Looking At A JD 1020, ???'s

Bryce Frazier · Aug 30, 2014

Well, I have been looking for a little newer, little more powerful tractor for actually working, that way I can keep my pretty tractors pretty!

Guy says he has a JD 1020, good, running shape.

I don't know anything more about the tractor, or anything about that model in general!!

Sooo, basically, tell me about them!??! The Good, Bad, and the Ugly! Please, not bs stories about how your IH "SMOKES" a 1020, just tell me the facts!

Would it handle:

2x14 Plow
10 foot disc
8 foot seed drill
8 foot snow blade (with chains/ballast)

Thanks, Bryce

M Nut · Aug 30, 2014

In my limited experience, yes it would handle the items you mentioned. My uncle had one his dad bought new and it was a heck of a nice tractor. He used it for cutting hay with a 9ft mower conditioner and raking with a new holland rake. He had his hay custom round baled and he fed his cows all winter with a 3pt hay fork. It was his only tractor for many years until he traded it in on a 2940 john deere. I would have liked to have bought the 1020, but was to young to be able to afford the $3500 the dealer allowed trade in. I'm sure it would be worth more than that today. His was a very handy and dependable tractor.

JD Seller · Aug 30, 2014

A JD 1020 would do all of what you mentioned EXCEPT the 10 foot disk in loose ground. It is a 38 HP tractor. unless you have a very light disk it would work it in plowed ground. It would run with 2-14 plows if they are mounted. Drill and snow blade would not be an issue either.

Just run the tractor. Listen to the hydraulics. idle the tractor down after you have it running a few minutes. Drop the lift arms down and then lift them all the way up fast. If they raise smoothly then all is well with the hydraulics. If they chatter up then there could be problems. That could be as simple as just needing a new filter and sump screen cleaned. It also could mean the charge pump is bad or one of the internal steel lines is broke.

Sum up on a JD 1020. If the hydraulics are in good shape they are a rugged little tractor. If they have hydraulic issues then you need experience with JDs hydraulics systems to fix them in a reasonable time and cost. The hydraulic system on a JD Mannheim designed tractor, is NOT the place to learn to work on JD hydraulic systems. If you misdiagnose the problem you can waste/spend a lot of money/time fast.

JerryS · Aug 31, 2014

My opinion pretty much counts for nothing, because a tractor guru I'm not. But I do have a 1020. Got it about 12 years ago from an acquaintance who bought it at auction. It had spent most of its useful life laboring for some county or school district, and it was pretty well ragged out. I just wanted something to pull a cutter over rough terrain and to drag stuff through the woods. I have abused and neglected it; it sits out in the weather and it looks like krap. It doesn't fit me, so I don't enjoy operating it. But it's a workhorse, and like Timex, it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. It has earned my respect, and now I'm trying to decide if I want to try to "restore" it.

Tx Jim · Aug 31, 2014

I agree with JD Seller that the 10 ft disk is too large. JD 1020 tractors built for N. American sales were built in Dubuque,Ia not Mannheim,Germany. Get hyd oil to operating temp before testing.

JD Seller · Aug 31, 2014

TxJim: Reread my statement. That JD 1020 was built in Dubuque but it WAS designed in Mannheim!!!!

That system was entirely different than any of the US systems on utility tractors prior to the 20 series.

rrlund · Aug 31, 2014

I had one for 33 years. Good little tractor. If I couldn't destroy that one in all that time,they probably pretty much can't be destroyed.

JDemaris · Aug 31, 2014

I have a yellow 300 industrial. Same exact tractor as a green 1020 but with slightly better hydraulics. Handles a Deere model 914 double-14" plow easily in hard NY soil. I also pull Ford 201 10 foot 3-point disks. I have to use a low, slow gear at first pass on rough freshly plowed ground but it does OK. 2nd pass gets a higher gear and better speed. Also run a 5 foot rear tiller and a 6 foot rear snow-blower.

Note that the 300 or 1020 could be ordered in many variations. Live PTO, power steering, hydraulic hi-low, hydraulic reverser, etc. My point being that not all 300s and 1020s are the same. 1020s come with small German hydraulic pumps - either .6 cubic inches per rev or 1.3 cubic inches per rev. My 300 has a US pump that is 2.4 cubic inches per rev.

2underage · Aug 31, 2014

They were and still are great little tractors. I may have missed it but I don't know if you are looking at one with a gas or a diesel engine. The JD gas tractor in the later years often had carb problems and it was sometimes difficult to get them to idle right.
If the tractor is a diesel and has good hydraulics and power steering go for it. It will do those things you stated and you will have fun working with it.

Tx Jim · Sep 1, 2014

(quoted from post at 07:47:56 08/31/14) TxJim: Reread my statement. That JD 1020 was built in Dubuque but it WAS designed in Mannheim!!!!

That system was entirely different than any of the US systems on utility tractors prior to the 20 series.

Sorry I did overlook the word "designed" which brings up another question.

The 1st Mannheim built tractors that were sold by JD dealers in USA were open center not closed center. So are you stating JD closed center hyd system is a solely Mannhiem engineered not Dubuque engineered as I never heard of that before??? The Mannhiem models 310,510 & 710 had OC gear hyd pumps not CC piston pumps. The 1st JD CC built in Manheim for European sales were built after the 1020/2020 CC tractors built in Dubuque.
Thanks,Jim

JD Seller · Sep 2, 2014

TxJim: The JD plants where very territorial during that time. There where differences in designs between plants. The utility tractor change from the 1010 and 2010 design came from Europe/Mannheim. Dubuque Plant fought it. They wanted to refine/modify/expand the 1010 and 2010 type/style. The Dubuque engineers where very much against the early utility tractor changes.

Look at the early JD utility tractors that where US built. They did not change much. You can look at a JD 40 and a JD 1010 and many of the parts will switch or are of much the same design.

Tx Jim · Sep 2, 2014

JD Seller
I'd never heard before you mentioned it that Mannheim influenced Dubuque 20 series CC hyd's. I know Waterloo & Dubuque CC hyd's are designed differently. Do you have any documentation about Mannheims influence on Dubuque 20 series tractors hyd's?
Thanks,Jim

JD Seller · Sep 2, 2014

My information comes second hand. I had a neighbor that was a design engineer at Dubuque. HE ranted for years about the utility tractor design. HE was very much against the 20 series an up utility tractors because of the Mannheim influence. HE worked there from about 1955 to 1985 or so. He is gone now.

I tend to believe him because the hydraulics on the 20 series and up are more similar to some of the older JDs made in Europe. I have worked on a few that where brought over here to show.

My original point being that the hydraulics on a JD utility tractor can be a complete nightmare to get to work right. IF it has punked a hydraulic pump and blew shaving into everything pown stream it is a job to get everything cleaned out and working right again.

buickanddeere · Sep 2, 2014

The 1966/1967 era 20 series Mannheim Lance inspired tractors were re-designed to incorporate the already proven closed center system. Used on the prior 10 series 1960 introduced Waterloo tractors.
The early 1960's 500/700 and the later 310/510/710 used the 300 series style engines in the 10 speed Lance chassis. There were 303 and 505 or something similar model tractors in that 1960's era as well.
The Mannheim/saran 300 series engines were substituted into the US utility tractors for the 20 series. Mannheim steered clear of the funky 1010/2010 deck & sleeve engine.
Deere bought partial ownership in 1956 and full ownership of Lance in Mannheim in 1960 or so.
The Deere executives from the US Bible Belt had some culture shock in 1956. When they noted German tractor plant employees enjoying a beer at work during "coffee break".

Tx Jim · Sep 3, 2014

(quoted from post at 22:27:10 09/02/14)
My original point being that the hydraulics on a JD utility tractor can be a complete nightmare to get to work right. IF it has punked a hydraulic pump and blew shaving into everything pown stream it is a job to get everything cleaned out and working right again.

Thanks for the explanation about the Mannheim influence. JD Rowcrop & utility CC hyd are very different. I totally agree repairing the hyd's on a JD utility tractor can cause one to get gray or bald headed. I'm a prime example.

Looking At A JD 1020, ???'s

Bryce Frazier

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M Nut

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JD Seller

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JerryS

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Tx Jim

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JD Seller

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rrlund

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JDemaris

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2underage

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Tx Jim

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JD Seller

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Tx Jim

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JD Seller

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buickanddeere

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Tx Jim

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