[AT] JD 70D - Long response

[Dean VP]

Mike:

The 70D is a good tractor, generally. It set all kinds of fuel economy
records when it was announced and tested in the Nebraska test facility. I
don't own a 70 now but I spent most of my teenage years on the seat of 70
Gas version. They are real workhorses. The torque on the engine is
phenomenal. They are a big, hard working field tractor, not a yard toy. The
equivalent tractor to a Farmall M is a JD 60 so the JD 70 will have more HP.
The Farmall M was/is a very good tractor and I wouldn't denigrate it at all.
But I'm partial to JD. The 70 succeeded the JD G and they are over-built
like a tank. I wouldn't worry at all about trying to get more out of it than
the factory specs, within reason. We tweaked up our Gas 70 on the farm by
going to M & W raised dome pistons. But made the mistake of shaving the head
too. We went too far. It dieseled on Gas. I don't remember what we did to
tone that down. But let me tell you, you could not stop that sucker under
any load. A 70 Diesel would be even more awesome. But one has to pay
sometimes for the extra HP. We had trouble keeping the flywheel tight on
that tractor from that point on. As I recall we eventually cracked the
flywheel. Not sure if we ever found a permanent fix to that problem. 

Also keep in mind that the 70 is faster in low gear than the 50 and 60. The
low gear on the 70 is 2 1/2 miles per hour whereas the 50 and 60 is 1 1/2
MPH. In competitive pulling that is a real disadvantage. I have out pulled
70's with my JD 60 because of that. One has to really up the HP on the 70 to
handle the higher gearing in competitive pulling situations. 

However, I would caution you concerning the Pony. I have read several horror
stories on the JD ATIS list of guys having to spend way too much money
getting them repaired. I have heard parts are really hard to find and those
available are really expensive. But what isn't any more? To me the real
unknown is what is it going to cost to fix the Pony? That overrides all the
rest. I suspect there is an upgrade kit for a 70 to convert it to electric
start offered by someone but they never had it from the JD factory. I would
guess that a conversion kit might cost upwards toward $1,000 but probably
would be less than fixing the Pony. But until you know what is wrong with
the Pony this is all conjecture. There are those on the JD ATIS list who
have done the conversion on other model JD tractors with good results so you
need to join the JD ATIS list and get their input. 

I would also caution you to be wary of what three point hitch is on the 70.
The 70 did not come with a conventional factory three point. Never did and
never could. JD did offer a not quite so conventional three point hitch for
the 70 call the 800 Series hitches that are not directly three point
compatible. There is a way to make them compatible however. Then there are
many aftermarket three point hitches still available that can be used on a
70. A complete and quality 800 series hitch on the 70 would be worth almost
twice as much as an aftermarket hitch since they are a collector item. A
really good 800 series hitch that is complete and restored is probably worth
a $1,000 or more by itself. Aftermarket hitches can be purchased new still
today in the $300 to $800 region. Many of these hitches at the low end are
built too light IMHO. CHEAP!

But what is really important to recognize is any three point on the 70 will
not have the conventional attribute of Load and Depth control. There is no
capability of an active top link to sense the load & depth like there is on
a conventional three point hitch. All implements used with a 70 three point
will require a gauge wheel to control depth. There is a version of the 800
series hitches that did provide mechanical leverage called the 801 hitch. It
was advertised to add as much as 30% more traction with some modicum of
depth control. 

JD did not have a conventional three point hitch on their tractors until the
successor models of the 50, 60, 70 Row Crop tractors which came out in late
1956 called the 520, 620 & 720. The only JD tractor that had a conventional
three point hitch prior to that was the smaller JD 40 which came out in
1953. 

So with all that in mind, what is this worth? Won't touch that. Sometimes
free tractors are too expensive. :-) The way I have learned to valuate
non-running antique tractors is to determine what the parts value is of the
tractor and then reluctantly and hesitantly go up from there. And there
better be good reasons to go higher. The fact that the main engine is
running is a plus. I'm curious as to how they are getting it running. With a
belt? 

Hope this helps. And Good Luck. And yes I would buy a 70D if I could find
the right one at the right price. :-) 


Dean A. Van Peursem
Snohomish, WA 98290

What people can dream, people can do! George W. Bush

www.deerelegacy.com

http://members.cox.net/classicweb/email.htm




-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Michael Miller
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 8:00 PM
To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: RE: [AT] JD 70D

Dang Hotmail, it didn't send it the first time...


I hate to ask those "whats it worth" questions, but I am looking at a 70D.  
Pony motor doesn't run.  Has rollomatic, powrtrol, PS, hydraulics, no 
fenders.  Runs good other than the pony.


Never thought I'd buy a deere other than a 4010/4020 but I sure could use a 
3 pt around here.  Plus its bigger than current "big" tractor and we can 
always use MORE POWER.


He rates it a 6-7 on a scale of 1-10.  Whats it going to take to fix that 
blasted pony?  I've heard they are a real bear to fix.   How much would it 
take to just convert it over to electric start?  Can the pump be turned up 
any and if so, will the rear end handle it?

Any particular things to look at on it?

Is the 70 a better tractor than a Farmall M?  If I get the 70 the M will 
have to leave.


Mike




>From: "Michael Miller" <sweetcorn70 at hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: Antique tractor email discussion group 
><at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
>Subject: [AT] JD 70D
>Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 19:13:31 -0400
>
>
>
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