JD 3010 A new classic?

[JEFFinOH]

If anyone out there has experience with a JD3010 please help. I have been searching for about a year for a new-old tractor. BUDGET=$5000. That said, I think I found it. The JD3010. I happened to be on a little township road about a mile from home and there she sits. COST=$2200(I'll offer $2000)BAD NEWS- It's gas, It needs new rear tires, It is very faded, very greasy, there is a big gash in the hood, the choke doesn't return automatically, and it runs rich at idle. GOOD NEWS- I can sell an 8n that I really don't want anymore to pay for it, and not to mention the way this 201c.i. 4cyl. sounds @2200 rpm should be displayed in a museum like fine art.(or maybe I'm just tired of the 9n I've literally been driving since I was five years old) All in all it still seems too cheap compared to tractorhouse and tractordata. I have never owned a JD. Does anyone have one of these? There is no info or forum posts about them. What do I want to look for before I buy? PLEASE HELP !!!! Sorry for going on but, I am so excited, I am about to go buy one of those ridiculous green hats and walk there with cash right now so I can drive it home. Any help would be appreciated. There was 44000 of 3010s made and 57000 4020s made the info definitely is not proportionate.

 

[woodbutcher]

The 3010 may have been a well-kept secret. I sold the second one I have owned just a few months ago after 15 years of reliable service. Both of mine were LP tractors that I bought for working(moving round bales, shredding pasture, pushing up brush piles). The size and weight were perfect for me, but I'm at the age where I don't want any more high-clearance tractors.
Butch

 

[billonthefarm]

I think a 3010 is a classic. Had mine for a few years now and it is a handy little tractor. It has good hydraulics, a useable 3pt, dual speed pto, nice powersteering, a good seat for its time and all in a nice looking package. Thats the good.
The bad.
This is a real tractor. Sometimes it takes real tractor money to fix things. A 3010 will do ten times the work of 9n. The long term cost of ownership could also be ten times as much. The best explaination I ever heard was on here one time. Someone said all of the things that make a 3010 better than older tractors are complicated and expensive to fix when the day comes. This is very true. I have probably spent more on my 3010 than you are going to pay for yours. Hydraulic pump rebuild, steering valve rebuild, 3pt control cable, water pump rebuild, generator rebuild, new tires, and painting. I have no regrets and really enjoy this tractor but be aware that it is pretty easy to spend a grand on a 3010 when you least expect it. If you know someone that has been around a 3010 have them take a look at it. The price seems reasonable if everything is ok. Unless you are a good body man you might check and see what a hood would cost so you dont get a big suprise. Good luck!
bill

 

[Ryan]

Check the frame rails to see if it has had a loader on it. If it looks to have a loader on it then I would be wary. Everything takes an extra toll with a loader and I have professed not to buy one I know has had one on it. Make sure the pto works, I have seen more than one 3010 with a tore up pto. Also check your clutch adjustment to see how much is left. I had a gas 4020 had the wrong carb it loaded up when idled but ran well at higher rpm and used alot of gas. It also got the oil dirty fast. Some 3010's had 36 inch rears, those can be as expensive as 18.4x34 or 38 inch rears so beware there. Might do you some good to check prices of tires etc. Give the seat a shake side to side try the brakes for any growling (wore out or improper oil) give the gears an honest going over (synchronizers are expensive) etc. Tachs are over looked they are no longer very cheap, look the radiator core over (corrosion) oil cooler for leaks, hard to tell on hyrualic condition. 2000 maybe a good place to start with one but you could another 3000 in it quick depends on what you are wanting to do with it and how nice you want it. The plus is the tractor is close, you could go to your Deere dealer talk to a mechanic in the shop ask him what to look for get prices on those things. I like the 3010 very much we have 2 propanes and a diesel.
Ryan

 

[Anonymous-0]

I own a 3010 Gas with a 48 loader, I love the tractor, it always starts and works good, sometimes I need to charge the battery when I havent used it in awhile, One thing I would get for the 3010 if the one you are looking at doesnt have them, is as many rear wheel weights as you can find, I notice they are very light in the rear end especially with a loader, I paid $5300 for mine with Brand New tires, nice paint and a loader but I know I got it cheap, Go price out a new 40hp at your deere dealer then go back and buy that 3010 quick!

 

[NY 986]

The 3010's are still around in our area. My maternal grandfather had one he bought new and I always enjoyed riding with him as a child. It's a tractor I would not mind having one of and would like to locate grandpa's whenever I put the money together to get one.
There have been a number of posts about 3010's on this forum and be prepared for some negativity. The biggest issue was the PTO shifter and some preventive measures takes care of that. The other issue was the power output (55 PTO hp) made it a little under powered compared to some. Deere corrected this with the 3020 (65 PTO hp) and most 3010's with suitable blocks have over bore kits anyways. I think Deere did a good job with the 3010/4010 considering they were starting from scratch and they got busy tweeking them right away to bring out the 20 series just a couple years later.
Count me as a fan of 3010. Like Billonthefarm said, they may be a considerably costlier project (like any tractor from that time would) than the N Ford.

 

[JEFFinOH]

Yeah I"ve noticed the price difference in parts than from my 8n WOW. And the the 8n has its own isle at TSC, parts on Sunday anyone? The low hp v. weight isn"t a real big concern I just need an ugly very reliable middle-weight for light logging back blading and brush hogging the 8n is tired and the MF135 is DEAD. Oh yea, could anyone reasonably compare fuel usage between an 8n and the 3010-NOT A RESTORATION PROJECT (daily driver)

 

[JEFFinOH]

Try a battery maintainer. They have them at Destroy-America-Mart, oops I mean Wal-Mart, for $20. It is like a charger but "floats" when fully charged, the one I have on my 8n has a permanent mount on the battery terminals with an in-line quick- disconnect. I recommend this to anyone with a 6-volt who needs every grain of power start when its below 10 and there a foot of snow in the drive, as there often is with these awesome northern OH winters. As for new tractors, how about 40hp for $14000. I'll take my chances buying used.

 

[NY 986]

Sorry, can't help you on fuel usage as any of the one's around here are diesel and I've never run an 8N for any duration. Grandpa's 3010 was a diesel, too.
It's my personal opinion but if the tractor is sound other than the engine, electrical, and cooling, the cost of restoration should not be too different than the 8N (obviously more). The big money eaters on those would be the transmission/differential, clutch, and to a lesser extent hydraulic system.
You may not be inclined to do this, but it may be money well spent to hire a mechanic familiar with New Generation Deere tractors to help you size this tractor up. Remember to bring your notebook so if you don't buy this one, you know from being up close what to look for on the next one. You can go on Deere's website to look up dealers close to you if there is no other alternative. There are too many service points on that tractor to try to do everything over the internet.

 

[JEFFinOH]

Thanks to you guys, my notebook is getting full. I never dreamed, after 20 fruitless google searches yesterday, I would have this much info in a today. I know the internet can't fulfill all my questions but I now know about a 1000% more than I did yesterday. Oh yea, why the hell is a clutch for this thing a grand.

 

[JEFFinOH]

Great stuff, thanks. Which is cheaper to run propane or diesel. Any lubricity issues with propane, I have 00 experience with these. What I mean is, do the propanes have any less life expectancy? I am equating this to diesel vs. propane generators.

 

[JEFFinOH]

That's a good looking tractor, every penny you spent looks justified to me. Don't take this the wrong way, but you just told me what I needed to hear. I don't think I can justify purchasing this as a working tractor and not expect to spent a couple grand+ and put a few++++ hours into it right off the bat. The main idea is to have something more reliable cheap(in the long run) than what I've got, and a 55hp tractor for $2000 grand, I can already hear my dad saying "ya get what ya pay for". I'll get some pics tomorrow for anyone here who might be interested. Although I will probably tell my grand kids about this tractor "the one that I let get away", I have a Farmall M and a 9n that my grandpa bought after he got out of the Marine Corp(he sold his mules when he went in) that I grew up on that I need to restore(farm resto not show) before I buy any more projects.

 

[JEFFinOH]

Secret, more like conspiracy. As I am sure you know there is little to be found about this model anywhere. I am very grateful to everyone who chimed in here. I can't imagine the money this website must save people with all this great info and advice. You can't put a price tag on on the knowledge thousands of multi-generation farmers. As for not wanting to climb up that high clear tractor anymore, I can see that. Just as long as you don't get a cab tractor, my grandpa/my hero 1925-1998(heavy equipment operator/farmer) always said "if you need a cab, you need to retire". Which is code for "they're to expensive".

 

[Ryan]

I prefer the lp for a couple of reasons. The diesels harmonic balancer if you will is located on the oil pump inside the oil pan. If the bearings fail it can take the entire motor with it. I am told this is the only engine JD did this with. Your lp oil will stay much cleaner than a diesel and depending upon condition will start much better in the winter. However, you will only get 6-8 hours of "hard" work out of a tank of lp so filling it should be a consideration. As far as cheaper I can't say there have been numerous posts in the past which have done the numbers and it probably is always changing. We fill all our own lp tanks without a recovery system (we are rural). No big deal if you exercise common sense. Only thing on propanes is lot of them you don't need to change plugs on for so long they can get tight in the head. I try and spray our externally now and again in case I have to change them but most times you should be okay. We have a 4010 lp with at least 20,000 hours the motor has not been touched although the head should probably be gone over as the valve guides and seats are getting wore. Hope this helps some. That gas tractor you are looking at could probably be converted to lp. I am going to do that to my 4020 gas with front mounted tank.

Ryan

 

[Mike M]

You need to price an aftermarket clutch. Unless you are and that is a new fylwheel and all the disks and plates and springs. All those pieces could add up fast.

 

[3020 JD 15]

Your prolly better off to let it go because they have PTO problems if the owners didnt do regular maintence to it.

 

[JEFFinOH]

I gave up on it. I settled down assessed the situation and realized that I don"t need ANOTHER project. Thanks

 

[JEFFinOH]

WOW 20,000hrs. I guess I never realized there was so many lp tractors out there. Where I am has been so devastated by development all the real farmers have moved west, so its just me on 100 acres surrounded wanna-be rednecks wearing JD hats and driving hondas not lp tractors. (Medina, Ohio was once a thriving farm community and is now being reduced an over taxed, over built, over policed city with no identity. I hope it can serve as a tool to show people what irresponsible leadership an liberals do to a community. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU.)