Thoughts on buying a 3020

[lee little]

Okay, so here is my situation. I already own 2 3020s. One has the engine down and the other runs but needs some downtime to get it right. Locally a 1967 3020 has come up for sale. It has a turbo but no front weights or signs of hard pulling/abuse. It has always been in the same family. It starts good, runs good and shifts great. The guy has started some rattle can painting to cover some rust. I didnt have the heart to tell him he lowered its value. It shows 4500 hours and the wear seems to verify that. The brakes groan if you use them hard when turning but seem to work good. I was able to get him down to 7K delivered to my farm. I need another tractor now but am just not sure. I guess I just want some of your thoughts on this. Thanks for any help/suggestions. Lee

 

[Kelly in tx]

Lee, that sounds like an opportunity you'll regret if you pass it up. I used my 3020 today. I love the power steering, the short turning radius (mine is a narrow front end), the comfy seat, the brakes, the pto, the hydraulics. I look at this forum reasonably often and that svcummins gets so much out of a 3020 that it amazes me. I love the 3020! kelly

 

[SVcummins]

I love that tractor ! Its more comfortable to operate than any agco or fiat product ive ever been on even being 40 years older . Im hoping to pull it in the shop in the next few years and Lower its value some dont really care and never have cared for the original thing that seems to be all the hype right now . Maybe if you had an original paint Waterloo boy or dain after that no

 

[lee little]

Thanks for the replies fellas. Paint doesnt matter that much to me. What I look at is the work it can do for me. I just wanted views from other eyes and you have given that to me. SV have you ever put brakes on a 3020? That is one concern I have. I may pull the trigger on this today. I will let you guys know what happens. Thanks again !

 

[lfnel]

Looks like awful big country to go at it with a 3020!

 

[rrlund]

I don't know Lee. What'll it cost to take that one 3020 with the engine down to the Amish and get it fixed? Might save enough to get the other one gone through when you get the first one back.

 

[lee little]

Those were my thoughts too Randy. The amish boy wont do it. He only wants to work on cummins now, I have had it sitting at another diesel shop since December 22. I am about to pick it up. I checked what used to be the Deere store in Crossville and they told me AT LEAST $5000 to $6000 in labor plus parts. I thought if I got another one I might start on it myself but that would be like a cat eating a grindstone lol. Ive had some health issues, nothing serious I think but it seems to have taken the life out of me. My fear on this one is I might miss something and it would blow all to hades on me and I would have another one down lol. Sometimes I think I would be better off to throw it all down and quit, but thats not me. If I am alive I want to be farming. Sorry I got to rambling.

 

[rrlund]

You're about where I was when I bought my new 4040 and the last manure spreader I bought. Tired of junk, get rid off all of the broken down stuff and buy one good one. LOL

2 3020s, an Oliver 1850 and a Farmall with a 5.9 Cummins might bring you enough to have something newer with a cab with air.

 

[lee little]

True and I have thought about it. What I figure if I got something like that with my luck I would just wind up with something more expensive to fix lol.

 

[SVcummins]

Did brakes on the 4020 years ago the only John Deere we have ever put brakes on and we use the brakes hard . Dump the cheap oil and put hygard in it will pretty much kill the brake squawk

 

[rrlund]

Maybe, but guys our age don't have any business being out there in the heat and the cold without a cab with air. If it wasn't for the whole Oliver collector thing, I think I'd get rid of everything but my FWA loader tractor and buy a new 120 horse Massey with FWA. When I'm fixing tires or buying batteries for a dozen of these things, I get to the point of wondering why I keep them just for somebody else to look at. Everybody could look at them just as well if somebody else owned them.

I was leaving a show with a load Saturday night and another guy in the club who had four tractors and a golf cart there, drove up beside me with a load and said 'Ain't this fun?'. I said 'It sure is. It was a lot more fun when all I had to do was get in the car and go home instead of hauling all this junk home.'. He laughed and said You've got that right.'.

 

[SVcummins]

Between the 4020 and 3020 I covered over 500 acres that year

 

[fdt860]

Have your Amish guy put a Cummins 4BT in your broken 3020.

 

[Roger in Iowa]

Someone was using a 3020 pretty hard to put a turbo on it. I would think twice about owning it!

 

[lee little]

fdt860 I tried but he doesnt want to do swaps anymore. He seems to want to just build engines. I guess that is more money with less effort
but thats his business not mine.

 

[lee little]

You are probably right Randy but I just hate to give in to stealerships.

 

[SVcummins]

Someone on here has a turbo on one at 110 horsepower and ran that way for years

 

[fdt860]

(quoted from post at 20:03:49 07/26/21) Someone on here has a turbo on one at 110 horsepower and ran that way for years

A 110hp 3020 is like a 165hp 4020!

I have seen and owned too many 3020s with broken cranks and blocks to want a turbo on them.

 

[SVcummins]

If you had all those problems with a stock 3020 I would
imagine you could wreck an anvil with a rubber hammer

 

[J.Wondergem]

 

[ss55]

Ah...beg pardon sir, but wasn't there someone on YT a few years ago who ripped the three point hitch off a 3020 pushing snow when his 4020 was already down for repairs for a three point hitch that got broken pulling a trailer? We all wreck something sooner or later.