Please Help ! JD 950 Questions

jchipps · Mar 29, 2004

Hi, I'm currently looking at a JD 950 to possibly purchase. It will "mainly" be used on several acres for brush hogging, and driveway snow removal in winter.

It's 28 HP diesel, 2WD, looks decent, decent tires, with what looks to be a factory loader. Hour meter shows between 1500 - 1600 hrs.

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

1. What would be a fair (ballpark price) ?

2. What yrs were these tractors made ?

3. What size brush hog will a 28 HP diesel handle ?

4. What (if anything specific) should I look for mechanically when looking it over ?

5. Did the JD 950 have any quirks or bad points ?

6. Are there parts still available for 950's ?

Any and all information would be greatly appreciated !

Thanks,

Jchip /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

ScottAR · Mar 29, 2004

Welcome to the forum!

I own a 1050 which is very similar to the 950. They share the same 3 cyl yanmar with different power settings.

The factory loader is either a 75 or an 80 depending on year.

A decent price is anywhere between 5-7 thousand depending on condition.

The 950 is the oldest model in the 50 series compact line. Came out in '79 or '80 and ran through '91 or '92 if I remember.

A 950 should handle a 5ft mower with ease.

A tractor this age is bound to have some weather related quirks if it was kept outside. Things like weather cracking on the hoses and general wear and tear.

The 950 (and 1050) both have dry brakes. They seem to wear a little faster than the wet brakes newer tractors have. They are $45 per shoe so check the adjustment screws and make sure they are not bottomed out. On the plus side they are easy to change and it wouldn't stop me from buying my tractor again.

Every part I've needed I got at the local dealer. All the hydraulic hoses are standard 3/8's so any place that makes hoses could make ya one on the weekend.

BB_TX · Mar 29, 2004

I bought a 1984 950 with 2000 hours about 3 years ago for $8500. I does have an FEL and MFWD (4x4) and power steering. I run a 6' light duty rotary cutter with very little problem. If I let the grass get too high, I may have to slow down a little, but normally I can run about as fast as I want.
Based on all the posts I have read, the 50 series tractors are very durable and reliable machines.
JD carries all parts for the 50 series tractors. I had a bearing and seal go out in my left front drive unit. The dealer had the parts in 2 days and I replaced them myself. You can get complete operator, repair and parts manuals from Deere or by calling 1-800-522-7448.

JClark · Mar 29, 2004

I owned an '87 950 up until last summer and wish I still had it. It was a MFWD model, 80 loader but no power steering. It was stone axe reliable and built like a tank. As mentioned, check the brake shoes. One side on my 950 got wet because of a bad gasket and subsequently failed. Parts are still easily available.

A 5' bushhog will work great on the 950 you describe but heavy loader work goes a lot easier with MFWD and power steering. With ballast it will push snow just fine.

Values of the MFWD models hold up well, I bought mine for $12.5k, sold it 15 years later for 10k. 2WD models seems to bring about 4 - 6k around here. If its clean and the loader is JD I would think 5 - 6 would be ballpark fair. If it comes to bargaining use the lack of MFWD as a lever.

Great tractor and good luck.

JerryG · Mar 29, 2004

Jchip,
What ever you do make sure that you can get by with 2wd. There is a very great difference between the capabilities of the 2wd and the MFWD tractors. Tell the guys here that have had 950's what you are wanting to do and let them tell you how that tractor will act in 2wd. Compact tractors are light weight and can't do the same work of heavier utility tractors without MFWD.

BB_TX · Mar 29, 2004

Jerry is certainly correct. I almost always am in 2wd when mowing. Simply don't need 4wd for that. But if I need serious traction, such as dirt work with the FEL or box blade, I usually have to use 4wd. The 2wd, even with diff lock, just will not do it well. Based on that, you may have a problem with it on snow.

jchipps · Mar 29, 2004

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for all the great information.

After reading all your info and doing some more research, I do have some other questions on the 950. (see below)

Now, as far as some of your questions about my intended use:

I will mainly be using it for brush hogging, and maybe some snow removal from driveway in winter (however that usually boils down to just a couple of decent snows per winter) so it's not a real big issue. I don't forsee doing any "extremely heavy" loader work.

My property is not "extremely" steep, but some of it is "far" from being level.

So, my additional questions are:

1. How is the 950 on sloping ground conditions as far as stability ?

2. Will the 2 WD with no PS fit my needs ?

3. Are the 950's w/out PS extremely hard to steer with a
loader on the front ?

4. How much additional traction would tire chains give on a small tractor like the 950 ?

5. Is it common practice to "load" the tires on these ?

I plan to go look it over and try it out some time this week, so I'll let ya all know what I found.

Again, thanks a bunch for all the replies.

This is a really great site !

BB_TX · Mar 30, 2004

1. Most of my place is gently rolling. But the ditches along the road I get up to 15 degree slope. That is approaching my pucket limit, but the 950 has always handled it well. I do use the 4wd on the steepest part, as much for the additional braking as for traction. Once when I first got it, I dropped my left front wheel in a rut at the steepest part of the slope and at the edge of a creek. That was before I got a tilt meter so I don't know how much it was, but I felt as if I was near the tipping point. And that was before I put a ROPS on it. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif No wheels came off the ground, but I have never tried that again. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I feel like the weight of the rotary cutter held the back wheels down to the ground.
2. & 3. I can't answer since I have PS.
4. Never tried chains.
5. My tires are not loaded, and with the 4wd I don't need it. On the 2wd, it would probably help. It would probably also help with stability on slopes since you get some additional weight below the COG of the tractor.

JClark · Mar 30, 2004

Stability on a slope can be maximized a number of ways:

Set rear rims for max width
Ballast in rear tires
Keep implements low
Go slow

I regularly cut a deep ditch with my 950 without any incidents but I was also regularly nervous when the up side of the tractor got more than 2' higher than the down side.

If you are doing mostly bushhogging on reasonably level ground, a 2WD, no PS 950 will do fine. With a 5' bushhog on the 3pt hitch my 950 steered very easily. In fact, I usually added some weight to the front for better steering traction.

Using the loader without PS is a two-handed job. Lots of ballast on the 3pt hitch makes it doable but you will not be able to turn the wheel unless the tractor is moving a little. I used mine w/o PS for 15 years and got lots of FEL work done.

There is no need for tire chains if you have good tires. Again, traction can be maximized by hanging lots of weight on the 3pt hitch. I always used a 6' box blade with some suitcase weights hanging on it. Even with 4WD, a FEL and 800# of box blade and good ag tires my 950 always had more power than traction.

Ballasting tires is common practice. I would guess they may already be filled. If not, and you do fill them, skip the calcium chloride and use something less corrosive.

In the price ranges mentioned, I think a 2WD 950 is O.K. Given a choice and enough money though, I would always opt for MFWD and PS. The MFWD is certainly more valuable than the PS. My sense of the situation is that you will be a lot more satisfied with a 4WD tractor, with or without PS.