John Deere 2030 Reviews
John Deere 2030 Gas
Model Year: 1973
My grandpa bought this new in 1973 for $4,600 with a 48-inch loader and traded an older and smaller tractor. I still use every day. It was rebuild 4,400 hours ago, as it was getting a little tired with that many hour on is old gas engine. This is the best tractor ever made as far as I'm concerned.
Pros: Build to last
Cons: Small hydronic problem
Model Year: 1973
My grandpa bought this new in 1973 for $4,600 with a 48-inch loader and traded an older and smaller tractor. I still use every day. It was rebuild 4,400 hours ago, as it was getting a little tired with that many hour on is old gas engine. This is the best tractor ever made as far as I'm concerned.
Pros: Build to last
Cons: Small hydronic problem
What is Year Model
Model Year: 1970
My 2030 John Deere was manufactured in Germany prior to USA manufacturing any 2030's. I am not for sure what the year of manufacture is. The serial # is 112821 L , type 2030, code 2030 A. It has 68 horsepower. If anyone can tell me what year it is and also where you got the information I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks, Howard
Pros: I love the tractor even if I don't know the year model.
Cons: Haven't been able to find out what the year model is.
Model Year: 1970
My 2030 John Deere was manufactured in Germany prior to USA manufacturing any 2030's. I am not for sure what the year of manufacture is. The serial # is 112821 L , type 2030, code 2030 A. It has 68 horsepower. If anyone can tell me what year it is and also where you got the information I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks, Howard
Pros: I love the tractor even if I don't know the year model.
Cons: Haven't been able to find out what the year model is.
2030: Solid, Traditional & Strong
Model Year: 1974
I bought the JD 2030 used (with JD 143 loader) for brushhog use, driveway maintenance and general land use. The FEL was a great help in moving large quantities of earth around my new homesite, building gardens, moving residue from pond construction and the like. Also used to drag downed trees, help with fence construction and land clearing. It's a 2 wheel drive tractor that, with loaded rear tires, has good traction. It was also used to plow snow (FEL only) off 1-mile driveway. Did that well up to 18 inches, as long as no ice. The tractor has 2 batteries and a plug-in heater and I was always able to get started in cold weather. My 2030 has the down-under exhaust which is great for use, but not so hot while you change implements - exhaust in the face. Getting on requires a really high step up - which is one of the reasons I'm now trading it in for a JD 3038E. As I approach 70, it is just too hard to mount. Also the control pedals are too hard for my wife to use. A compact tractor will do most of what we want without those difficulties. But the 2030 is a great, traditional and dependable old JD.
Pros: Dependable, strong, versatile.
Cons: High step to mount, 2WD, no ROPS.
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Model Year: 1974
I bought the JD 2030 used (with JD 143 loader) for brushhog use, driveway maintenance and general land use. The FEL was a great help in moving large quantities of earth around my new homesite, building gardens, moving residue from pond construction and the like. Also used to drag downed trees, help with fence construction and land clearing. It's a 2 wheel drive tractor that, with loaded rear tires, has good traction. It was also used to plow snow (FEL only) off 1-mile driveway. Did that well up to 18 inches, as long as no ice. The tractor has 2 batteries and a plug-in heater and I was always able to get started in cold weather. My 2030 has the down-under exhaust which is great for use, but not so hot while you change implements - exhaust in the face. Getting on requires a really high step up - which is one of the reasons I'm now trading it in for a JD 3038E. As I approach 70, it is just too hard to mount. Also the control pedals are too hard for my wife to use. A compact tractor will do most of what we want without those difficulties. But the 2030 is a great, traditional and dependable old JD.
Pros: Dependable, strong, versatile.
Cons: High step to mount, 2WD, no ROPS.
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Great Tractor - But Must Say Goodbye
Model Year: 1974
I bought a JD 2030 when I retired to a family farm in 2011 for road maintenance, bush hogging, and general land use. It has been an excellent investment. Shed kept before and after I bought it, it looks good. The JD loader has moved countless tons of dirt and rock - and pushed snow off my mile-long gravel driveway. Other than routine stuff, the only repair has been replacement of a water pump - which a neighboring farmer did for me cheap. I have to part with it simply because it is hard for an older guy to get on it. I bought a lower step, but you have to jury-rig the thing because I have a low exhaust. And the pedals are too hard for my wife - with artificial joints to work. That means I have to get off and on a lot to drag small trees and brush, or do anything else. I'm about to trade it in on a JD 3038E because I believe it will do all I want for a low cost - and is a lot easier to get on. The 2030 is a workhorse and does well under all conditions with loaded tires. It goes and goes. I have the dual battery and a pre-heater installed, so cold weather has not been a problem. Great classic farm and utility tractor.
Pros: Solid, low maintenance, dependable, powerful.
Cons: Difficult to mount.
Model Year: 1974
I bought a JD 2030 when I retired to a family farm in 2011 for road maintenance, bush hogging, and general land use. It has been an excellent investment. Shed kept before and after I bought it, it looks good. The JD loader has moved countless tons of dirt and rock - and pushed snow off my mile-long gravel driveway. Other than routine stuff, the only repair has been replacement of a water pump - which a neighboring farmer did for me cheap. I have to part with it simply because it is hard for an older guy to get on it. I bought a lower step, but you have to jury-rig the thing because I have a low exhaust. And the pedals are too hard for my wife - with artificial joints to work. That means I have to get off and on a lot to drag small trees and brush, or do anything else. I'm about to trade it in on a JD 3038E because I believe it will do all I want for a low cost - and is a lot easier to get on. The 2030 is a workhorse and does well under all conditions with loaded tires. It goes and goes. I have the dual battery and a pre-heater installed, so cold weather has not been a problem. Great classic farm and utility tractor.
Pros: Solid, low maintenance, dependable, powerful.
Cons: Difficult to mount.
John Deere 2030 with Many Hours
Model Year: 1973
When retired upgraded tractor from a 1953 Ferguson TO30 rated at 28HP to a 1973 John Deere 2030 rated at 60 HP. Did due to purchasing a small farm and would have heavy chores to do. Ferguson did not have a live lift and John Deere does. That was one of biggest pluses. Use for heavy duty bush hogging, digging post holes and tilling large garden. Have loader which was used much when building barn and house. It a gas model (one of last gas farm tractors built by John Deere) and had problems early on getting to run at idle smoothly. Purchased a new carburetor and converted to electronic ignition and that solved the problem.
Pros: Great tractor for small farm.
Cons: Has the cheaper base line transmission and PTO. Wish had the top of the line trans and PTO.
Model Year: 1973
When retired upgraded tractor from a 1953 Ferguson TO30 rated at 28HP to a 1973 John Deere 2030 rated at 60 HP. Did due to purchasing a small farm and would have heavy chores to do. Ferguson did not have a live lift and John Deere does. That was one of biggest pluses. Use for heavy duty bush hogging, digging post holes and tilling large garden. Have loader which was used much when building barn and house. It a gas model (one of last gas farm tractors built by John Deere) and had problems early on getting to run at idle smoothly. Purchased a new carburetor and converted to electronic ignition and that solved the problem.
Pros: Great tractor for small farm.
Cons: Has the cheaper base line transmission and PTO. Wish had the top of the line trans and PTO.
1975 John Deere 2030
Model Year: 1975
I have a few problems but only once in awhile. Hope to get them fixed in the near future. I had a front loader mounted on it and use it to move logs, scrap metal, palleted goods, dirt, stones, firewood, and even furniture into the loft as well of our garage. As to real production, I use it to produce grass hay for my horse customers.
Pros: Perfect size for 30 acres and nice height off the ground.
Cons: It isn't solar powered.
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Model Year: 1975
I have a few problems but only once in awhile. Hope to get them fixed in the near future. I had a front loader mounted on it and use it to move logs, scrap metal, palleted goods, dirt, stones, firewood, and even furniture into the loft as well of our garage. As to real production, I use it to produce grass hay for my horse customers.
Pros: Perfect size for 30 acres and nice height off the ground.
Cons: It isn't solar powered.
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Looks a little light but it's a tough tractor
Model Year: 1987
We bought this used tractor for heavy duty bush hogging, farm road maintenance, and game plot planting and maintenance. The dealer gave us a 30 day "Bumper to Bumper" warranty, which was good because we had to take it back for brake and clutch problems and hydraulic leaks. The dealer repaired everything promptly and properly. We bought a 7ft heavy duty bushhog, a box blade, heavy duty 7ft mounted disk, 350lb spreader, post hole auger, boom bar, and a used IH 314 plow, and it handles them all very well. One of the first things we did with this tractor was put in six food plots for deer. The land was old overgrown fields with trees up to around 4" in diameter. We found that if the tractor could shove it down and ride over it, the Dale Phillips Do-Bob bush hog would chop it up, if we gave it a little time. Of course we kept the blades good and sharp. When we went to plow those plots for the first time, dragging all the stumps and roots up out of the ground, we found that we needed to load the rear tires, but we had expected that. Once we did that, the tractor pulled fantastically - much better than we had expected. Of course, we had to stop often to clean all the roots and stumps out of the plow. Nevertheless we were able to break that new ground 4" to 6" the first pass. Very surprising. We have to maintain a lot of empty lots in town that have to be mowed at least once a year. We have bushhogged MANY overgrown weed fields and lots that had weeds so high that I had to stand up out of the seat to see over them in places. As long as we kept the RPM's up it would usually rip right through them in 2nd or 3rd gear, low range, and normal height weeds and Johnson grass in 4th gear, low range. This tractor and bushhog rips through tough weeds and brush much, much better than the IH 444 that we replaced. Our tractor has the "bug-eye" headlights that are mounted in pods on either side of the front of the hood. We've ripped them off a few times in heavy brush. Putting a bumper/brush guard on it solved that problem. After the stock Bosch alternator quit working the second time, we replaced it with a Delco and haven't had a problem with it since then. We've replaced the tachometer/hour meter twice since we've owned this tractor, but the one that's in it now has lasted for eight or nine years. And we've had to work on the electrical system a few times, especially behind the dash. Just this year we've replaced the clutch and brakes for the first time. It amazed me that they lasted that long, since my brother is a habitual clutch and brake pedal rider and we used to have to replace them in the IH 444 at least once every other year or less. And the clutch on the 2030 is very smooth and easy to control. This tractor is very easy on fuel - much better than a JD 3020 we had for a while. The draft control works very well. We have had zero problems with hydraulic, oil or fuel leaks. It will usually always start right up in cold weather if you give the glow plugs adequate time to heat. We have been very satisfied with this tractor.
Pros: Very heavy duty, reliable, great engine, & excellent hydraulics.
Cons: The electrical system isn't as reliable as it could be.
Model Year: 1987
We bought this used tractor for heavy duty bush hogging, farm road maintenance, and game plot planting and maintenance. The dealer gave us a 30 day "Bumper to Bumper" warranty, which was good because we had to take it back for brake and clutch problems and hydraulic leaks. The dealer repaired everything promptly and properly. We bought a 7ft heavy duty bushhog, a box blade, heavy duty 7ft mounted disk, 350lb spreader, post hole auger, boom bar, and a used IH 314 plow, and it handles them all very well. One of the first things we did with this tractor was put in six food plots for deer. The land was old overgrown fields with trees up to around 4" in diameter. We found that if the tractor could shove it down and ride over it, the Dale Phillips Do-Bob bush hog would chop it up, if we gave it a little time. Of course we kept the blades good and sharp. When we went to plow those plots for the first time, dragging all the stumps and roots up out of the ground, we found that we needed to load the rear tires, but we had expected that. Once we did that, the tractor pulled fantastically - much better than we had expected. Of course, we had to stop often to clean all the roots and stumps out of the plow. Nevertheless we were able to break that new ground 4" to 6" the first pass. Very surprising. We have to maintain a lot of empty lots in town that have to be mowed at least once a year. We have bushhogged MANY overgrown weed fields and lots that had weeds so high that I had to stand up out of the seat to see over them in places. As long as we kept the RPM's up it would usually rip right through them in 2nd or 3rd gear, low range, and normal height weeds and Johnson grass in 4th gear, low range. This tractor and bushhog rips through tough weeds and brush much, much better than the IH 444 that we replaced. Our tractor has the "bug-eye" headlights that are mounted in pods on either side of the front of the hood. We've ripped them off a few times in heavy brush. Putting a bumper/brush guard on it solved that problem. After the stock Bosch alternator quit working the second time, we replaced it with a Delco and haven't had a problem with it since then. We've replaced the tachometer/hour meter twice since we've owned this tractor, but the one that's in it now has lasted for eight or nine years. And we've had to work on the electrical system a few times, especially behind the dash. Just this year we've replaced the clutch and brakes for the first time. It amazed me that they lasted that long, since my brother is a habitual clutch and brake pedal rider and we used to have to replace them in the IH 444 at least once every other year or less. And the clutch on the 2030 is very smooth and easy to control. This tractor is very easy on fuel - much better than a JD 3020 we had for a while. The draft control works very well. We have had zero problems with hydraulic, oil or fuel leaks. It will usually always start right up in cold weather if you give the glow plugs adequate time to heat. We have been very satisfied with this tractor.
Pros: Very heavy duty, reliable, great engine, & excellent hydraulics.
Cons: The electrical system isn't as reliable as it could be.
John Deere 2030 Diesel Mannhiem
Model Year: 1974
Purchased tractor from used tractor dealer for purpose of heavy duty brush hogging. I has lots of power and great traction with loaded tires. I replaced the worn rear tires with standard ag tires, but due to punctures replaced them with steel belted Primex Log Stompers ($750 each). That solved that problem. Front tires were then replaced with used 18 ply aircraft tires with tire sealant inside. That solved the problem of those going flat. We've rebuilt the engine, fixed oil cooler, fuel tank leaks, brakes,etc. It ended up costing me as much money as buying a new tractor - Oh well, live and learn! It is a "tank" and does the job!
Pros: Lots of Power and Great Traction
Cons: Nothing other than age related problems
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Model Year: 1974
Purchased tractor from used tractor dealer for purpose of heavy duty brush hogging. I has lots of power and great traction with loaded tires. I replaced the worn rear tires with standard ag tires, but due to punctures replaced them with steel belted Primex Log Stompers ($750 each). That solved that problem. Front tires were then replaced with used 18 ply aircraft tires with tire sealant inside. That solved the problem of those going flat. We've rebuilt the engine, fixed oil cooler, fuel tank leaks, brakes,etc. It ended up costing me as much money as buying a new tractor - Oh well, live and learn! It is a "tank" and does the job!
Pros: Lots of Power and Great Traction
Cons: Nothing other than age related problems
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