Buy an existing JD 2020 or wait for newer?

[FreeWulf]

My JD 2030 diesel has independent PTO, JD 245 MSL loader, 2 rear SCVs, extendable lower links on the 3pt hitch, HD front axle 11L-15 tires, HI/LO shift.
If someone were to offer me $12K they would own it.
View attachment 703357

That looks and sounds nearly perfect for what I'm looking for. I really like the size!
4WD would be nice, but I could get around it with chains. I would be driving over to look at and probably buy that thing if it were even reasonably close.

Out here we can't even find those, and if we did we'd be looking at least $15,000+ . I've thought about buying from the right side of the USA and shipping it out here, but they want $4,000 to $5,500 to ship them.

I've used an old Ford industrial backhoe as a loader for years. I think it's a mid 1960s era machine. It's 2WD, power steering, and fairly worn. I've never had a bit of problem with the steering or 2WD on it. I also don't use a loader very heavily though, just occasionally loading and unloading equipment. Engines, sheet metal equipment, brakes, shears, rolls, etc. Maybe lift the box off a truck or something.


Just to give you guys an idea of what I have to pick through, here's my local Craigslist search:

Craiglist Search Link, Tractor Loader

The only thing that will work is a Ford/NH 4630 4WD that they want $21,500 for. Massively overpriced I think.

NH 4630 4WD

I'm going to keep searching, it's actually a fairly relaxing ritual at the end of the day. I'll probably end up either waiting until this winter to buy something, or buying a trailer (which I need anyway) and driving across the country to get something. Or both.


-----Edit-------

And here's tractorhouse links for Oregon and Washington.

TractorHouse WA

and

Tractorhouse Oregon

There's at least the 2255 in Oregon, but it's got over 11,000 hours on it. It's been on there for months.

 

[Zebrafive]

I have the same trouble with the independent PTO engagement lever popping out of engagement. JD should have put a heavier detent on it.

Your picture shows the swept back axle. Great for manuverablity, but NOT what you want for a loader. A std straight axle would be better, the HD with two rows of "knee" bolts the best. You also NEED side frames for a loader.. Notice the cost new!

I know what you mean about too far. Seems everything that interests me is too much or too far away.

In your pictures (original poster) that 2020 has the guard for the fuel and radiator caps. First I ever saw one, other than in the parts catalog. I am also seeing what looks like a 70s Ford truck?

 

[Zebrafive]

Forgot to say it looks like you have the down exhaust, like my 2030 has. I like it, only drawback is hooking with the engine running it makes my eyes water. and if you ever need a new hood they are harder to find.

 

[Zebrafive]

You can still buy the shift legend sticker/decal/label

 

[FreeWulf]

Ah thanks for all the info. I'll pass the label info on to dad.

It is actually a vertical exhaust. In the first picture it looks like a post, but it's the muffler, just behind the fill cap guard.

I grew up using his Massey TO 35 with the down exhaust. I've spent a lot of time eating that exhaust while trying to hook up. I suppose we should have put a 90 in the exhaust and have it dump to the side instead of straight back.

Dad and I live right next door to each other, and I'm usually the one that mows for him as he gets older.

Good eye on the Ford, it's mine. It's a 1979 Ford F-250 2WD with a 460 and factory Air Conditioning. One of these days I'll get around to straightening out a few dents and painting it. It's been a great truck.

I also have a 1977 Ford F-250 4x4 with a 460 with a ZF5 5 speed that I mated that I'm restoring. It's a great, straight truck.

This whole tractor thing actually started because of a Dentside Ford. He was pulling his tractor on his trailer down about 4 miles to another piece of property to mow it, and a kid ran a stop sign and dad totalled his truck, trailer, and tractor. So he's had to get a replacement tractor, which is how he got the JD 2020. Fortunately everyone came out of the wreck okay.

His truck is a restored 1978 F-250 Extended Cab 4x4 Ranger XLT Trailer Special with 460 and automatic. He loved that truck and had about $30,000 into it. He got some money out of it from the insurance, but not as much as he should have. He actually has it on Ebay right now, I think the auction ends tonight. It's a beautiful truck except for the front end damage. Pretty sad to see it like this. He could fix it but he just doesn't want to look at it again.

Ebay listing

 

[Tx Jim]

According to JD parts that style hood & nose piece was only offered on a low profile tractor

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/navigation/equipment/60191/srch/T33646

 

[FreeWulf]

I just came across this. He'll deliver it to me, but it's a 9 hour drive for me to go look at it. Not a 4WD, but that's not a necessity, just a want. I would really like to get a tractor soon if I can find one, as my property is for sale and I need a machine to move my equipment. I could rent, but it would be nice to find one.

It's on facebook, which I know not everyone has, so I'll just put the pictures up here.

He's not sure of the hours, the glass is fogged over from the sun. He's going to try and clean it up and get back to me with the hours.

It looks like it has 2 remotes at the rear that aren't used for the loader. Am I wrong or are the front axles swept back?

I'm having a hard time finding stats on a JD 145 loader. Not sure what the capacity on it is.

Any opinions?

"1979 JD 2240 with loader and Gannon box. Runs great and everything works."

 

[fried1765]

I just came across this. He'll deliver it to me, but it's a 9 hour drive for me to go look at it. Not a 4WD, but that's not a necessity, just a want. I would really like to get a tractor soon if I can find one, as my property is for sale and I need a machine to move my equipment. I could rent, but it would be nice to find one.

It's on facebook, which I know not everyone has, so I'll just put the pictures up here.

He's not sure of the hours, the glass is fogged over from the sun. He's going to try and clean it up and get back to me with the hours.

It looks like it has 2 remotes at the rear that aren't used for the loader. Am I wrong or are the front axles swept back?

I'm having a hard time finding stats on a JD 145 loader. Not sure what the capacity on it is.

Any opinions?

"1979 JD 2240 with loader and Gannon box. Runs great and everything works."


View attachment 703514View attachment 703515View attachment 703516View attachment 703517

Advertised lift capacity on the JD 145 series loader is 2,100 lbs, and on the 148 series 2,400 lbs.

 

[Zebrafive]

According to JD parts that style hood & nose piece was only offered on a low profile tractor

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/navigation/equipment/60191/srch/T33646

Maybe that's why the quadrant for the 3pt is so low?

 

[Zebrafive]

The 2240 looks like it has the swept back front axle, but hard to tell from the angle of the pictures.
It doe not appear to have side frames, but hard to tell.
It does have wheel weights!

 

[Zebrafive]

OFF TOPIC ALERT

I like the older Fords I have a '78 F450 4x4, owned since new. The Michigan rust is catching up with it

 

[FreeWulf]

I love those old Fords. That's a good looking 450! I like the plow.

I've had quite a few of them over the years, at least two of each of the bodystyles. '62, '66, '69, '71, '72, '77, '79, and others I can't even remember. I actually like the "slicks" best, especially the '66, but for actual everyday use I like the Dentsides (73-79) the best.

 

[scaredychicken]

keep in mind that Snow can differ from one region to another - Oregon and Alaska may have different snow conditions altogether ... much like BC's snow (wet, heavy, icy) is different than Alberta (lighter, fluffy, easier to plow) as a basic / general example

 

[Unclewillie]

DO NOT DO IT!
Buying a tractor, and THEN looking for a loader is a major mistake!
Buy a tractor WITH a loader already attached!
Chains will work for snow, but for AK, buy a 4 wheel drive tractor if at all possible!

That's the best advice anyone could get, everything at once while the gettings good.

 

[Zebrafive]

I'll bet a used $12 K tractor in the lower 48 will be a $20K tractor in Alaska

 

[I Piddle]

I'm in a bit of a dilemma.

My dad recently bought a 2WD diesel JD 2020 that was "restored". The previous owner replaced the tach and hour meter at the same time, and while the tractor looks really nice, I have no idea if he did more than cosmetic stuff to it. It does seem to run really well though. Dad then bought a smaller Massey 135, which he likes better, and is planning on selling the 2020.

I really like the power of the 2020, and it's fairly nimble and a nice size. I love the transmission setup on the 2020. It has High, Low, and Reverse, plus 4 speeds in the transmission. So when mowing I can just tap the range lever back into R, and it backs up at the same speed as I was mowing.

The main problem with the 2020 is that I hate the location of the 3 point position lever. It's down by my knee and hard to get at, especially when I need to brush hog in rocky areas and need to move it constantly. I could rig up an extension, but it's annoying and wouldn't be as nice as from the factory.

I need a tractor with a loader. My uses are almost exclusively going to be bush hogging, and occasionally using the loader to move equipment around. I also plan on moving to Alaska, and having 4WD to plow snow with would be really nice, but not strictly necessary if I had chains.

Right now I can buy my dad's 2020, and then hopefully find a loader to fit it. He'll sell it for what he paid for it, $8,000. Then I have to find and get a loader working right.

Or, I can wait for a newer machine with a loader to pop up. I'm looking at things like Ford 4610, 5610, JD 5300, JD 2255, JD 2350, Case 585, etc. Basically something in the 50HP at the PTO range.

The 2020 hasn't proven itself yet, and I don't know that much about it. So far it's been good, but we only have about 50 hours on it.

What will the 2020 be like with a loader? Is the pump strong enough for it? Is the front axle? Are they good machines in general? I'm not going to be using it hard, but I want it to last decades and be reasonably easy to work on. It does have one set of rear remotes.

Right now my instincts are to wait for a newer machine.

 

[I Piddle]

If you are moving to Alaska, buy-in Alaska. Your post doesn't say where you are, but the transportation cost could be thousands of dollars. Buying a loader would be 50% or more of the price you pay for the tractor and you definitely want four-wheel drive. Chains don't "cut it". Buy a four-wheel drive with loader and low hours in Alaska. It is surprising the number of older tractors with low hours, if you can just wait a little while to find one.

 

[ljjhouser]

Get 4WD. I think on most 2wd tractors you will only drive one rear wheel unless there is a locking differential (same for 4 wheel also). Also, I looked into the price of chains one time - $xxxx.xx. They are kind of expensive. You may end up investing around $15K. 8K + 6K FEL. You may want to consider a new tractor - 15k down and around $250 payments interest free with insurance for 60 months. That would probably buy an L4701 series Kubota or similar Deere or even many other brands for a little less - Kioti, Mahindra, etc. .
Good used tractors seem to be almost impossible to find. I think the JD2020 came out in maybe 1971. You are looking at a 70 year old tractor. You will probably regret 2wd instead of 4wd. And the above post is a valid point - IF you can find a FEL, it may never operate the way you wish. My opinion - I don't think I would invest that kind of money - Try to find the tractor that will fit your needs.

For a little more info, I looked for a used "good" tractor for over a year. Never found one - that was in 2017. I had saved 15K to pay for it. The best I found was a New Holland Boomer for 15K, all four tires had to be replaced, the clutch needed replacement, I think it was about 18 years old and the seat was all cracked up, and needed repainting. I finally decided to use my 15k to purchase a new tractor. Tough decisions -- Whatever you decide to buy, be sure to get something that will do what you want. Sometimes we don't get second chances on the money we have spent. Best Wishes. Larry

 

[fried1765]

If you are moving to Alaska, buy-in Alaska. Your post doesn't say where you are, but the transportation cost could be thousands of dollars. Buying a loader would be 50% or more of the price you pay for the tractor and you definitely want four-wheel drive. Chains don't "cut it". Buy a four-wheel drive with loader and low hours in Alaska. It is surprising the number of older tractors with low hours, if you can just wait a little while to find one.

A very limited selection of used tractors in AK!

 

[FreeWulf]

A very limited selection of used tractors in AK!

very limited indeed.

Search for "tractor" in farm and garden on craigslist in Anchorage. 22 results.
Same search in Portland, OR, and it's 372 results.

I'm between Portland and Seattle for those that missed it in my posts.

I'll just suck it up and haul whatever I get up there.

I think I'm going to have to suck it up anyway and drive across the lower 48 this fall to get a tractor. Texas and the midwest seem to have some.