# JD3020



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

My neighbor has a JD3020 tractor that we borrowed while our MF1135 was in the shop with a blown head gasket. Well this old tractor is a bum to shift; well at least for us. Maybe it is because we are just not used to it, and don't really understand how shift the darn thing. Well any way dad was telling him he was not to impressed with that transmission. The neighbor told dad that was the best transmission that John Deere had ever made, well I don't really know; maybe it is and maybe its not. All I know is the last time I ran the darn thing I had a heck of a time getting it into a higher gear, ended up driving it back to the neighbor in low gear; good thing his place is not far from ours. Maybe the old tractor is just wore out. All I can say is I am glad I don't own it.

In the same conversation he had with dad, he told dad that it could pull my Krone BP128 big pack 3x4 baler. It is a good thing I was not around I just may have fallen on the ground laughing my ass off. Heck we are talking a 20,000 pound baler being pulled by a 10,000 pound tractor. Of course this guy used to be a school teacher, that tells me all I need to know.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

A JD 3020(65-70 pto HP) would have to be weighted very heavy to weigh 10,000 & I doubt it will handle a large sq baler. Sounds as if this 3020 has a Syncro-range trans which could have worn out synchronizes or shift quadrant


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

I have a 4020 Syncro with a well worn shifter you just can't let anyone drive it . I'm sure it's just fine if you run it all the time. As far as the baler I doubt it.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Tx Jim said:


> A JD 3020(65-70 pto HP) would have to be weighted very heavy to weigh 10,000 & I doubt it will handle a large sq baler. Sounds as if this 3020 has a Syncro-range trans which could have worn out synchronizes or shift quadrant


I was just guessing on weight. Maybe it might be able to pull it, but not pull and run it. The baler would push it around. With my MF2745 I can feel when that plunger hits, I can just imagine what it would feel like when it hits with that tractor.



farmerbrown said:


> I have a 4020 Syncro with a well worn shifter you just can't let anyone drive it . I'm sure it's just fine if you run it all the time. As far as the baler I doubt it.


I suppose if I ran it everyday I would get it figured out.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

The shifting pattern on a 3020 is confusing, but after driving one I realized that is is intended for convenient gear jumps. If it shifts poorly there are probably linkage problems. Pulling a big square with a 3020 is totally laughable. It would take a 4020 minimum to pull our cute little D1000 big square.


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## 2ndWindfarm (Nov 11, 2014)

Gotta hand it to the guy.. He's loyal to his 'ol 3020! I have never been that much of a fan of the shift pattern on the 3020 or the 4020.

It does work well in that 2-gear, up-down. Especially in a windrow that is heavier then light; you can grab another gear quickly.

But outside of that, the sideways stair step up or down through the gears was confusing and cludgy.

That would be a considerable "pucker problem" hooked up to a big square baler with a 3020! I'd always be on the lookout for a good place to jump off when the whole caboodle might jackknife!


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## toddhandy (Jun 20, 2014)

The syncro are hard to get used to, One important tip NEVER shift it into a reverse gear when the tractor is still moving forward. There is a good chance you will break the reverse gear you are shifting into. I know guys that have done this


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I hope we don't have to borrow this tractor again, but it is nice that he let us use it. You don't realize how much you need a tractor until it is down.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

toddhandy said:


> The syncro are hard to get used to, One important tip NEVER shift it into a reverse gear when the tractor is still moving forward. There is a good chance you will break the reverse gear you are shifting into. I know guys that have done this


 I definitely know one can shift a Synro-range trans in reverse or fwd moving as I done that many times. One might break a gear in a JD Syncro-range trans putting in "park" or changing ranges while moving but the other fwd & reverse gears are synchronized hence the trans name. Photo below is of trans top shaft with synchronizes that can be shifted on the go in 1 or 3 or 1R,2 or 5 or 2nd R,3 or 7,6 or 8


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