[mitchgia]

Just picked up a 400 this week and have lots of questions. First off what are the variations over the years. my serial tag indicates it to be a 75 from what I can tell but there are a few things that appear to be from later models. second its in really rough shape. Is there anywhere to get parts from a junkyard or anything. Id like to make this a decent tractor and I don't think its too far off just needs a lot of little things done. Does anyone know how to test the charge system or have a wiring diagram for these.

sorry for the unorganized paragraph.

lastly lets see some pics of other 400s.

 

[chuckv]

Mitchel,

Welcome to WFM! Try these threads (found them with the site's search engine...)

http://www.wfmachines.com/discus/messages/17/268392.html
http://www.wfmachines.com/discus/messages/17/158684.html
http://www.wfmachines.com/discus/messages/17/157588.html

There were many other threads as well..

Chuck

 

[tfgaasch]

Welcome.
I have learned a lot from many of the past post here.
I have found the wiring to be pretty straight forward on my 400, it is a 81 but I can't see that there are too many different ways to wire them. I had everything bad on mine. Armature, regulator, wires fried, connectors fried (melted), and finally bad ignition switch. Thank god the magnets on the flywheel were still good. I found a digital multimeter was the most valuable.

Voltage from armature should be over 30 volts AC (2 outside on regulator).
Center on regulator to ground should be over 13 volts DC.
The regulator feeds power to the switch which distributes it to bat, light switch, ignition, starter relay, fuel pump.

As for junkyards for deere parts I don't know of any.

Mine is a work in progress. Maybe by the end of summer I'll have some good pics to post. Still chasing some little gremlins and a couple hydro leaks. Need to start striping things to get sand blasted and powder coated. Also looking at a 430 and a 2 stage blower for next winter. So this summer is already eaten up.

Good luck

Tim.

 

[jdalchemist]

Mitchel,
Welcome to the ranks of the JD 400 owners. You must realize that you didn't buy a tractor--you bought a hobby.
Here is a link to wiring diagrams: http://www.wfmachines.com/discus/messages/335/106369.html.
Regards,
Harold

 

[sreynolds]

I do buy many used parts from vendors on ebay. Many items you don't want to buy used and they can be purchased new from ebay vendors as well. You have to watch out for the total price (shipping etc.)

Many items turn out to be cheapest from the Deere Dealer and they deliver to my town nearby. Big help if you have to drive 17 miles one way.

Fun to drive a smaller tractor around for several weeks, then hop on the 400.

 

[jd4001]

Here's mine with the 4AO32 engine before the repower with the Mag 20.

 

[mitchgia]

Thanks for the info guys. So just curious what does a decent 400 go for. Id like to spend money on this thing but I don't want to get into more than what its worth. trying to decide what direction to go with it currently. it does run and drive but man do I have a long list already.

 

[knottyrope]

•No "What's it worth" ads. No exceptions. is displayed on the page.

look at EBAY and craigslist to see what it might be worth

 

[captaindan]

Here is my Black Sheep after I repowered with a new old stock K582 that the Smith boys from SC found for me. I have since added a 3pt hitch. It is dedicated to plowing and pulling trailers around. Definitely one of my favorites.

 

[deereman84]

Mitchel-
If you don't want to spend more than it is worth, I would sell it now. Almost none of the tractors can be sold for more than we paid for them in the end. We do this as a hobby and for the fun, not to make money. I remember someone once said "When I die, don't let me wife sell my tractors for what I told her I paid for them." Here is my 400. I paid $475 for it late last fall. It smokes a little but not too bad yet. It runs very well.

 

[jwsia]

Great machines as long as you don't mind not being able to turn too sharp. Here mine. 1981 Briggs vanguard, 3 point, 35A tiller, 54 blade, 60 in 420 style mower deck. It does pretty much everything on my property.

 

[jd_collector]

Heres a picture of one I built. It has a Pontiac iron duke 4 cylinder. A real crowd drawer.

Ill have a new one done in a week or two.
A hint, it goes round and round.

 

[jake]

Welcome to the Black Sheep Squadron Mitchel.
Owning a 400 isn't a hobby it's an addiction.
Arguably one of the best garden tractors ever built.
Lots of great people and information here on this site.

 

[grandpajay]

Here is my poor man's 7xx. Foot control, left side brakes, H5 with separate deck lift. Certainly a great hobby but (hopefully) just one machine isn't an addiction. Then again....

 

[sreynolds]

Very common to invest quite a bit more than what any Deere product is worth; be it an implement, garden variety tractor or farm tractor.

 

[deeredad]

Mitchel, here is my 400 with the loader I built for it.

Larry

 

[striperon]

Jay,

You need to do a layout on your tractor for those of us who are curious. H5? Left side brake, right side hydro control? I am very interested in how you did that.

Bill, your tractor is awesome. You are very creative.

Thanks, Ron

 

[420glh]

Mitchell, these go a lot better when you show us yours first. You know we're going to ask to see it anyways!

Larry, what loader plans?

 

[tfgaasch]

Jay,

What are the controls coming through the fender on the right side of the seat for?

 

[deeredad]

Nick, some pf engineering plans, some of my design and some brantly.

Larry