One key fits all?

[BillyP]

Someone told me one time that JD tractor keys are all the same. Well today I found out that some, for sure, are. The lady that cuts my hay just bought a brand new JD 6320. She had it here on the place so I took the key to my 4610 to see if it would work in hers. Sure enough, it unlocked the door and started it right up.

This isn't good thinking on JD's part. Are other brands like this also?

 

[yellowsocks93]

I'm not sure about other brands but it sure make makes live easier at the JD dealership. If a customers tractor is in for cleaning or getting one off the lot to clean I can go grab which style key depending on year. Your 4610 key is the new style JD key. The previous 4000 series uses the old style key that will work in combines and most all tractors back to the 80's. Kind of neat but I don't think JD stores have to worry about someone stealing a combine it would be too ovbious and they would not know how to run it anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Did ya go for a test drive? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Hambone]

John Deere construction equipment is the same way. Cat, Komatsu the same. The keys are to keep the kids on location from trying to drive them at night.
Theft is minimal, hard to really steal a dozer, but it does happen. Construction equipment also comes with locking fuel caps, trans dipsicks, and engine compartments to deter vandalism.

 

[TimSullivan]

I found this out when I bought my 4300 two years ago. My new tractor was stored at the construction site of our new home. I disabled the tractor everytime I left it.

Our area had a pair of guys that were going around stealing Deeres from dealers, yards and homes. When they were arrested they had a storage building full of John Deere units. They would just pull up a truck with a trailer and take THE KEY and load the unit up. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[755inNY]

I think you will find this common practice across all manufacturer's. The key on my 1987 JD 755 fits my neighbors 655 of about the same year. Think of the key as a safety device more than an anti-theft device. It is more like the plastic "key" in the switch of most shop power tools (table saw, drill press, etc). It is meant more to prevent unauthorized use (kids) than it is to prevent theft.

Jeff

 

[CountryBoy]

If I am not mistaken my John Deere tractor key fit in a JD 750 dozer I had at my place for about a week, the dozer owner/operator was grumbling about all the JD keys being interchangable.

 

[gordon]

Yes it's pretty much across the board on the one key fits all. My equipment key ring will start just about anything. From bobcat to jcb. I've got about twenty keys on that ring. If anyone is interested I could snap a pic of the ring.

Gordon

 

[CountryBoy]

You have me thinking now,I wonder if my JD key will fit a Clark fork truck where I work? Not that I would ever need to use my JD key because keys at work are always left in the equipment at the plant.

 

[BillyP]

Well guys, I guess one way to look at this is if you lose your key, it should be cheap to replace /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ScottAR]

Yup... I wanted some extras for the 1050 so I picked some up at the dealer. $2-$3 for a pack of 3.

 

[longway5]

Not everything from JD is the same. Working at a golf course we have a wide selection of JD equipment, and I would say there are three key types for us. Some mowers use a short key with a stamped deer (I believe like the construction equipment, but not sure), some use a longer key, sometimes with a plastic handle (the ProGators, fairway mowers, and bunker rake), and the 1050 tractor uses a long key, also stamped with a deer. It in the case of the 1050 though, just about any key will work. I've started it up with my house key. Could be our tractor though, it is well used.

 

[rmonio]

I can't speak for other brands, but when I bought my 4600 I asked the dealer about getting a spare key or two (in case I lost one). He said not to worry as all the keys are interchangeable so if I lost it, they'd have another for me.

Either way, I have a large SpongeBob Squarepants on the keychain so if it does fall off I won't lose it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Bob

 

[cowboydoc]

It's really the same with most any key system. There are only a limited # of keys that work on most things. Most padlocks only have 10-20 different keys for all the padlocks. I was shocked when I went to a locksmith to get a key for my trailer lock. The locksmith brought out 10 keys and the second one worked. I asked how he knew which one and he said there are only 10 keys for that brand of locks! Vehicles are the same way. There are only a limited # of keys for them too. As we all know all a key or a lock does is keep an honest person honest. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[jimg]

One more data point...while pricing a 6230 I found an option which appears to provide unique keys for *your* tractor:
AL71345 -- Door Locks - Custom Key
Includes: Lockable Door Handles (2), Key is different than that used to start Tractor. Compatible with 6020 and 6030 Series.

I suppose once you get to a certain price/trim level things like this become an option. I know neither the 6015 or 5025 series had it.

 

[DieselPower]

It's really the same with most any key system. There are only a limited # of keys that work on most things. Most padlocks only have 10-20 different keys for all the padlocks. I was shocked when I went to a locksmith to get a key for my trailer lock. The locksmith brought out 10 keys and the second one worked. I asked how he knew which one and he said there are only 10 keys for that brand of locks! Vehicles are the same way. There are only a limited # of keys for them too. As we all know all a key or a lock does is keep an honest person honest. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Well, not really. That must have been a very cheap padlock, no offense.

I do locksmithing on the side (among other thing's) and can tell you that most padlock's have thousands of tumbler possibilities. Even a normal cheap padlock has 5 tumblers with each tumbler having 6-7 different cut depth possibilities. The more tumblers the greater the total number of possibilities.

 

[em14]

A few days ago my new 6420 arrived at the dealer and on that Sat. I went to look at. The salesman was not in so the small Sat. staff wasn't sure where keys were so the parts guy went to his 6400's key bin and got a key to let me open the cab and start the engine. He told me that all JD's within the same series have the same key!
Leo

 

[Engine_Tech]

That is pretty common in the industry. JD has only used six or seven different keys in 165+ years of existence, with most of the "new" keys coming in the last 10 years.

 

[Rob-D]

Great!

I've been taking my key out thinking it would make my new tractor safe. Well that silly little chore is over. On the other hand I always wanted to drive one of those dozers sitting on the side of the roads around here.......

 

[Robert_in_NY]

The keys are the same so people with multiple tractors don't have to fumble around looking for the "right" key. My 1920 uses a different key but my 7710, 4500 TLB and TN use the same key. If the tractors are in the barn I leave the key in but if they are in the field on a piece of property we don't own or on a job site we pull the key. And if I mis place a key I have spares.

I would be frustrated if each tractor had a different key. I wish my trucks all had the same key (as an option so all the keys would be unique to me still) as it sucks having three identical looking keys. The only way I know which key is which is to memorize what one goes where according to where it is located on the key ring. Always spend a few seconds finding the "right" key to start one of the trucks.

 

[B8FISH]

Yep--every time I've traded in, I've kept one of the keys so that I now have a bunch of extras. I leave in the pockets of my work coats etc., so that when I decide to hop on I don't have to go looking for a key!