John Deere 4020 question

Nebtractor · Apr 9, 2023

How big of a disk will a 1964 John Deere 4020 with a blower pull in clay soil? Thanks in advance for the info.

NY 986 · Apr 9, 2023

How deep? How much grade to the ground? Condition of rear tires? Probably 15 to 18 feet on average.

rustyfarmall · Apr 9, 2023

14' is what we always pulled, but others went up to a 16'. These were without turbos.

A few folks installed turbos and then went up to an 18 footer and beyond but then encountered over-heating issues unless pulling that disk in lower gears.

DeltaRed · Apr 9, 2023

It will pull a big enough disk to melt itself down. Seriously,16 ft is as big as I'd want to go.Maybe 14,depending or other circumstances.You may have the power,but you lack the tire,weight and rear end
capacity. Plus cooling issues. A 4020 with turbo can produce 150(or more) horsepower. But it is still just a 95 horse tractor.

Scott 730 · Apr 9, 2023

flying belgian · Apr 9, 2023

I don't know how the blower effects it but we pulled 15.5 ft. with our 4230 which is comparible.

DR. EVIL · Apr 9, 2023

The neighbor kids on the 320 acres across the road pulled their 2 turboo'd 4020's, had a huge dry type air
filter bolted to the frames, big turbo sticking out the hole cut in the hood and lots of 5 & 6 inch aluminum
tubing plumbing pressurized intake air and steel fittings for the exhaust. They tried pulling 6-16's with on-
land hitch and dualed 23.1x34 tires. The rearend was the weak spot. They only plowed 3+/- I ches deep,
supposedly making 250-300 hp, making 450 hp when pulling. My cousin was friends with then and kept me up on
what they did. Another BTO pulled 6-16's with his pretty much stock 1206 plowing 6-7 inches deep on the same
ground.
Answer to the original question is use duals, or at the very least radial tires, 18.4x34 or 38's, with at
least 50% tread, 16 ft disk is plenty, 5th gear with diff lock engaged. And watch the temp guage.

HuskerMedic · Apr 9, 2023

In my youth I knew a guy with a turbo'd 4020 that was constantly replacing the rear end.

David from Kansas · Apr 9, 2023

Have pulled a 14' JD BW which is a pretty heavy disk to which I had added some weight and it did fine.

mijohn · Apr 9, 2023

When I had my 4020 I pulled a 14' RW, though it was just about the right load for it. john

MarkB_MI · Apr 9, 2023

Like everything else, it depends. My uncle pulled an 18 foot Kraus offset disk with his stock 4020, but this was in sandy soil. Our 5010 could handle it much better; I suppose a souped-up 4020 would be comparable to a stock 5010, if it had enough ballast.

Tx Jim · Apr 9, 2023

(quoted from post at 10:01:37 04/09/23) The neighbor kids tried pulling 6-16's with on-
land hitch and dualed 23.1x34 tires. The rearend was the weak spot. They only plowed 3+/- I ches deep,
supposedly making 250-300 hp, making 450 hp when pulling. My cousin was friends with then and kept me up on
what they did. Another BTO pulled 6-16's with his pretty much stock 1206 plowing 6-7 inches deep on the same
ground.
Answer to the original question is use duals, or at the very least radial tires, 18.4x34 or 38's, with at
least 50% tread, 16 ft disk is plenty, 5th gear with diff lock engaged. And watch the temp guage.

Dr Evil
Your stories are always amazing or more correctly AMUSING!! JD tractor with estimated 300Hp,SUPPOSEDLY pulling MAKING 450HP 6X16 at 3+/- inches deep while a bone stock IHC 1206 @ 95 DBHP pulling similar plow twice as deep!!! SIMPLY AMUZING!

jon f mn · Apr 9, 2023

This is what happens if you work your 4020
too hard
Overworked 4020

Muir hill 101 · Apr 9, 2023

Muir hill 101 · Apr 9, 2023

Can I come smoke what ever it is you are? because its been a stressful spring and I could use the unwind !

Muir hill 101 · Apr 9, 2023

Pull a 14 foot with my Muir hill 101 pretty much same
drawbar horsepower as a 4020 . Also pull the same
disc with my 3020 with a roller . The Muir hill is making
near 600 horse when pulling and the 3020 is making
550 elevation corrected horsepower . Your mileage
may vary

r.w.b. · Apr 10, 2023

why not pull a 14 ft disc n let the engine not max out?. the turbo is
cool but add ons to standard built engines stress parts
lots.remember engine speed must be ran above 2000 rpm or hit a
tough spot n it wont lug down

ss55 · Apr 10, 2023

Many 4020s with duals pulled 13 to 16 and even 18 foot disks when they were new, but they are far from new now. Then the choice of disk widths was often determined by the width and row spacing of the planter.

How many hours are on the tractor now and what horsepower is it making now? The tractor has probably already far exceeded the B10 life of 90 percent surviving for 20 years and 10,000 hours at factory horsepower they were originally designed to last. The engine may have been overhauled, but is the transmission and rear end still original? Severely overload it at this age could wreck it fast. The cooling system could also limit your horsepower, let that be your guide.

Texasmark · Apr 10, 2023

No dyno test but my 4020 with recent engine overhaul begged for mercy trying to pull a heavy Krause 12 ft. disc. through heavy clay sod that hadn't seen steel for quite awhile.

Nebtractor · Apr 12, 2023

thanks for the responses, well how about instead of a disk ..a field cultivator.. what would be the best size for this tractor? Thanks in advance.

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