Still looking for a tractor. What do you guys think of this JD 2350?

[FreeWulf]

I had a thread a while back looking for a tractor that we may move to Alaska with.
This thing really ticks a lot of my boxes.

Any thoughts based on the pictures? It's at an upcoming auction. I got the keys and was able to move it around the yard a little.

Fires right up, runs really smooth. No bubbles in the coolant. Oil levels are all good.

Hydraulics, 3 point, PTO all seem to work as they should. 4WD works as well as I can test by raising the front end off the ground and moving forward a little. One set of rear remotes, but of course I couldn't test them.

Steering seems tight. Brakes feel good and work well. Clutch feels good and works well. All the gears seem to work well. Granted I was only able to move a few feet forward and back.

7100 hours showing. I'm not going to be working it super hard, just mowing 10 acres or so, plus probably snow removal and loading and unloading the occasional equipment.

Alternatively there's a David Brown 990 with a loader, 2WD that looks like it will go much cheaper. The auction on it ends on Friday. If I can't get the JD, I'll go look at the David Brown.

 

[herm0016]

what's your budget?

 

[rScotty]

Looks like a good deal for a mechanically inclined person who doesn't need it to be fully dependable and who enjoys working on tractors. It's been beat, so I'd bet there will be some repair work needed for the next couple of years. I'm assuming that you have money set aside for repairs, a good set of tools, can get shop manuals, and are at least somewhat familiar with diesels, electrics, and closed center hydraulics.

Auctions are a huge gamble, but with some work it could be a nice one. The size, make, and model is certainly what you'd hope for. And 4WD! It's from the era when JD tractors were made to be rebuilt indefinitely, and JD parts are more available than most.
Frankly it's the kind and size of tractor I might go for if I didn't have any tractor, was young enough to have more time than money, and felt like I needed a tractor to get things done. Of course I enjoy mechanical work, and there is a lot of JD support to add to the fun.

I would also not be surprised to find that it definitely has at least one problem and maybe several problems - all of which are obvious enough that they would show up pretty quickly in a longer test run. Otherwise the owner would have sold it himself, instead of at auction. You should make sure that it starts immediately and easily from cold. That's a good general test for any old diesel.

The wide front with PS, and matching 148 FEL is a definite plus, and is probably worth from half to 75% of what that tractor is going to go for. That three point hitch is also the good one, and is a real bonus. Notice that it has telescoping arms. I'm guessing somewhere in 3000 to 6500 $$ range is what I'd expect this tractor to go for at auction.

Cleaned up and running nicely from a private party it would be worth twice that much or more. But it would have to look real good & run nicely to offset that many hours. BTW, by "running nicely" I mean that it would be running well enough that a the seller would feel comfortable letting a prospective customer work it for an hour or so.

I don't know anything about David Brown tractors.
Good luck,
rScotty

 

[jeff9366]

John Deere 2350​

1983 - 1986 2050 Series Utility tractor

Series:	2150 ←	2350	→ 2550
		2355 ↓

Production
Manufacturer:	John Deere
Type:	Utility tractor
Factory:	Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Original price:	$20,000 (1986 )

John Deere 2350 Power
PTO (claimed):	55 hp 41.0 kW
Drawbar (tested):	46.66 hp 34.8 kW
PTO (tested):	56.18 hp 41.9 kW
power test details ...

John Deere 2350 Engine
John Deere 3.9L 4-cyl diesel
Fuel tank:	24 gal 90.8 L
Engine details ...

Mechanical
Chassis:	4x2 2WD
	4x4 MFWD 4WD (optional)
Differential lock:	rear standard
Steering:	hydrostatic power
Brakes:	differential hydraulic wet disc
Cab:	Two-post ROPS. Canopy available. Sound-Gard cab optional with available heat and air-conditioning.
Transmissions:	8-speed partially synchronized
	16-speed partial power shift
	8-speed power shuttle
Transmission details ...

Photos

John Deere 2350 photos...

Hydraulics
Type:	closed center
Rear valves:	1 or 2
Pump flow:	13 gpm 49.2 lpm

Tractor hitch
Rear Type:	II/I
Control:	load and depth control
Rear lift:	2,735 lbs 1240 kg

Power Take-off (PTO)
Rear PTO:	independent
	live (with reverser)
Rear RPM:	540
Engine RPM:	540@2382

Dimensions & Tires
2WD Wheelbase:	89.2 inches 226 cm
4WD Wheelbase:	90 inches 228 cm
Weight:	6810 to 8220 pounds
Front tire:	7.50-16
Rear tire:	16.9-30 (2WD)
Full dimensions and tires ...

John Deere 2350 attachments

front-end loader

2350 Serial Numbers
Location:	Right side of main tractor frame, above front axle.
photo of 2350 serial number

Electrical
Ground:	negative
Charging system:	alternator
Charging amps:	55
Batteries:	1 (ROPS)
	2 (cab)
Battery volts:	12

Page information
Last update:	March 16, 2017
Copyright:	Copyright 2021 TractorData LLC
Contact:	Peter@TractorData.com

 

[jeff9366]

John Deere 2350 Attachments​

1983 - 1986 2050 Series Utility tractor

Series:	2150 ←	2350	→ 2550
		2355 ↓

John Deere 146 Loader
For use on two-wheel drive tractors.
Loader weight:	1250 lbs 567 kg
Height (to pin):	119 inches 302 cm
Clearance, dumped bucket:	93 inches 236 cm
Dump reach:	40 inches 101 cm
Dump angle:	40°
Clearance, level bucket:	112 inches 284 cm
Rollback angle:	16°
Breakout force (lift):	3404 lbs 1544 kg
Lift to full height (at pin):	2282 lbs 1035 kg
Bucket width:	60 inches 152 cm
	72 inches 182 cm
	84 inches 213 cm

John Deere 175 Loader
Loader weight:	995 lbs 451 kg
Height (to pin):	124 inches 314 cm
Clearance, dumped bucket:	104 inches 264 cm
Dump reach:	36 inches 91 cm
Dump angle:	38°
Clearance, level bucket:	118 inches 299 cm
Rollback angle:	14°
Breakout force (lift):	2681 lbs 1216 kg
Lift to full height (at pin):	2015 lbs 914 kg
Bucket width:	61 inches 154 cm
	73 inches 185 cm

John Deere 240 Loader
For use on two-wheel drive tractors.
Loader weight:	1520 lbs 689 kg
Clearance, dumped bucket:	100 inches 254 cm
Dump reach:	31 inches 78 cm
Dump angle:	43°
Clearance, level bucket:	120 inches 304 cm
Rollback angle:	45°
Breakout force (at pin):	3990 lbs 1809 kg
Lift to full height (at pin):	2498 lbs 1133 kg
Bucket width:	61 inches 154 cm
	73 inches 185 cm
	85 inches 215 cm

John Deere 245 Loader
Loader weight:	1544 lbs 700 kg
Height (to pin):	138 inches 350 cm
Clearance, dumped bucket:	112 inches 284 cm
Dump reach:	37 inches 93 cm
Dump angle:	42°
Clearance, level bucket:	132 inches 335 cm
Rollback angle:	39°
Breakout force (lift):	3546 lbs 1608 kg
Lift to full height (at pin):	2339 lbs 1060 kg
Bucket width:	61 inches 154 cm
	73 inches 185 cm
	85 inches 215 cm

Page information
Last update:	March 16, 2017
Copyright:	Copyright 2021 TractorData
Contact:	Peter@TractorData.com

 

[jeff9366]

Alternatively there's a David Brown 990 with a loader, 2WD that looks like it will go much cheaper. The auction on it ends on Friday. If I can't get the JD, I'll go look at the David Brown.

David Brown is an English tractor. I speculate obtaining parts in Alaska would be impossible.

Deere is better than most with parts. I expect that parts for the German built, 35+ year old Deere 2350 will be reasonably available from Waterloo, Iowa but VERY EXPENSIVE. Parts might take 3-4 weeks to reach Alaska.

Outside stored tractors sometimes have wiring gnawed by rodents.

JD 2350 in T-B-N ARCHIVE (three pages)

John Deere 2350 site:tractorbynet.com

 

[DieselBound]

As Jeff notes above, I'd be giving a lot of thoughts about parts availability: and going forward our supply chains are only likely to get worse. Find out what's in use up in that area: think "spare, used parts." Perhaps also see what the Canadians just south might have available.

Figure that with something older you're going to also have to ensure you're stocked up with TOOLS. Good luck on trying to anticipate on this. Seems that no matter how many tools one has the one that one seems to need at a given moment is one that one doesn't have! Might come down to ensuring there's a good shop around (no matter what direction you're going to have to shell out some money when the inevitable happens).

 

[FreeWulf]

Thanks for the replies.

Here in the PNW tractors are really expensive. I'm expecting that tractor to go for around $11,000, up to 13,000.

The david brown is a 990, which was the same as the CASE 990. Supposedly you can get parts for them through case. It should go for quite a bit cheaper.

 

[jeff9366]

David Brown 990 Implematic​

NO LOADER IS SHOWN AS AVAILABLE FOR THIS TRACTOR.

1961 - 1980 Model year 1961-19651965-19701971-1980 Utility tractor

Production
Manufacturer:	David Brown
Type:	Utility tractor
Factory:	Meltham Mills, Huddersfield, England

David Brown 990 Power
Engine:	52 hp 38.8 kW
Drawbar (claimed):	43 hp 32.1 kW
PTO (claimed):	48 hp 35.8 kW
Drawbar (tested):	43.47 hp 32.4 kW
PTO (tested):	51.60 hp 38.5 kW
power test details ...

David Brown 990 Engine
David Brown 3.0L 4-cyl diesel
Fuel tank:	13.74 gal 52.0 L
Engine details ...

Mechanical
Chassis:	4x2 2WD
Differential lock:	mechanical rear
Steering:	manual
	hydrostatic power (optional)
Brakes:	differential mechanical expanding shoe
Cab:	Open operator station.
Transmissions:	6-speed gear
	12-speed partially synchronized
Transmission details ...

Photos

David Brown 990 photos...

Hydraulics
Type:	open center
Pressure:	2000 psi 137.9 bar
Total flow:	7.4 gpm 28.0 lpm

Tractor hitch
Rear Type:	II/I

Power Take-off (PTO)
Rear PTO:	transmission
	live (optional)
Clutch:	dry disc
Rear RPM:	540/1000 (1.375)
Engine RPM:	540@1800 (Low) 540@1100 (High) 1000@2000

Dimensions & Tires
Wheelbase:	76.75 inches 194 cm
Weight:	4272 to 4312 pounds
Front tire:	6.00-16
Rear tire:	11-32
Full dimensions and tires ...

990 Serial Numbers
Location:	Frame, right side
1961:	440001
1962:	441323
1963:	450376
1964:	460376
1965:	472273
1966:	483768
1967:	496283
1968:	504690
1969:	808150
1970:	818301
1971:	826009
1972:	850600
1973:	854403
1974:	859367
1975:	863900
1976:	11070001
1977:	11080236
1978:	11089141
1979:	11096828
1980:	11104577
how to read serial numbers...

Electrical
Charging system:	generator
Batteries:	2
Battery volts:	6

Page information
Last update:	June 4, 2020
Copyright:	Copyright 2021 TractorData LLC
Contact:	Peter@TractorData.com

 

[RickB]

Do yourself a favor and forget the David Brown. Too many British design quirks, Lucas electrical components, sketchy parts availability. I'm not sure why anyone would think the Deere is beat up, for a 30+ year old tractor with the stated hours I think it looks pretty complete and decent. At this age and those hours I would prefer the simplicity of the base 8 speed transmission over the optional high/low or reverser configurations. I don't think your price estimate is too far off unless you discover a major flaw. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[workinonit]

That JD is a good tractor. I've spent many hours on one just like that. I'm with you, you will never buy that tractor for 6 grand. Heck around here that tractor would bring 8 to 10K and maybe more. I see really good tractors hit the auctions around here all the time. People here will put them on the auction to alleviate the hassle of selling them and for the most part they will bring more than an individual sale, even with the commission. I wouldn't buy that Db under any circumstances.

 

[FreeWulf]

I'm pretty excited about the Deere. It doesn't look beat at all to me, but maybe I missed something? The auction ends in 10 hours, so fingers crossed here.

The David Brown is actually the 1975 selectamatic with a Case loader.

TractorData.com J.I. Case 990 tractor information

www.tractordata.com

I'm not nearly as excited about it, but it does seem in decent shape, if not as nice as the JD. I am a little worried about parts availability for it, but it seems like they're available after a cursory search. Good tires, 2000 hours. I wonder if since it was made when Case bought DB, if it would still have Lucas electrical? Hopefully I'll get the JD and won't even need to worry about the Brown.

 

[herm0016]

there is really nothing wrong with the david brown, they are well built machines and parts are not as hard to come by as you might think. lots of them sold all over the earth. i would be seriously considering weather you think 2wd will be adequate in Alaska though.

 

[rScotty]

Thanks for the replies.

Here in the PNW tractors are really expensive. I'm expecting that tractor to go for around $11,000, up to 13,000.

The david brown is a 990, which was the same as the CASE 990. Supposedly you can get parts for them through case. It should go for quite a bit cheaper.

I said $3,000 to $5,000 to bid and some one else said $10,000 plus. You are thinking it will go at $11 to 13K.
That wide a spread probably needs some talking about.

That is a desirable model of a desirable brand, looks to have all the parts plus an OEM FEL. 3pt. FWD.

If it were in better condition and 4000 hrs instead of 7000 and from a private individual I would say $10,000 would be a steal. I wouldn't have a problem in the world with recommending going as high as $14,000 if I knew the tractor and previous owner..., and I'd go even higher for a creampuff.

But that isn't what it is. What you have is a total unknown with high hours, not even washed, being sold at auction, and you can tell by the mismatched tires that chances are that maintenance has matched the somewhat neglected condition.
BTW, who doesn't even wash a tractor before selling it?

It may or may not have mechanical problems - but at an auction you have to assume that it does. Just because it can be started and runs doesn't mean the compression is up to starting in Alaskan winters. There are a ton of tricks to starting an old diesel.
And being able to move in gear isn't the same as having a good clutch and brakes. JD closed center hydraulics are simple.... but expensive for parts. Electrics? Cooling? who knows?
All of this makes little difference to a mechanic who simply factors it all in and bids accordingly. If that is you, then you may want to go much higher. I am one who who would go higher if I drove it around and liked the engine and tranny. It's that good of a basic model.

But auctions are based on people who are buying on hope instead of knowledge. And sometimes you get lucky. That works best if you have money you don't mind losing.
I wish that same tractor belonged to a trusted neighbor. Then it would be worth whatever he wanted for it. At least get an old JD tractor mechanic to go look it over with you. That should be easy enough to do. A couple hundred dollars is a fair fee.

BTW, the David Brown is not nearly in the same league. Not having 4wd is huge.
I wouldn't even consider it.
rScotty

 

[IndyJay]

I said $3,000 to $5,000 to bid and some one else said $10,000 plus. You are thinking it will go at $11 to 13K.
That wide a spread probably needs some talking about.

That is a desirable model of a desirable brand, looks to have all the parts plus an OEM FEL. 3pt. FWD.

If it were in better condition and 4000 hrs instead of 7000 and from a private individual I would say $10,000 would be a steal. I wouldn't have a problem in the world with recommending going as high as $14,000 if I knew the tractor and previous owner..., and I'd go even higher for a creampuff.

But that isn't what it is. What you have is a total unknown with high hours, not even washed, being sold at auction, and you can tell by the mismatched tires that chances are that maintenance has matched the somewhat neglected condition.
BTW, who doesn't even wash a tractor before selling it?

It may or may not have mechanical problems - but at an auction you have to assume that it does. Just because it can be started and runs doesn't mean the compression is up to starting in Alaskan winters. There are a ton of tricks to starting an old diesel.
And being able to move in gear isn't the same as having a good clutch and brakes. JD closed center hydraulics are simple.... but expensive for parts. Electrics? Cooling? who knows?
All of this makes little difference to a mechanic who simply factors it all in and bids accordingly. If that is you, then you may want to go much higher. I am one who who would go higher if I drove it around and liked the engine and tranny. It's that good of a basic model.

But auctions are based on people who are buying on hope instead of knowledge. And sometimes you get lucky. That works best if you have money you don't mind losing.
I wish that same tractor belonged to a trusted neighbor. Then it would be worth whatever he wanted for it. At least get an old JD tractor mechanic to go look it over with you. That should be easy enough to do. A couple hundred dollars is a fair fee.

BTW, the David Brown is not nearly in the same league. Not having 4wd is huge.
I wouldn't even consider it.
rScotty

I dunno Scotty, that might be what the tractor looks like cleaned up. Looking at the engine pictures, at least, it looks like it may have been steam cleaned. Not seeing any grease that would normally be seen on a dirty, neglected tractor. It may only be neglected, but not dirty. I agree with what you are saying regarding "known history" vs a pig in a poke. I'd want to spend more than a couple of minutes on it.

 

[RickB]

https://www.auctiontime.com/listings/farm-equipment/auction-results/list/category/1110/tractors-40-hp-to-99-hp/manufacturer/john-deere/model/2350?ecid=7

https://usedequipmentguide.com/John-Deere-2350-for-sale

 

[FreeWulf]

Wow Rick. I'm shocked that one of them went for under $7,000. Who knows what it was like in person though. I do know that tractors in other areas of the country are MUCH cheaper. I've thought about buying and shipping them out here, but it would add $5,000 to the tractor. I still may do that.

Scotty, I agree with all of that. I can't believe anyone would pay full private party prices for anything at an auction. I buy a lot from auctions, mostly cars and equipment. I figured the tractor was worth $16,500 in this market if it was private party and in good condition with no surprises. I couldn't bring myself to go above $13,000 on it. Even then that didn't leave me much wiggle room for something going wrong.

It just sold for $17,000.

I'm still debating the David Brown. No it wouldn't be the tractor for me in Alaska, but we had to put off moving for at least a year, and I could always sell the tractor along with my property when I sell it. But I could probably get it for around $5,000, and use it until I leave. I'll probably pass on it though.

I'm awfully disappointed in missing out on that 2350. I was really excited about it.

 

[rScotty]

I don't blame you for being disappointed. That's just about the perfect make and model & with the right options.
But you are asking for advice here, and pretty much everyone is saying the same thing - that an auction is a too big of a gamble to be paying full price.

Ask yourself, "Why would anyone sell a good tractor at auction?" The way prices are today, he could just as easily sell it to a neighbor.... or to a neighbor who is a dealer.

But the good news is since you seem to be in the $12 to 14K range now, I'd say you are solidly in the running for a decent tractor from a private party.
There is too just much competition for anything online. And honestly, us rural people still prefer to do business locally.
Scrap the internet searches. And get out of the city. You are more likely to find a good tractor on a small town feed store bulletin board - not an online bulletin board, but the kind of bulletin board with 3x5 cards pinned to a cork board. Or a small ag town newspaper or sales sheet. Rural people still communicate that way. It avoids time wasting scams. Maybe you should put a "tractor wanted" adv. in one of those places.

Careful with the David Brown. That is a 2WD tractor with weight distribution for pulling, not for FEL work.
Does it have enough power steering power? That was a problem with many utility tractors of that era.
That's a small add-on FEL, with tiny cylinders, but it is still heavy. You should take a good look at how any add-on FEL is attached to the tractor. You want a full length sub-frame and no attachment to the bell housing.

 

[CADplans]

My wife taught me about my buying habits 40 years ago,,
SPEND the money and get what you want,,
five minutes of sting today,, and you will be happy for a long time,,

Don't buy it, and you will be stinging with regret for a LONG time.

When I bought my 584IH,, I thought the $5000 price had a little sting in it,,
It turns out the tractor was offered to another guy for the same money,, he delayed answering as to whether he wanted it.

When I heard about it, we went to his house, wrote a check, and drove it off the property, in under 30 minutes.
The other guy? Over ten years after I bought the tractor, he was STILL telling me that the tractor should have been his,,
I never knew that I was not the only person interested when I bought it.

I have been enjoying the 584 for right at 25 years now,,
and I think I could even get my $5000 back if I wanted to sell it,,

 

[scaredychicken]

sorry that you missed the JD workhorse. I think the DB is more of an antique collector item, not something to rely on for day to day usage