What to do?

tired1 · Apr 19, 2015

well my 4020's are about shot. I need to get something newer, but what ? don't want (cant afford) to break
the bank. I need to pull a 12 foot swather, a jd 535 round baler, a 6 row jd 7000 planter and a 10 foot
or 15 foot no till drill, and a 12 to 14 foot tamdem disk.

problem is i can find anything around !!

i would like a 4430 or 4440, but nothing. don't know much about red paint. one place has a 706 and i
don't think it's big enough, another has a jd 4040 but i think it's about the same.
seems like all the tractors in the last year have disappeared.

one place has a 3394 i believe, but when you go in reverese, it tings, salesman thought it was a tooth
out of a gear, but makes no noise going forward, and the fellow that owned it used it that way for 2 years,
but the salesman also said the tractors value is such it wouldnt be worth it to him to open her up and fix
her (then what about me then ?)

anyone have any ideas ?

thanks

Deere Scotty · Apr 19, 2015

IH 706 would barely be adequate; if adequate. JD 4040 can do most of what You want with power left over. 4430 / 4440 will do everything; but way overkill in hay, & not very fuel efficient. If that doesn't bother OK. The heavier the tractor, the more damage it will do running over hay. the 3394 is a really heavy tractor with gobs of HP, & does not have 540 PTO that I am aware of. If it needs transmission work Hope You have lots of money around. Your 4020's depending on the years are a little more power at the drawbar than the 4040. I have no problem with IH tractors, as a matter of fact thinking about a 966, 1066, or 1466 in my life now. Its

Question? Are Your tractors worn out due to hard use? If so... Go bigger.

60 acre hillside · Apr 19, 2015

Although you could do extensive repairs and make the 4020 in top shape and have more invested than any 4029 is worth, I think that is what you should do. It would then be the right size for your jobs and be as good as new but costly. The other tractors you named are also getting old.

Traditional Farmer · Apr 19, 2015

Go to TractorHouse.com thousands of tractors for sale there.

Nebraska Cowman · Apr 19, 2015

I like my IH 806 but it's 50 years old. I guess if I was looking for something more modern (I have about the same power requirements as you do) I'd be looking at 1086s There are gobs of them for sale and they are one of the best tractor IH ever built.
1086 on Tractor House

Mike M · Apr 19, 2015

Anything you find will also be old and worn out too and in need of repairs. What all do your 4020's need ?

ben brown · Apr 19, 2015

i repair a lot old tractors the thing i tell people when ask do i fix or trade if you can go new that one thing but if you buying used you just might be buying some one else problem. i have one customer that his 14 4020 i know he raise lot tobacco. fix your 4020

Lazy WP · Apr 19, 2015

With the buyer incentives that are out on the Kubota's I would buy new! A new one will out last me.

farmerwithmutt · Apr 19, 2015

With cars and farm machines it always seems your making payments either to fix or buy new. What I look at is down time with new equipment you are making payments but saving on the fact that the job is done on time. Nothing worse then hay down and rain coming and the tractor is down and can't find parts. I also work off farm nothing more frustrating than tired wanting to get done and the tractor won't work

rrlund · Apr 19, 2015

I had a 4040 that I bought new. It did everything I ever wanted to do with it. Had close to 13,000 hours on it when I traded it off. I loved that tractor,no matter what anybody else says about them. If you're running 4020's now,that 4040 will do all the same jobs.

Blackhole49 · Apr 19, 2015

If the 4020s' are big enough, why not put some serious money into them and run them another 45 years.

notjustair · Apr 19, 2015

A 4440 is a wonderful tractor. I use one with duals for crop spraying and haying. It used to be the planting tractor and I have had it on a 36 foot disk in a pinch. That was a treat and I wouldn't advise it. When something breaks you do that you have to!

They hold their value. Around here you won't find one for under $21000 if it is useable. You could put much less than that in your 4020's and be good until you are long gone. I have a 4020 chore tractor. They are perfect for haying. I use mine to rake and square bale. That 404 is a good engine.

I will likely buy a 966 or 1086 in the next year to have another machine for haying and things that need 100 horses. I will do that just because they are good tractors but less than half the price of green. I grew up red and have made a pretty smooth transition to green, but the dealer support is awesome here.

Alan K · Apr 19, 2015

Just a thought, Did they use some of the same engines in combines that were used in the tractors? You may run across a decent one that is reasonable.

DeltaRed · Apr 19, 2015

Nobody's mentioned a 4230 or 4240. Both good,a fuzz bigger than a 4020. But I agree. OH the 4020 if its otherwise in good shape and does what you need.Check into the cost of another tractor.It may(still) be(lots) cheaper than another (questionable) tractor.Unless you just WANT a 'new' tractor

Allan in NE · Apr 19, 2015

Comon' now,

A 36 foot disc? With a 130 horse tractor?

Allan

Eldon (WA) · Apr 19, 2015

(quoted from post at 07:37:54 04/19/15) Comon' now,

A 36 foot disc? With a 130 horse tractor?

Allan

Well he didn't say he dropped it in the ground.....I pulled a 24 shank chisel plow with my 65 hp tractor once. :lol:

steve terplak · Apr 19, 2015

Dont know where you are or what your budget is
but i was looking on craigslist this morning, there is a JD 4430 listed, a '78, with 8800 hours, injectors rebuilt...wants $11,500
I am no expert on JD values...but it sounded like something on the lower end of things...
might be worth looking into
Albany, NY craigslist... listed in the Hudson area...
hope this might help you.

JMS/.MN · Apr 19, 2015

4020 is 94 hp, IIRC, 4040 is 90....pretty good match, but easier to find a 42xx, at least around here. I sold my 4430 with 11,000 hrs, first engine, PS transmission, rear end,etc., for about 12 grand a few years ago. Bought the 4240 about "92, for 22, still close to same value now with almost 9xxx hrs.

rrlund · Apr 19, 2015

My cousin bought a slightly used 4040 a few years after I bought mine new. I don't know how many hours he had on that one,not a lot I don't think,but he sold that last year for $18,000. He said the air wasn't working,but the guy who bought it took the hood off and took a pressure washer to it and found a loose connection in a wire. The air took right off working after he fixed that.
His was a power shift,mine was a Quad.
A guy just south of me bought a new one a year before I bought mine. He put a turbo on that one and got close to 120 horses out of it.

JMS/.MN · Apr 19, 2015

I"m comfortable running 10-15 % over rated hp with the 5 JD I have/had. Currently run a MFWD 4450 rated 145, that puts out 190 (mechanic said we can hit 240 if we push it) after a pump replacement. Over 9000 hrs on first engine, PS, and rear end, and just lately uses a bit of oil. Mechanic says ok if I run same load, same speed, and the extra ooomph is nice in the tough spots...15 speed I can jump a couple to barrel through mud!

notjustair · Apr 19, 2015

I had 20 acres left when the engine went on the 8430. It had literally one day left on the rebuild warranty. That was one mad
dealership.

I had a minimum till 455 drill so I scraped the disk across the last part of the field and drilled it. It's the only time that 4440
has ever run hot, and man she did. When I bought it they told me it was turned up to 150. I would guess it must be a bit (I
have never had it on a dyno) as it is far more thirsty than the other 4440 I had. That 455 drill was almost too much of a load
for that tractor.

I don't believe I would try it now. I value the tractor too much. It has been a very good one - that's an easy way to break
something.

David G · Apr 19, 2015

Maybe half of it in the ground, then it would be an 18', which will make a 4020 snort.

flying belgian · Apr 19, 2015

I don't think you would be happy with a 4230. I had one once and so did my Dad. They are the hardest starting tractor ever built. If the weatherman predicts cooler weather ahead, that tractor will not start today without ether. Pa traded his for a 4240. Altogether different when comes to starting. I traded mine for a McCormick.

Mike Henry · Apr 19, 2015

If you are looking at john deere keep in mind that a 4430 is a 4020 turbo or however you want to say it. We also spent the last year looking and were advised by our mechanic to spend the little extra and get the 4440. Different engine block bigger displacement wont where as fast. We also were looking for the powershift because if a quad range goes down that takes out a lot of gears at once. Admit they are pricey, as they all are. We couldn't find any in our area do to a lot of crop farmers using them for their little field tractors.Finally found something that we are happy with. This gave us the tractor we needed to use the chopper and such. Little more hp than the 4020. But I agree with many that $$ for $$ if the engine block, tranny and rear end are good in your 4020 I would invest in it. You are surley going to have less than 22000 into it and you will know what it is from top to bottom. But I do understand just wanting a different machine. I am that way on trucks. seem to get a different pickup every yr or so cause Im bored. I usually come out ahead but have gotten rooked once or twice as well. Good luck with your search.

paul · Apr 19, 2015

If you buy new you are buying computerized, def stuff that won't be running 20 years from now.

If you buy well used you are buying someone else's problems.

Seems you have some of the most popular, longest lasting dependable tractors out there. That hold their value and then some.

Might invest your nickels into rebuilding them and have something dependable for many, many years to come.

Paul

tired1 · Apr 20, 2015

thank you everyone. Well my 4020's, are just getting old and tired. the one needs engine overhaul,
i have it torn apart, needs new crank, etc...etc... the other has a steering problem, i'm told a fairly
easy fix, about $3000, i'm told i could maybe do it myself, but one of rails need to be taken off
and more than likly, the front tires, alot of weight on one side, and can't figure out how to support
the tractor, don't know about putting iron under the bottom of engine (oil pan), don't know if it
would crack it or not. plus its in the field, and will not steer. im also not the man i used to be
to do all of that. yes i would consider an ihc. yes a nice 966 would keep me going for a while, till
i find something better. i want to get something later that i can pull a small nh3 applicator with
rolling cutters on it for no till. the cost of N in no till (and phos) drives me nuts. looked today
about 15 cents a pound for n difference between nh3 and liquid. phos is horrible, with liquid, 97 cents a pound
for phos, if you use dry, only 57 cents a pound....it adds up.
just need to find something soon.
again, thank you for comments, thoughts and ideas.

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