# Good Bad and Ugly on a JD4230



## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Trying to help a hay client that is looking at a JD 4230 for sale in the 8-9k range. I am assuming significant hours as it has a loader, probably a 148. I know the 40 series up were considered good as row crops, what about the 30 series. for incidental use on larger equipment and probably to move bales as the primary tractor for them is a small Kubota. Was it the 3030 that had trans issues or all the 30 series? Thanks.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

JD 4230 were decent tractors. I'd rather drive a 4230 than a 4020. I do't remember any real trans problems although the later one's had diff upgrades. Which type trans?


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Thanks Jim. Not sure about the trans. will check


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

You could ask BobM. He loves his 4230 tractors.


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## farmallzach (Apr 6, 2018)

In my opinion they are great little tractors, I have one as one of my main haying tractors. For a 42 plus year old tractor it does a good job. The Power Quad Transmission is pretty tough, it is nimble, and the cabs are decent. I do not care for John Deere's hydraulic couplers on the back, I even converted mine to the Pioneer style barrels with the kit Deere offers, but they still slobber oil. I have been running an 11ft. MoCo with mine right now, and it just plays with my 450M Deere round baler. Those tractors in my area if decent are bringing a lot more than that without a loader, I have about twice that in mine and wouldn't trade it for nothing.


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

I had the 4010, 20, and 4230C with partial power shift....partial meaning I had a 2 gear setup whereby I could be plowing at one speed, come to the end of the row, hit the shift lever and immediately drop a gear, make the turn, hit the lever again, back up to plowing speed....liked that.

4230, being 100 hp at the PTO was the little brother to the 4430 which was the same engine turbocharged putting out 125 hp and as a result was a much more sought after tractor.

That's one of the reasons I bought it having under 4000 hours (in 2005) with a 4430 sitting adjacent at around 9000, and $2000 more, and even though both had been cosmetically restored, it felt loose whereby the smaller one was tight.

If I had a need I would still have it but I retired and down sized.


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## opcruzer (May 7, 2016)

The 4230 will be the first series with the nice sound guard cab and will be much nicer than a 4020 or the like even with a cab. Some were known to have some overheating issues if you worked them hard but for what your talking about it will be fine. Also depending on what you want to do with it, the quad range is more desirable than the powershift, but that also depends on what you are doing with it. Anything over 8-9k in hours and an overhaul of the engine or trans should be in the cards or get records on who did what if its been done.


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## farmallzach (Apr 6, 2018)

4230 had the Naturally Aspirated 404 engine, the 4430 had a 466 engine I believe. Mine will get hot if you are working it hard.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Thanks all for the feedback. definitely sounds fine for the intended use. Probably the hardest thing it will ever do is to run a rental no till drill or a disk over a several acre paddock, neither of which will be in the hot part of the year. Guessing that they may upgrade their cutter to a real size as well at some point but there is never more than some weeds to cut.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

farmallzach said:


> 4230 had the Naturally Aspirated 404 engine, the 4430 had a 466 engine I believe. Mine will get hot if you are working it hard.


4430 had 404 engine with a turbo while 4230 had a 404 naturally aspirated engine.


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

What is the difference with a 4230 and a 4230C?


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

LukeS said:


> What is the difference with a 4230 and a 4230C?


I sold 4230's when they were new. The only thing I can think of when Mark states 4230C is the C refers to cab.


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

Oh ok thanks makes sense.


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