with the cast rear rims. It is also the only D of the 5 that still has the water valve intact.

I'd have to go digging through books and magazines for specific serial numbers but I'm just going off my head.

The spoke front wheels (rubber tires) were standard until replaced with the solid disk front wheels probably half way through styled D production.

The spoke rear wheels were standard at first I THINK for the styled Ds but got changed to standard cast centers pretty quick. After that the spoked wheels were meant as replacements. The Rear wheel size was changed from 28 inch rims to 30 (I think) at one point, and this changed the cast hubs. Now I remember that this bigger tire size created clearance problems with rice tires, leading to the need for narrower fenders on those tractors.

The governor mounted generator is the earlier style of setup, there were even kits to update to the fan style. I find the governor mounted pretty interesting, I've debated putting one on my unstyled DI (there were field kits to do so). I wish I could find a K+W style light kit but I can't even find that, much less afford it.

The PTOs seem hit and miss, not rare but definitely not on every one.

Brandon

Turning brakes in any fashion are fairly rare on styled Ds. They were on unstyled Ds too but I've yet to see one. I've only seen them on DIs.

Speaking of PTOs I have a keyed 1927 D that has one or most of one. The gearbox and lever is there but the shaft and support bearing is missing. I think it's the 2nd version PTO JD had on the D.

John Deere D-I'll bet you are glad you tried to help that guy.

Larry, et all;

I don't have a D, but it's on my short list.
I find the concept of NO BRAKES to be fascinating. Anyone offer an edujmacated guess as to the rationale?
Was it just a cost saving mindset, or??

Thanks, Bob

I have a 29 D on steel, obviously with no brakes. I have never needed brakes....when you pull the clutch you stop. Period. Of course, if you were on rubber it would be a different story....

The D was always made with a parking brake, and from 1923-1936 it was inside the transmission. In 1937 it was moved outside and low on the transmission, and it was found that in muddy conditions it didn't do much (got covered with mud). So the tractor could be ordered with that parking brake deleted, usually when used in rice fields. It probably saved a couple bucks on the price

Brandon

I have a '46 D. Lights, electric start, one brake, and no pto.

Would it have been available with spoked front wheels? Mine is on dished wheels.