My 4020 Story: A Generational Tractor

If you were a 40-year-old farmer with $9,400 to spend in 1970, it would have been hard to find a better long term machinery investment than a John Deere 4020 tractor.  Dad was proud of his purchase then, laminating the invoice so it would not be lost.

I still remember the Reeser Implement delivery truck showing up to the farm on a cold day in 1970, watching the new tractor rolling onto the turf in the farmyard.  I was six years old and probably the second most excited person there, other than my dad.  I could tell by his reaction that this was a big deal for us in East Grove Township. We had a two-car garage attached to the house.  That winter, the car and truck sat outside, but the 4020 occupied the first stall.

From day one, the tractor proved to be indispensable on our farm.  Whether plowing, disking, planting, cultivating, or hauling wagons, the 4020 did it all.  The tractor, along with my dad and the farmhouse as a backdrop, was featured as the cover photo for a Woods mower sales brochure early on in its tenure on our farm. The tractor earned its keep in a multitude of ways.  It was washed and hand waxed (under my dad’s watchful eye) more often than any car we ever had.

These days the 4020 spends more time in the shed than in the field, sharing space with the newer John Deere tractors, combine, a 3020 that never fails to start, an unrestored “60” and a “50” restoration project. Like every other 50-something-year-old, it is showing a bit of its age.  The clock shows over 7000 hours on the engine and transmission, but it has yet to see its first overhaul.  Regular maintenance, oil changes, several sets of batteries, a few sets of tires, a couple fender-mounted radios, and the odd part here and there have kept it available for the second generation.  Third generation operators include a local Agriculture teacher / FFA advisor and a Prairie State Tractor sales consultant (Chris Anderson). If past performance is any indicator of future results, I think it will be ready to roll for at least another generation to come.

Story written by Will Anderson of Ohio, Illinois. Have a 4020 story to share with Prairie State Tractor? We're collecting John Deere 4020 tractor stories to help promote our new 4020 special inspection program. Plus, our favorite entry will get their 4020 inspected for free. Click here for all the details on how to submit your own story. To schedule a 4020 special inspection for only $195, click here and complete the form.