Popularity of 730's

Don't needlessly torture yourself! If you want a 730 buy a gas model. They can be worked on under a tree instead of in a diesel shop and for a fraction of the cost. They are also more comfortable as your feet are all scrunched up on the diesel. Diesel models are best if you want smoke and noise.

The diesels MAY get pricey to work on, but if he buys a fairly good one, it will work about forever without many repairs, especially for light work, and "play".

I can see no reason to fear a diesel 730 in good running order.

Those 2 cyl. diesels will start and run with alot of problems ! more so than other models and they have alot more parts to wear. If you don't think so just start counting up all the pumps on one. With every pump it has to pump properly plus keep fluids sealed in and out.

John T [email protected]

I have to agree with what Thomas D says,If you have your heart set on a 730 get a gas one. Since it's for fun and not work. Only problem is going to be finding one as I think they are kinda rare which is another plus. And Oh Boy ! if you could actually get ahold of an all-fuel model these have to be real rare,but you can just run it on reg. gas.

In fact if you only need a 3 plow tractor you will be better off with a model 620 or 630.

I can run this thing hard all day long and use less diesel than the amount of beer I drink!

THere is nothing like hearing that diesel pound and pound, the neighbors come out to see what is going on...stand in awe at the mighty tractor that John Deere made 49 years ago!

I grew up driving an electric start "830", and have had both electric start, and pony start 730's, and, IMHO, if you are using the tractor day in and day out, the quick starts of an electric start, kept up to "par", are GREAT, how ever, if the tractor is started only a few times a year, and kept as a "toy", the pony start is easier to fire up, needing only some STA-BIL in the gas too keep it fresh, and one battery to fire it off.

If kept as-original, though, they use four 6-Volts.

I (foolishly) sold my last 730 quite a few years ago,but I have a 4020, with a similar system, and "buck" the suggestions of some folks to switch it to 12-Volt, because it does work pretty well as it is. Since I use the tractor only occasionally, I have installed two 12-Volt battery maintainers to keep the batteries up when not used for a long time, and extend the life of the batteries.

I LOVE the tractors. As I stated, I grew up doing heavy fieldwork with the 830, and later, we also had 730's, which I spent a lot of hours on, mowing, raking, baling, and hauling hay.

Also, we ran a big grain dryer with the last 730 we had. However, it was tougher on the PTO and driveshaft on the dryer (due to the pounding of the "odd-fire" 2-cylinder) than the 4020. The 730 seemed to use quite a bit less fuel, though.

The PTO clutches on the 730's can be a bit tricky to set, and expensive to fix if abused, or they simply wear out. They do the job, if kept adjusted, but I always thought they were NOT one of Deere's best efforts.

All in all, the 730 diesel represent some of Deere's best efforts in the "Johnny Popper" series for agility and fuel economy, and I hope someday I can afford to get my hands on one, again!