2020 Questions

A guy has a gasser,8 sp hi lo, 3000 hrs, nice shape, he owned it for the last 14 years. It has a swept axel, no reverser trans, and I don't know if it has a 4 or 8 cyl. hyd. pump.

Question Does the lack of the "loader options" (solid axel,8 cly. pump,reverser, etc.) still make it acceptable for installing a front loader?

What is the purpose of the reverser trans I read about in the posts. I assume it has a two step clutch.

Could you use the 2020 for small row crop?

Is $6000 fair?

Thanks for the help.

Scott

But if it is quiet (no ticks, leaks, etc) and everything works good, I guess it becomes a member.

$800.00 for a radiator- that's steep!

A tractor buying check list would be a nice addition to this form, as I never dreamed a radiator so small could ever cost that much.

I need to look at these machines closely now, don't I.

Thanks again for all your hands-on input. Any other pointers are truely welcome.

Scott#2

Is $10,000 a little too much? Probably, but the versitility, dependability and easy to use operation makes it worth every penny. Even if you spend $6000 on the tractor and another $2500 for the loader, you'll have a combination that will last you for years.

If you doubt the money is well spent, go out and look at what a new one costs or see what $8500 buys in the japanese imported tractor line. You'll find the 2020 to by the best choice.

The reverser would be great for back and forth loader work. If you do not have it, you can do the same work; it just takes longer - you need to clutch and shift gears between back and forth - the reverser just switches between back and forth with a lever on the opposite side of the throttle. The swept axle shouldn't cause you any great problems, just limit the amount of weight you load. I'd bet it has an 8 cyl pump in front, but if not; the only downside is it takes a little longer to move the bucket. Actually, the one you're considering sounds like it hasn't been worked hard and put away wet; so that's a plus. I'd imagine that a 2020 with all the loader, reverser, axle stuff you want would have gotten more work and abuse during the years, as it's easy to get in a hurry when the tractor cooperates -- much to the detrement of the tractor. So ~30 years later, you might be better off that the tractor did not have all that stuff.

Yes, it has a two stage clutch. Shifting gears is easy, disengaging the PTO takes a little more muscle.

Row crop: You won't want a loader on the front, and you will want some weight on the back if you're going to plow. With a loader mounted you'll spin the tires a lot. The tractor is sure willing, but the weight bias would be all wrong for row crop work if you don't store the loader before you work the ground. What's more, there's a forward bias even without the loader, so you might want to consider rear weight if you do a lot of plowing in hard ground (we have Indiana clay here, which is no fun). If you have loamy soil; shouldn't be a problem. My solution was to leave the loader on the 1020 and get a JD 60 like I drove when I was a kid. The big ol' tractor was a lot cheaper and loves to do row crop work. The loader won't bother you for cutting, raking, and baling hay. As our 1020 was doing that kind of work for years, after a few on/off hassles with the loader -- I just left it on. Still bales hay, mows, and shovels manure fine.

Price: sounds like you've found a good one. I've seen twins of my 1020 recently go in the 7 to 9 thousand range; with a loader. I don't know what loaders cost now -- so figure that into the equation. My guess is that if the guy will take 5,000; it's a steal. And if you don't want it at 5, let me know. Six is probably a decent price for 3000 hours and good condition.

I probably won't get too many arguments by saying the 1020/2020 are among the top 5 best utility tractors made in the last 40 years. You might find a same age IH or MF utility for 2 or even 3 thousand less that's in good shape. Question then becomes parts and support from local dealers. Our JD dealer is 4 miles away and I've had a winner in our 1020 for over 20 years here -- so you can understand my prejudice in letting the 1020 winner ride.

Things to check for: Good radiator: no leaks. The radiators seem to be a bit fragile, and a new one is around 800 bucks. Hydraulics: there are two or three pumps on this model (depending on the year) and lots of plumbing. Check that all the hydraulics move on command and do it fairly rapidly. If not, you could have some expensive pump / system repairs. If it has some small leaks -- consider the economics that the "O" replacements might cost you more than 15 years worth of hydraulic fluid leaked away. Engine is fairly simple and seems to be nearly bullet proof. If your seller has had it for 14 years and you don't see water in the oil, or vice versa, chances are it's probably been well cared for and shouldn't be a problem.

Good stuff: Before one of the stallions here decided to pack his bags and move away -- our 1020 sat under a roof, exposed on 3 sides for a number of winters. It's impressive when you go out at 0 degrees or 10 below and a tractor that hasn't worked from Oct or Nov to Jan or Feb starts right up and clears the drive. Our 1020 did that for some years. She's earned the space vacated by the stallion. And she's a better occupant than that crazy horse ever was.

There you have my expansive and one-sided opinion. Net, net -- from what you've said; I don't think you'll go too far wrong by buying the 2020 and sticking a loader on it. Best of luck if you decide to do so.

Steve