Utility Tractor Opinion - JD1530

I know, opinions are like pie-holes, and everyone's got one, but thought I'd ask, anyhow. I've done some digging on this site and found everything from, "greatest utility tractor ever built" to "never starts when the mercury dips below 50°F."

I have an 885 David Brown, it's been a great little tractor, but is getting a little tired, and I'm looking to add another tractor for some brush hogging and similar duties. I've never been a Deere guy (always thought they revved too high for one thing), but there's a decent looking 1530 around here for sale, so I thought I'd throw it out for everyone to tell me what a great little tractor they are or "run away, run away quickly." Posting in this forum rather than the Deere forum so anyone can give it a look.

Thanks,
Neal

Yup, everyone has an opinion. Mine is:
I have had a 1530 for the past 8 years and am very happy with it..Yes, needs ether to start in cold weather. But has a loader, move big bales with it, mow with it and has been reliable and a great addition. In between the IH 856 and the Long 250 so it fits the farm well. Would buy another in a heartbeat.

I have a 1520. Actually the wife has it as she saw it and wanted it. Nice little tractor, Diesel, starts every time as long as the battery isn"t dead. That of course happens when you either leave something on or it"s too long between starts. Pulls a 2 bottom 16 inch plow with no difficulty and a 6 foot disc. About a 45 hp tractor. Does a nice job with a sprayer and a posthole digger.
For my taste doesn"t turn short enough, but then I like Olivers and the brakes will overcome the long turning radius.
But for around the house a 3 cylinder tractor is a lot handyer then a long 6 cylinder.

Could that be the same engine as a 350 crawler? My Father had one for many years and it was a good cold weather starter and very good all a round machine.

The JD 1530 are a good 45 hp utility tractor. They are like all of the JD of that age. They will not start under about 30 without help. I would be real careful if you use either in a 1530. You can bend a connecting rod very easy. I used to get a few each year when they where used more.

Things to do to help/solve th starting in cold weather.
1) Run two separate positive and negative battery cable right to the starter. The factory ones that share two ends on one cable or the original that put on under the clamp bolt are not heavy enough. The cables are not very long. I run the two positive right to the starter solenoid. Then the two grounds to one of the starter mounting bolts. It will make the tractor crank twice as fast.

2) Put a tank style engine coolant heater on the block. USe at least a 1000watt one. You can then start them to 30 below without any issue. There used to be a complete kit available thru John Deere that had all of the fittings and hoses already in it. The complete kit is not available any more but it is just a few pipe fitting and a tank heater. You can get the heaters at most farm stores: TSC, Farm & Fleet.

I would not be afraid of a JD 1530 for what you are wanting to do.

SERIOUSLY, jd are you telling the truth about bent con rods and "ether" (or either, as you spell it)?

While I agree that ether is not a GOOD thing, I have yet to see total destruction caused by it (in my LIMITED experience compared to the experience of an EXPERT like you).

Neal in Oregon
I'll add that the battery ground to the battery box by JD wasn't one of their greatest ideas. It needs to be attached to the engine block. Also for cold weather starting a hyd destroker screw is well worth it's $15 cost. 1530's are good utility tractors.

Also I'd suggest a test kit for coolant ph and hyd oil.

I did some research and it is a slightly different
engine than the 350 crawler. The crawler had 2 12V
batteries and with a little sniff of ether it would
start down to -30F, so cold that it would sometimes
cause a seal to leak in the reverser, which I got
pretty good at changing! I would hope that the
utility tractors would have a reverser for loader
work. We did not monitor the PH of the coolant and
did have a sleeve leak due to electrolysis, so that
is important.

There is a 7KW, 24V industrial starter. Which beats the 3KW 12V starting system.

This was a 12V system.

(quoted from post at 03:06:28 06/14/11) SERIOUSLY, jd are you telling the truth about bent con rods and "ether" (or either, as you spell it)?

While I agree that ether is not a GOOD thing, I have yet to see total destruction caused by it (in my LIMITED experience compared to the experience of an EXPERT like you).

Click to expand...

I agree with you Bob. I've witnessed top rings broken from overdoses of ether but not bent piston rods. I'd think one would have to try and tow start an ether overdosed tractor to bend rods rather than do that with a starter motor.

we have a jd 830 which is a little smaller but is the same basic setup. they are a good little workhorse. you wont be dissapointed. plug it in if you need it in the winter and hopefully you wont need any ether. they are a good little utility tractor.