Buying Advice Ford 4000 - need advice

/ Ford 4000 - need advice #1  

JBandRio

New member
Joined
Oct 26, 2003
Messages
6
Hi all - I posted quite a while ago about a few tractors and you all gave me great information. I need some info on an early 70's JD 4000 that we have the opportunity to purchase. According to the owner, it needs the muffler replaced, a front tire either replace or patched (has a slow leak), a knob missing, and if it sits too long has to have some starter fluid to get it cranked. It comes with a bushhog (don't know if it's 4' or 5'), and has a manual pto, for $5k. My questions are: Is this worth it? Can I put a FEL on it? What about things like a box scraper, or a small plow, or really, I guess what are things I could or could NOT put on it? We have 10+ acres, of which roughly 7 will be horse pasture that needs to be regularly mowed. We'd also like to be able to plow our driveway on the occasion we get that much snow, be able to drag around the inevitable fallen tree (we do get hurricanes), and hmmm, what else - really just basic farm maintenance. Putting a small tiller or plow behind it would be nice, but not a necessity. Oh, the pastures are slightly hilly, not too bad - I probably wouldn't want to mow across the slope, but truly it could probably be done safely. So, tell me all! Thanks!
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #2  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice

It wasn't clear from your message if you have looked at the tractor. If you have, then you know that a 1970's 4000 tractor is a whole different animal from today's 4000 Series tractors. The 4000 model from the early 70's is a descendant of the wildly popular 4020. It is my understanding that this tractor is an economic version of the 4020, containing the lighter duty transmission from a 4010 (not today's 4010 of course). I don't know the exact HP, but would estimate it to be in the 80-90 range. Truthfully, it is more tractor than you need for your acreage, but if it is in good shape it is probably well worth the price. It could take a loader, but finding a loader for it in good shape could be a bit of a challenge.
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #3  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Is this worth it? Can I put a FEL on it? )</font>

My guess is that putting a FEL on it may be a losing proposition. I don't think it has power steering, will the hydraulics hold out? etc etc. I bet you can find something that already has a FEL for hardly any more. And in a horse operation, a small 4WD can be really handy.

Deere's website has a great used equipment locator, and don't forget, the new equipment comes with great terms. I found my old machine costed me more in time and upkeep than what I feel was worth it compared to the payment on my new machine.

But those 4000s are good machines, and that may be a good buy as it is.
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #4  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice

I often use a friends 4020 and 3020 they don't seem much different form the 4000.

That is ALOT of tractor indeed for your situation. Might be tough if you have tight spots.

Seems like a good value for 5K though. If you gett it maybe you can find a 3rd party loader. My friends has an orange New Idea loader.

Here's a picture and some info.
a4749.jpg


Link JD 4000
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #5  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice

The 4000 is a great older tractor. I assume this is diesel. If it's diesel it's worth way more than the $5k. If it was around here and in decent shape I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Those are a nice all-around tractor that you will be able to do everything you mentioned and ALOT more. They all have ps, great hydraulics, and around 96 hp.

You will easily be able to put a loader on it. You can get a brand new one from JD or there are alot of older ones around. The older ones are very common. The 148 JD or Westendorf are the two most popular modes for that tractor. You will have plenty of hydraulics for a loader.

You could easily mow hills and put any implement that you wanted on that tractor. The 96 hp is pto hp and not overall hp. Overall hp you are probably at 130.

Great tractor buy it. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice

Thanks for the great replies - a little more info - I have seen the tractor in use for mowing, as our new neighbor owns it. I didn't ask him about the hydraulics, but will. A friend who knows quite a bit more about tractors than we do is going to take a look at it for us. I'll call some local tractor dealers to see what they say about the FEL, as I think we would REALLY want to be able to do that. I don't mind a bit more tractor than we actually need, and it doesn't sound like this one is a HUGE amount more than necessary. It's interesting hearing responses to the "is it worth it" question - at least one person here (NC) has said "It's probably not really worth $5k, but since so many people want that size tractor they could probably get a lot more for it." /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice - oops

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Well, ok, it was late last night, what can I say - oops, it's a Ford 4000, not a JD. So, does this change what you all said? Can/should someone move this to the appropriate forum? Sheesh... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #8  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice - oops

Does it look like this?

I think NOW, your dealers comments make more sense. There probably are more people looking for a tractor this size as compared to the JD 4000. This 50 HP tartcor probably appeals to more homeowners, horse owners, hobby farmers where as the bigger JD might be better suited to a "true" farmer.

Anyway a quick search on Iron Search shows that $ 5000 is in the range that they are going for check it out IronSearch

7339.jpg


1971 Ford 4000
Here's the specs- about 50 hp
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #9  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice - oops

Hey, are we ALLOWED to have that much <font color="blue">blue</font> in this column?

Looks like a nice machine...
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #10  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice - oops

I am a <font color="green">Deere </font>/ <font color="blue"> Ford </font> man myself!

I really like those Ford tractors, they seem to be real popular with municipalities, for school, roads, etc. I like the big 9000 series ones as well.

You can't get in trouble on this forum for that can you? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice
  • Thread Starter
#11  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice - oops

Yes, like that! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I will check out the Iron Search, thank you!
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #12  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice - oops

Yea it's not near the deal then. That is about half the tractor of a JD 4000.
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #13  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice - oops

or twice the tractor, if it'll get into twice as many places that the Deere won't
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #14  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice - oops

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( or twice the tractor, if it'll get into twice as many places that the Deere won't )</font>

LOL............
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice
  • Thread Starter
#15  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice

A little more info - 787 hours, diesel - to answer some of your questions. It apparently was kept under cover for quite a while, but hasn't been for the last several years. The bushhog it comes with is at least 5', might be 6', but haven't asked or measured.
 
/ Ford 4000 - need advice #16  
Re: JD 4000 - need advice

JBANDRIO

Sounds like a good tractor. I have a Ford . 4000 and love it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gifseems I can put 5 gallons of diesel in it and run it all day. If it has been setting outside besure to check the the oil bowl on the air filter. I let mine set outside for a winter and rain water drained down in the bowl over filling it did not discover it untill I had cranked it and ran it for a while in the spring. After I saw that thought I was lucky it did not suck up the water/oil into the cylinders and damage the motor.

Good luck,

BTW if you purchase the tractor how about posting a few pics.

BigWill
 

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