B John Deere

[Anonymous-0]

I just acquired a B John Deere. The last owner thinks it is a 50,51 or 52 model. The serial number tag is rusted away. I intend to completely restore the tractor. How can I determine the model year with out the serial number? When ordering parts, if I referre to it as a "late Model" will that be sufficent?

 

[MikeinKy]

If it's a 50 or newer, I think it will have square rear axle housings. I think about 47 - 49 had a single gear shift and round housings. The older ones had a hi-lo shift with a 3 speed and round housings.

 

[wilamayb]

Pretty sure if it has a water pump you can call it a 51-52. For the most part there are only three serial number breaks and the "late models" being 201,000- and after. Above 201,000 they have a square seat box, starter under the belly, square axle housing and the optional powr-trol. These are also called "cyclone" models because of a tear drop in the cylinder head that causes a cyclonic action as the fuel/air mix enters the combustion chamber.

Have fun with the B. I'm sure it will be a blast!

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thanks for your reply. I have exactly what you discribed. I assume that "ALL" the parts will be the same regardless if it is a 51 or 52. I wonder if there were any "in production" changes made during this two year period that would cause some parts to be different. I figure not since changes were about take place with the introduction of the 50.

 

[P Browning]

James in Al -- Congrats on your new tractor.

The next thing to consider is fetching the manuals for your tractor -- the basis of this post.

To see listings for operators manual, service manual, and parts catalog for lettered series John Deere tractors, go to the JD-H Restoration Site (below). When you get there, look left and scroll down to DEERE PUBS. On page 2 is a table that will allow you to match your tractor to a set of available publications. On page 1 you will find instructions for getting them in hand. For a late JD-B tractor, you will be looking for OMR2006 Operators Manual, SM2004 Service Manual, and PC330 Parts Catalog.

As always, it pays to shop around. For your late B, there is a JD service manual that is said to be top-notch! It is SM2004. This is a $100 book through Deere channels! There is one on sale now over at eBay, and also retiredtractors.com sells this fine book. Both are priced around $50.

BEWARE! Do not let anyone tell you that SM2000 is a service manual for a particular tractor. It is a specialty manual dealing with electrical systems, carburetors, valves, and shop tooling and is applicable to most all two-cylinder tractors. It may be a fine publication to have, but certainly is NOT a full service manual for your tractor!

Here is a little tip for you --seeing as how you have a computer: Go to Google and enter [jdparts] without the brackets. This will lead you to the John Deere Parts page and once you establish your account (no obligation), you will then be able to make un-announced visits to your local JD dealer's parts counter for both pricing and availability!

There are some other tips for using that page, but let us begin here -- and if you need to reach me for questions, pay me a visit at the JD-H Restoration Site. (PatB)
Restoration Site, JD-H

 

[James in Al]

Thanks for all of this info. I will take your advise. I believe having the proper manuals and texts to begin the restoration will prove paramount in doing things right.

 

[wilamayb]

Whoops I fouled up. I started thinking the square axle didnt happen until 49'. Yup,... thats how it goes 49' and up have square axle housings. Sorry for the confusion, but I'll have you all know that I've made worse mistakes!

 

[RandyB(MI)]

'50> square axle hsng,bat box seat on 47 up(called late styled). '50,'51,'52? '51 and 52 should have a water pump under fan. Distributer with separate coil was standard on 51 and 52. Could have a mag though as it was an option but not many did. You may check with JD and see if the s/n on the power trol or the # on the mag if it has one may cross reference somewhere and reveal the year??? These both have their own s/n.

 

[James in Al]

Thanks for your reply. My tractor has square axels, no water pump and a distributor with coil. Was a distributor and coil available on the 1950 model? I am trying to determine if some one replaced the original Mag. with a distributor. Since there is not water pump, I guess that rules out 51 and 52; right? Could be a late 50, what do you think?

 

[F-I-T]

Manual control of the front mounted radiator shudders. Since it didn't have a thermostat, that allowed you to regulate the engine temperature in cold times to keep the engine temp up where cleaner combustion could take place. Nice when you were hauling light loads into cold winter winds, too. Pretty much a requirement on the distillate burning engines. A lot of folks don't bother with them, and they tend to run the engines too cool and foul plugs at a faster rate.

HTH

Frank

 

[Buster]

The other lever is for the radiator shutters, most of them have been taken off over the years.

 

[jd b puller]

That's to activate the NOS at the end of the pulling track.

Or maybe it's for front shutter controls. Never actually seen a working model or anything hooked up to it though.

 

[RandyB(MI)]

That's funny, I always thought it was the torque amplifier lever.Maybe that was only on '51 or '52.

 

[d. coleman]

the second lever was for allfuel models only. the lever was left in place on gas models and the radaitor shurters were not installed, as per green mag. my 51 "B" has the lever also. d. coleman

 

[F-I-T]

I'm pretty certain that they was always an option on the gas models, and a popular one at that. Our '48 "A" gasoline-engine-from-the-factory was equipped with factory installed shutters. Every A and B I was around in the colder midwest had shutters installed. Shutters were the only way to keep the temp up when doing light work like pulling a spreader in Ferbuary. Not enough load to keep it hot. Even gaslinie will foul plugs at 120* or less.

 

[CLW]

The water pump did not come out on the B until serial number 306600. That was in the later part of the 1952 year model. At that time they put out a retrofit kit to add the pump on any B back to the first late model built, 201000. The B went to a Distributor at serial number 268820, but, as mentioned above, you could still get a Magneto if you wanted. The choke rod was moved from the dash to behind the steering support at 258520, in early 1950.

 

[EdM]

My 51 B gas has one and it's connected to the shutters.