Author w/ Question about a John Deere, Model 850

[IGotAQuestion]

Hi everyone.

I am an author and in my current book my character, who knows nothing about tractors, needs to move a 1980 John Deere tractor, model 850, out of a barn. Move it about 25 feet. I need to know how one would operate said tractor. I have been told the following. Is it correct? If not, could someone give me the right steps to move the tractor? Thank you.

Steps I've been told:

Insert key. Put differential and gear into neutral and while holding down the clutch press down brake. Then put gear into low gear and release brake and clutch. Roll tractor forward and when you want to stop, push down both clutch and brake, and then put differential and gear into neutral and turn off engine.

 

[Rock knocker]

Insert key, set hand throttle to about 40%, put range into neutral, depress clutch, depress brake, turn key, bring up any implements and attachments, put range into low, put trans into gear, take foot off brake, release clutch, drive, park, drop implements, put transmission into neutral, put range into neutral, pull hand throttle to off, turn key to off, lock clutch to disengaged with vice grip.

Assumes the area is flat enough that all clutches and brakes can be disengaged during storage and implements and attachments can and will safely hold the tractor.

 

[IGotAQuestion]

Thank you, Rock Knocker.

Yes, the area is flat. And there are no attachments.

In regards to the hand throttle, you mentioned setting it at 40%. Is this something that can be set at various percentages? Say 50% or 15%, etc? And how is it set at a percentage? Do you just sort of guess at what you think is the percentage you want or is there percentage marks on the throttle that you go by?

And wow! are there a lot of steps just to move a tractor, or at least a 1980s tractor. Thank you.

 

[Rock knocker]

I think I forgot a couple of steps too. But think of what you need to do to move a car a block.

The hand throttle is a lever. All the way back is zero, all the way forward is 100% throttle. I just guess. Since my tractor is started either on the flat, or with bucket, blade and mower setting on the ground, I can start it with the hand throttle set at about 20% and slightly feather the foot throttle.

If I was your character, I would park your bare tractor with both the trans and range in gear, and set the (crappy nominal ) parking brake. If it was going to stay stationary for a period of time (longer in hot sunny weather, measured in tens of hours in the rain) I would block the tires to prevent movement and lock the clutch pedal down with a vice grip to prevent it rusting to the flywheel from rainwater or condensate. I'd also keep the parking brake off for the same reason.

 

[IGotAQuestion]

Okay. Thanks.

I guess I should give a tad bit of general info into what's happening here in the story. Basically, the character wants to move the old tractor out of the barn to survey the inside of it. Take stock of what to sell, to ditch, to keep, etc. The barn floor is covered with straw. The barn is old, slightly leaning, but not much rot from rain. Decent shape after all these years. The tractor hasn't been used in quite a while. So the previous owner of the tractor probably would have had the tires blocked and the clutch pedal locked down, I'd assume. Just for good measure, maybe? Parking brake off, as well.

 

[whis]

call somebody that knows a little about tractors and get them to move it.

 

[IGotAQuestion]

Thanks, Whis. Yeah, I can easily do that.

 

[IGotAQuestion]

Rock Knocker: You've been a great help. Thanks!

 

[GPintheMitten]

It was a dark and stormy night. I went out to old leaning barn to see what had been stored there for the past 20 years since Granddad past. I found his John Deer 850 tractor. Now to figure out if I could start it and move it out .

I decided I would go to TBN forum
Somebody there would help me. ...

 

[IGotAQuestion]

Not bad. But Grandad didn't past. He passed. Unless he's a time-traveler.