John Deere · New Generation series

John Deere 4020

Name: John Deere 4020
Brand: John Deere

Row-crop tractor · 1963–1972 · Diesel

The John Deere 4020 was the flagship row-crop tractor of Deere's revolutionary New Generation line, pairing a torquey 6-cylinder diesel with class-leading closed-center hydraulics and an optional clutchless Power Shift transmission. Nearly 185,000 were built between 1963 and 1972, making it one of the best-selling row-crop tractors in American history. It is widely credited with helping push John Deere past International Harvester as the U.S. tractor sales leader.

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Photo: Marion Doss. License: CC BY-SA 2.0.

PTO power: 91.2 hp
Weight: 8,225 lb (3,731 kg)
Displacement: 404 ci (6.6 L)
Total built: 184,879

Overview
Type	Row-crop
Series	New Generation
Production	1963–1972
Factory	Waterloo, Iowa, USA
Total built	184,879
Original price	$10,345 (1972 USD)

Engine
Make	John Deere
Model	6.6L diesel (404 ci)
Fuel	Diesel
Cylinders	6
Displacement	404 ci (6.6 L)
Bore × stroke	4.25x4.75 in
Rated speed	2,200 rpm
Compression	16.5:1
Cooling	liquid-cooled
Aspiration	Naturally aspirated

Power
Drawbar power	76.4 hp (56.9 kW)
PTO power	91.2 hp (68 kW)
Nebraska test	Nebraska Test 849

Transmission
Transmission	Syncro-Range — 8 forward, 2 reverse; Power Shift — 8 forward, 2 reverse (optional)
Chassis	4x2 2WD

Hydraulics & hitch
Hydraulics	closed-center
Hydraulic capacity	10 gal (37.9 L)
Pressure	2,250 psi (155.1 bar)
Hitch category	Category 2
Lift capacity	3,790 lb (1,719 kg)
Rear PTO	independent
PTO speed	540 rpm, 1000 rpm

Dimensions & capacities
Weight	8,225 lb (3,731 kg)
Wheelbase	97.5 in (248 cm)
Length	151 in (384 cm)
Width	89.6 in (228 cm)
Fuel capacity	34 gal (129 L)
Front tires	6.00-16
Rear tires	15.5-38

History

The 4020 was part of the "New Generation of Power" line Deere unveiled at the famous "Deere Day in Dallas" on August 30, 1960, when the company chartered planes to fly more than 5,000 dealers in to see four- and six-cylinder tractors replace the two-cylinder "Johnny Popper" era that had defined the brand since the 1920s. It was, at the time, the biggest product change in company history.

Offered with a choice of diesel, gasoline, or LP-gas power and backed by an optional Power Shift transmission, closed-center hydraulics, and available power steering, the 4020 set the technological benchmark for row-crop tractors through the mid-1960s. Its combination of power, reliability, and refinement made it an instant favorite with farmers moving toward larger, more mechanized operations, and it remains one of the most sought-after "gateway classics" for collectors and restorers today.

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