John Deere Grinder Mixer, What Year For First?

Anonymous-0 · Apr 20, 2009

What year did John Deere start making a grinder mixer and was it the upright tub type? (I guess thats what you call it)I know New Holland begain in 1962. This is one more implement I would like to try running with a two cylinder like a 730.

rrlund · Apr 20, 2009

This isn't an answer on the grander,but I'd be darned careful about running PTO implements with a JD 730. I wore the inside out of a drive sprocket and the outside of the shaft it was on,on a New Idea Cut/Ditioner. Those tractors hammer the devil out of anything on the PTO.

DoubleR · Apr 20, 2009

I have a JD400 grinder mixer that I use once a week to grind ear corn. I always thought it to be a early 60's vintage. The manual shows it with a 4010 hooked to it. I do not think it was manufactured by JD though. Not sure but I think artsway or someone else made them for deere. I think the 400 model was the first grinder-mixer JD sold.

rustyfarmall · Apr 20, 2009

Dad had a John Deere 400 grinder mixer. Most of the time it was powered with either a 3020 or a 4020, but occasionally we put the Farmall H on it. The H did just fine, but of course it took about three times longer to grind a batch because we had to feed it slower. There is no reason whatsoever that your 730 won't do a fine job on a grinder mixer.

blinwmiaol.com · Apr 20, 2009

I can't say for the year but we ground feed with a 400 on our 60 for years. The 730 would just play with one, especially if you are grinding ear corn, I bet you couldn't even make it smoke. I have heard of people having trouble like Rrlund is saying but if you don't bog the tractor down you should never see a similiar problem. We farmed for alot of years with 2 cylinders and never had any implement drive train failure I could blame on the tractor. If you can run a chopper and silo filler on a two cylinder, then it should be smooth enough to handle any other pto load.

Mike Aylward · Apr 20, 2009

Rick, according to the information I have it was around '65 to '66 when the 400 was introduced. This was Deere's first grinder mixer with their name on it. They marketed a Letz grinder mixer in the early 60's. You should be able to run the mill with your 730 with no problems whatsoever. If anyone has had driveline troubles with a two-cylinder tractor it was because the tractor was lugged beyond practicality which is hard on any implement regardless of tractor. Use with confidence. Mike

rrlund · Apr 20, 2009

You'll never convince me that I was lugging that tractor cutting hay with that 7 foot cutditioner. Those 730s were just hell on PTO implements. He's gonna find that out for himself after a few years use.

This sin't a slam at Deeres,just a factual observation from somebody who farmed with a 730 as his main tractor.

billonthefarm · Apr 20, 2009

I dont know what year it is but these 400's were first. One of the things I like most about this mill is that the hitch pin and the pto shaft are all I need to hook and un-hook. Any tractor can be hooked up in a minute. If I really pour the corn to it the 3020 will have some load but I usually take it easy on the mill and dont crowd it that much.

fixerupper · Apr 20, 2009

We ran a 24T baler with a 730 gas all through the sixties, and we'd replace one or two U Joints every year. After the 4020 took the place of the 730 we never replaced another U joint. The 730 PTO is a little offset and the driveline did rattle more during (illegal) left turns with the 730.

Dad ran a Minneapolis pull type picker with an A for ten years and never replaced a driveline part and I ground many tons of feed with an Artsway 420 grinder on a 2 banger without trouble. I ground about 3000 bushels of corn with the R until someone told me about the weak PTO on the tractor. (yikes!) In my opinion the jury is still out. Jim

rrlund · Apr 20, 2009

Thanks for at least backing me up on the 730. I know to criticize ANYTHING green is a mortal sin to some people,but I've been there done that with a 730 and I know what I know.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 20, 2009

Did Letz ever market any of their grinder mixers?
I saw one advertisement for them in The Furrow in 1960, or 1961, but I have searched for years for one to restore, but have NEVER found any indication that any were sold.
I have asked ex-dealers and one told me he thought he had sold one, but later called me back and said that it was only a 50X grinder that he had sold. (I have 2 50X Letz and a 225X Letz grinders)
I am still looking for one of these and a JD 930 NH3 applicator.

MN Scott · Apr 20, 2009

Owatonna manufacturing made the grinder mixers for Deere.

John Deere Grinder Mixer, What Year For First?

Anonymous-0

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rrlund

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DoubleR

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rustyfarmall

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blinwmiaol.com

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Mike Aylward

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rrlund

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billonthefarm

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fixerupper

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rrlund

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Anonymous-0

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MN Scott

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