We always had lots of older tractors & never had to unhook anything. One day a neighboring farmer drove over his new JD tractor & was bragging nonstop about it while we were unloading hay. Dad worked there silently while the neighbor went on and on about his new tractor. After 10 min, there was silence, & Dad said “you have more money in your 2 tractors than we do in our 12 & yours will get a flat tire just as easy as one of ours will.....so what you really want to know is if you can borrow one of ours when yours breaks down....”
One thing to consider about the 5010/5020 John Deere tractors is the fact that every time something goes wrong - You don’t have to get a service tech from the dealership to hook up a computer like you do with the newer John Deere tractors. There is too much electronic garbage on this new equipment. All of the convenience bells and whistles are nice until they break. Thanks for your great video.
I had a NH T4.75 - Christ that thing was in the dealership for electrical - issues all the time. I went to 1996 JD6400 but now I want to go 1980's JD3050 with the cab / vertical split. Love the older stuff easier to fix, cheap, generic, no complex electrics - NO AD BLUE!
I agree 100% with your assessment. One other fuel consideration; newer tractors require DEF, that added expense wipes out the 1-2% increase in efficiency.
Not to mention all their new technology software, what no one has access to but them so they can take more of your money. But not even their so called technicians can fix on the spot.
I had a 1967 5020 Standard, I always said it could pull religion out of a church if you hooked it right. I miss that old beast, mine had a turbo charger and a intercooler, dynod at 168 hp.
My Dad and uncle bought a 5020 while paying for a Massey and a Minneapolis that both had major break downs. The jd dealer at the time said to them to just take and get the crop seeded, we'll figure out the deal after. That 5020 ended up paying for both the others, itself, and ran for many yrs after that. Finally traded off on a bigger tractor, but was still running great.
I just laugh when I watch RUclips farming channels where the farmer has a Million dollar tractor and planter that is broke down because of a SOFTWARE or sensor problem. Oh, we have to get the dealer to fix this. I would hate to guess what their dealer charges them. Your tractors can be fixed by yourself. If not, you have another one spare that will do the job. A farm like Welker Farms makes sense. They have older equipment that they know how to fix and do not owe a couple million dollars in equipment loans. Yes, I really like your channel because it is real farming and management that makes sense.
I am 70 from Australia and I’ve been so fortunate to have had a continuous association with these fine machines since my Grandfather bought the first 5010 in our district in February 1964, no 32T4605. I am pleased to see you realise the value in them. I can fix everything except the hydraulics and a nearby collector deals with that. From 1962 to 1977 from front to back they did evolve within the same dimensions, a story that parallels Caterpillar and their D9 program from 1961 to 1981.
Yep, we love them on this side of the planet as well! And yes, it’s wonderful how simple they are to work on. I’m in my mid twenties, and not overly mechanically-inclined, but these tractors are designed with guys like me in mind. The local John Deere service department doesn’t hear from us often!
My dad was a John Deere mechanic and parts manager for many years. He is 86 years old and can still tell a person anything about these tractors and the old "Johnny Poppers." I have a small collection of John Deere toy tractors in New shape and my most expensive one is a new 5020 John Deere still in the original ice cream box double hole on top with the muffler and air cleaner on top
I have always thought no matter what you are talking about. Fighter planes,Mack trucks, tractors, hot rods, bikes, music, sports. Whatever. The golden age was late sixties to about 81. We had a 4020 but traded it. Big mistake. But we still use a 4030, 4430 and a 4630. We also have a couple new ones. I must say I agree with you. It sucks when you have 80 acres of hay down and have to wait on John Deere to make 5 trips and end up charging 5 grand to fix a computer problem with guesswork while the old one swoops in again to save the day. I can't imagine farming without them. Us little guys would all go broke.
Couldn't agree more. I don't need the extra horses so have stuck with the 20 and 30 series tractors where parts are still readily available and are relatively ez to fix with donor tractors.
Hello fellow Saskatchewanite! I have always loved the old 5010, 5020, 6030 tractors too. The low-end torque and the substantial frame were what sold me. The only real problem was that they weren't built with cabs and because the engine was mounted behind the fuel tank any cab ended up having part of the engine in the cab with you! EXTREMELY NOISY! We put a Cozy Cab on a 5010. This was a great cab but the way it mounted made it a noise box. So we moved the cab back so the front wall was even with the firewall. We got the local autobody shop to shorten the fenders to give access to the doors. It also gave it much better access for getting in. We put a heavy rubber mat down on the floor. This all helped cut down the noise a lot but we should have gone a little further and built a separate floor for the cab and rubber mounted it. If we had done that I think we might still have it! Alas we traded it off years ago, bur I still have a 760A scraper which is basically a 5020 with power shift and an offset cab to play with!
Dance with the one you have. I'm not sold on the newest stuff, but it's comfortable and has some advantages. But y'all can work with and on your entire fleet, and I know a few people who can do the same thing here. Great video, and you really should be proud of keeping the old iron doing what it was made for.👍👍
Wonderful, logic and interesting video, putting a new perspective on the pros and cons of buying new iron. The 50 and 40 series were quite rare in the UK and seemed like monsters, compared to the usual range of Fords, MF's etc
Sorry everyone! I’ve just realized there is a mistake in my video. In my Nebraska test comparison the 5020’s PTO fuel consumption is actually supposed to say 16.89 hphr/gal, not the stated 16.18. This also explains the math error on screen, in case any of you noticed that the math on screen didn’t check out. The percentages given are still accurate.
May I ask if the JD 5010/5020/6030 tractors all used the exact same transaxle, and the only real difference in them was engine capacity and horsepower. Really love this era of JD tractors, and particularly these larger beasts - pure muscle tractors - they look sensational !
new stuff has so many conveniences and operator comforts - but it all comes with a steep price, both at purchase and at repair time. Much like cars and trucks. Too many wants took the place of the most basic needs-
Yup our farm has gone through restructuring and my view is the same, i'd rather have more cheaper machines than singular new machines, got tired of being the least paid person on my farm, between the government, the bank, the dealership and the chem companies
Grew up on a 72 4020 HFWA. Factory triple hydraulics, 3pt. It’s still going to this day. Hours are estimated 35-40 thousand range. Was the main feeding tractor for a lot of years.
5010/5020/6030 were tractors that were built to last, when real quality meant something. I got friends that still run 4020's for planting and hay work. The new stuff has unnecessary egr emissions that cause the whole engine to run inefficient. There are no computers controlling any functions on these older tractors.
those old tractors are nice. one farmer wont wear one of those out and you can usually keep em going without to much trouble. My grandpa owns a 5010 and it will see him out.
And one thing to consider is the new ones with dpf filters can’t load bales as it plugs off the dpf because the tractor only runs for half hour or so while loading the truck
Awesome vid! Very cool to keep running the old iron. Plus they look SOO badass. Plus... all the self-propelled stuff u have on ur place! 🤣 Awesome. Liked and subbed.!
I agree with your line of thinking 100% Quite frankly, there's to much advanced technology in the newer tractors. Any experience i have comes from our beef & hog operations back in the 60's & 70's New doesn't equal better. John Deere's New Generation tractors beginning in 1960 were built to last and extremely durable.
When I was a young person living up on East Hill in Portage New York there was a fella by the name of Maya and Brady they had a fleet of 40 20s and 3 5020 there are great running tractor happy ground up there they still pulled six bottom plows he was a big crop farmer back in the early 70s
I love the old iron. I've run many different makes and models. I growed up in the 40s and 50s ane I remember them well. New doesn't mean better... and with a lot of the new stuff when somethin goes wrong you're lookin at big money to fix.
That is so cool that you have the 5020. Wow who would have thought a 50+ year old tractor would still be reporting for work. Even if that 5020 was made in the last year of production, 1972, it would still be 56 years old. Think about it this way. When that 5020 was new, a 56 year old John Deere tractor would have been a 1916 tractor. That tractor would have been a Waterloo Boy with no PTO, no hydraulics, and would be absolutely useless, even in 1960.
GREAT VIDEO , running older machinery makes sense if your willing to work on them, mechanics are getting scarce , not many want to get dirty hands anymore , but I am one that never bought a new car
very hard to compare the dependability and cheap costs of operation of computerless vs the new limp-mode waiting to happen. I'll take the old gear for my uses every time.
Deere dealer sales man rode along with the driver bring One of our modern Tractor back from a recall repair. Saw our 1948 MH 44 gas running the grain auger. Ask why we did not use our newer diesel JD because it would cost less in fuel. Dad spelled out how much more per hour it cost to run the 2 year old JD with it many filters and bigger oil system vs 70 year old tractor that require a tenth of the hourly cost in oil and single cheap oil filter. For stationary PTO work non of the modern stuff can compete.
I’ve never ran a 5010 or a 5020 but I would love to have one. I used to own 4630, but I’m not sure if it’d hang with a 5020 torque wise. The 404 seemed maxed out in my tractor turned up to about 165, plus it was pretty thirsty. Although it had a really nice cab and was fairly comfortable, I think I would have preferred a late model 5020 or a 6030 for simplicity, style and brute torque. Great video. Very informative! Blessings!!
old iron is superior to new iron and you will never change my opinion. we have a 1086 (yet to be dynoed) with a straight piped DT414 that appears to have been turned up some. we got that tractor with an air filter that was so clogged it weighed about 40 pounds. aside from the hard starting it ran like a top, replaced the air filter and the tractor starts with about 2 seconds of cranking (with 7800 hours). plus new tractors just dont have that rumble.
The JD 5020 I have when used on s chisel plow with parabolic shanks would only use 5 gallon of diesel per hour. The tractor can pull down to 1700 rpm and still not get hot and no down shifting. This tractor makes JD new tractors look silly.
we are agree and work with older machines too your machines are 60 years old and still running do you think the newer ones will run in 60 years? Probably not. Can yours still run in another 60 years? Probably so if they are taken car of.
The fact that JD cannot restrict your access to the defect codes is a major benefit to owning older machinery. Just keep the air cleaner working and good oil in the crankcase and gearboxes and they will last a very long time. Does your banker ever give you any grief about using the old tractors?
All laughing aside, no not at all. The way I see it, they’re already mostly depreciated, or at least you’re not losing 15% per year (what the tax system here says) like the newer models. I think as a banker I’d be happier to loan money to anyone buying one of these ol’ beasts than a new tractor any day based on the loan security standpoint alone.
If you buy a tractor new from the dealer then your basically handcuffed to the dealer, you can't fix it yourself unless you have minimum 20grande worth of diagnostic computers. But with this old iron you can buy 15 130hp rated tractors for the price of one new rated at the same hp. Then with the new one you get all kinds of senser problems.
Later 5020 produced 145 horses. Love my 5010 amd 5020. To say they have the same 531 is not exactly true. Same idea but nearly nothing crosses over with eachother
I’m aware the 5010s and 5020s have different injectors, manifolds, and I believe oil pans. But I’ve never really compared parts numbers on anything else as we just check all part numbers by the appropriate model on the online parts catalog. Are there other parts, especially more internally, that don’t cross over on these engines? I know many 5010’s were brought up to 5020 spec during overhauls so it can’t have been impossible. Aside from the engine I’ve also noticed the fuel tanks are different and the gauge cluster is slightly different.
@@thatoneskfarmer7961 South Sask Farmer has a 5010 and 5020. He had to repower the 5010 with a 5020 engine. He goes into the differences. Basically the 5020 engine is slightly longer, with thicker walls between the cylinders.
Nothing like the JD I owned. Never had a year it didn't cost big money. Mind you this is a 50 hr a year machine meant to put out hay and cut weeds. It would lift the implement every time you hit the brake. Replaced the seat twice- broke. etc. etc. I'd as soon have a couple of horses. At least they would start. Dealer tried to deny it had a problem with power until we broke it in two to discover the injector pump was hugely out of time. I spent $1500 just to get it in good enough shape to sell for $8k. Don't try to sell a JD to me.
Are you referring to a 5010 or 5020? There’s no reason to split a 5010/20 in two to change the injector pump as it’s just on the right side of the engine up front. There’s a little inspection plate you can look under to easily tell if the pump is properly timed. As for the lifting problem, I don’t really have any experience in that field to help you. If you’re talking 3pt hitch, none of our tractors have that option, so I wouldn’t know where to begin.
Never owned , or driven a 5010 , or a 5020 , but still like your story and can relate. Still have both the 1961 JD 3010 diesel row crop ( 15,000 hours ) and the 1964 4020 standard , diesel tractor , that dad purchased new from local dealership , love these tractors ! And they still see regular use each year ! Personally my favorite is the model 4020's
I always thought you could run the older tractors just fine and at overall reduced costs compared to the newer tractors. If you can get the manpower to run the multiple tractors, there is no reason you couldn’t run a pretty good size farm operation with these older tractors. My Dad was a JD mechanic from 1957-2007. He always loved the New Gen 10 and 20 series tractors. He said JD kinda went south after the 40 series tractors and really lost it with the 6000, 7000 and especially the 8000 series tractors. Too much electronics on these tractors.
You have some majorly cheap horsepower there. If it works for you no reason to change. Edit to add, if you are doing a lot of loader work an mfwd is very valuable. That is the main reason I updated into the 50 series because the 40 series only offered hydraulic front wheel drive. It was only up from there mostly because of the at least 33% tax deduction.
We’ve only got 5010s and 5020s, so I’m afraid I’m a little biased. Pretty sure the 4020 will always be referred to as the “greatest tractor ever made”, but the 5010 and 5020 really fit our scale of operation well. I suppose I prefer the 5020 because it has more power, but a larger influence on my ranking of individual tractors on our farm has been features, such as diff locks or what kind of tires/weight setups we have on certain tractors, etc. All these tractors serve their purposes, so it’s difficult to rank, especially when we only run half of them. I can say that they’re all long-lasting, dependable workhorses that have stood the test of time incredibly well.
Next to 60 series the 50 S are the best they are brutal in power and reliability and fixed by owner .No written permission from J D to fix it your self and no NASA degrees needed !!
Here’s my basic check list for ordering/finding parts: 1. Inquire with your local John Deere Dealer. If parts are not available immediately... 2. Use an internet search with the part number in question. I’m not sure where you’re located, but I’ve got several search hits with 5020 oil pumps for sale. If you’re outside of North America, that may not be as feasible. If that fails... 3. Try your local wreckers. Several have new and re-man parts, but for things outside of internal engine components I’ll often consider used. 4. Auction sale specials on parts tractors. If you can find one with an obvious and expensive problem, they go real cheap. Where I’m from in Canada they go a lot cheaper than in the mid- and southern states too. One parts tractor on our farm have been a donor for the other eight and has saved us the purchase price 10X over. Hope this helps your search efforts!
Fully identify with your model. Deere are probably the best for keeping parts for older tractors. And if one is running older equipment, then choose popular models to give yourself the best chance in breaker yards. The only thing about newer tech is operator comfort. If doing much road work, a suspended front axle and cab are gold.
Couldn’t agree more. We’re a smaller operation, (with relatively limited field and road work compared to in-yard chores) focussed on keeping operating and purchasing costs down. So machinery redundancy with older equipment is a no-brainer for us.
We always had lots of older tractors & never had to unhook anything. One day a neighboring farmer drove over his new JD tractor & was bragging nonstop about it while we were unloading hay. Dad worked there silently while the neighbor went on and on about his new tractor. After 10 min, there was silence, & Dad said “you have more money in your 2 tractors than we do in our 12 & yours will get a flat tire just as easy as one of ours will.....so what you really want to know is if you can borrow one of ours when yours breaks down....”
And you can still fix yours yourself...
One thing to consider about the 5010/5020 John Deere tractors is the fact that every time something goes wrong - You don’t have to get a service tech from the dealership to hook up a computer like you do with the newer John Deere tractors. There is too much electronic garbage on this new equipment. All of the convenience bells and whistles are nice until they break. Thanks for your great video.
I had a NH T4.75 - Christ that thing was in the dealership for electrical - issues all the time. I went to 1996 JD6400 but now I want to go 1980's JD3050 with the cab / vertical split. Love the older stuff easier to fix, cheap, generic, no complex electrics - NO AD BLUE!
I agree 100% with your assessment. One other fuel consideration; newer tractors require DEF, that added expense wipes out the 1-2% increase in efficiency.
Not to mention all their new technology software, what no one has access to but them so they can take more of your money. But not even their so called technicians can fix on the spot.
I had a 1967 5020 Standard, I always said it could pull religion out of a church if you hooked it right. I miss that old beast, mine had a turbo charger and a intercooler, dynod at 168 hp.
Great tractors. My uncle had a 4010, 4020, 5010 ,5020 and a 7520. Great tractors.. All legends.
I've had it for 22 years and I'm still in love with my 1970 year model 4020
Great Job I enjoy the 5010 & 5020...
My Dad and uncle bought a 5020 while paying for a Massey and a Minneapolis that both had major break downs. The jd dealer at the time said to them to just take and get the crop seeded, we'll figure out the deal after. That 5020 ended up paying for both the others, itself, and ran for many yrs after that. Finally traded off on a bigger tractor, but was still running great.
I just laugh when I watch RUclips farming channels where the farmer has a Million dollar tractor and planter that is broke down because of a SOFTWARE or sensor problem. Oh, we have to get the dealer to fix this. I would hate to guess what their dealer charges them. Your tractors can be fixed by yourself. If not, you have another one spare that will do the job. A farm like Welker Farms makes sense. They have older equipment that they know how to fix and do not owe a couple million dollars in equipment loans. Yes, I really like your channel because it is real farming and management that makes sense.
I am 70 from Australia and I’ve been so fortunate to have had a continuous association with these fine machines since my Grandfather bought the first 5010 in our district in February 1964, no 32T4605. I am pleased to see you realise the value in them. I can fix everything except the hydraulics and a nearby collector deals with that. From 1962 to 1977 from front to back they did evolve within the same dimensions, a story that parallels Caterpillar and their D9 program from 1961 to 1981.
Yep, we love them on this side of the planet as well! And yes, it’s wonderful how simple they are to work on. I’m in my mid twenties, and not overly mechanically-inclined, but these tractors are designed with guys like me in mind. The local John Deere service department doesn’t hear from us often!
Nice joke on the modern tractor model name!
Aussie as well. My dad had 5020 and 4020. Lots of fond memories.
I agree. Factor in 15000 investment verse 75000 the interest on the money will do lots of repairs.
I agree. That's why we have 3 4020s, 2 4440s, and a 4040 that are our main tractors
Mean green and forever green! When things were designed to last. 😊
When we were getting it done we ran “self-propelled” and it was grand. I think you have a winning strategy. Blessings
Love your common sense.
My dad was a John Deere mechanic and parts manager for many years. He is 86 years old and can still tell a person anything about these tractors and the old "Johnny Poppers." I have a small collection of John Deere toy tractors in New shape and my most expensive one is a new 5020 John Deere still in the original ice cream box double hole on top with the muffler and air cleaner on top
I sure miss my 5020, plenty of power, traction and was easy on fuel.
love them and always will. the look good, sound good and work great
Yes your are absolutely right it’s not a fashion show out there & you always have parts at your fingertips
Very thoughtful commentary!
I have always thought no matter what you are talking about. Fighter planes,Mack trucks, tractors, hot rods, bikes, music, sports. Whatever. The golden age was late sixties to about 81.
We had a 4020 but traded it. Big mistake. But we still use a 4030, 4430 and a 4630. We also have a couple new ones. I must say I agree with you. It sucks when you have 80 acres of hay down and have to wait on John Deere to make 5 trips and end up charging 5 grand to fix a computer problem with guesswork while the old one swoops in again to save the day. I can't imagine farming without them. Us little guys would all go broke.
Couldn't agree more. I don't need the extra horses so have stuck with the 20 and 30 series tractors where parts are still readily available and are relatively ez to fix with donor tractors.
Hello fellow Saskatchewanite!
I have always loved the old 5010, 5020, 6030 tractors too. The low-end torque and the substantial frame were what sold me.
The only real problem was that they weren't built with cabs and because the engine was mounted behind the fuel tank any cab ended up having part of the engine in the cab with you! EXTREMELY NOISY!
We put a Cozy Cab on a 5010. This was a great cab but the way it mounted made it a noise box. So we moved the cab back so the front wall was even with the firewall. We got the local autobody shop to shorten the fenders to give access to the doors. It also gave it much better access for getting in. We put a heavy rubber mat down on the floor. This all helped cut down the noise a lot but we should have gone a little further and built a separate floor for the cab and rubber mounted it. If we had done that I think we might still have it! Alas we traded it off years ago, bur I still have a 760A scraper which is basically a 5020 with power shift and an offset cab to play with!
Dance with the one you have. I'm not sold on the newest stuff, but it's comfortable and has some advantages. But y'all can work with and on your entire fleet, and I know a few people who can do the same thing here. Great video, and you really should be proud of keeping the old iron doing what it was made for.👍👍
Yes love the old iron and tractors. And I agree a lot cheaper and easier to maintain
Wonderful, logic and interesting video, putting a new perspective on the pros and cons of buying new iron. The 50 and 40 series were quite rare in the UK and seemed like monsters, compared to the usual range of Fords, MF's etc
Totally agree with you're theory. It's not what you put in the tank it's what you put in the Bank
Sorry everyone! I’ve just realized there is a mistake in my video. In my Nebraska test comparison the 5020’s PTO fuel consumption is actually supposed to say 16.89 hphr/gal, not the stated 16.18. This also explains the math error on screen, in case any of you noticed that the math on screen didn’t check out. The percentages given are still accurate.
Don't worry we didn't!!
Great video
May I ask if the JD 5010/5020/6030 tractors all used the exact same transaxle, and the only real difference in them was engine capacity and horsepower.
Really love this era of JD tractors, and particularly these larger beasts - pure muscle tractors - they look sensational !
Awesome video. Waiting for more.
Have 2 5020's and 1 6030. Without a doubt the best tractors Deere ever built.
My first tractor was a 5020. I now have a. 4010 with a loader on it. It's handy!
Don't forget you can add GPS to old iron as well.
new stuff has so many conveniences and operator comforts - but it all comes with a steep price, both at purchase and at repair time. Much like cars and trucks. Too many wants took the place of the most basic needs-
Awesome iron thanks for sharing and keeping them running 👍🏻
Yup our farm has gone through restructuring and my view is the same, i'd rather have more cheaper machines than singular new machines, got tired of being the least paid person on my farm, between the government, the bank, the dealership and the chem companies
Have a 1963 3010, it still gets used alot, it is kind of a pain to service because of the cartridge filters but has been a very reliable tractor!
Amen
Grew up on a 72 4020 HFWA. Factory triple hydraulics, 3pt. It’s still going to this day. Hours are estimated 35-40 thousand range. Was the main feeding tractor for a lot of years.
I’d have a hard time believing that if we didn’t have our own 5020 in the same hour range. They sure don’t make them like they used to.
5010/5020/6030 were tractors that were built to last, when real quality meant something. I got friends that still run 4020's for planting and hay work. The new stuff has unnecessary egr emissions that cause the whole engine to run inefficient. There are no computers controlling any functions on these older tractors.
I truly agree with you.cheers from Argentina
those old tractors are nice. one farmer wont wear one of those out and you can usually keep em going without to much trouble. My grandpa owns a 5010 and it will see him out.
Your 100% correct ;Laughing all the way to the to BANK !!!!!
Great video ,thanks 👋👍👌icon tractors 👋
And one thing to consider is the new ones with dpf filters can’t load bales as it plugs off the dpf because the tractor only runs for half hour or so while loading the truck
Awesome vid! Very cool to keep running the old iron. Plus they look SOO badass. Plus... all the self-propelled stuff u have on ur place! 🤣 Awesome. Liked and subbed.!
Nice work 👍
I agree with your line of thinking 100% Quite frankly, there's to much advanced technology in the newer tractors. Any experience i have comes from our beef & hog operations back in the 60's & 70's New doesn't equal better. John Deere's New Generation tractors beginning in 1960 were built to last and extremely durable.
Love the vintage equipment!!!!!
Great vid... true old Iron will run forever, no computers to kill them... we can repair them.... not the computer tractors
Yes I totally agree with you that is the best way to be a successful farmer 😂😂😂
Totally Agree, still running a 7020, 4020 and a more Modern 5100m plus I have an 830 on a 800 acre farm in the U.K. Maybe one day I will get a 5020.
When I was a young person living up on East Hill in Portage New York there was a fella by the name of Maya and Brady they had a fleet of 40 20s and 3 5020 there are great running tractor happy ground up there they still pulled six bottom plows he was a big crop farmer back in the early 70s
No way I live in dansville just over the hill from there
We used to have 2 5020’s. One that was naturally aspirated and had a factory cab. The other had a 7520 motor and a Cozy Cab.
I love the old iron. I've run many different makes and models. I growed up in the 40s and 50s ane I remember them well. New doesn't mean better... and with a lot of the new stuff when somethin goes wrong you're lookin at big money to fix.
Nice that you have part tractors and know what to do with thous parts
That is so cool that you have the 5020. Wow who would have thought a 50+ year old tractor would still be reporting for work. Even if that 5020 was made in the last year of production, 1972, it would still be 56 years old. Think about it this way. When that 5020 was new, a 56 year old John Deere tractor would have been a 1916 tractor. That tractor would have been a Waterloo Boy with no PTO, no hydraulics, and would be absolutely useless, even in 1960.
Comfort is a consideration too so what choices of cab etc do you prefer
This video was great.
Any new vids coming? I'm interested in more. I subscribed
Great info!
GREAT VIDEO , running older machinery makes sense if your willing to work on them, mechanics are getting scarce , not many want to get dirty hands anymore , but I am one that never bought a new car
very hard to compare the dependability and cheap costs of operation of computerless vs the new limp-mode waiting to happen. I'll take the old gear for my uses every time.
Hell yes !!
Deere dealer sales man rode along with the driver bring One of our modern Tractor back from a recall repair. Saw our 1948 MH 44 gas running the grain auger. Ask why we did not use our newer diesel JD because it would cost less in fuel. Dad spelled out how much more per hour it cost to run the 2 year old JD with it many filters and bigger oil system vs 70 year old tractor that require a tenth of the hourly cost in oil and single cheap oil filter. For stationary PTO work non of the modern stuff can compete.
Yes I agree.
I’ve never ran a 5010 or a 5020 but I would love to have one. I used to own 4630, but I’m not sure if it’d hang with a 5020 torque wise. The 404 seemed maxed out in my tractor turned up to about 165, plus it was pretty thirsty. Although it had a really nice cab and was fairly comfortable, I think I would have preferred a late model 5020 or a 6030 for simplicity, style and brute torque. Great video. Very informative! Blessings!!
You'd miss the Sound Guard cab, though. Too bad it wasn't introduced with the New Generation tractors.
I love older John Deere’s but we have early 2000s Steiger tractors with plenty over 10000 and have never needed rebuilds and still has plenty of power
old iron is superior to new iron and you will never change my opinion.
we have a 1086 (yet to be dynoed) with a straight piped DT414 that appears to have been turned up some. we got that tractor with an air filter that was so clogged it weighed about 40 pounds. aside from the hard starting it ran like a top, replaced the air filter and the tractor starts with about 2 seconds of cranking (with 7800 hours). plus new tractors just dont have that rumble.
The JD 5020 I have when used on s chisel plow with parabolic shanks would only use 5 gallon of diesel per hour. The tractor can pull down to 1700 rpm and still not get hot and no down shifting. This tractor makes JD new tractors look silly.
we are agree and work with older machines too
your machines are 60 years old and still running do you think the newer ones will run in 60 years? Probably not. Can yours still run in another 60 years? Probably so if they are taken car of.
The 5020s the boss had held up better than any other farm tractor pulling a sheep's foot or disk building roads.
The fact that JD cannot restrict your access to the defect codes is a major benefit to owning older machinery. Just keep the air cleaner working and good oil in the crankcase and gearboxes and they will last a very long time.
Does your banker ever give you any grief about using the old tractors?
What banker? Lol. That’s the glorious thing about these gems- you don’t need to mortgage the farm to pick one up.
All laughing aside, no not at all. The way I see it, they’re already mostly depreciated, or at least you’re not losing 15% per year (what the tax system here says) like the newer models. I think as a banker I’d be happier to loan money to anyone buying one of these ol’ beasts than a new tractor any day based on the loan security standpoint alone.
i think the 5020's are the COOLEST looking tractor deere ever made! the broad hood and the front end sheet metal is classic john deere!
I love my 3020
If you buy a tractor new from the dealer then your basically handcuffed to the dealer, you can't fix it yourself unless you have minimum 20grande worth of diagnostic computers. But with this old iron you can buy 15 130hp rated tractors for the price of one new rated at the same hp. Then with the new one you get all kinds of senser problems.
Later 5020 produced 145 horses. Love my 5010 amd 5020. To say they have the same 531 is not exactly true. Same idea but nearly nothing crosses over with eachother
I’m aware the 5010s and 5020s have different injectors, manifolds, and I believe oil pans. But I’ve never really compared parts numbers on anything else as we just check all part numbers by the appropriate model on the online parts catalog. Are there other parts, especially more internally, that don’t cross over on these engines? I know many 5010’s were brought up to 5020 spec during overhauls so it can’t have been impossible.
Aside from the engine I’ve also noticed the fuel tanks are different and the gauge cluster is slightly different.
@@thatoneskfarmer7961 South Sask Farmer has a 5010 and 5020. He had to repower the 5010 with a 5020 engine. He goes into the differences.
Basically the 5020 engine is slightly longer, with thicker walls between the cylinders.
South sask has the prettiest 5010 on the continent- just sayin🤣
@@thatoneskfarmer7961 ya go check out the channel I cover it all. 5020 has a much larger clutch aswell
Awesome.
"South sask farmer breaths heavily"
True
Do they start hard in the winter being a diesel? What disc does anyone with a 2050 recommend?
Smart.
Nothing like the JD I owned. Never had a year it didn't cost big money. Mind you this is a 50 hr a year machine meant to put out hay and cut weeds. It would lift the implement every time you hit the brake. Replaced the seat twice- broke. etc. etc. I'd as soon have a couple of horses. At least they would start. Dealer tried to deny it had a problem with power until we broke it in two to discover the injector pump was hugely out of time. I spent $1500 just to get it in good enough shape to sell for $8k. Don't try to sell a JD to me.
Are you referring to a 5010 or 5020? There’s no reason to split a 5010/20 in two to change the injector pump as it’s just on the right side of the engine up front. There’s a little inspection plate you can look under to easily tell if the pump is properly timed.
As for the lifting problem, I don’t really have any experience in that field to help you. If you’re talking 3pt hitch, none of our tractors have that option, so I wouldn’t know where to begin.
Never owned , or driven a 5010 , or a 5020 , but still like your story and can relate. Still have both the 1961 JD 3010 diesel row crop ( 15,000 hours ) and the 1964 4020 standard , diesel tractor , that dad purchased new from local dealership , love these tractors ! And they still see regular use each year ! Personally my favorite is the model 4020's
I always thought you could run the older tractors just fine and at overall reduced costs compared to the newer tractors. If you can get the manpower to run the multiple tractors, there is no reason you couldn’t run a pretty good size farm operation with these older tractors. My Dad was a JD mechanic from 1957-2007. He always loved the New Gen 10 and 20 series tractors. He said JD kinda went south after the 40 series tractors and really lost it with the 6000, 7000 and especially the 8000 series tractors. Too much electronics on these tractors.
You have some majorly cheap horsepower there. If it works for you no reason to change. Edit to add, if you are doing a lot of loader work an mfwd is very valuable. That is the main reason I updated into the 50 series because the 40 series only offered hydraulic front wheel drive. It was only up from there mostly because of the at least 33% tax deduction.
How you rank the 5010, 5020. With the 4010,4020. In all of your comparisons
We’ve only got 5010s and 5020s, so I’m afraid I’m a little biased. Pretty sure the 4020 will always be referred to as the “greatest tractor ever made”, but the 5010 and 5020 really fit our scale of operation well. I suppose I prefer the 5020 because it has more power, but a larger influence on my ranking of individual tractors on our farm has been features, such as diff locks or what kind of tires/weight setups we have on certain tractors, etc.
All these tractors serve their purposes, so it’s difficult to rank, especially when we only run half of them. I can say that they’re all long-lasting, dependable workhorses that have stood the test of time incredibly well.
Don't know how many hrs a 5020 will do but I know a 4630 will do 30,000 , wouldn't be surprised if they will do more
how many hours a year have you been putting on your tractor?
@@crzy11000 now I don't put on more than a hundred , but at one time it was 1500 a year
Back when green paint meant something. We have two 6140m's and I hate them. Damn computers. Plus their made in Germany.
How much are you paying in Sask for diesel?
Did I here you right 2 5010s and 6 5020s
Yessir. In that picture of them all together we were missing one and have bought another 5010 (without a cab) since.
@@thatoneskfarmer7961 nice
@@thatoneskfarmer7961 so what other tractors do you run other then the 5010s and 5020s
A 7020 and a little 2010. Nothing but old green paint around here. Call us purists if you must.
@@thatoneskfarmer7961 we are mostly green to with some other colors mixed in
You forgot the added cost of DEF.
Great point!
Next to 60 series the 50 S are the best they are brutal in power and reliability and fixed by owner .No written permission from J D to fix it your self and no NASA degrees needed !!
What’s the highest hours on one of those tractors?
Only one of our tractors is still on its first round of the hour meter (
Try getting an oil pump for one of them good luck
Here’s my basic check list for ordering/finding parts:
1. Inquire with your local John Deere Dealer. If parts are not available immediately...
2. Use an internet search with the part number in question. I’m not sure where you’re located, but I’ve got several search hits with 5020 oil pumps for sale. If you’re outside of North America, that may not be as feasible. If that fails...
3. Try your local wreckers. Several have new and re-man parts, but for things outside of internal engine components I’ll often consider used.
4. Auction sale specials on parts tractors. If you can find one with an obvious and expensive problem, they go real cheap. Where I’m from in Canada they go a lot cheaper than in the mid- and southern states too. One parts tractor on our farm have been a donor for the other eight and has saved us the purchase price 10X over.
Hope this helps your search efforts!
Just think massive Power and no computers
Fully identify with your model. Deere are probably the best for keeping parts for older tractors. And if one is running older equipment, then choose popular models to give yourself the best chance in breaker yards. The only thing about newer tech is operator comfort. If doing much road work, a suspended front axle and cab are gold.
Couldn’t agree more. We’re a smaller operation, (with relatively limited field and road work compared to in-yard chores) focussed on keeping operating and purchasing costs down. So machinery redundancy with older equipment is a no-brainer for us.
If it ain't broke don't fix it
But why sould anyone buy new tractors in that case?