JD 950 SN# Location

chriswheeler · Feb 27, 2006

Just bought a 950 as a restoration project. I notice that the normal SN plate below the PTO shaft is missing. Is there another location on the tractor where I can locate the SN??? Like to find it to order the right manuals and parts lists. No trouble finding the engine plate, but I don't think this # is going to reference to the machine #. Thanks,
Chris

BB_TX · Feb 27, 2006

Mine is at the PTO shaft and I don't know of another one anywhere. And there are two basic series of the 950. The "early" models ('80 and earlier, I believe) and those made after that. Don't know if a dealer could somehow relate the engine number to a model year of not.

chriswheeler · Feb 27, 2006

I noticed that the manuals are between SN# ranges and I see at least two listed. Hope that the SN# is also somewhere stamped on the frame for security reasons. Looks like it would easy to loose that ID plate in that location. This is a 8000 hour or so golf course machine that will need everything rebuilt. I have the time, and think the end product should be worth it. I also have a Yanmar 3000 that I can transfer the FEL and other implements over to the deere. They are very close in size, and with the deere, I gain 4WD and a little better parts supply. Be great to find the SN# and buy the manuals.
Chris

BB_TX · Feb 28, 2006

I am not absolutely sure about this, so maybe someone else can help. I seem to remember hearing that the later models like mine have the 2 stage clutch, where the earlier models did not. Not sure what they had. With a little more info, maybe you could at least narrow it down to early or late model based on the clutch operation.

Edit: Here is <font color="blue"> the thread </font> I remembered.

chriswheeler · Feb 28, 2006

I'll fire it up this weekend and check out the PTO. I fired it up Sat. and it seamed to be single stage, just like my Yanmar 3000. From your post would it be safe to assume that if it is single stage that this would be a early tractor??? There are those who say that the JD 950 and the Yanmar 3000 are the same tractor, this is only half true. The engine on the 950 is a 3t80, smaller than the 3t84 in the YM 3000 and a different engine altogether.
Chris

jd110 · Feb 28, 2006

The 950 had a "tiger striped decal at serial number 12000 and higher. The two stage clutch was installed at 20001 and higher. I thought the serial number was supposed to be stamped into the top of the transmission case somewhere although I haven'tbeen able to find one recently.

chriswheeler · Feb 28, 2006

Thanks JD110,
No tiger striped decal on this one, decals look original but faded. I will pressure wash the transmission case better this weekend and take a real close look. If I can find the # somewhere thinking about makeing a new plate and putting it back where it belongs!!!
Chris

Jeff_Indiana · Mar 1, 2006

FYI, the cutover to the "late" style 950's was in 1984. Besides the "tiger stripe" decal, another glaring cosmetic change was the location of the radiator grill screen on the front sides. Early 950's have the screen set back about a foot on either side. Late screens are almost all the way to the front. I just borrowed a couple of good pictures off of ebay; there are both early and late 950's up for sale at the moment. Here's a picture of an early 950.

Jeff_Indiana · Mar 1, 2006

Here's a picture of an almost identical 2WD 950, but it is a late model. SN cutoff from early to late was 020001

chriswheeler · Mar 1, 2006

Thanks Jeff,
Positive ID, late style by hood air intake. Had input from JD dealer that has me looking for a tag attached to a bolt in the trans and bell housing area and another poster has me looking for something stamped into the trans itself. By your pictures I think I'll order up manuals for the late style. Looking foward to this project next winter after all of the parts are in place. Think time and money invested will yeald a great tractor if I do my part. Have a bit of a logestics problem now still working in Calif. for the next 4 months until I retire to our house in Nevada. Only get weekends there now. Thank you much for the pictures, at this point don't think I'll need the # to order the manual,
Chris