John Deere 2040 or Ford 3600

[bcuda]

I am looking at a John Deere 2040 and a Ford 3600. Need some help on which one to buy, both are diesel. John Deere has about 3000 hrs and Ford 600 hrs. John Deere is $3500 runs good but has moisture in the hydraulic fluid. Ford is $4000 and runs good and seems to be cleaner than the John Deere. I will only be using the tractor for running a brush hog on about 10 acres about 4 to 5 times a year. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Part Time Pete]

One of the guys I worked for as a kid had a 3600 - it was a good rugged little tractor. If I remember right it had live PTO, not independent. Those hours are hard to believe, but if they're correct, that's a heck of a deal

 

[bcuda]

Here are some pictures of the tractors.

 

[DRussell]

I am looking at a John Deere 2040 and a Ford 3600. Need some help on which one to buy, both are diesel. John Deere has about 3000 hrs and Ford 600 hrs. John Deere is $3500 runs good but has moisture in the hydraulic fluid. Ford is $4000 and runs good and seems to be cleaner than the John Deere. I will only be using the tractor for running a brush hog on about 10 acres about 4 to 5 times a year. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Personally, I'd go with the JD. My main reason is future parts support. The Ford is twice orphaned at this point and has been supplanted by New Holland first and now CNH. That being said, both were good tractors. Why is the Ford so rusty on the fenders and back of the hood?

 

[Tx Jim]

Is 2040 serial # below or above 266,750? Below that serial # has open center hyd's & above has closed-center hyd's. Moisture in JD hyd system could cause rear brake linings to fail. I was employed at JD dealership when 2040's were sold new. Since then I've owned 3 Ford tractors(3000,5610 & 6700) plus a couple of JD 2040's . I think Ford with straight frt axle will ride better than the JD swept-back frt axle due to longer wheelbase. If speed/hr meter hours are correct I would choose the Ford 3600.

 

[Blackhole49]

I don't believe the hour meters and know nothing about a 2040. If everything else is equal, I would go with the one with the best tires. If you go with the Ford, get a ROPS bar for it. FYI: I've been on my 3 acres for 40 years and gone through many tractors. If it were me, unless you are planning on adding property, I would stretch my budget (cheaper in the long haul) and go with a diesel 4x4 hydrostatic (color of your choosing) with a loader that will run your hog. Just me though. Still curious where your located. That might change my opinion.

 

[jddrawbar]

I am looking at a John Deere 2040 and a Ford 3600. Need some help on which one to buy, both are diesel. John Deere has about 3000 hrs and Ford 600 hrs. John Deere is $3500 runs good but has moisture in the hydraulic fluid. Ford is $4000 and runs good and seems to be cleaner than the John Deere. I will only be using the tractor for running a brush hog on about 10 acres about 4 to 5 times a year. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

That 3600 is advertised in Victoria, Tx. & has been for a long time. I would NOT believe the 600 hrs., but that's just me. That said, they are both good models and have a good reputation.

 

[Destroked 450]

I’m a Ford person but never believe the hours on a Ford meter, the tractor has had a partial repaint or tin replacement, the dash may have been changed at some time, the radius arms look bowed up which usually indicates it’s had a loader on it
I replaced the dash in my 4000 when I rebuilt the tractor in 2000, it’s done all the mowing, tedding and raking while my 6610 has only baled and loaded hay, the 4000 is showing 2000 hrs in 24 years while the 6620’s hours have increased by over 3000 hrs in the 15 years I’ve had it

The only thing on the smaller Ford I don’t care fire is their dry drum brakes

Don’t know anything about the 2040 but it’s sweep back axle looks stronger than the Fords and it has wet disc brakes IF they’re any good
Others could tell you more about that

 

[Texasmark]

I bought a 3600 this spring. No idea as to hours but it is much nicer than my 3000. The PTO is Live....live means that the clutch position controls the PTO operation when selected and when the clutch is let out half way the PTO starts spinning and all the way the ground engagement begins. This is a big boost over the transmission driven PTO whereby the PTO and the ground drive are locked together meaning that you start rolling as the PTO starts spinning. This one allows you to back into a corner with the mower revolving, stop, shift to forward gear and move out all while its turning. Course if you push the clutch all the way down both stop.

For putting in fence posts, the Live is perfect as you have one pedal that controls ground position and PTO RPM. You can line up on your string, start the hole, edge back and forth to straighten out the hole as necessary and when the bit is all the way down, just push in the clutch all the way, raise the 3 PT, let the clutch out half way, PTO spins off the accumulated soil and you are ready to go back into the hole or move forward to the next one.

The several other upgrades to the 3000 that are nice, alternator, rear hydraulics, better brake lever lock, front grille guard, and 3 PT lift and Draft levers. I paid 6k for mine and it was worth it but it had original paint, not bleached out, no dents, and new rubber front and rear. Starts about as fast as you can get your finger off the key.

On the hours, try to determine if the instrument cluster has been replaced....if new looking and the paint faded, its new. If the paint isn't faded and the clear plastic lens isn't bleached out it has been kept under a cover. To tell if the hour meter is working, on the right side of the hour meter is a tenths wheel....let it run for awhile and if it shows an increase in time its working and the hours are original. Depends on the owner's usage as to whether or not to believe hours. If used for lawn mowing and nothing much else, that may be reasonable. Tractor data shows that they were manufactured from '75 tp 81 with mine being an '80 model.

The acid test on those tractors is to look at the pedals. They are stamped steel and have holes that were stamped such that the area around the holes is raised....to help to keep your foot on the pedal. If the raised areas are all up and some will still be painted on 600 hrs. whereas if they are ground down flat with the pedal, and or some of the pedal is ground off too, then you are looking at a lot more hours. Additionally the pedals that have the most wear tell you something about how the tractor was used.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I can't tell you anything about the John Deere.
I can tell you a lot about the Ford. They are simple, nimble, rugged, reliable and have a lot of power in a small platform.
It will be easy to get parts for and this site has a great Ford specific forum if you need help with something. (There is a great John Deere forum here too btw.)
3600 will have live pto.
The 600 hours is impossibly low - the clock must have been changed - and a seller who tells you that fairy tale might tell you other fairy tales about it so beware - though my own 3600 has about that many hours on it now - and that's not a fairy tale.
The one in your photo looks like the hydraulic filter hasn't been changed since it was new
John - @Destroked 450 I dont see the bent radius rod you're seeing...

 

[Destroked 450]

I can't tell you anything about the John Deere.
I can tell you a lot about the Ford. They are simple, nimble, rugged, reliable and have a lot of power in a small platform.
It will be easy to get parts for and this site has a great Ford specific forum if you need help with something. (There is a great John Deere forum here too btw.)
3600 will have live pto.
The 600 hours is impossibly low - the clock must have been changed - and a seller who tells you that fairy tale might tell you other fairy tales about it so beware - though my own 3600 has about that many hours on it now - and that's not a fairy tale.
The one in your photo looks like the hydraulic filter hasn't been changed since it was new
John - @Destroked 450 I dont see the bent radius rod you're seeing...

Jerry it may be the photo but the radius rods look to have a slight bow when compared to ones on my SU