John Deere 950

[Jeep Guy]

Hello Everyone

Wonder what your thoughts might be to buying a JD 950 2wd, year not known. The size, horsepower range for me is fine for what I need to do with it, 3 acre rural home some back fill, snow removal, large garden to plough spring and fall and a gravel driveway to scrape and level over time. Have considered MF 135's MF 165, was thinking as I had 2 Ford N series tractors 20 years ago, but really want a snow blower and where I am in Canada, we do get freezing rain along with some years a bit, some years a lot of snow so very mixed snow conditions not just dry snow to move. I just came across an ad now so very little to go on other than it has 1380 hours on the clock and its a 2wd again don't know the year, have attached a couple of photos.

My first thoughts are parts availability, where I am I am about a 10 minute drive to a John Deere dealership so its not a difficult chore to get to the dealer but are these like the older European JD's that if you can get a part at all, you are emptying out your savings to buy them or would the 950 be ok in this respect. Has a good reputation from what I have read about them in terms or reliability and is a Yanmar diesel which jd still uses at least the company didn't go under like the smaller Japanese diesel in the MF 1010's etc.

Would appreciate any thoughts....thanks

 

[Jeep Guy]

photos didn't load trying again

 

[sal64]

i have a jd950 its been trouble free, never had any prob with it, exept battery replacement it 25yrs old 250 hrs. i think 2wd would be a mistake for snow removel though.

 

[JD5210]

I suggest you look at tractordata.com to determine the year. Serial number is back by the PTO shaft. As others have said, if you are getting a loader or going to do snow work. 4WD is needed or for snow you might consider chains. Make sure you understand about the PTO, this statement was on tractordata "transmission (early) live two-stage clutch (after 1984, SN20001)". Maybe others can share more insite on this.


TractorData.com John Deere 950 tractor information

 

[RollingsFarms]

jusdging by the decals on that particular tractor i would estimate it to be a 1978-79 model. i had one the same year as that one and never had many problems with it really. i just needed a good bit more hp. the yanmar diesel in them is bulletproof, parts are still pretty easy to come by, and these tractors sip fuel for having such a small tank(8 gallons). this tractor could or could not have power steering, mine did. these tractors were made in Japan also(by Yanmar i think?).

 

[Jeep Guy]

Thanks everyone all good information, managed to email and get the serial number, 007536 so indeed it would seem that it is 1979 so would not have a 2 stage clutch. I used to move snow with a snow blade on a Ford 8N tractor off the 3 point hitch on a driveway twice as long as what I have now, more snow driving in reverse with only chains on the tires not filled. The pitch of the driveway was probably about 30-35 degrees in some parts far steeper than the 10 degrees if that on my home now. Of course I was a little younger then 20 years ago but for moving snow it still worked so realistically I am not feeling overly concerned about moving snow and traction to a huge degree. That and my Jeep has a 10,500 pound winch . It would also beat shovelling by hand with about 4-500 feet of driveway to shovel. What I am most concerned about is parts, reliability, and the condition of the tractor. It would be great to get a 4wd tractor of newer vintage in some respects, (though at 6 ft 4 I find the 20-30 hp utility tractors a little small and tight to sit on to be honest), but its hard to find anything under 14,000 CAD dollars which is way off my budget. I think that they are just quite a bit more expensive here in Canada as compared to the US and looking at used equipment so I am limited by what people are selling.

Most of what I have been able to find and from other owners seem to indicate that these are pretty reliable, are competent for light to medium levels of work. From having Ford N series tractors previously with the exception of hydraulics for a FEL, and not being able to really put a blower on the 3 point hitch which unless I am off base because I am basing it on a 950 being more or less as capable as a MF 135 for using the 3ph, I could use a snowblower on this? My long term needs apart from snow blowing , and some FEL work that I would like to do, could be met by something like an N series Ford. I am almost doing the same sort of things that I was doing out on the west coast those years ago and the Ford's were just fine for that so that is the kind of strength if you will that I need from a machine and think that the 950 would probably be ok for my needs in that respect. Haven't heard any horror stories as yet about them but any experience people have had with them would be greatly appreciated

 

[JD5210]

Here is one suggestion on your parts concern. The first URL is JD parts catalog, with part numbers. Always nice to see how things are put together. The second URL you signed up for (free) and get parts availability (in stock, still made) and cost. Pick what you feel are key parts and check on them. I would pick a few transmission parts. Last URL is to locate manauls, which you may find cheaper on e-bay.

A lot will depend on how many hours on the tractor, what it was used for and how it was maintained. For piece of mind also I would change all the filters, oil and hydraulic oil.

John Deere - Parts Catalog

https://jdparts.deere.com/servlet/com.deere.u90.jdparts.view.publicservlets.HomeUnsigned

John Deere Ag - New Equipment: Technical Publications - Equipment Search

 

[grnspot110]

One other thing you might consider is operator space. When I started looking for a CUT, I looked at a 750, just to see what it was like. Pretty tight for my 6'2''/300#! I went with a 790, more space than the 750. ~~ grnspot110

 

[Jeep Guy]

All great responses thanks for everything that you have sent along especially the links to the parts for John Deere. I finally got an account set up. I had actually tried a while ago with it when I bought my JD lawn tractor last year but gave up constantly getting that a user name already existed etc, etc.

Seems like most parts are available that I looked at hydraulic pump, crankshaft, radiator, some differential parts so that side of it looks ok.

Thought I would take a look at it this weekend, came across another couple of photos, obvioulsy not completely recent, there are a few at the same place, probably bought in the US and brought up here. I am guessing here that the stain is diesel fuel in this photo could be weeping from the lines??

 

[Jeep Guy]

Just a question if you had the choice of a 950 or an 1120 that had close to the same hours and more or less in similar mechanical shape, what would be your choice?