powershift or synchro ?

[Dean Lydey]

Which transmission is preferable in a 3020D? I'll put 50 hours maximum a year on with deer food plots and firewood duty. I think the PS is more valuable. Is the PS worth the money and are there service issue with either ? I envision the PS being difficult to service.

 

[Mike M]

Mostly just personal preferance. Buy the tractor in the best shape for the least amount money. If taken care of either will outlast several owners.

 

[JDemaris]

Consider the cost of repair if ever needed. A Powershift can cost more to repair then the worth of the tractor, and many new parts from Deere have been discontinued. Just an early transmission pump for Powershift can cost over $2000.

Powershifts are very rugged transmissions, but they're getting old and don't have the parts-support they once had. SynchroRange trans on average, are much cheaper to work on. And if something fails inside, they don't have a pile of hydraulic sealing-surfaces to get ruined.

 

[Ray]

The powershift is mostly a collector thing.When they came out you couldn't give one away.My dad bought a couple PS 4020 tractors in missouri that were new,but three years old.The PS jerks around and is harder to back up to stuff to hook up.

 

[Doug in IL]

If you are going to put that few hours on it, I'd go with the syncro. I own several of that era John Deeres with both of those transmissions. You have to change the transmision oil and the filters on a PS often if you expect it to last. You would need to change the oil and filters yearly. With those few hours per year you would be spending a lot of money on oil. The syncros are much more forgiving that way. You can probably get away with changing every 4 or 5 years on those. As far as operating the tractors, I like the Powershifts better. But that's just an opinion.

 

[bob15]

How is it harder to back up with a Poweshift? Use the inching pedal and its no different than a syncro-smash.

The farm has a 3020, 4020, 4430 & 4440, all powershifts and never had any issues with them. The one syncro-smash we had in a 3020 had more tranny issues than you could shake a stick at. Between leaks and syncros going, it was a major POS.

I would personally go with the PS, but that's just me.

bob

 

[Stuart]

I thought just the sychros for the 8 speed were $2000 a few years ago.

 

[tim s]

That's about right, by the time you put the shifters and a trans pump with it maybe a bit more...These Deere parts are out of sight now,,I suppose the other guys are keeping pace too..

 

[tim s]

They "can" be a bit jumpy,,it makes the hitch pin guy a little nervous at times....I think the sychros are smoother for hitching, they are nice to work with,,with the exception of a Chancey park,,,and the early ones had a problem with the PTO 'not' stopping,,when they are good they are great,,but a bad one will eat a lot of cash....

 

[Gundoctor New Haven, VT]

I have had both for many years. PS is the way to go bar none. This is one of the greatest thing JD every did.
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[Stuart]

My Dad helped a guy rebuild a sychro range about 10 years ago and just for the synchronizers it was $2000.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You guys in mo must be a little slow on new things i worked for JD dealer in 1964 he sold about half and half ps and ss alot of farm here had one of each and a lot of them are still going but mosly as stand by loader tractors

 

[tim s]

Yes different areas excepted power shifts differently,,mainly because of the bad reputation that Ford developed,,,in our area there weren't many of them till the 15 spd's came out, by then they were proven to be good, just not to many 8spd's around here yet, even though they are a good transmission, one of the draw backs is the small field range of gears and the faulty park gear,which is normally just a bad cable..

 

[JDemaris]

Half the larger farm tractors and log skidders we sold had Powershift. That's in the New York, Maine, and Pennsylvania areas.

 

[JDemaris]

What are you calling "synchros" for that high price? Deere sells the packs of synchro clutches and plates for $80 per set and the trans takes three sets. Low/high synchronizer blocking ring is $215 and only one is used.

 

[tim s]

I'm calling the sychro's as the complete assembly,clutch packs,collars drums and blockers, the shifters are usually worn bad also, these have gotten pricey the last few years..Deere offers a shift kit for some models with the improved shifters and sychro's, you need to be careful with them on 4020's there are two different collars one will only work for a couple of days, the engaging teeth are are "slightly" different length not allowing the drum to go on far enough...

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 14:09:33 12/24/10) You guys in mo must be a little slow on new things i worked for JD dealer in 1964 he sold about half and half ps

Kent,
JD powershift trans wasn't available in 1964!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ps trans production started in 1965

I know the JD dealer I worked for certainly didn't sell 50/50 PS & syncro tranny's

 

[M w J]

Powershift must have been available in 1964 May dad has one bought from the dealer close to where Kent lives I will check serial number when I get back over there but I know it was bought in 1964.

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 21:59:49 12/24/10) Powershift must have been available in 1964 May dad has one bought from the dealer close to where Kent lives I will check serial number when I get back over there but I know it was bought in 1964.

I could be wrong but I thought PS wasn't available in the first yr of 20 series production.