Author	[Modern View]
Justin SE IOWA 09-10-2012 19:36:16 166.182.3.114 Report to Moderator	Im in the market for a John Deere 4020. Im going to an auction this Sunday where there is one. Says it has been overhauled and many new parts. Tires look good also. I have set my limit to 6k. I have found several other 4020s online within a couple hours of my place. What is there to pay close attention to when looking at one? [Reply]   [No Email]
buickanddeere 09-11-2012 17:54:00 72.45.126.254 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   Keep in mind it is 40-47 years old and has been used on a farm. 4020"s range from great to trashed. What is/are your intended use(s) for the 4020? [Reply]  [No Email]
oldtanker 09-11-2012 14:12:10 66.228.255.239 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   OH by the way, I've made a couple of bad tractor decisions in the past. One based on price, one based on it was a tractor I always wanted and I should have researched it 1st. And one the PO had put heavy oil in it to cover up a weak engine. I still have the cheap one and the now fixed oil burner. Rick [Reply]  [No Email]
AG48 09-11-2012 13:33:14 99.38.1.57 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   The 4020's are quite popular here in North Central Texas and asking price is around $7500 plus or minus, so $6000 is a good price. Whether this translates into a good buy is dependent on the condx. of the one you are looking at. The usual caveats apply, let the "buyer beware". Look at every thing and try to judge if it has received reasonably good maintenance or not. That is the key. A high hours tractor that has been well maintained is preferred to a low hour tractor that has been neglected. Unless it has been repainted the condition of the paint will tell you a lot about the care it has received. Otherwise you "just pays your money and takes your chances" [Reply]  [No Email]
thurlow 09-11-2012 11:29:16 74.177.51.159 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   Don't let the nay sayers put you off. Around 'here', $6000 is in the low range of what a running early model 4020 will bring. As far as what to look for, there's nothing 'special'; if it starts and runs good, if the hydraulics, steering, brakes, rockshaft, clutch, etc, work and if there are no major visible leaks, I'd say go for it. It's not unusual for a diesel model to run 12-14000 hours before having to do a major rebuild. [Reply]  [No Email]
wisbaker 09-11-2012 10:56:34 184.157.212.173 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   Justin- I don't think they are being all that negative but are making a point at $6K be vary weary they feel that is far under market and when it's too good of a deal to be true it might not be true. A few comments have told you what to look for- really nothing special and that's one of the things about a 4020, they have modern features but are still fairly simple and with reasonable care they will run longer than you care to use it, features that help explain why they are some of the higher priced tractors in their range. On the back side you'll pay more for a 4020 than a Farmall 806, but while you own the 4020 you'll have better parts and support and your 4020 will be worth more when you want to part company with it. AND no I am not a John Deere Cheer leader, we had mostly Farmalls where I grew up, my grandpa ran 11 KB7's with Leach garbage bodies. If I was to get back into farming I'd probably look at MF tractors, but the facts are the 4020 was and still is a popular tractor, there are reasons why. [Reply]  [No Email]
Justin SE IOWA 09-11-2012 10:36:59 207.199.230.78 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   If I knew all your comments were gonna be negitive I wouldnt have asked. Appperently none of you have looked at the prices lately but I have found a half dozen or so around me in the 4-6K price range. Decent tires and paint. 4 of them have less than 2k hours on a rebuild. Didnt you ever learn that if you have nothing nice to say dony say anything at all? thanks anyway [Reply]  [No Email]
massey333 09-11-2012 14:18:23 209.173.189.232 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-11-2012 10:36:59   Justin,I don't think anyone was being that way totaly.Different parts of the country have highs and lows.Most places I know of,anything under $10,000 is looked at with ????????s.I saw one that had been in an accident(needed frame rails and new wide front plus ??)bring between $11 and $12,000.So it just depends on where you are looking.Good Luck if you can get one that cheap. [Reply]  [No Email]
oldtanker 09-11-2012 14:03:53 66.228.255.239 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-11-2012 10:36:59   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see OK Justin so you will be happy. Tire conditionn, noises that shouldn't be there and leaks from tranny, hydraulics and engine. That's what you should look for. Now I just went a looked at ads for 4020's, 195 of em. I found 4 under your 6K figure. 3 were LP and one a diesel with an engine knock. Saw a few at around the 6500 mark....gas....one diesel with 9,999 hours on it. Most had poor rubber on em. Of the decent 4020's most were listed in the 8K and higher range to include in Ia. Now if you have your heart set on a 4020 by all means go, see if you can get it. If you don't win the bid please let us know. That's only fair with the number of people who gave thier opinions and took time to respond. I would suggest you go and see if you can even get close on it......then save another couple of K and try again. If you do get we want pictures! Rick [Reply]  [No Email]
Dick2 09-11-2012 06:14:42 174.19.205.113 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   As for me, I would look for some other color tractor. [Reply]  [No Email]
cd1 09-11-2012 04:29:19 67.234.196.64 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   If your already setting a budget you should probably pick another tractor, a 4020 is not exactly the best value in that size. The collector/die hard guys have driving the price beyond what is sensible. Look blue or red, heck just some other deere model. [Reply]  [No Email]
Sprint 6 09-11-2012 03:59:58 50.102.72.154 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   My county just had a surplus auction. Their 1967? 4020 Power Shift diesel with a cab brought $8,500. That was with bald tires, dead paint, 10K hours, and the crankcase vent tube looked like a smoke stack when it was running. I don't think 6K is going to get you anything but a parts tractor. [Reply]  [No Email]
Tx Jim 09-11-2012 03:27:39 67.142.163.23 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to sourgum, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see Condition of oils,amt of wear on clutch/brake pedals,draw bar and 3pt ball looseness [Reply]  [No Email]
Old Iowa 09-10-2012 23:11:29 208.126.196.144 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   If it is a diesel and wide front then it will bring 6K as scrap. Good running early ones will bring $8500-10000. Late models are going 10-17K. I saw a rough 1972 bring 11K at a sale last week. [Reply]  [No Email]
bill mart 09-11-2012 05:02:59 69.204.65.189 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Old Iowa, 09-10-2012 23:11:29   6K for scrap? sounds a little high for scrap,parts tractor maybe. Bill [Reply]  [No Email]
Old Iowa 09-11-2012 07:20:13 208.126.196.144 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to bill mart, 09-11-2012 05:02:59   Scrap tractor to me is a parts tractor. I rarely have seen any go directly to scrap iron. I have had some I wish had been sent away for scrap iron. LOL [Reply]  [No Email]
bill mart 09-11-2012 09:21:14 69.204.65.189 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Old Iowa, 09-11-2012 07:20:13   ditto. bill [Reply]  [No Email]
DeltaRed 09-10-2012 21:07:11 67.6.225.104 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   $6000 for a good clean 4020?Better double that. [Reply]  [No Email]
rufus80 09-10-2012 20:39:18 174.231.154.2 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   Check all the fluids as usual, three point, steering, brakes. Check for leaks and listen to the engine for any unusual noises. If is syncro range make sure it shifts proper, not getting hung up between gears. But, the problem is if it is diesel and in half as good shape you described, it will bring a lot more than 6K. [Reply]  [No Email]
oldtanker 09-10-2012 20:31:02 66.228.255.239 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see With a limit of 6K maybe something in red????? Rick [Reply]  [No Email]
Howard H. 09-10-2012 20:28:09 164.58.210.23 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   You never know... I've seen them sell cheaper than $6k, but not while there was $9 corn... I'd say check the usual. See if you can hear it start and run, try the gears and see if it shifts smooth. If you can check the hydraulic oil pressure, that would be good. Our old LP 4020 tractors were pretty trouble free and we ran them hard for a long time. Tires count for quite a bit these days... Our tractors were syncro shift. I'm trying to get my grandpa's 4020 power shift home, but don't know much about the power shift trannies, yet.... Howard [Reply]  [No Email]
M w J 09-10-2012 20:19:48 66.6.1.21 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   For what they bring you could add $7000 and have a 4440 [Reply]  [No Email]
casecollectorsc 09-10-2012 20:17:07 64.33.229.67 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   The way they sell around here, you won't get it for $6000. No paint, crappy tires, beat up, smokin engine, loader tractor will bring that. [Reply]  [No Email]
The Flying Belgian 09-10-2012 20:16:20 98.132.233.146 Report to Moderator	Re: what to look for when buying a 4020 JD?? in reply to Justin SE IOWA, 09-10-2012 19:36:16   I think you are going to have to up your limit to find anything worth having. Maybe you can find a beat up gas model for that. [Reply]  [No Email]