Opinions experiences: JD 3020LP vs Ford 5000

Ya'll give me some ideas, opinions, experiences with a JD 3020 vs a Ford 5000. I have a 3020 LP now but like my neighbors 5000 for it's compact size and nimbleness and lower height. I think the JD has more power and lift capacity but I only do light chores, deer plots and gardening so nothing I have to make a living with and I have several other tractors so it's not my main tractor user. Just looking for 2-cents worth, thanks, Paul in Mississippi

Not a blue man but my blue friends have a high regard for the 5000. Pretty good on fuel (diesel) and no glaring maintenance issues. As you noted, the 5000 will be more compact. Horsepower is in the low 50's, less than a well maintained 3020. One of the Ford people here will have to address if Select-O-Speed was available for the 5000 and if they refined it sufficiently from the previous lines of Ford. 5000's were fairly common around here and never saw any other than manual non-sychro shift. The 3020 with synchro-range or power shift options along with the closed center hydraulics makes it a better loader tractor IMO.
If it is about the lower profile, you will do alright with the 5000. If you are alright with the LP system, I'd stick with the 3020. If you just want to get away from the 3020 maybe JD 2440 might be a good choice but you can buy a excellent 5000 for quite a bit less than decent 2440 around here. Good Luck.

HP on late model 5000's is 67 on the PTO, NOT "in th elow 50's". (4000 3-cyl were 52) Good tractors all in all, probably one of the best Ford ever built.

I like the LP gas, some of my other tractors are LP so no problem there, I just have lots of trees on my place and like a low height. And a gas 5000 would not bother me either, everything I have is gas or LP, not a diesel on the place. If I worked them much at all I would get a diesel but I am "playing" in my old age. Thanks, Paul

Trying to find my older data book but the one I have shows the 5600 with Nebraska test # 1201 at 60.46 PTO hp. The one neighbor has one and said JD 2520 diesel and White 2-60 had more power. Both those are rated near 60 PTO hp. Not trying to dispute that they are a good tractor (the 5000). I'll keep looking for the older book.

You're probably refering to a '65 to early '68 5000, which had a smaller engine, and was rated at 56 PTO h.p.

Personally I like the 5000.Get quite a bit off seat time on them helping the local hay farmer.Can't say anything on th JD as I don't have any time on them.

Vito

Ford 5000 power specs...

'65-May'68 56 PTO 233 CID diesel/gas
May '68- Oct '75 68 PTO 256 CID diesel/gas

5600 10/'75-10/'81 60 PTO 233 CID diesel
6600 ------------- 70 PTO 256 CID diesel
5610 10/'81-10/'91 62 PTO 256 CID diesel
6610 10/'81010/'91 72 PTO 268 CID diesel

Jerk-a-matics had 1-2 HP less on the 5000 models up to the end of their run in early-mid 70's.

Rod

If that 3020LP is a side console. It's a very rare and valuable unit.Any options besides such as dual scv's, cab,rops, power shift etc?

The 5000 was one of the best Ford's ever built... but it had some shortcomings too.
It would have slightly less power than your Deere, but only slightly for a given year. I'd expect that three point lift cap would be quite similar and I might give the edge to the Ford there without having looked at specs. Hydraulic FLOW will go to the Deere by a margin of more than 3 to 1 which was one of the Ford's shortcomings.
The other one was the lack of reverse ratios in the 8x2 transmission. 2 slow and 2 fast don't cut it for a lot of things.... Beyond that, if a person can develop the knack for shifting the 8x2 on the fly... as far as I'm concerned there was never a better transmission built. For straight ahead work, road running and pounding gears, there was nothing like driving that crashbox, and I did a lot of it. It's also probably one of the single toughest, most durable transmissions ever built.
If I could get that 8 speed today with a reverser in front of it I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I much prefer it to any of the various syncro's I've driven.
Otherwise, the steering wasn't so hot on the early 5000's. Later was more reliable. Beyond that, a very tough, reliable, nimble hard working tractor.
I never had a 5000 but had a 5610 which was basically the same with a few modest upgrades. I wish I still had it...

Rod

My 5000 had power steering. Couldn't stop it. 3 cylinder so what?

All 5000 were 4 cylinder, not 3. The 2,3, & 4000 were 3 cylinder in the blue line while those in the grey line were also 4 cylinder. I had a gas 68 model 5000 and I drove my uncles 3020 D and I was a lot more comfortable on the Ford, steering was worst part but was early style.

getting on and off hooking up 3 point equipment, lifting stuff with a pole, I like the 5000 platform height. My 3020 is not a console and not powershift so a common 3020. Thanks, Paul