Problem tractors

Ripperone · Feb 24, 2013

Awhile back there was a discussion of good and bad tractors.I saw JD 730 diesel was considered bad.What was it's problem?

Scott 730 · Feb 24, 2013

Just someones personal opinion. :roll:

Anonymous-0 · Feb 24, 2013

Sounds like a good nightly topic for John B. Biggest money pit. Most reliable. Etc....

Glenn

rrlund · Feb 24, 2013

They tried to get too many horses out of 2 cylinders was the accepted theory at the time. They'd pull like there was no tomorrow,but on the PTO they tended to slam the daylights out of equipment if it was something that ran hard. I pulled mine once at the fair back in the mid 70s. It would out pull the 3020s and keep up with the stock 4010s.
Not going to pick'em apart,but the power steering was trouble on them after a while. The flywheel cracked. They fixed those with an aftermarket taper lock flywheel.
They were the best looking 2 cylinder ever made as far as I'm concerned,but when the New Generation tractors came out,they were quickly traded in by the thousands.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 24, 2013

If I remember, they had gotton so big that the flame front created by ignition was too slow to completly burn all of the fuel that was injected befor the valves opened. probably different fuels in different areas contributed to this problem as they were used with much success in some areas.

rrlund · Feb 24, 2013

I kinda touched on that the other day,asking which tractors proved themselves over the years to be way under rated and which ones gave the manufacturer a black eye.
Now if you want to talk personal experience and anecdotal evidence,I've got plenty of those stories too.

John B. · Feb 24, 2013

Biggest money pit is on the list Glenn.
Thanks!

Anonymous-0 · Feb 24, 2013

+1 on being traded by the thousands. If JD had continued a couple more years with those 2 cylinders, they'd have a place in history right along with Cockshutt, Moline ect.

GreenEnvy · Feb 24, 2013

And yet it was the 720 that held the fuel economy record until the 80s. I can't speak for the 720/730 as the Rs through 830s were popular here in wheat country. Still a few in use today. As nice as the as the 4010 was to operate JD gave up torque, lugging, and fuel economy going to the New Generation. I know instances were farmers tried a 4010 or even a 4020 and went right back to their 830s.

GreenEnvy · Feb 24, 2013

Little know fact is JD over took IH in sales a couple of times during the late to mid 50s with the obsolete 2 cylinders. The 2 cylinder got JD to No 1. The NG tractors kept them there.

Eldon (WA) · Feb 24, 2013

(quoted from post at 13:27:16 02/24/13) Little know fact is JD over took IH in sales a couple of times during the late to mid 50s with the obsolete 2 cylinders. The 2 cylinder got JD to No 1. The NG tractors kept them there.

If you want to know how great they were, just ask a JD owner LOL!

rrlund · Feb 24, 2013

Not gonna get in to a big discussion about it again,but in my never to be humble opinion,Deere's great dealer network helped make them number one back in the 50s,along with new inovations for the 2 cylinder line like live PTO and power steering. Sadly,the lack of a good dealer network is what's gonna be their downfall.

Dick L · Feb 24, 2013

In my opinion it takes at least 10 horse power to lug that ugly green and yellow around. Which is a problem

^D

old popper · Feb 24, 2013

Oh Dick, you are a nasty one!

wilson ind · Feb 24, 2013

to answer your question ask a JD owner. Dad and myself farmed for years with 70 2-3 720 and 2 730. only one ever needed engine work except valve and rack adjustment. Heavy clay soil pulled the snot some times with 4-16s duals on left side. Planting was disc with 0ver the disc hitch pulling planter. Used neighbors 3020 once rather than road 730 20 miles. Plowed half day. Could not afford to feed that thing. Drove the 20 miles gladely to get back on 730.Fuel was one gallon per acre plowing possibly gallon and quart in sod in summer.

JohnDeereJimOhio · Feb 24, 2013

We have a 70, 720, and a 730 all diesel they are all nice to operate. I really like the looks of 730 we haven"t hand any troubles with ours.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 24, 2013

Even with a Deere dealer right here in town, in the late '50's and early '60's Farmalls and Olivers far out numbered the Deeres. Little 40,420 and 430s were nonexistent. Small Fords and Fergusons filled that slot. This was an area full of 20-30 cow dairy farms. By 1970 it was very rare to hear a 2 banger in the distance.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 24, 2013

my JD 730 diesel was bad because it got a lot of work done in a day. and easy on fuel!!..

GreenEnvy · Feb 24, 2013

Back in the 50s into the early 60s we farmed with an IH TD 14A crawler, WD-9, IH 600, Farmall M, IH 240U, JD 830, 4020, and JD R. As you can see we saw both sides of the coin.

SuperHank · Feb 24, 2013

I wanted one so bad I had it shipped from Wyoming to N.Florida. It was a real horse and while it was hobby farmed never had a bit of trouble on a 40 year old tractor. Finally got tired of the hand clutch but often wish I still had it.

tomstractorsandtoys1 · Feb 24, 2013

Dad had a 720 diesel years ago with a two-row Gehl chopper.In big corn it would lug way down and the pto rpm's would drop so that the silage coming out the spout would not make it over the beaters in the wagon.They were good tractors but he was not sorry to see the 70 and 720 go after getting two 4020's.

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