The Deere Expendables

[dieselfume]

Thought you guys might enjoy this video I shot yesterday on the 4630s...

First one we bought I thought was an old piece of junk when we brought it home, I wanted the 4640 we looked at (which was twice as much money) with not many less hours. since we bought the first one back around 2009, we've added another to the fleet here about two years ago. What a pair of workhorses!
The Expendable John Deeres

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

I have been thinking about a 4630 with a cab. Even a syncro range would be fine. We have a 4520 with the 4620 engine and would like to replace it with a cab tractor. We use it less than 200 hours a year so hate to spend big money. Does tillage and runs a forage harvester.Nice video thanks for posting. Tom

 

[centash]

4630 were built from 1972 to 1977. 4640 came out in 1978. Those series, 30, 40 50 and 55's were probably the best tractors Deere has made. Ben

 

[Bob Hess]

My grandfather bought ours new in 1974. It is still our main field tractor with about 5500 hours on it. It is a power shift with FWA.
Very good tractor.

 

[JD Seller]

The JD 4630s where one of the first true high horse power JD 2wd tractors. For there day they where a good tractor.

Now the reasons they sell cheap.
1) They are not very fuel efficient, none of the JD 30 series tractors were.
2) Many are hard starting when cold. Meaning plug them in under 30 degrees.
3) The 1000 only PTO kills them on resale around here.

Now if your needing a Field work tractor on a limited budget they are hard to beat for the money.

 

[dieselfume]

Beautiful tractor Bob!

I prefer the PS over the quad range every day (at least this older quad range) until I get out in the field- Then the quad range tractor really shines with all of it's gear selections and less power loss through the trans.

Also nice for mowing hay, easy to find the "right " gear.

 

[dieselfume]

I'm not sure why people say they weren't fuel efficient... compared to what?

any other tractor that dyno's at around 185 hp is going to use 11-12 gph under that kind of load.

When these tractors are hooked up to say a drill, or a rake, baler, or hydroswing they get right around 3.5 gph. That's right on par with what my 7510 gets.

To not have the headaches of the modern tractors is worth a few of the limiting factors of these old tractors. Most field equipment is 1000 spline pto anymore, to that is a non issue for me as well, although I'm sure to some folks it could become and issue.

 

[Bob]

I found this interesting...

Nebraska test #1786 Deere 7510

Rated speed test 115.07 HP, 16.92 HP hrs/gallon


Nebraska test # 1113 Deere 4630

Rated speed test 150.66 HP, 15.68 HP hrs/gallon

Not TOO bad of a showing for '70's technology!

 

[2002sliverado]

Had a 4630 with the 8 speed power shift for 23 years. It was a good tractor when it was the "big horse" on the farm, but it was a more enjoyable tractor when we took it off the "hard core" duties of fieldwork in both the spring and fall. Did not care for the large gap between 4th gear (mostly fall tillage) and 5th gear (ideal gear for the field cultivator, but struggled) in that transmission. In the spring under heavier loads, the engine would tend to run a bit on the warm side, and you had to be mindful of that issue. When it was relegated to planting, cultivating, stalk chopping, hauling grain, and other lighter duty tasks, it was a great tractor for those tasks. The narrower hood (compared to the 4640) and the 6 inch shorter wheelbase was a bit more desirable in planting and cultivating, when looking down at the front tires in relation to the 30 inch rows. The power shift transmission is a much handier transmission to use when planting or cultivating. It is also easier for an inexperienced operator to use, versus the Quad-Range. Had an interesting comparison between the 4630 and the 4640 we bought some years later, which has a Quad-Range transmission. We used both for hauling grain to the local elevator. Each tractor made the same number of trips over the course of two days. The 30 series was set at 170 hp, while the 40 series was set at 180 hp. The 4640 used 20 gallons less fuel over the course of these two days of hauling grain. I will add, the 4640 with the larger radiator, cooling system, and its fan, can keep the cab cooler with the air conditioning in those situations where you can shift up a gear and throttle back. I like both tractors, for sure, but