Comparison 4005 vs 4120

[nwalabama]

I'm new to this forum and wanted to seek some advice on John Deere models. I grew up around Massey Fergusons in the utility size and would like to find a smaller but similar version. I like the simple design of the 4005 with gear shifter, metal body, hp, etc. The 4105 and 4120 are also being considered but the two drawbacks are plastic body and hydro tranny.

While I'm not completely opposed to the hydro, it seems more like a lawnmower option than tractor. Also the plastic body will take some abuse in the woods. I plan on using this tractor for chores, planting a small garden, and working my farm that is mostly 90% woods (about 5 acres bushhogging and 2 acres of tilling for now.) Can anyone offer some advice on the 4005, 4105, 4120 and the reliability/comparison of each? Which would last for 20+ years? Thanks for your time.

 

[RoyJackson]

If you want 20 years, I'd go for the simplest machine...the 4005.

As far as the plastic on the others...if they're anything like my Deere 4400, the plastic is tougher then you would think...especially the fenders.

But since you're a gear guy...go for the 4005.

 

[jwinner]

All of those tractors would last 20+ years I'd say. If plastic body and hydro are drawbacks for you, that leaves the 4005 Part of it is what you want, and part of it is how much can you spend. I bought a 4005 because that was the most affordable in the size I wanted. I would pick the 4005 over the 4105 just because I would not want the 2-range hydro, whereas the 4120 would have 3-range. However, I would pick the 4120 over both with a power-reverser transmission, if you could afford it. I really couldn't justify the cost of the 4000 twenty tractors to myself or my wife. Bushhogging and tilling are fine with a gear as well as hydro, the 4005 should have a low enough gear for tilling. It's the loader work, blade work, etc with lots of forward/reverse changes that can be a bear with gear.

 

[Grateful11]

Well I can tell you this hydro tractors are in no way kin to a lawn mower. Where do think all that other stuff like the 3 pt. hitch, power steering and a loader get their power from, it's hydraulics. My wife's operation has tractors from 30hp to over 100hp and I've seen the Kubota L3940, with a hydro, get down a dig better than the IH 574 with a loader ever thought about doing, probably has a lot to do with the 574 not being 4WD but not dismiss a hydro. They're a dream to operate. Her biggest tractor, the CaseIH 5140 is geared with a power shift and power reverser and why anyone would shove that thing into reverse without nearly slowing to a stop is beyond me, it weighs about 11,000 lbs. As far durability in he woods, unless your going to be slamming into trees and such anything should hold up. Why not see if you can get your dealer to let try both out as far as creature comforts and you might find a hydro would fit you much better than you think. There's nothing quite like having all that control of a hydro when it comes to finesse in and around tricky spots, I'd much rather be able to take my time and ease into something than having let a clutch slip trying ease into something. Bush hog one time on rough or hilly terrain with a hydro and you'll be saying why didn't I get this years ago, the mere control over what your doing and where you're going makes it worth it.

 

[dusty3030]

I went from a simpler John Deere utility tractor with gear tranny and loader to a smaller, lower horsepower, compact utility John Deere 4120 e hydro with loader.

If I can help it, I will never go back to a gear tractor for the uses I now have for a tractor.

I love my 4120. I cut around 8 acres every two weeks or so with a MX 6, 6' rotary cutter. In the long runs in middle range put it on the floor and set the cruise. When it's time to turn, you can cut sharp on the ends creaping with the hydro pedal, get straightned out and drop it to the floor. Never touching a clutch and never hitting the throttle. Fast and easy on me.

Loader work, no question I'll never want anything else. Mucking out the barn is easy and I'ved moved a bunch of gravel too.

I cleared a small wooded area with it. Taking out the smaller trees and a ton of brush. This was in a bottom so up and down a steep hill and clearing the sides of the hill. The hydro was great in moving in between the trees and stumps with out wearing me out on a clutch and brakes.

Plastic, that stuff is thick. What it would take to break it would dent the **** out of some sheet metal. You'd have a repair one way or another.

 

[Rockgod]

While I'm not completely opposed to the hydro, it seems more like a lawnmower option than tractor. Also the plastic body will take some abuse in the woods. I plan on using this tractor for chores, planting a small garden, and working my farm that is mostly 90% woods (about 5 acres bushhogging and 2 acres of tilling for now.) Can anyone offer some advice on the 4005, 4105, 4120 and the reliability/comparison of each? Which would last for 20+ years? Thanks for your time.

The 4005,4105 are base tractors the 4120 is not. How much you wanna spend?



4005-$19,808.00 (4x4)
4105-$21,155.00
4120- $26,748.00

 

[Martian]

Don't get me wrong, the 4005 is an excellent machine, but I think it would be well more than worth while for you to take a good look at a HST tranny. They are no "lawn mower" tractor, they can do really serious work compared to what you may think, only really lose 1-2HP but gain a lot in versatility, especially going through the woods. I really would be concerned about the plastic breaking either. It is really reinforced very well. It would be harder to break that plastic then to bend the steel of the 4005. And if you really have your heart set on a gear tranny the 4120 offers a PowrReverser tranny as well, so you can have the gear and have the "luxury" machine.

 

[AKfish]

I've had gear tractors with metal fenders. Great working, snychromesh transmissions. Still have 'em - different models now.

Own a tractor with eHydro, too. And plastic fenders.

I no longer have any doubts about what my next, mid-size utilty tractor would have...

eHydro and plastic fenders!! :thumbsup:

As other's have offered - for ease of work and best control - eHydro.

Four years in the woods from summer to minus 35F - those plastic fenders and hood look nearly as good as did - brandnew.

Can't say that about my sheet metal tractor's.

AKfish

 

[RoyJackson]

Don't get me wrong, the 4005 is an excellent machine, but I think it would be well more than worth while for you to take a good look at a HST tranny...

The reason I suggested the 4005 (earlier post) is due to it's simplicity. No doubt, the 4x20 series machines are great, but they're also more complex. Hence, more to go wrong.
As far as loader work, even gear is pretty easy and efficient. With the standard 4005, there are 3 ranges. Once the range is selected, the reverse and foward gears are pretty much inline. Also, the 4005 has a synchronized transmission, so it's not a matter of having to stop to shift gears.
I expect the 4005 tractor will outlast the 4x20 series machines and be less trouble during it's working life. In fact, if I could have found a good used 990 (same as the 4005), I'd have bought it instead of my 4400.

 

[Martian]

The reason I suggested the 4005 (earlier post) is due to it's simplicity. No doubt, the 4x20 series machines are great, but they're also more complex. Hence, more to go wrong.
As far as loader work, even gear is pretty easy and efficient. With the standard 4005, there are 3 ranges. Once the range is selected, the reverse and foward gears are pretty much inline. Also, the 4005 has a synchronized transmission, so it's not a matter of having to stop to shift gears.
I expect the 4005 tractor will outlast the 4x20 series machines and be less trouble during it's working life. In fact, if I could have found a good used 990 (same as the 4005), I'd have bought it instead of my 4400.

Yes, no doubt they are much simpler, I can fix mechanical, add the electric and I won't touch it. If you don't need the glamour then a 4005 will provide all you need... I'm just saying he shouldn't be scared away from others by the HST and plastic fenders because they will work just as well.

 

[JDTank]

I'm new to this forum and wanted to seek some advice on John Deere models. I grew up around Massey Fergusons in the utility size and would like to find a smaller but similar version. I like the simple design of the 4005 with gear shifter, metal body, hp, etc. The 4105 and 4120 are also being considered but the two drawbacks are plastic body and hydro tranny.

While I'm not completely opposed to the hydro, it seems more like a lawnmower option than tractor. Also the plastic body will take some abuse in the woods. I plan on using this tractor for chores, planting a small garden, and working my farm that is mostly 90% woods (about 5 acres bushhogging and 2 acres of tilling for now.) Can anyone offer some advice on the 4005, 4105, 4120 and the reliability/comparison of each? Which would last for 20+ years? Thanks for your time.

Your thinking is completely backwards.

Hydrostatic transmissions have been around for a very long time. John Deere's Ehydro is as reliable as a hydrostatic system gets.

The days of "I prefer simple, there's more to go wrong on fully loaded machines are over" No offense, but the old school attitude of simple is better, doesn't apply in today's day and age. Very little in our world today is primitive. How many cars do you see without power windows? When power windows first came out, they were the devil. For years after people bought hand crank windows because it's "less to go wrong" How many power window's fail in today's vehicles? Almost none if you ran the numbers.

Gear tractors really have no reason to even be manufactured anymore. There is nothing a gear tractor can do better, then a hydrostatic or power reverser can do. The power reverser transmission is the simplest way to go without losing ease of operation and efficiency.

With a gear tractor, you lose a lot of time operating it, which is non-productive. Would you rather push a pedal with your right foot, and complete your work, or fiddle through the gears every few seconds while working the loader joystick and trying to steer with your hand that's shifting gears at the same time.


If you purchase a 4120, you can adjust how sensitive the Hydrostatic system is, so that when you let off the pedal, it won't cannonball you over the steering wheel so your laying on the hood licking the bird crap off the hood ornament.

Bottom end machines like the 4005 and 4105 are very difficult to sell, when and if you decide to sell them. Very few people are searching for geared machines, or machines with little to no options, like a 4105. With everyday that passes, things like geared tractors are more and more a thing of the past, it's natural progression.

Test drive a hydrostatic, or a power reverser. After a few hours, you will never go back to a gear tractor again.

 

[arrow]

Your thinking is completely backwards.



With a gear tractor, you lose a lot of time operating it, which is non-productive. Would you rather push a pedal with your right foot, and complete your work, or fiddle through the gears every few seconds while working the loader joystick and trying to steer with your hand that's shifting gears at the same time.


.

Test drive a hydrostatic, or a power reverser. After a few hours, you will never go back to a gear tractor again.

Never ran into the problem you state with a geared tractor in your above paragraph. Pick a gear, stay with it, aim your load and dump.
Many people prefer hydro over gear just as many prefer auto transmissions over stick shifts. Just as there is still a market for sticks, I believe there will always be a market for geared tractors.
Now something must be wrong with me. I did test a hydro Kubota L3800). It must take something to get used to because I couldn't stand it. Couldn't adjust pedal pressure to speed so I couldn't finesse the tractor. So much depends on how one uses the tractor. My work is mostly in the woods skidding stems and all the ground obstructions we have in the N.E. produced unwanted pressure variations with my foot as I went over them. Tried the tractor for an afternoon but I'd still choose the geared tractor for how I use a tractor.

 

[hanson1999]

20 years from now...what parts will be more available ??

4x20 i bet has a lot more available there has to be alot more of them sold over the cheap version 4105 or 4005.

The plastic parts are darn tough. no rust or dents either. i've stood on all of mine for various reasons and no problem. i'd like to see a 4005 in 15 years how it will look. probably alot like a 15 year old 855. needing paint and full of dents and rust on fenders.

all depends on how you take care of it of course.....

 

[JDTank]

Never ran into the problem you state with a geared tractor in your above paragraph. Pick a gear, stay with it, aim your load and dump.
Many people prefer hydro over gear just as many prefer auto transmissions over stick shifts. Just as there is still a market for sticks, I believe there will always be a market for geared tractors.
Now something must be wrong with me. I did test a hydro Kubota L3800). It must take something to get used to because I couldn't stand it. Couldn't adjust pedal pressure to speed so I couldn't finesse the tractor. So much depends on how one uses the tractor. My work is mostly in the woods skidding stems and all the ground obstructions we have in the N.E. produced unwanted pressure variations with my foot as I went over them. Tried the tractor for an afternoon but I'd still choose the geared tractor for how I use a tractor.

I'm not sure about you but I have always hated Kubota pedal setups. I especially dislike there one pedal setup in the compact tractors for forward and reverse, you roll your foot forwards and backwards on one pedal. I much prefer John Deere's 2 pedal system, very comfortable.

 

[RoyJackson]

20 years from now...what parts will be more available ??

4x20 i bet has a lot more available there has to be alot more of them sold over the cheap version 4105 or 4005.

I doubt the 4105 lasts too long.
The 4005 has already had a pretty long production life (as the 990 before it, and the very similar 970 before that).

As far as parts availability...and the need for parts, I'll stand by my original post (meaning less long term need for parts for the 4005 and more availability when they are needed).

Now, as a caveat, the 4x20 engines are built by Deere (4005 being Yanmar built), so I would expect engine parts to be available for a long time.

 

[arrow]

20 years from now...what parts will be more available ??

4x20 i bet has a lot more available there has to be alot more of them sold over the cheap version 4105 or 4005.

The plastic parts are darn tough. no rust or dents either. i've stood on all of mine for various reasons and no problem. i'd like to see a 4005 in 15 years how it will look. probably alot like a 15 year old 855. needing paint and full of dents and rust on fenders.

all depends on how you take care of it of course.....

Not sure how a 15 year old metal tractor would look like. This is a 27 year old tractor that has been used quite hard. Those ripples you see in the fender were caused by saplings that seem to always find their way between the fender and tire. I bang em out and spray them. Of course there is a difference from when the tractor was new and only a baby.

 

[Rockgod]

I doubt the 4105 lasts too long.
The 4005 has already had a pretty long production life (as the 990 before it, and the very similar 970 before that).

As far as parts availability...and the need for parts, I'll stand by my original post (meaning less long term need for parts for the 4005 and more availability when they are needed).

Now, as a caveat, the 4x20 engines are built by Deere (4005 being Yanmar built), so I would expect engine parts to be available for a long time.

I really liked my old 4105 it was/is a great little tractor. I actually still get to play on it once and a while as it lives right down the street. There are times when an OS is the way to go. Having said that the 4105 is a very bare bones tractor. No cruise is a killer out in the field.

I wonder how may units (4005-4105) Deere sell, any idea? Would be kind of interesting to know.

 

[jcmseven]

I have seen both but only owned a 4020 series (4520). To me, there is no question, the 4120 is the choice if one can afford the difference in price. There are times when one likes to harken back to a simpler time with a collar-shift transmission and fewer creature comforts, but those times are few and far between. The 4020 series has the JD Power Tech engine, which alone is reason enough to buy one. In addition, the hydro is durable and makes maneuvering a snap. The fenders are actually JD LOY which is a special, very flexible and durable polymer that is color-impregnated, not painted. It will not rust, is very resistant to impacts and scratches and does not show marks as much as the color is permeated through the panel. This has nothing to do with the frame, which is made of Kryptonite (i.e., very heavy duty). The hydraulic flow is higher, cruise control and E-hydro are available/present and many other reasons I cannot fully mention. They also have a larger clientele for resale if one ever decides to sell the machine. I did not put a huge number of hours on mine when I had it (I sold to get a smaller machine, better for my needs), but my neighbor, who I have mentioned in several posts essentially makes his living with his 4320. He uses it ALL the time and the machine has thousands of hours on it and the only thing he has ever done to it is fluid and filter changes and two sets of new tires due to running often on pavement. His usage is a testament to the durability of the 4020 machines. If you have had any concern that new meant "less of a tractor" I would get over that, quickly.

John M

 

[jwinner]

20 years from now...what parts will be more available ??

They both will have parts equally available, assuming JD still exists as a company. Just like my dad's 1986 JD still has parts available from JD. There's 25 years for you

4x20 i bet has a lot more available there has to be alot more of them sold over the cheap version 4105 or 4005.

The plastic parts are darn tough. no rust or dents either. i've stood on all of mine for various reasons and no problem. i'd like to see a 4005 in 15 years how it will look. probably alot like a 15 year old 855. needing paint and full of dents and rust on fenders.

all depends on how you take care of it of course.....

You hit the nail on the head, it IS all about how you take care of it. I prefer metal, but it will bend and it requires care to maintain the paint. PLastic I would say is more tolerant of abuse to an extent. UV will still damage it over time.

 

[JDTank]

The plastic now is actually pretty amazing compared to what it used to be. I've seen plastic machine parts take some very hard hits, and other then a scratch on the paint, you would never know it happened.

It was already said but, metal bends, and then your hooped. You can bend it back, but keep in mind, every single time you bend metal, you lose strength. It will get weaker and weaker with each time you repair it. It will also rust out and look like garbage if you don't keep on top of paint repairs.