John deere 2950

[JD630]

Im thinking of buying a used John deere 2950 with MFWD with a loader. Has any one had any problems with these tractors or what to look for? thanks.

 

[Tx Jim]

I'd suggest to check hyd operations when tractor has obtained operating temp(190-200 degrees). Also check clutch pedal free travel as this model has a "dry clutch". Does this tractor have a cab?

 

[oldtimer 66]

A relative has one and a farmer up the road has one. I had done a little work on each. The neighbors 2950 I put in a new radiator and did a head gasket few years ago. This tractor was a full time farm tractor until recently. I would need to get the hrs. on it. It actually works good. Right now the front drive shaft into the front differential is getting loose. The pinion bearing needs to be shimmed/ adjusted and or replaced and from what I gathered from the JD site the front differential needs to come out to do this. I will let this get a little worst before tackling it. The other 29/ 2940 is a different story. The relative quit farming maybe 15/20 years ago. The tractor sat a lot but when it is used it is in the woods. A little hard on it. Now last year a local tractor dealer fixed brakes/ split the tractor apart from what I was told. The cost was $7500.This had to do with the steering gone bad. The relative had the steering control rebuilt 2 times, a couple hundred dollars each time. I think he also had one of the steering cylinders repaired for about $800. The reason the steering when out is because the brake shoes disintegrated / contaminated the hydraulic fluid and that is what the local tractor dealer repaired. Now shortly after he got the tractor back from the dealer I had to change the hydraulic fluid, it was milky, and supposedly the rubber boots on shift linkage were replaced. I looked at them but I could not tell and but they seemed to be OK. A couple of months later I had to replace the hydraulic fluid again. Milky again. Now on the front end I had to replace one u joint on the right side and fix the wheel bearing on the left side. The left side wheel bearing loosened off. The locking nut ran around with the wheel. Luck I caught that early. That could have been expensive. The front differential was way low on oil because the seals are gone on both sides. I replaced them but the seal diameters did not clean up very well, still pitted. Won't last long. Put in a new solenoid to disengage the 4 wheel drive/ $ 300 approx. Did not work, still engaged. That maybe another major fix but would be later. None of this work is hard, it is just having the time and a place to do it. I will attach a couple of pics of some of the work. Maybe this will give you some hints as to what to look for in the tractor you are considering buying. Later pics

 

[oldtimer 66]

Here are some pics of the repair. I did not take any pics of the head gasket repair other than some pics just so I got it back together correctly. O well. Later

 

[oldtimer 66]

I forgot my brother-in-law has a 2 wheel drive 2950 and so does the other neighbor but it is a 4 wheel drive. I do not remember doing hardly any thing to the brother-in-laws. tractor. Maybe a starter/ water pump can't remember. What my brother-in law says and he still farms, is that the 29 series tractor is probably the best all around tractor that JD ever made. He also has a 2 wheel JD 5300 and a 4 wheel JD 7210. That's it. Later.

 

[JD630]

Thank you for your responses. The tractor doesn't have a cab, and the loader is a farmhand. I dont know what the model number is for the loader.

 

[Tul01]

Around here they were very commonly used/abused in the feedlots. My one uncle had an open station and it was fantastic especially considering the abuse. The ones that were coming out of the feedlot slop at 8-10k hours were pretty worn out and most people say to stay away unless you are handy and have a place/friend to work on them, mostly simple enough to work on though.

Brent