Tractor problem

I have a 8420 john Deere tractor that's done 3000 hrs and has a rumbling noise that seems to come from the back end it can be heard just in 13th gear and gets noisier the faster I go. In 16th it doesn't sound good at all. Has anyone had a similar problem?

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Sound kinda like the problems that my nephew had with his 4WD JD (Don't know the model). First the rear differential went out; then the front differential, then the transmission. When the clutch went out, he found that the tractor had to be split in 3 pieces just to replace the clutch - which would cost more than the tractor was worth. He was sick of spending money on that tractor so he sold the tractor for salvage. Pic of tractor.

Yup, I have an 8430 that looks just like that. It is good cheap horsepower and disks and field cultivates a good swath at a time. They aren't worth expensive repairs, though. When I have a big event with mine it will head on down the road. It's a shame because it's got a newer 50 series engine in it with very few hours. I only put 150 hours a year on it, so it will last a good many years.

JD Seller can probably give you an idea of what it is. It probably won't be good or cheap, though. I have the quad shift in mine and it has been just fine. It about rips your shoulder out of the socket to shift it. Everyone in three counties has had some miracle cure for that, but I still wrench my shoulders after all of their "fixes". She's a two handed shifter for sure.

Funny story - this one needed an engine. I had a dealership rebuild an engine and put it in. They gave me a year warranty. No joke, on the DAY BEFORE THAT YEAR WAS UP I was field cultivating with it and the engine blew. It was about 4:30. I got on the phone right then. The old boy at that dealership about threw a rod himself as he knew it was an hour from being no longer his problem. They honored it and it has never given any trouble. That was many years ago. Now it just eats an A/C compressor every other year. The cab is so nasty dusty with everything closed up that I can't imagine opening a window. I'll pay for those repairs. My sanity is worth it.

You more than likely have a differential issue. Check with your dealer and see if there is any recalls on it for that issue. Some of them are what are called "Fix_as_fails" meaning it a problem with just a few of the tractors so they will just fix the ones that have the issue.

Quit using it until you find out the problem. IF it is noisy enough for you to hear in a new quiet cab it is more than likely already damaged. Drain the hydraulic oil and look for any pieces in the bottom of the trans mission.