Tractor is still working perfectly after almost 60 years of use. That speaks volumes about how the farmer who owned it previously valued and cared for it!
I’ll drive the new one for a week,and you can drive the 4020. You can do a week in august,then we can come back in the snow and do some tillage. We can the do a comparison,if you’re still alive.
@@ralphllivrah9551 I managed a sod farm in N. Fla and spent a lotta hours outdoors on an old Ford tractor…So that would be no problem…I know what it takes… The question is which tractor is better…not more comfortable…
@ you spend 16 hrs a day,for months on them,and you’ll always say that r series is better. I remember the days on those cabless tractor. These new tractor last fine. The difference in lasting is easy. These little cabless tractors have an easy life. They aren’t hooked to a forty foot implement the entire life. They move hay bales and do lite work. There is a lot of difference between 5000hrs at max load,and puttering around with a bush hog,or moving hay bales.
I think it is wonderful to see a younger generation that still appreciates older equipment. Even on the scale you farm, it always feels so nice to see you show what the older equipment can do. Live your videos Laura and Grant
I really enjoy watching this channel. I am now 100% disabled veteran confined to a wheelchair so I guess watching people work makes me feel good. I remember when I was a teenager going to Indiana and riding combines with my best friend at his granddaddy’s farm, a farm of corn as far as I could see. It seemed like we would drive the combine in One Direction all day
As others have posted the hydraulic hose that would not hook up was under pressure from the weight of the disk. Before unhooking the disk or any implement lower it to the ground and then shut off the engine. Then cycle the hydraulic valves both ways to remove any pressure in the lines. They will then hook up easily. If time goes by its possible for pressure to develop in the hoses due to the equipment shifting or a change in temperature. To releave that pressure we would push the ball valve on the end of the hose against any part of the impement or the tractor and the excess oil would come out. Messy but effective. When the disk is lowered the wheels should be raised above the ground so the weight of the wheels push down on the disk. The wheels can even be filled with fluid to get more weight. I agree with others that the disk should be pulled faster to be more effective. I love watching your videos!
The 4020 might not have all the bells and whistles, but there's something special about that iconic look and raw power. Sentimental farming at its best! ❤👨🌾
She has done this as long as they’ve owned this tractor, but there’s definitely a method to the madness. The hydraulic pump loads up as you crank the starter, causing an extra load on the starter. Moving the steering wheel gives an outlet for some of that pressure, easing the load on the starter. Enough to make a difference with a cold start or a weak battery.
Laura, in teaching mode, being the boss, I was wondering why you were not driving the tractor with the cab, then you ended-up getting in the cab near the end. Time of the year to thank you for posting all the videos in 2024. Happy New Year to you all, love from Mike. ❤
Laura, you are the best in front and behind the camera! Love your narration and channel content. Always entertaining, educational and FUN. Laura, you are Magical! Keep your joy coming in 2025.
On the 420, that sounds like a loose electrical connection issue. It also looks like the right connection might need to be repaired so it makes a proper connection. Hiya Pepper, great to see you, behind the ear scratches.... I would like to wish you all a very safe and happy New Years.
Growing up farming with my dad we had both a 3020 and 4020, we used them mainly for baling hay. I claimed the 4020 as my tractor as it was a little longer and heavier than the 3020 and would not bounce as bad going over the corrugated fields we farmed. It too had a bucket on it, I think it was the same one as on yours. Loved that tractor, our lights actually worked, we baled mostly at night. Love the old tractor content, keep it coming.
Yes. Hearing protection is a must. I think I have some hearing loss from my few years on open station tractors when I was growing up. We had a 69 4020 diesel. We had a block heater on it. We plugged it in if we knew it was going to be cold when we needed to start it. It worked very well. I think you have the tractor overloaded. We pulled a 4 X 18" plow in 4th gear for primary tillage and we pulled a 12' disk, 13' packer and 15' drag in 5th gear. It throws the dirt much better at higher speeds. If you want to us a disk for priimary tillage, you might consider a smaller offset disk. Thanks for the video. It brings back a lot of memories.
That’s Amazing!! Keep Working the old JD ,, Keep the battery cables tight and clean 👍 Maybe check the injectors ,, it seems to be loading up on fuel when you start it.. Give it some TLC and it’ll be fine 👍😁 It’ll probably be going when the other not lol .. Thank you for sharing 👍❤️😁
When I was growing up on my grandfathers farm, I questioned him about getting the lights working on our tractors because they didn't. He said when it's getting dark it's time to call it a day and we'll start fresh at daylight tomorrow. We could do repairs at night but we didn't work in the fields.
I worked for a dairy farmer when I was a kid. He did most of his field work (tillage) after milking cows at night so he needed the lights to work. If I recall correctly he got done milking at about 8:00 and he was commonly out in the field until after midnight. Then he had to milk again at 6:00 the next morning. I remember asking him once if he looked forward to going to bed at night. He gave a rueful chuckle and said, yeah, he did.
It's a nice thing to see your videos still after all the farming is pretty much done for the year. I need a disc about that same as you have on the 4020 to do the area were I plant my garden the lot is to small to get the big 60 foot disc in there and it takes a long time with the garden tiller I am sure I will find one.
Looks like fun. Might mention to Gage when he unfolds the deck on that old discer to not stand in-line with that big spring. They seldom break, but when they do you don’t want to loose your teeth.
Very cool, this tractor has been attached to the fields, the work of many people. I really admire your work to revive these wonderful machines. Nowadays there are many new and modern tractors, but tractors like this are still very important when it reduces costs for farm owners.
Long long ago (1970s), I used to have an ancient disk (ancient in the 70s). It needed some weights on it to get it to cut well but with some concrete blocks on it, it would slice in most of the way to the axles and did a really nice job of turning that top layer of soil. Love how you're working old equipment alongside the new.
Got to keep those battery terminals clean and tight. For cold weather you need to look into getting what we called a heat houser. It was basically canvas sides that channeled the heat from the engine back to the driver. They were notorious for making you sweat in one direction and then catching the wind and freezing you in the other.
Love your videos. Usually if moving battery cable helps with starting there are some hints.Cables themselves are loose, corrosion on cable to battery connection. The cable itself may be bad. Be very careful when you are in front of rear tires when trying to start that tractor is in neutral as it may start and run you over. Another sugestion that you put a battery dissconnect on positive lead of battery that way if there is any residual drain on battery the dissconnect will stop that. Again great videos.
Seen grant take batterys out of many vechiles and tractors and never see him thighten the battery ends just beat them on with a wrench not the right think to do
Thank you for your videos! I love big machines! Battery problem. After a long storage, either the cable(s) weren't tightened down enough or corrosion got in the terminals, preventing a high current draw. Don't rotate the posts, you'll break the connection between the post and internal plates. End of battery!
I'm sure cranking that steering wheel when trying to start your older tractor always helps. ;) When I was young, we did actually have to crank the smaller tractors to start them. Good for conditioning, but you can get a broken arm, or head, if not careful. Just so you know: The issue with the hydraulic pressure at the fitting @12:00 was from the pressure on the cylinder due to supporting the weight of the disks. An easy way to eliminate this issue is to add a TEE at each end of the cylinder and install a short hose from each tee to a valve. Open the valve after you hook up one of the lines to lower the disk and equalize the pressure on both lines - allowing you to easily hook up the other line. Just make sure you close the valve again so you can raise and lower the disks normally. The reason to open the valve after you hook up one of the lines is because of the difference in volume between the piston end and the shaft end of the cylinder. The other option is to set the disks down on blocks to keep them out of the dirt and remove the pressure from the cylinder with some compensation for the blocks sinking a bit during the off-season before disconnecting. Either one works. It's nice to have options. Oh, and a trailer jack or a block for your hitch to have it at the right height would also be handy - if you use the bocking option for your disks. The no-start issue @40:00 is a common one. Clean and re-tighten your battery connections. You had a good enough connection to pull in your start solenoid when jumping it, but not a good enough connection to drive your start motor. I've seen it a dozen times. This is more common in farm equipment than in autos due to vibration, rough terrain and environment, but I've seen it on both. I've also seen people drop good money into a new battery, starter and start solenoid when poor battery connections were the issue all along. Keep up the good work!
I do wonder how much knowledge is just taken for granted. Things like making sure there's not pressure in the cylinders when hooking up, or cleaning battery terminals when changing batteries are things that should be passed down the generations. It seems they were mainly taught how to use the equipment, not how to maintain & work on them.
@davecramer9725 In an industrial setting I would agree, but those are a very common fitting in the farming industry. They are rugged and somewhat dust tolerant. Connect under pressure hydraulic fittings tend to be a bit pricy and problematic when not completely clean. They could be used but the operators would need to ensure the fittings are quite clean before attempting to hook them up. Farms are notoriously dusty. The other issue is that in some communities both tractors and implements are sometimes loaned or borrowed and adapters would need to be provided.
Laura: a professional farmer with every fiber of her existence also Laura: wearing a white coat to check fluids on a 50y old tractor!😉🙃😊 Love your videos, always interesting cause of your contagious enthusiasm for farming and the interesting similarity and differences between farming in Nebraska and here in Germany! 🥰😁😁😉🙃 Best wishes!
Laura’s bubbly personality, positive work attitude, GLOWING SMILE and contacious love for the camera also helps her YT followers coming back for more. Grant and Gage are NOT BAD EITHER! I love Laura Farms!
wiggling the battery cable just made a better connection. If I remember right, you stated that you replaced the battery cables. With the battery did you clean the two terminals off really well? Any corrosion will cause an in issue with good contact. I don't know how old your battery is on the 4020 but we always changed ours out about every 3 years, course that was on a 3010 and 3020. One thing about the old tractors, a good battery always kept them starting well. If you are having an issue with the battery cable terminals being too loose for a good contact after tighting, you can either replace the terminals on the cables or fold or stick a penny and put it between the post and cable terminal and that will allow you to tighten the terminal down tighter.
Also to help with corrosion on the battery post and terminals, you can apply terminal lube, available at any parts store. Or you can use vaseline to cover the terminal and post to help control the corrosion. To clean the post and terminals there is a small battery brush that you can use and heavy corrosion removal you can use a bottle of coke cola, apply it and the corrosion will start falling away and then clean with a brush, tighten, and apply the battery lube. The lube should be checked every time you do your walk around and reapplied as needed.
Just read this about Jimmy Carter. He wrote, "“The farm operation always seemed to me a fascinating system, like a huge clock, with each of its many parts depending on all the rest.” He dreamed that someday he would take over the family farm from his father, that he would become “master of this machine, with its wonderful intricacies.” Politics aside, sounds like you have something in common with him.
When I was a teen my first tractor fun was on a john Deere model D. 2 cylinders with pistons the size of coffee cans. Had to be started by manually turning the flywheel on the side of the tractor. I still remember that awesome sound. Laura that should be your next tractor.
Loved this comparison video!!! I worked a research farm where our equipment spanned 1974 (JD6600 combine) to a brand new Case 310. My favorite was a 1985 JD 8960. That thing could PULL!!! As to the wiggling the battery, keep in mind that in changing weather like you deal with the lead in both the terminals and the connectors are susceptible to constant contraction and expansion as the temp changes. Lead at 10 or 20 degrees will contract a little, then when it hits 60 or so, it starts expanding again. Let that cycle happen a few times and you have loose connections. To help fight it, yeah, keep super clean terminals and use the grease that is made for battery connections. Personally, I always disconnected batteries during the off season. Hope that helps.
I'm sure someone told you, but you have to bleed the pressure from the hose by hitting tip of the male disconnect on something flat. It will shoot fluid out, so a cloth around it is advised. Grant did it the same by putting the adapter on the hose, but you don't always have that option.
Hello guys, A note to add with yesterdays electrical 4020 electrical: be sure & check the tractor battery cable ends for corrosion inside of their crimped lugs. May want to cut off the cable ends / strip new section & crimp some new lugs in place. Many times the battery cable ends have hidden corrosion which cannot be easily seen. Thanks again, Yall be safe!
Just a hint...when you are starting a diesel in the winter and the tractor does not have glow plugs, give the breather a little whiff of starting fluid and the tractor will start without so much strain on battery and starter. Love your show
Those old JD’s had an ether injector below the steering wheel. You just pushed the top of the can up into it. Very handy, and you could more easily avoid giving it too much.
Some of us old-timers refer to the 4020s as the new generation of farm tractors. The 1960s saw the horsepower race take off and enclosed cabs evolve. After WWII farm equipment evolved quickly as pull type equipment increased in size. Farmers tore out lots of fencing to make bigger fields. Self-propelled combines came on the scene and completely changed the task of harvesting. The changes from 1950 to 1965 were more drastic than from 1965 to today.
Seemed to be discing slow, maybe in 3rd gear? Expected the 4020 could pull the disc in 4th gear or even 5th. Enjoyed the comparison of old and new. Thanks for taking the time and braving the cold for this one!
Laura, here's a tip, the 3020 and 4020 tractors as many other older tractors, you shut off the tractor then work the hydraulic lever back and forth to release the pressure in the hydraulic system and then hook up the implement and the rest will go smooth.
@Laura 40.48 I have experienced that problem with battery terminals for mine the pillar on the terminal was broken. Enjoying your channel from the UK and becoming a machine on FS22 lol
As a past mechanic. Your 4020 has always sounded to me like it could use a new set of battery cables. Now with the wiggles helping I'm even more convinced you should invest in new main battery cables. I own a highway rig and have had to do the same thing. Cables get old and loose some of their conductivity especially at the connections. And make very sure all connections are clean and tight.
Old electrical connections especially those in the rain can get corroded quite easily giving a Voltage drop across them. Check if any connections get hot whilst you are trying to start it. The best idea is to undo , clean and properly tighten all the connections. Watch out for any tight threads that that feel tight but aren’t pulling up. DON’T forget the fault could be on the earth /ground wire. Strip clean and refit them if there’s any doubt. It could even be a loose connection within the starter.
Hello Laura, Grant and Gage. Always enjoy your videos. Something tells me that when you are on the old tractor you can feel your grandfather looking over your shoulder. Happy New Year to you guys. Love y’all ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Great to see the old and new working together...Just proves they made them in that era...Thanks for the videos of 2024...Hope 2025 is a good one for you all Happy New Year when it comes..Looking forward to more of your videos
FYI, motocross helmets, goggles, and ear plugs are VERY warm in winter work outdoors. It might look a little screwy, but man it's sooooo much warmer than scarves and hoodies. Plus, with the basic ear plugs, in those noisy environments, you can hear the tractor (loud equipment) etc...
I don't know the mechanics behind it but have had to do the same thing with older tractors......just a bit less aggressively than Laura did it though.😂
John Deere were the first tractor to introduce connect ubder pressure hydraulic couplings, Grant you need to fit the adaptors to the hoses first then plug them into the couplings then turn the little handles under the coupler to let the oil flow. Oh and throw away the hammer before you break something!
At 11min, trying to attach the hydraulic hose to the 4020, the weight of the disc is pressurizing the disc line. You needed the skid steer again to take the weight off the cylinder, and stop the disc line from being pressurized. Hammer was not the right approach. When Grant pressed the disc line against the frame and oil sprayed out, that was the pressure. Continued pressing until the disc sank to the ground would have worked (and sprayed lots of oil!).
I love this content with the old iron! A couple things, when there's pressure on the lines, shut the tractor off (which you did) and cycle the levers to bleed off the pressure. If that doesn't work, crack the hose fitting at the cylinder to bleed off. Using a hammer on the fitting just wrecks them... Also, I'd really like to see that 4020 grunt and see what it's capable of. That disc could have been dropped on the ground a lot further judging by it still being on the wheels and having a good 6 inches of travel visible on the hydraulic cylinder, and up shift a couple gears and throttle up. That thing has a 120hp, but you were only using like 30!
Laura, while I'm not a farmer I did have my own little piece of heaven with a small 10 acre farm. I loved it! While I really like the 4020 tractor JD's are not my choice and I'll take a Case any day of the week. As for the electrical issue, battery cable connections must be CLEAN and TIGHT in order to allow current to flow. No current flowing... no spinny the starter motor. You might wish to install a cut-out switch to disconnect the battery from the tractor while it is just sitting and not being used. This will have the potential to save your batteries. You can also run 2 batteries in parallel to give you more cranking ability but at the same voltage. I'm sure Grant knows all about this. He's a good man! Just remember that ALL electrical connections must be clean and tight. On a different note, I was curious about discing and if a smaller disc assembly but with larger discs would work better for the 4020? Stay safe!
Howdy from Texas! Just get gage to make a mechanical cylinder stop like is on the headers. Then you can relieve pressure before you unhook it if you want to leave it in raised position. I just let ours down on the ground and relieve it before I unhook. Thank you for the vids y'all be careful have fun ! Happy New Year!
To remove the pressure more safely, you can rebuild a coupling so that it has a screw in the middle.Then just connect the coupling and tighten the screw. There are some examples on TH-cam how to build.
I've got an old backhoe on a JD 300 tracktor. I had the starter rebuilt but it still doesn't engage all of the time. I think that there is a bit of a ridge on some places of the ring gear. I installed another solonoid, with the out put power doing directly to the startermotor. that is powered by a spring loaded push button. When the starter doesn't engage, I hit the second button, which makes the starter spin and the bendix is pulled in the ring gear. so far it works.
Nice to see you working the diesel, especially with a turbo. Part throttle, light duty lets poorly burned fuel leak past the rings. Maybe put the loader on the gas burner? Lots of progress over 50 years, so good some not so good!
It just makes financial sense to put the hours on the older tractor in applications where it's reasonable and functional to do. My grandfather had red painted equipment but was careful to use equipment wisely. If you're renting equipment and pay for use hours on that equipment, this makes even more sense.
Bad battery contacts or possible rusted battery cable is my guess. I love this podcast with your descriptions on what really happens behinds the scenes. All the litttle details that we never ever think about. There's lots more to farming than just throwing some seeds on the ground and harvesting. It's a lot of work! Totally enjoy your family farming. Have a very Safe and Happy New Year to everyone on the Laura Farm.
Yeah once I got my 66 4020 all fixed up, this ok iron horse is back in action once again. 4020 diesel’s ran on my dads family farm back in the 60s and 70s.
Tractor is still working perfectly after almost 60 years of use. That speaks volumes about how the farmer who owned it previously valued and cared for it!
Very little built today is built to last that long…
Absolutely he cared for his tractor very much!😅
I’ll drive the new one for a week,and you can drive the 4020. You can do a week in august,then we can come back in the snow and do some tillage. We can the do a comparison,if you’re still alive.
@@ralphllivrah9551 I managed a sod farm in N. Fla and spent a lotta hours outdoors on an old Ford tractor…So that would be no problem…I know what it takes… The question is which tractor is better…not
more comfortable…
@ you spend 16 hrs a day,for months on them,and you’ll always say that r series is better. I remember the days on those cabless tractor. These new tractor last fine. The difference in lasting is easy. These little cabless tractors have an easy life. They aren’t hooked to a forty foot implement the entire life. They move hay bales and do lite work. There is a lot of difference between 5000hrs at max load,and puttering around with a bush hog,or moving hay bales.
Make sure that all of the battery terminals are super clean and super tight, and that will do it !
I think it is wonderful to see a younger generation that still appreciates older equipment. Even on the scale you farm, it always feels so nice to see you show what the older equipment can do. Live your videos Laura and Grant
I really enjoy watching this channel. I am now 100% disabled veteran confined to a wheelchair so I guess watching people work makes me feel good. I remember when I was a teenager going to Indiana and riding combines with my best friend at his granddaddy’s farm, a farm of corn as far as I could see. It seemed like we would drive the combine in One Direction all day
As others have posted the hydraulic hose that would not hook up was under pressure from the weight of the disk. Before unhooking the disk or any implement lower it to the ground and then shut off the engine. Then cycle the hydraulic valves both ways to remove any pressure in the lines. They will then hook up easily. If time goes by its possible for pressure to develop in the hoses due to the equipment shifting or a change in temperature. To releave that pressure we would push the ball valve on the end of the hose against any part of the impement or the tractor and the excess oil would come out. Messy but effective.
When the disk is lowered the wheels should be raised above the ground so the weight of the wheels push down on the disk. The wheels can even be filled with fluid to get more weight.
I agree with others that the disk should be pulled faster to be more effective.
I love watching your videos!
Exactly what I thought! 👍
Wow!!! Look how many people, me included, are so happy when you post something!!!!! 🙂
The 4020 might not have all the bells and whistles, but there's something special about that iconic look and raw power. Sentimental farming at its best! ❤👨🌾
Sentimental don't pay the bills.
Love how Laura shakes the wheel of the old tractor when starting it :)
Thought of her father when she jerks the steering wheel as he usually does when something is difficult started.
She has done this as long as they’ve owned this tractor, but there’s definitely a method to the madness. The hydraulic pump loads up as you crank the starter, causing an extra load on the starter. Moving the steering wheel gives an outlet for some of that pressure, easing the load on the starter. Enough to make a difference with a cold start or a weak battery.
@@LostButMakingGoodTime thanks for the reply I would have never guessed that!
Laura, in teaching mode, being the boss, I was wondering why you were not driving the tractor with the cab, then you ended-up getting in the cab near the end.
Time of the year to thank you for posting all the videos in 2024.
Happy New Year to you all, love from Mike. ❤
Laura, you are the best in front and behind the camera! Love your narration and channel content. Always entertaining, educational and FUN. Laura, you are Magical! Keep your joy coming in 2025.
On the 420, that sounds like a loose electrical connection issue. It also looks like the right connection might need to be repaired so it makes a proper connection.
Hiya Pepper, great to see you, behind the ear scratches....
I would like to wish you all a very safe and happy New Years.
Growing up farming with my dad we had both a 3020 and 4020, we used them mainly for baling hay. I claimed the 4020 as my tractor as it was a little longer and heavier than the 3020 and would not bounce as bad going over the corrugated fields we farmed. It too had a bucket on it, I think it was the same one as on yours. Loved that tractor, our lights actually worked, we baled mostly at night. Love the old tractor content, keep it coming.
Wow, We had a 4010 and a 4020 we pulled a 4 bottom plow with but mainly pulling hay trailors. Great tractor.
Clean and tighten all the battery connections and terminals !!
Yes. Hearing protection is a must. I think I have some hearing loss from my few years on open station tractors when I was growing up. We had a 69 4020 diesel. We had a block heater on it. We plugged it in if we knew it was going to be cold when we needed to start it. It worked very well. I think you have the tractor overloaded. We pulled a 4 X 18" plow in 4th gear for primary tillage and we pulled a 12' disk, 13' packer and 15' drag in 5th gear. It throws the dirt much better at higher speeds. If you want to us a disk for priimary tillage, you might consider a smaller offset disk. Thanks for the video. It brings back a lot of memories.
That’s Amazing!! Keep Working the old JD ,, Keep the battery cables tight and clean 👍 Maybe check the injectors ,, it seems to be loading up on fuel when you start it.. Give it some TLC and it’ll be fine 👍😁 It’ll probably be going when the other not lol .. Thank you for sharing 👍❤️😁
When I was growing up on my grandfathers farm, I questioned him about getting the lights working on our tractors because they didn't. He said when it's getting dark it's time to call it a day and we'll start fresh at daylight tomorrow. We could do repairs at night but we didn't work in the fields.
I worked for a dairy farmer when I was a kid. He did most of his field work (tillage) after milking cows at night so he needed the lights to work. If I recall correctly he got done milking at about 8:00 and he was commonly out in the field until after midnight. Then he had to milk again at 6:00 the next morning. I remember asking him once if he looked forward to going to bed at night. He gave a rueful chuckle and said, yeah, he did.
Love watching the work both of you do on the farm! Continue your fantastic work 💪
Love watching your channel from urban England. My grandad was a farmer. Hope you all have a lovely new year.
Great video!
It's a nice thing to see your videos still after all the farming is pretty much done for the year. I need a disc about that same as you have on the 4020 to do the area were I plant my garden the lot is to small to get the big 60 foot disc in there and it takes a long time with the garden tiller I am sure I will find one.
Looks like fun. Might mention to Gage when he unfolds the deck on that old discer to not stand in-line with that big spring. They seldom break, but when they do you don’t want to loose your teeth.
Happy Holidays to Laura Farms
Very cool, this tractor has been attached to the fields, the work of many people. I really admire your work to revive these wonderful machines. Nowadays there are many new and modern tractors, but tractors like this are still very important when it reduces costs for farm owners.
Long long ago (1970s), I used to have an ancient disk (ancient in the 70s). It needed some weights on it to get it to cut well but with some concrete blocks on it, it would slice in most of the way to the axles and did a really nice job of turning that top layer of soil. Love how you're working old equipment alongside the new.
Got to keep those battery terminals clean and tight. For cold weather you need to look into getting what we called a heat houser. It was basically canvas sides that channeled the heat from the engine back to the driver. They were notorious for making you sweat in one direction and then catching the wind and freezing you in the other.
I like that when you take on a sponsor it is always for a product that suits your audience and channel. It shows integrity and strengthens your brand.
Hope y'all have a wonderful new year!
Love your videos. Usually if moving battery cable helps with starting there are some hints.Cables themselves are loose, corrosion on cable to battery connection. The cable itself may be bad. Be very careful when you are in front of rear tires when trying to start that tractor is in neutral as it may start and run you over. Another sugestion that you put a battery dissconnect on positive lead of battery that way if there is any residual drain on battery the dissconnect will stop that. Again great videos.
It is my belief that the 4020 was the closest the John Deere ever came to building a tractor is reliable, and simple as a Farmall m.
Seen grant take batterys out of many vechiles and tractors and never see him thighten the battery ends just beat them on with a wrench not the right think to do
Thank you for your videos! I love big machines!
Battery problem. After a long storage, either the cable(s) weren't tightened down enough or corrosion got in the terminals, preventing a high current draw. Don't rotate the posts, you'll break the connection between the post and internal plates. End of battery!
I'm sure cranking that steering wheel when trying to start your older tractor always helps. ;)
When I was young, we did actually have to crank the smaller tractors to start them. Good for conditioning, but you can get a broken arm, or head, if not careful.
Just so you know: The issue with the hydraulic pressure at the fitting @12:00 was from the pressure on the cylinder due to supporting the weight of the disks. An easy way to eliminate this issue is to add a TEE at each end of the cylinder and install a short hose from each tee to a valve. Open the valve after you hook up one of the lines to lower the disk and equalize the pressure on both lines - allowing you to easily hook up the other line. Just make sure you close the valve again so you can raise and lower the disks normally. The reason to open the valve after you hook up one of the lines is because of the difference in volume between the piston end and the shaft end of the cylinder. The other option is to set the disks down on blocks to keep them out of the dirt and remove the pressure from the cylinder with some compensation for the blocks sinking a bit during the off-season before disconnecting. Either one works. It's nice to have options. Oh, and a trailer jack or a block for your hitch to have it at the right height would also be handy - if you use the bocking option for your disks.
The no-start issue @40:00 is a common one. Clean and re-tighten your battery connections. You had a good enough connection to pull in your start solenoid when jumping it, but not a good enough connection to drive your start motor. I've seen it a dozen times. This is more common in farm equipment than in autos due to vibration, rough terrain and environment, but I've seen it on both. I've also seen people drop good money into a new battery, starter and start solenoid when poor battery connections were the issue all along.
Keep up the good work!
I do wonder how much knowledge is just taken for granted. Things like making sure there's not pressure in the cylinders when hooking up, or cleaning battery terminals when changing batteries are things that should be passed down the generations.
It seems they were mainly taught how to use the equipment, not how to maintain & work on them.
Those adaptors on the hoses need to be throw away buy the right fittings for the hook up connections
@davecramer9725 In an industrial setting I would agree, but those are a very common fitting in the farming industry. They are rugged and somewhat dust tolerant.
Connect under pressure hydraulic fittings tend to be a bit pricy and problematic when not completely clean. They could be used but the operators would need to ensure the fittings are quite clean before attempting to hook them up. Farms are notoriously dusty. The other issue is that in some communities both tractors and implements are sometimes loaned or borrowed and adapters would need to be provided.
Laura: a professional farmer with every fiber of her existence
also Laura: wearing a white coat to check fluids on a 50y old tractor!😉🙃😊
Love your videos, always interesting cause of your contagious enthusiasm for farming and the interesting similarity and differences between farming in Nebraska and here in Germany! 🥰😁😁😉🙃
Best wishes!
she looks nice in jeans too
Laura’s bubbly personality, positive work attitude, GLOWING SMILE and contacious love for the camera also helps her YT followers coming back for more. Grant and Gage are NOT BAD EITHER! I love Laura Farms!
Women eat spaghetti wearing white and never get anything on them…Us guys…We get stains just looking at a plate of it 😝
You wasn't going fast enough
I really enjoy your videos, your bubbly personality is a joy,
I have learned so much.
Happy New Year Laura! We ❤ you in Naples, Florida
Have a happy and prosperous new year!
wiggling the battery cable just made a better connection. If I remember right, you stated that you replaced the battery cables. With the battery did you clean the two terminals off really well? Any corrosion will cause an in issue with good contact. I don't know how old your battery is on the 4020 but we always changed ours out about every 3 years, course that was on a 3010 and 3020. One thing about the old tractors, a good battery always kept them starting well. If you are having an issue with the battery cable terminals being too loose for a good contact after tighting, you can either replace the terminals on the cables or fold or stick a penny and put it between the post and cable terminal and that will allow you to tighten the terminal down tighter.
Also to help with corrosion on the battery post and terminals, you can apply terminal lube, available at any parts store. Or you can use vaseline to cover the terminal and post to help control the corrosion. To clean the post and terminals there is a small battery brush that you can use and heavy corrosion removal you can use a bottle of coke cola, apply it and the corrosion will start falling away and then clean with a brush, tighten, and apply the battery lube. The lube should be checked every time you do your walk around and reapplied as needed.
Just read this about Jimmy Carter. He wrote, "“The farm operation always seemed to me a fascinating system, like a huge clock, with each of its many parts depending on all the rest.” He dreamed that someday he would take over the family farm from his father, that he would become “master of this machine, with its wonderful intricacies.” Politics aside, sounds like you have something in common with him.
Those started showing up in the fields when I was in high school.
'On top of the Globe'- look at that! You on that old tractor.
Put the dam disc in the ground all the way cylinder was only half way down lift the wheels up it will dig deeper and cut stalks up more
When I was a teen my first tractor fun was on a john Deere model D. 2 cylinders with pistons the size of coffee cans. Had to be started by manually turning the flywheel on the side of the tractor. I still remember that awesome sound. Laura that should be your next tractor.
It has been 50 years since I have been on a 4020. I can still smell the diesel and freshly disced soil.
Loved this comparison video!!! I worked a research farm where our equipment spanned 1974 (JD6600 combine) to a brand new Case 310. My favorite was a 1985 JD 8960. That thing could PULL!!! As to the wiggling the battery, keep in mind that in changing weather like you deal with the lead in both the terminals and the connectors are susceptible to constant contraction and expansion as the temp changes. Lead at 10 or 20 degrees will contract a little, then when it hits 60 or so, it starts expanding again. Let that cycle happen a few times and you have loose connections. To help fight it, yeah, keep super clean terminals and use the grease that is made for battery connections. Personally, I always disconnected batteries during the off season. Hope that helps.
nice job i love to see that old stuff in work again
Love you all you just made my day!
I'm sure someone told you, but you have to bleed the pressure from the hose by hitting tip of the male disconnect on something flat. It will shoot fluid out, so a cloth around it is advised. Grant did it the same by putting the adapter on the hose, but you don't always have that option.
Great to see the old and the new. Happy 25 to you both.
Hello guys, A note to add with yesterdays electrical 4020 electrical: be sure & check the tractor battery cable ends for corrosion inside of their crimped lugs. May want to cut off the cable ends / strip new section & crimp some new lugs in place. Many times the battery cable ends have hidden corrosion which cannot be easily seen. Thanks again, Yall be safe!
And hopefully the corrosion didn't migrate into to the cables.
4010s and 4020s are great machines!
The battery terminals are subject dust when the tractor is moving. You wiggle they wiggle and then add engine vibration to the mix.
Just a hint...when you are starting a diesel in the winter and the tractor does not have glow plugs, give the breather a little whiff of starting fluid and the tractor will start without so much strain on battery and starter. Love your show
Those old JD’s had an ether injector below the steering wheel. You just pushed the top of the can up into it. Very handy, and you could more easily avoid giving it too much.
Some of us old-timers refer to the 4020s as the new generation of farm tractors.
The 1960s saw the horsepower race take off and enclosed cabs evolve.
After WWII farm equipment evolved quickly as pull type equipment increased in size. Farmers tore out lots of fencing to make bigger fields. Self-propelled combines came on the scene and completely changed the task of harvesting.
The changes from 1950 to 1965 were more drastic than from 1965 to today.
This brings back a few memories for me - plowing with my father's old John Deere tractor. Times have changed in the last forty years.
Happy New Year, from Germany, to both of you. 😎
Hope you had a good Christmas and hope you have a great New Year
Seemed to be discing slow, maybe in 3rd gear? Expected the 4020 could pull the disc in 4th gear or even 5th. Enjoyed the comparison of old and new. Thanks for taking the time and braving the cold for this one!
Laura, here's a tip, the 3020 and 4020 tractors as many other older tractors, you shut off the tractor then work the hydraulic lever back and forth to release the pressure in the hydraulic system and then hook up the implement and the rest will go smooth.
@Laura 40.48 I have experienced that problem with battery terminals for mine the pillar on the terminal was broken. Enjoying your channel from the UK and becoming a machine on FS22 lol
Great job as always all .
As a past mechanic. Your 4020 has always sounded to me like it could use a new set of battery cables. Now with the wiggles helping I'm even more convinced you should invest in new main battery cables. I own a highway rig and have had to do the same thing. Cables get old and loose some of their conductivity especially at the connections. And make very sure all connections are clean and tight.
Old electrical connections especially those in the rain can get corroded quite easily giving a Voltage drop across them. Check if any connections get hot whilst you are trying to start it. The best idea is to undo , clean and properly tighten all the connections. Watch out for any tight threads that that feel tight but aren’t pulling up. DON’T forget the fault could be on the earth /ground wire. Strip clean and refit them if there’s any doubt. It could even be a loose connection within the starter.
Hello Laura, Grant and Gage. Always enjoy your videos. Something tells me that when you are on the old tractor you can feel your grandfather looking over your shoulder. Happy New Year to you guys. Love y’all ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
When using deere to pioneer hydraulic adapter I had the best results when put on the hose 1st then plug in the normal way
Always enjoy your channel and content with you guys!! Way to go...go Green!! Learn Soo much...
Thanks for sharing!😊
When Gage and Laura are running side by side......That sky is pure beauty!!!!!!
A straight forward and dependable experience,Laura farms thank you.
LOVE THE DUALS
Grant with the old disc out of the ground and the cylinder not pinned you had the full weight of the disc on the hydraulic line.
Love these videos, super fun to learn from.
Great to see the old and new working together...Just proves they made them in that era...Thanks for the videos of 2024...Hope 2025 is a good one for you all Happy New Year when it comes..Looking forward to more of your videos
What does moving the steering wheel during starting do?
FYI, motocross helmets, goggles, and ear plugs are VERY warm in winter work outdoors. It might look a little screwy, but man it's sooooo much warmer than scarves and hoodies. Plus, with the basic ear plugs, in those noisy environments, you can hear the tractor (loud equipment) etc...
? Umm... how does moving the steering wheel help to start the tractor?
It relieves pressure in the hydraulic system allowing the starter motor to crank more easily. I was wondering the something, I googled it
I don't know the mechanics behind it but have had to do the same thing with older tractors......just a bit less aggressively than Laura did it though.😂
Can't argue I had a truck had to be put in third gear and then put in neutral to start ??? Used it for years anything manual can be touchy🤔😳😁😁😁✌👍💛🙏
15 ft. Is 6 30 in rows and get it up to 5 or 6 mph it will do a lot better job
Look for clean shiny battery connection. If they look black they need cleaned black acts like insulator
John Deere were the first tractor to introduce connect ubder pressure hydraulic couplings, Grant you need to fit the adaptors to the hoses first then plug them into the couplings then turn the little handles under the coupler to let the oil flow. Oh and throw away the hammer before you break something!
At 11min, trying to attach the hydraulic hose to the 4020, the weight of the disc is pressurizing the disc line. You needed the skid steer again to take the weight off the cylinder, and stop the disc line from being pressurized. Hammer was not the right approach.
When Grant pressed the disc line against the frame and oil sprayed out, that was the pressure. Continued pressing until the disc sank to the ground would have worked (and sprayed lots of oil!).
Amazing ur still working these old tractors amazing job
Happy New Year from the Netherlands
The 4020 mcv isn’t stopping the hydraulic pressure like all old tractors need to kill the engine to change the lines.
You have a great channel. It brings back memories of working on the farm. Hooking up the disc(where is the safety chain).
Didn't you want to try to back it out lol I love watching your videos Laura
have a fantastic 2025 laura ---- lots of love from the english lake district ----- we never miss a episode
I love this content with the old iron! A couple things, when there's pressure on the lines, shut the tractor off (which you did) and cycle the levers to bleed off the pressure. If that doesn't work, crack the hose fitting at the cylinder to bleed off. Using a hammer on the fitting just wrecks them... Also, I'd really like to see that 4020 grunt and see what it's capable of. That disc could have been dropped on the ground a lot further judging by it still being on the wheels and having a good 6 inches of travel visible on the hydraulic cylinder, and up shift a couple gears and throttle up. That thing has a 120hp, but you were only using like 30!
The sheer joy & excitement expressed is intoxicating. You seem to genuinely love what you are doing. Good for you
Laura, while I'm not a farmer I did have my own little piece of heaven with a small 10 acre farm. I loved it! While I really like the 4020 tractor JD's are not my choice and I'll take a Case any day of the week. As for the electrical issue, battery cable connections must be CLEAN and TIGHT in order to allow current to flow. No current flowing... no spinny the starter motor. You might wish to install a cut-out switch to disconnect the battery from the tractor while it is just sitting and not being used. This will have the potential to save your batteries. You can also run 2 batteries in parallel to give you more cranking ability but at the same voltage. I'm sure Grant knows all about this. He's a good man! Just remember that ALL electrical connections must be clean and tight. On a different note, I was curious about discing and if a smaller disc assembly but with larger discs would work better for the 4020? Stay safe!
A true queen, flawless in every way.
With a smile to die for!
dnt take life in ur hands ...
Hi,good days for everyone and happy new year
I could replay this forever, it’s captivating.
Laura is a NATURAL TEACHER and so cute
Teacher of what didn t learn anything from watching it
Howdy from Texas! Just get gage to make a mechanical cylinder stop like is on the headers. Then you can relieve pressure before you unhook it if you want to leave it in raised position. I just let ours down on the ground and relieve it before I unhook. Thank you for the vids y'all be careful have fun ! Happy New Year!
Grant's video skills are getting better. Great video
To remove the pressure more safely, you can rebuild a coupling so that it has a screw in the middle.Then just connect the coupling and tighten the screw.
There are some examples on TH-cam how to build.
Laura and Grant hope you had a greet Christmas and wishing you a great new year .
I've got an old backhoe on a JD 300 tracktor. I had the starter rebuilt but it still doesn't engage all of the time. I think that there is a bit of a ridge on some places of the ring gear. I installed another solonoid, with the out put power doing directly to the startermotor. that is powered by a spring loaded push button. When the starter doesn't engage, I hit the second button, which makes the starter spin and the bendix is pulled in the ring gear. so far it works.
You should run the 4020 on the grain cart next year for harvest or bin work
Nice to see you working the diesel, especially with a turbo. Part throttle, light duty lets poorly burned fuel leak past the rings. Maybe put the loader on the gas burner? Lots of progress over 50 years, so good some not so good!
It just makes financial sense to put the hours on the older tractor in applications where it's reasonable and functional to do. My grandfather had red painted equipment but was careful to use equipment wisely. If you're renting equipment and pay for use hours on that equipment, this makes even more sense.
Beautiful Laura
Hello
Good morning
Happy New Year
you are doing super duper excellent
well done
keep it up
Bad battery contacts or possible rusted battery cable is my guess. I love this podcast with your descriptions on what really happens behinds the scenes. All the litttle details that we never ever think about. There's lots more to farming than just throwing some seeds on the ground and harvesting. It's a lot of work! Totally enjoy your family farming. Have a very Safe and Happy New Year to everyone on the Laura Farm.
Hi Laura keep your videos going can't wait for next year all my love for you and grant happy new year and all your family ❤❤
Yeah once I got my 66 4020 all fixed up, this ok iron horse is back in action once again. 4020 diesel’s ran on my dads family farm back in the 60s and 70s.
I operate 300 hundred ton cat truck with massive duals. Love your tractors Laura