Is John Deere at the numbers game again ?

[Agent Blue]

I have read ( no documentation at this point, maybe wishful thinking ) the deere Company is switching a bunch of model numbers on compacts ( maybe their whole line ) ... basically the same machines with a new numbering system. They just came out with the 1026R, supposedly it will be a 1025 soon. If they standarized a code for horsepower, class, ( compact, utility, orchard, ect ) transmission, a person would not have to do a computer search to find out what it is.
The dealer soon will need a Hollander book for interchange parts as the inventory will undoubtably will get larger due to computer printer part labels.
I hope the information is wrong. I can't keep up with the current information.

[jenkinsph]

John Deeres' numbering system never has made any sense to me, I just have to operate from memory and use tractordata for the ones I am unfamiliar with. Kind of like automobiles and shampoo names, meaningless by design. I back this up with my 110 which is a model shared by excavators, lawnmowers, tlb's and single section pull type disks to mention a few. The 4520 compact tractor isn't similar to the old 4520 either.

[XSKIER]

I think a 1026 is also a walk behind snow blower from the eighties...

[MIKE R]

Even their letter series was odd. D the biggest. G second. A third. B forth. H fifth. No real order behind it.

[yelbike]

I think a 1026 is also a walk behind snow blower from the eighties...

That one made sense: 10 hp 26"wide.

That was one of very few.

[yelbike]

Even their letter series was odd. D the biggest. G second. A third. B forth. H fifth. No real order behind it.

Just to confuse the Kubota guys!!!!

[Verticaltrx]

Honestly I think their new numbering system is the most informative yet. The thousand number is the series (overall size/type), next number is the engine HP, and the letter refers to the 'trim level' or 'option package'.

So a 1026R would be a sub-compact, 26hp, with the high option package. A 3038E would be a compact utility, 38hp, mid-option package. A 5045E would be a utility tractor, 45hp, with the mid-option package. A 6115D would be a large utility tractor, 115hp, with the very base option package and so on.

Two things that do bother me though, first, they don't advertise tractors by PTO hp anymore. Engine hp is a useless figure to a farmer, I want to know PTO hp and even drawbar hp. Second, they are reusing model numbers on tractors. I understand with the wide variety of tractors and equipment they have made over the years model numbers may have to be used more than once. They should at least limit it to using them on different types of equipment. The 4520 and 2520 bother me on this.

[XSKIER]

Just to confuse the kubota guys!!!!

I don't think Kubota came along until twenty years after those letter tractors were produced. I'm a deere guy, and now I'm confused

[Agent Blue]

Does this mean the 1026R that will become the new 1025 loses 1 horsepower and the R whatever that stood for ?
Does the E stand for economy, no frills ? What designates the hydro from gear / power reverser ?
TRX.... if you understand the NEW format would you post a score card ? I believe changes a coming !

[Verticaltrx]

Does this mean the 1026R that will become the new 1025 loses 1 horsepower and the R whatever that stood for ?
Does the E stand for economy, no frills ? What designates the hydro from gear / power reverser ?
TRX.... if you understand the NEW format would you post a score card ? I believe changes a coming !

I've never dealt with the sub-compacts, so I'm not sure what they are doing there. As for the rest of the line, as far as I know they are moving towards the series + hp + letter designation. They haven't done this with a number of the compact tractors yet (2000, 3000, 4000 series) but I'm guessing the will when they go through the next redesign.

This explains it a little better:

John deere Announces New Equipment Name and Numbering System
(8/7/2008)

John Deere announced that it is transitioning to a new name and number system for its full line of tractors with the introduction of the new 5D, 5E, 5M, and 6D Series Tractors.

“The updated name and numbering system is unique to John Deere and allows for a more consistent approach to naming our equipment around the world,” said Steve Robisky, John Deere marketing administration manager. “This new system allows customers to more quickly and easily identify the engine horsepower of a tractor, its capability, and its size by looking at the hood decal,” Robisky adds.

Each new tractor model number has six available positions. The first position is a number and represents its size. The second, third, and fourth positions are numbers and denote its relative metric engine horsepower according to 97/68/EC Standards. The fifth position is a letter and indicates its capability and/or price level within its family.

“Letters at the beginning of the alphabet indicate a tractor model has lower levels of capabilities when compared to other models in its family. Letters higher in the alphabet specify a tractor has more advanced capabilities. Some tractors will also have a sixth position to designate a specific configuration such as a high-crop or narrow-profile tractor or to show that it has tracks,” Robisky says.

Consider the new John Deere 5045D, 5065E, and 5065M Tractors. The 5065E is a 65-engine horsepower tractor. When compared to other models in the 5 family of tractors, the 5065E has fewer capabilities while a 5065M has greater capabilities.

“Our dealers will refer to them as the Five D Series, Five E Series, and 5M Series of tractors. Within the series, they’ll refer to a specific model as a Five zero-sixty-five E Tractor. Larger models, such as the new 6115D, would be referred to as a Six one-hundred-fifteen D,” Robisky says.
This new system does away with the word thousand in the series title. The name and numbering switch will not be immediate for all John Deere tractors. Instead it will be phased in over time when new product families are introduced.