Grandparents 4430

Cfolk

New User
I'm a long time follower of this website just haven't posted before. I had asked a question about a 4430 camshaft yesterday and decided I should share my story on this 4430 that my grandparents had purchased new in the spring of 1973. They used this 4430 as the big tractor for many years on their dairy farm doing fieldwork like pulling a 9 shank disk chisel and a great deal of pto work running a Gehl forage chopper filling many silos over the years and grinding ear corn on a gehl 120 hammer mill several loads a week until it was sold on their farm sale in 1995 when I was a senior in high school. I've worked in sales and the shop at a Deere dealer 21 years now and it's not unusual for me to look at tractor values on the internet from time to time. I never really gave up on finding at least one or two of the tractors my grandparents had as I have fond memories of running them in my youth as well as my father does. I was on Tractor House last spring looking at 4430's without cabs because that's how this tractor was ordered I happen to find a 4430 on a consignment auction in Alabama which is a long ways from northwest Illinois and I realized this was grandpa's tractor I had the serial number in my head of course. I ended up buying the tractor with my dad and paying way to much for it sight unseen other than some pictures that showed signs of heavy abuse from the 22 years it was in Alabama. I have done a great deal of work over the last 9 months to this machine the previous owner had installed a 148 loader and used it as a bulldozer the fuel tank was bent up and the frame rails were all loose with several broken bolts. I sold the loader off and a rollbar which the previous owner had installed I wanted the tractor to look how I remembered it I guess. I replaced the frame rails with some used rails along with the fuel tank. I rebuilt the steering motor and steering valve under the dash,installed a new radiator, hoses, water pump kit, crank dampner and all the fan belt pulleys. I rebuilt the front axle all new bushings and tie rod ends along with center pivot pins and bushings. I did rebuild both final drives because the brakes were gone they had been replaced back in the 80's at one point already. I found the differential was busted on the left side carrier bearing it had already been replaced with a new 2 pinion by a old mechanic I know back in the late 70's or so. I installed a used 3 pinion differential out of a 4455 from Bootheel Tractor Parts. The range gears and synchros were all good as well as the clutch and 2 speed. The trans. pump was also the newer style and in good shape. I did have to find a used left fender otherwise I was able to patch up most of the sheet metal good enough for me. The tractor originally had 20.8-34's with matching hub duals I installed used 38" castings and a used set of 20.8-38's which a friend of mine had. I will eventually paint this once I get the camshaft and injection pump updated it's been a long road on this project but it's been worth every minute of it.
 
It is not a bad looking tractor for having spent part of it's life in the south. I have the 4020 that Dad bought new in 1968 and latter sold. Paid more for it than he did when new but I think about Dad and the neighbor who bought it at Dad's sale every time I run it. The old neighbor who bought my Dad's 4020 also had the first 4430 that our local dealer sold new. It was an eight speed syncro fender tractor with a two post roll guard and canopy. You will never be sorry for the work you put into your 4430. Tom
 
Ooh yes it was Lucky to find it...We had a Sister to it,,a 4230 that I am looking for, and I may have a good line on it..
 
I to had a neighbor that bought a 73 and one of he last one's maybe a 77, one for him and one for her, when they would get done chopping corn he would chop for the neighbors, including me, that 4430 and N0.38 chopper cut a lot of corn. She would stay home and do field work with the other one.
 
If you find a 4230 with hyd. 4x4 and a cab let me know. I don't have a vin. But it was traded in to Cope Eq. in Alliance Oh. was bought new there too. Oh it also had a 158 loader on it.
 
Its amazing how much tires rims,new seat and a little TLC can improve a tractor.I buy and sell several nice tractors and get calls from people looking for that special tractor.Looks real nice and it sounds like there was a lot of work involved but I'm sure it means a lot more than that. Good job!
 
Trying to decide what is more impressive.....the tractor restoration or the fact that you retained memory of the S/N for 20 years!
 
It looks very nice... if it were mine, I wouldn't paint it. Looks nice now, and they hood etc only has that original patina once!
 
Remembering serial numbers is easy if you memorized it when you were young. I memorized the serial number of my Dad's 1962 Case 832 Standard diesel and could write it here but I won't. First 3 digits are 819.
 

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