JOHN DEERE Model R Tractor Plowing

[@jamesolson9423]

I grew up on 2 cylinder tractors. I am 78 years old now. My grandfather bought a new JD model D & a 3 bottom 12 inch plow 1935 for $700.00. That was the first tractor on the farm. The farm was 200 acres with 125 tiltable back then. It was also the year that my Dad, (His son) joined Granddad in a farming partnership. Prior to 1935 Granddad had 6 Belgian draft horses. He still kept and used all 6 horses. But the horses no longer had to do the plowing. 1935 was the year that JD added a 3ird gear to the transmission. Prior to 1935 (1923 through 1934) the model D just had low and high. Granddads model D had low, medium, & high. In 1941 they bought a model B on rubber with a 6 speed transmission, & with a 2 row front mounted cultivator. While the D did all of the tillage work, and pulled the wagon with a Minnesota hay loader behind the wagon and also the Case PTO driven corn binder with a bundle loader and wagon. The B cultivated the corn, cut & raked the hay, pulled the manure spreader, and powered the belt driven circle saw. The horses were used to skid the trees that were cut up for fire wood. They also harvested the larger trees to be cut into lumber for the farm buildings. But the 6 horses were reduced to only 2 horses by 1943. Granddad insisted that they keep one team of horses just in case the tractors would not start. On 8/17/51 my grand dad passed away. In 1957 Dad traded the model B for a model 50. In 1959 Dad bought a 1954 model JD G for $1,040.00 at a farm auction It had a wide front & a 3point hitch attachment. And dad sold the model D and the last 2 horses. In 1964 Dad bought a model 70 from the local JD dealer, because he had bought a forage harvester, and needed a tractor with live PTO. During the late 60's, as the farm grew larger in acreage, an I began doing much to the tractor driving, Dad had bought a model 830 diesel. What monster that tractor was when it was new. The two cylinder JD tractors were the most reliable tractors that we ever owned. I also bought a IH 706, a 1256, a 1066 and a 1566 with front wheel assist. I was forced out of farming in1987 because of my divorce. I was 40 years & 10 months old.

[@wiltfarms65]

Enjoy seeing the older equipment that made farming what it is today. Let’s see the new ones running in 70 years.

[@benkpsnyder]

And a 0 gallon def tank! Very nice.

[@bluegrassman3040]

That’s the best part.

[@bigtractorpower]

You made me nervous I thought I got the 1 gallon auxiliary gas tank detail wrong. 😁

[@oldman4206]

The next best part is, they don’t have a boatload of sensors to deal with.

[@MidwestFarmToys]

@@oldman4206 the next best part is it would take you 3 months to cover what you can in a few days with todays equipment

[@martingardener90]

At 51 horsepower it's having no problem pulling that plough - it's all about the torque!

[@martymartin2894]

Yes those old particular models just seem to plop along at the same revs with great power, very boring sound but they really worked well.

[@BoJangles709]

Back when " Nothing Runs Like a Deere" actually meant something

[@corerlt]

He needs to shift down a gear. Also the plow is not scouring properly.

[@BoJangles709]

@corerlt just enjoy the video dude, not everything needs to be picked apart just to make yourself feel good

[@corerlt]

@@BoJangles709 LMAO So you like over straining the tractors and wrecking things for no reason other than your own ego.....

[@czechmate6916]

I love these old poppin johnnys. Takes me back to my childhood days of my grandparents farm. I wasn’t very old I couldn’t reach the pedals or levers but my dad would let me steer it.

[@bigtractorpower]

Great memories. Tractors were much different back then. It’s hard to believe the R is over 70 now.

[@corsairsmitty9691]

My Grandfather bought new a 1947 John Deere model M. He and my father and us boys worked the 14 acre farm with this and another 1939 John Deere model B. The farm is no longer a working farm. I have gotten back to the farm to plow some of it with my 1963 Massey Ferguson MF35 utility tractor. My brother still has the model M that we grew up on. Such fond memories that M bring when i am on it again. Love that 2 cal sound, nothin like it.

[@stevewiens-sb4mv]

I grew up hearing the sound of a two cylinder John working my grandfather’s fields in southwest Saskatchewan. Still is one of my favourite sounds.

[@Hinesfarm-Indiana]

Can’t beat the sound of a Jonny popper 👍👍

[@bigtractorpower]

They have a string sound.

[@oldman4206]

Pound for pound, their power and torque was unbeatable. Torque monsters they were.

[@Hinesfarm-Indiana]

@@oldman4206 that’s for sure, I’ve got a JD B and it’s got the TQ.

[@anthonyhengst2908]

I love those 2 cylinder Deere of all kinds. We still our 49 A and 51 B for many of our shores around the farm.

[@bigtractorpower]

Two nice tractors. The B is the best selling John Deere ever.

[@gerrygebel3318]

Great video! The R was a rugged, reliable and versatile tractor on our small farm back in the 70s and I spent many hours on it after we purchased it at an auction

[@michaelshingleton1628]

I would sit on our front porch in Ohio and listen to a Johnny popper plow the field across the creek every spring. The best sounding tractors.

[@404nitro]

Nice find. I still really enjoy listening to those old 2 cylinder JD engines working. My dad always did too.

[@bigtractorpower]

I enjoy getting to feature these classics still hard at work doing the work they were built to do.

[@jeffreyhoover2105]

Thanks Jason for this videothis brings back memories of growing up on my aunts dairy farm she had A john deere 530 for plowing and a john deere 730 I love those two cylinder tractors wished I still had on of them yet for old time sakes. She had a john deere 3 bottom 3 point hitch 14 inch molboard plow F-45

[@Mr9501]

The Model R was the first John Deere I got to ride on when I was a young fellow….still holds a place in my heart whenever I see or hear one….just an awesome tractor

[@bigtractorpower]

Thank you for sharing. This is a really cool classic and I’m glad I was able to feature it plowing out the field like it was built to do.

[@MrGeroth]

Boy that sound brings back so many memories of my childhood with my grandpa.

[@outbackladas]

A beautiful sight, green tractor against that chocolate soil, doing an excellent job too! Hard to beat a good ploughing video. Regards from Down Under.

[@motolorens]

I was born 1948 when my uncle bought a John Deere b. We grew up together and I plowed many acres with great pleasure. Nothing better than the sound of these twins. I wish I bought the tractor when my cousin traded it in around 1980. Just imagine the quality for it to last so long!

[@jeffalexander2340]

The 1st tractors i learned to drive was a A and an R. grandfather bought it from a farmer that had 4 of them. We used it along with a 4010 and MF 1155. Dad got out of farming in 1992 and the original owners family bought it back. When he passed in 2000, I went to the new owner and he let me start it and drive it around a little bit. Loved that tractor. My favorite part was when the diesel cylinders kicked on and shutting down the pony motor.

[@bigtractorpower]

Great history. Wow a farm with 4 Rs was big time in its day. The 1155 is a tractor I badly want to film and feature. Thank you for sharing.

[@jeffalexander2340]

@bigtractorpower the 1155 was a beast. V8 diesel. No cab. I loved operating that one.

[@dwightl5863]

Earliest recollection of the R was a friend of the family that did custom corn chopping for silage in the area. Probably in the mid 1950's in mid- central Minnesota. Believe he pulled a 2 row Gehl chopper, PTO driven. Loved filling silo. Neighbors would come and help with lots of tractor driving and action going on. Definitely call it great times.

[@truthandfreedom885]

My grandpa farmed six quarters with an R John Deere and the 1950s. It was still working in the fields in the '70s and I was running them I thought they were not the main tractors any longer

[@milkman1944]

I could listen t that sweet sweet music all day long.

[@marks_sparks1]

Lovely turning over of the sod.

[@georgesjunk]

yay! more 2 cylinder content. thank you!

[@ikonseesmrno7300]

He's plowing potting soil with those 4 bottoms!😁 Great to see an R in action. That was the first two cylinder model that I saw in person at a tractor show. That guy didn't want to get his dirty though.

[@billbright1755]

Special study was done on crankshaft to cope with diesel pressure demands. This example appears as new and shows her paces well.

[@LarsDcCase]

The R was a very good tractor. Never operated one, but I did operate a 730 John Deere which was one of my favourite John Deeres other than the 4020.

[@johngriffim8616]

Nice work & niose from a 75 yr old" Big Tractor"

[@bigtractorpower]

It was definitely big tractor power in 1949.

[@henryslater8029]

Grew up in central n.y. during the 60’s running a 520, 630 and a 730. Each had plenty of power for their jobs. The 730 did the plowing pulling 4 -14” semi mounted bottoms. One of my favorite jobs was cultivating corn with the narrow front end 520. That tractor could turn on dime.The rolomatic front end sure made the ride smooth!

[@bigtractorpower]

Very cool. How many rows did the 520 cover ? I grew up in Western New York during the late 1970s and 1980s. It’s amazing how farming has changed over the years.

[@henryslater8029]

@@bigtractorpower we were a 35 milking cow dairy. Generally, if I remember correctly, something like 65 or 70 acres combined silage and picking corn. The 520 did two rows at a time which took a few days to complete twice a season. The first time would be with row guards early in the season and the second time as late as possible before the crop got to tall. The lift system worked off the 3 point arms with rods extending to front cultivators. It was a very easy system to attach as you drove into the front part the attached the rear section to the 3 point arms. You could complete attachments in just a few minutes allowing you to cultivate pretty much any time you had a few hours to cultivate. I only had 2 or 3 years of this as cultivation was pretty much over when crop spraying became the norm. It was basically the beginning of a new era in farming in this area. Small family farms were disappearing rapidly being replaced by the larger operations that are presently the trend. This was during my high school and college years. The family farm I worked for is now gone as are most of those from this area. I am most great full for having the opportunity to experience those years as it prepared me with a work ethic that carried through out my entire career and life.

[@bigtractorpower]

@@henryslater8029 great history. I always enjoy getting to film the little bit of row crop cultivating that still goes on. I filmed a 24 row last year. I grew in the late 70’s and early 80’s watching my neighbor cultivate 6 rows with an IH 686 on an IH cultivator and a 656 with a 6 row Krause.

[@henryslater8029]

I forgot to mention that I have been with your channel for several years and look forward to every presentation. I certainly appreciate and admire your dedication your channel requires to provide this excellent content. Never ever been disappointed! It’s also neat we have similar backgrounds from New York farm communities. Especially enjoyed the recent visit to the area just to our north showing forage harvest.

[@DavePrice-i4j]

Fans memories as a kid 😊

[@wayneburk8984]

Remember that sound from childhood

[@zodszoo]

Putting excellent power right to the ground!

[@donstein9239]

Great video Jason it was fun to plow with the old beast again sure makes you appreciate the new one's 😂 that was that guys first-time plowing

[@danw6014]

I still use several two cylinder John Deere's. Two model 60s a model B, plus a 70 diesel and a 730 diesel that are both in the process of a rebuild. I recall mowing about 60 acres of hay on one tank of fuel using the 730. I sometimes also used it to cultivate corn because the wide front end tires were only 6 inches and the 15.9 38s didn't knock as much corn down as the 4020.

[@AkbarMoncongloe]

Good video 👍

[@johnclarkkitner9556]

Will still use the 2 cycles on our farm. We have 730 D and 60 and 530.

[@SimonKL11]

That sound is amazing😄👍 very cool plowing setup👍👍

[@douglassellers7528]

First one I ever saw in the field was in mid 70's. Pulling a disc in eastern Indiana.

[@LT.X380]

Very good video. Thanks. 🙏🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@johnireland6301]

Wonderful video of a wonderful tractor.

[@bigtractorpower]

This is a 1952 model. It was great to get catch it at work.

[@fasteddy3425]

That's looks like a blast 😄

[@bigtractorpower]

This is a 1952 model. Great example of a big Deere from 70 years ago.

[@tommckinley111]

I believe the R was also the first John Deere with a factory cab option.

[@bigtractorpower]

I think you are correct. It was more of an enclosure. I filmed one years ago a plow day. It was more of a shell around the operators station. It was a very rusty R.

[@tommckinley111]

@@bigtractorpower it's the toy of the year for the 2 cylinder club made by ERTL

[@bigtractorpower]

@@tommckinley111 I have one of those on order. Great model.

[@michaelmanculich4004]

Oh yeah, we still use our popping John's

[@jimkarales1619]

Early 60s, when my Dad saw a tractor with black smoke out the exhaust always said" She's Burnen Coal" My Dad grew up working with Horses 🐎 LOL

[@lestersmith8758]

That was 51 drawbar horsepower. Today it is calculated as flywheel hp.

[@incargeek]

Super drone footage!

[@bigtractorpower]

Tractor Chasers filmed this one. It’s always neat to see something from a time when a drone couldn’t even Ben thought of and you would’ve had to hire a helicopter to film it at these angles.

[@incargeek]

@@bigtractorpowerits also interesting to watch combine headers operating from above.

[@retiredlife848]

Nice looking soil.

[@EDBZ28]

Awesome outfit....thats at "Farmin Sumbitch's" farm!

[@Blackwellll3066]

Pretty cool video for sure

[@MidwestFarmToys]

My favorite 2 cylinder of all time! Just a beast of a tractor. I reviewed the precision 1/16 model on my channel

[@CuongcaoFARM]

nice machine

[@bigtractorpower]

75 years old and still running strong.

[@frankscruggs4749]

Good video.

[@MichaelZeller-d5q]

Dad had rather large collection of old two cylinder tractors with many still in the family. We get together occasionally and plow up a field usually around ten different models of John Deere s.

[@bigtractorpower]

Very cool to get a bunch together to plow.

[@Thoroughly_Wet]

The big bore poppers are the best sounding under load.

[@martymartin2894]

I think they sound extremely boring but they were really good and just plopped along without loosing power, no exciting engine revving sounds to listen to though.

[@SimonPerry-cz4ke]

From England 51 HP but they were bloody good horses

[@bobnistler]

NICE 😎 😎

[@MarkMa1890]

Good

[@Hellbillyhok]

Thats the tidiest ploughing I've ever seen from America,its usually a mess they make for some reason

[@MidwestFarmToys]

I get frustrated with my fellow American about that 😂. I think it's because it's mostly a lost practice around here, But it isn't that complicated either way so I dont get it. Most the time they don't have the plow level and they're driving in and out of the furrow lol

[@martingardener90]

Yes, in the UK you usually try to plough a straight furrow even if it's not at a match , in the US they nearly go round in circles! 😂😂

[@Hellbillyhok]

No offense yank pals 😁, it's still an anal thing in the parts of Britain I'm from 😉👌🏻

[@Ethan-ck6iz]

It's a lost art in America, moldboard plowing has been pretty uncommon for many years. There's not many who moldboard plow on their farms every year, and it shows

[@stuartrobertson4714]

That tractor will batter own from 6:00 in morning to 6:00 at night no problems am from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 and have a ford 7840 with 5000 hrs 6 cylinder no fancy stuff just the basics braw

[@FranklinBoner]

Great

[@bigtractorpower]

Thank you for watching. The R was a nice classic to get to feature.

[@ToddHickman-q2f]

Is that 5-18s it's pulling? Probly 3rd gear not bad

[@bobfarney2353]

Horizontally opposed engine?

[@piperdoug428]

man i could point in any direction and point at a 5 bottom version of that plow, funny as Winnipeg is just 3hrs east of me

[@bigtractorpower]

The 555 would be great to feature in a video. The R had to be very popular in the plains.

[@ToddHickman-q2f]

Only 4 i guess just like the 80 or 5:15 820 in clay was where we plowed did that have poney motor to start

[@davidshort9439]

My uncle in Missouri had a few different 2 cylinder tractors. The thing I did not like was the hand clutch, very hard me to catch onto.

[@timothywhitlock4565]

Western New York is getting their money's worth.

[@Crimsonarc6]

Does the John deer 555 have any kind of plow reset?

[@bigtractorpower]

The plow doesn't have safety trips for rocks but springs on the hitch and a clutch throw out for safety so that the plow will not get damaged in less than favorable conditions.

[@Crimsonarc6]

@@bigtractorpower that’s very interesting

[@ToddHickman-q2f]

Only 4 i guess just like the 80 or 820 in clay was where we plowed

[@thomasworatschka6860]

Was it a little wet for the video? What is the other tractor plowing in the video?

[@bigtractorpower]

It had been extremely dry. They were satisfied with the conditions to run a day after a rain. The other tractor/ were a 7520 and 6030’. You can them plowing in these videos: 7520’kzbin.info/www/bejne/p52Te2WhoM6orrcsi=gy2GAhUgvoM2BmXE and kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqKsgJimqZ5slaMsi=Fe5nnnKBq3ibOJaQ

[@strawwalker8177]

1st JD with diesel only My Dad had one and MT Grandad had 3

[@jamesjolly7406]

As always

[@bigtractorpower]

Thank you James.

[@jamesjolly7406]

👍 👍 ​@@bigtractorpower

[@rudycarlson8245]

@@bigtractorpower I would take the model R over any of today’s tractors! I would have no problem plowing 100 acres with THIS tractor!

[@paulofrancisco565]

👏👏👍👍👌👌🚜🚜

[@bigtractorpower]

😁👍

[@glennspreeman1634]

Now, we have 300-350 up on 7-8 bottoms!

[@glennspreeman1634]

10 horse/ bottom or 40! Progress?

[@IG10705]

300hp can pull more than 8 bottoms. There's videos proving it

[@bigtractorpower]

Tillage has changed greatly over the years.

[@larryray4811]

I broke on an A I think and was upgraded to the G.(Aka Popping Johnny).

[@noehueber6602]

Hey Jason great vidéo and equipement and sound i love this popping deere 2 cylinder is beast sound from john deere This year I have planting soybean with jd 830 and 12 row jd with a farmer friend of my boss and mee for me it's the most successful sound from jd although I like the 6030 7020 and others but it's not worth the good 2 cylinder jd

[@marzchart591]

our Massey 165 hardly pulled 3 rows. at one third the speed. same horsepower. i don't get it.

[@bigtractorpower]

The only thing I could see in the differences would be weight. The R is 7,600 lbs and the 165 5,085 lbs. Other factors could be lugging and torque but the sales brochures do not provide those. Soil types are a big factor too.

[@marzchart591]

@@bigtractorpower fascinating

[@billbright1755]

Don’t lug the old girl she deserves better handling!