JD730 diesel diet

[MW730DPuller]

Im looking at trying to drop a little more weight on my 730D for pulling but have to keep it looking fairly sociable. I have already done a fair amount of work on other locations on the tractor and now am currently looking into the steering. I already have the factory 730 non power steering system and fanshaft but actually gained 15 lbs from the factory power steering I removed. I have heard that the 70 manual steering sector is much lighter than the 730 one and am wondering how much work it would be to make it work under the hood of the 730 and if its even possible. If anybody has tried or done this please let me know, any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 

[JohnDeereJimOhio]

I don"t have an answer for u as keeping it looking stock but making it light isn"t in my nature I either make my puller a puller or restore to original.. Curious what your 730 weighs? I took ours to a few pulls its 730 diesel with pony start 3pt wide frot 15.5 firestones half loaded and it weighed 9400lbs.. Are u running a flatback? Pressed rims ? A lot of guys have fabbed up front ends of an mt or other smaller tractor that is much lighter. Are u running a heavy rollamatic?
 

[Brad Vinkemeier]

I've got a 730chance diesel and the lightest i can get her down to 7500lbs with all brackets on but no weight added i run 18.4/38 Firestone field and roads with 40% tread pressed steal rims 3pt pto and the cast air cleaner housing is all removed it also does not have power steering on it also i have chopped the non roll a matic front post to get front end down i run 6.00/12sl front tires im not sure how much else a person could remove to make it ligher other than weld on hubs and chop the axels off i wouldnt mind just a power trol that does not have the rock shaft or pto holes but they are hard to find
 

[Ricky W]

What weight are you trying to get to? I have a 1960 730 diesel and have had it down to 7500# and had everything off I could get off down to taking the batteries out!! What a waist of time. Stock classes and pulling in 1st gear was out!!!Put weight back on it and she went to town. When we pull it know we pull in 12,500# class with 18.4/38's. Have won a many pull with it.
 

[FactoryFarmer]

The quickest way to loose weight on a 730 is to take the sheet metal and put it on a G.....


Lightened diesels never pull worth a crap....
 

[MW730DPuller]

To start with this tractor is a dedicated puller. I already have the rare factory smooth rear cover with no holes for anything, pto driveline completely removed from rearend housing,all hydraulic components completely removed from the tractor, electric start, light billet steel hubs, light rear steel rims, 18.4-38 Armstrong 6 plys at 40% (about the lightest tire in that size you"ll ever find that actually work), manual steering, MT narrow front with small wheels, oil bath air filter housing completely removed, pony start main fuel tank(cause its smaller than the electric start one), factory fuel filter setup will be replaced with a lighter modern spin on style. I do not pull in a restoration stock class but it still cannot be torched on and welded on to get lighter, all my mods bolt on and still have Deere casting numbers on them, minus the rear hubs and rims. I understand that these tractors do well in heavier classes but most of our antique pulls in this area end at 7000 or 7500 pounds, a rare few go to 8000. So all I can do is make the best of my situation and work with what I have, thank you though for the opinions, they are apriciated. I am still very courious about the 70 steering sector though.
 

[MW730DPuller]

While I respect your opinion Factory Farmer,and understand where your coming from, I already watch enough gas G's and gas farmall M's at our local pulls to last me a lifetime. While I know it may not be the best option, to me its better than blindly following the norm. Variety is the spice of life. And please dont take this as hating on gas tractors, I also pull a gas Minni quite often and have for many years.
 

[Brad Vinkemeier]

What about removing the heavy cast iron radiator and make one from another tractor work or go to an aluminum radiator i know there not cheap and it would be alot of work fabing it in to work with possibly an electric whater pump of some sort i have heard of people Machineing or cutting off some onthe bull gears im sure its possible to fab up a new lighter front frame depending on ur rules and regulations in ur area on how close to stock appearing on the outside they want it up here in Minnesota they want us to be stock appearing on the outside but what ever u do inside is up to u
 

[MW730DPuller]

Im in roughly the same region as you are and our rules are very similar to yours over there. I have thought about the radiator but I would get way too much grief over it, thanks for the ideas though.
 

[GoJDpuller]

MW what does your tractor weigh? I got a buddy that has about as much as you done, and he can pull 6500
 

[ppmengineering]

You can loose 70 pounds or more with turning the bull gears.

Mine run between $600 and $800 depending on how long and how much I take off. A pair for a G would be $600. I'm not sure how much bigger a 730 gear is.

Nick Paulson
Paulson Performance Machining
Ogden, Iowa
ppmengineering@live.com
515.491.4270
www.facebook.com/paulsonperformancemachining
 

[FactoryFarmer]

[Brad Vinkemeier]

Mw do u maybe have an idea where a person could get a smooth style hyd power trol housing like u have and my other question is would that power trol housing be sufficient enough to reinforce the rear end housing to with stand weighing the tractor down to 10500 or 12500 classes thats the reason why i haven't fabed up a steal one yet because when i weigh it up for the heavy classes im afraid I'll. Crack the rear end housing and i believe the cast power trol housing helps to reinforce the rear end housing what do u think im not considering installing one for the less weight im concidering it so i can get my drawbar in to 18 inches the ordinary live pto and rock shaft style housing is to long
 

[MW730DPuller]

Thanks for the idea, I will keep that in mind for the future.
 

[MW730DPuller]

I am not sure what it weighs exactly yet, I am still in the building process. I would like to get as much of the weight saving tricks done the first time around rather than going back into it time and time again. If I could make the 6500# class I would be thrilled!