[HappyValleyJD]

I currently have a 420 with a mower, snow plow, and blower. I have the chance to get a 400. Can anyone point me to a reference for the front (or all) frame widths for these guys? I'd like to be able to move the front gear from one to another. Ditto for the three point parts and the rear of the frame. Thanks.

 

[LukeL]

Someone will come along and know for sure but I’m pretty sure all the attachments for the front of the 400 were unique to the 400. I know the 3 point won’t swap to a 420. That’s why they were somewhat of an oddball.

 

[knottyrope]

good info here

JD 400 and JD 420 Compatability (Front End)

I have a JD 400 and I'd like to know if JD 420 front attachments will fit on the front end of JD 400s and vice versa. I'm interested in putting a Buford Bucket on my JD 400. The gentleman that builds them have a template for the 420 but not for the 400. If the dimensions are different, does...

www.wfmachines.com

 

[army]

When I joined this forum I asked the same thing about attachments. The overwhelming response was, who cares what will interchange? Just get a tractor for every attachment. So that's what I did.

On a more serious note.. It's typically either/or for 420 and 400 attachments. If you can find some spares, the mounts can be changed on the blowers and blades to use them on either tractor model. The attachment mounts would have to be changed every time to switch between tractors though. Another option is to adapt them using a quick attach type set up but you'd have to mod the attachments and both tractors for that. Doesn't seem worth the cost and effort though. That never stopped me personally before, just saying.

 

[army]

Knotty!

good info here

JD 400 and JD 420 Compatability (Front End)

I have a JD 400 and I'd like to know if JD 420 front attachments will fit on the front end of JD 400s and vice versa. I'm interested in putting a Buford Bucket on my JD 400. The gentleman that builds them have a template for the 420 but not for the 400. If the dimensions are different, does...

www.wfmachines.com

 

[knottyrope]

Knotty!

Moo!

 

[jdalchemist]

If you can cut and drill some heavy steel, it is pretty simple to adapt the JD 420/430 model 56 blade, 46 blower, and 47 blower for mounting on a JD 400. Deere once sold a "conversion" kit (nla) consisting of two straps, 3-1/2" by 5/8" bolts and 1-1/2" by 5/8" bolts, and lock nuts seen in the diagram. Two holes are factory-drilled in the sides of the implement frames for attaching the straps. Equivalent straps are readily made from 5/16" by 2" by 9" mild steel flat stock. (I find there is no reason to slot the center hole or to put a notch in the strap). The 3-1/2" bolts take the place of the lower rod found on JD 420/430 implements. Pictures show a strap on one of my JD 420 model 56 blades mounted on a JD 400. Once the straps are bolted on, the blade can be switched between JD 420/430 and JD 400 tractors with no additional tinkering.

Is your JD 420 snowblower a single stage model 46 or a two-stage model 47? The model 47 with added straps will work directly on the JD 400, as the telescoping driveshaft has enough play to accommodate the slightly different pto shaft positions on the two tractors. However, the model 46 will need a driveshaft that is about 1-1/2" shorter if it is to be used on a JD 400. This short driveshaft is no longer available, and there are several threads here about efforts to find or repair the unit.
Harold

 

[army]

I didn't know that Mr Wizard. I bet you were hell on wheels in geometry class .

 

[HappyValleyJD]

good info here

JD 400 and JD 420 Compatability (Front End)

I have a JD 400 and I'd like to know if JD 420 front attachments will fit on the front end of JD 400s and vice versa. I'm interested in putting a Buford Bucket on my JD 400. The gentleman that builds them have a template for the 420 but not for the 400. If the dimensions are different, does...

www.wfmachines.com

Thanks. That's a keeper.

 

[HappyValleyJD]

If you can cut and drill some heavy steel, it is pretty simple to adapt the JD 420/430 model 56 blade, 46 blower, and 47 blower for mounting on a JD 400. Deere once sold a "conversion" kit (nla) consisting of two straps, 3-1/2" by 5/8" bolts and 1-1/2" by 5/8" bolts, and lock nuts seen in the diagram. Two holes are factory-drilled in the sides of the implement frames for attaching the straps. Equivalent straps are readily made from 5/16" by 2" by 9" mild steel flat stock. (I find there is no reason to slot the center hole or to put a notch in the strap). The 3-1/2" bolts take the place of the lower rod found on JD 420/430 implements. Pictures show a strap on one of my JD 420 model 56 blades mounted on a JD 400. Once the straps are bolted on, the blade can be switched between JD 420/430 and JD 400 tractors with no additional tinkering.

Is your JD 420 snowblower a single stage model 46 or a two-stage model 47? The model 47 with added straps will work directly on the JD 400, as the telescoping driveshaft has enough play to accommodate the slightly different pto shaft positions on the two tractors. However, the model 46 will need a driveshaft that is about 1-1/2" shorter if it is to be used on a JD 400. This short driveshaft is no longer available, and there are several threads here about efforts to find or repair the unit.
Harold

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View attachment 287904

Thank you. This is very useful. Am I seeing the photo correctly in that your 420 attachment is INSIDE the frame of the 400 with the 3 1/2 bolt spanning from the strap through the frame to the attachment?

My blower is a single stage, full custom job. It's mount rides inside the 420 lower frame, hanging on that 1"-ish bolt and the little tang on the front of the frame. I hate this arrangement, as it not using the upper frame mount holes, but I have yet to fix it. It began life as a 36" unit, but the previous owner took another 36", cut it up and made the first one 54". It's quite the thing to see, but it moves snow. It's kind of at the edge of what my Honda powered 420 will drive, though.

The genesis of all this is that the 400 I might get has a four way snow plow. My current one is a custom job and it's only two way. If this all goes through, I'll see about shifting the 4 way to the 420.

 

[TempletonJDguy]

It’s easier to go 400 to 420 than 420 to 400 👍🏻

 

[jdalchemist]

The 420 blade frame sides set outside the JD 400 tractor frame. There are two brackets factory welded onto the back side of the 420 blade frame into which the long 5/8" bolts are attached. The end of one of these brackets is seen in my middle picture. A JD 400 blade frame does not have these brackets, and they need to be fabricated and welded into place for adapting the blade to work on a JD 420. The straps (described earlier) are unnecessary for adapting a 400 blade to a 420, but the lower mounting studs on the 400 blade need to be cut out to hold the head end of the 5/8" long bolts. A long 5/8" rod can be used in place of the 5/8" bolts, but the middle of the rod will interfere with mounting the unit on a JD 400. That is quite a snowblower. As far as designing more support for the mounting, is seems you could add some "S"-curved or offset flat stock from the frame up to the tractor spring pins.
Harold

 

[army]

I misunderstood the goal here. I was thinking the idea was to have the attachments work on either a 400 or a 420 with no need to modify anything to swap them back and forth.