My New Old JD600

[ConorH]

Hi,

I finally bit the bullet and bought a tractor. She's a 1968 JD600 industrial. Powershift and a left hand reverser. I've always wanted a 4020 and this came up at a price I couldn't refuse. So I guess I have my dream tractor, even if she wears industrial yellow!

She came with some kind of oddball loader with a single cyclinder that mounts on the nose, I don't know if it originally had a blade on it or what. I suspect I will want to add a regular loader at some point, but maybe this one will work out.

Im sure you'll hear more from me this winter, I'd like to add a pto and 3pt so I can do some light tillage, planting and bushogging around my hobby farm/showpig operation.

I ordered the 600 manuals,but I didnt see them here at YT. Do you guys think the 4020 manuals would be helpful too? Thanks and nice to meet yall!

 

[Tx Jim]

Welcome to YT
Adding a pto & 3 pt hitch to your industrial tractor will take a lot of man hours of labor & parts. My suggestion would be to find a donor tractor or totally different tractor.

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

There was a time when I would have said no yellow tractors here but as I have grown older I look at them a little different. At a recent show there was a 3020 wheatland (standard) in yellow and I have to say it looked sharp and really stood out. Where are you located? Adding a pto is more than likely going to be harder than adding a rockshaft and three point. At one time some aftermarket companies sold add on three points for standard tractors. Most likely a salvage yard in the plains states could fix you up. Post back as you work on it. Tom

 

[ConorH]

I'll post as I progress. I know I might be being nave or optimistic, but when I look at the parts it looks like the rock shaft assembly fits where the cover on top is. Same with the PTO, where the housing would be it's just blanked off with a plate bolted on. Before I bought it I saw the thread on here where Aussie Ken had a 600 that someone had added a pto from a wrecked 4020. I reached out to him and hopefully he'll have some advice-but even if it doesn't work out I'm still happy with it, she'll be a heck of a loader tractor.

I'm out in North Carolina, but I've got family from Indiana to South Dakota so I've got a good network to look for parts and salvage for me. I got a good enough deal on her, I could spend quite a bit and still feel like I have a lot of tractor for my money. So at least I'm not totally trying to do it on a shoestring.

 

[Tx Jim]

Does your tractor have regular or wide-swing drawbar? Does it have front drawbar support shown in photo below?

 

[ConorH]

Tx Jim,

It does have the front support, it doesn't have a drawbar mounted but it has the regular drawbar support.

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

The issue with adding a rockshaft is going to be the load control arm. I do not know if a tractor shipped without a rockshaft have it. I added a rockshaft to a 4010 that did not have one years ago. Had to drill an oil passageway in the case. On a syncro you would need to add clutch shaft and other parts for pto. I have no experience with powershifts. With a Deere parts and service manual it can all be done. The parts you will need should be available reasonable as not a big demand for them. Good luck. Tom

 

[coonie minnie]

I'm curious on this... how much is deleted in a deleted PTO. Could be quite a bit!

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 15:03:41 10/14/21) I'm curious on this... how much is deleted in a deleted PTO. Could be quite a bit!

I agree on probably many pto components are AWOL. I also wonder if L/D arm(item 11) is present.

 

[diesel fumes]

nice catch. we have 2 jd 4010 wheel tractors. you need to get yourself jd manuals for the 600 wheel and 4020; both parts manuals. that will help you big time

 

[fdt860]

(quoted from post at 11:16:37 11/18/21) nice catch. we have 2 jd 4010 wheel tractors. you need to get yourself jd manuals for the 600 wheel and 4020; both parts manuals. that will help you big time

I agree rockshaft is not too bad and PTO is many more parts to change:
Swapping clutch valve and adding lever
Adding pto clutch in front clytch parts and all other required parts
Adding idler gears in front of transmisdion case
Adding pto shaft and gear
Adding rear 1000 to 540 idler gears on the back and swapping rear cover.

For your rockshaft and all your parts, keep in mind that first gen and second gen 4020 rockshaft are not the same. Your is like an early 4020 rockshaft. It is better because parts are cheaper. I think 1000 to 1500 dollars will get you a complete rockshaft.