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 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada 
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2002-01-13 34520
As I mentioned in another thread I had an interesting visit with a John Deere dealer last week. I got a look at the recent service bulletins and I was a bit shocked and also surprised at what I saw. There are over a dozen bulletins on the 4200 through 4700 models. The ones I recall had to do with stuck or balky shifting mechanisms, serious transmission and drive line problems and fuel gauge/float deficiencies. If I owned one of these models I would find out what problems have already been documented and which ones the dealer will fix on a pre-emptive basis. The surprise came when I checked on the 4100, which I own. There were only two problems that have come up…
(1) Some 4100’s have the wrong size filter cartridge on the transmission and it gets in the way of the mid PTO output shaft with certain implements. The fix is to simply use a different size filter.
(2) All the 4000 (4100 through 4700) series have a potential problem with the hydraulic systems bleeding off, specifically with FEL’s and backhoes lowering to the ground while the tractor is not running. As I remember, the factory test for excessive droop is the raise the FEL to its mid point and measure the amount of extension on the hydraulic arm. Then we are instructed to watch it for the next hour and if the arm retracts more than 7 inches over the hour then we have excessive hydraulic bleed off, and several other tests are recommended. No that is not a misprint. It says 7 inches retracting of the arm, not the bucket, in an hour is considered excessive.
It would seem that the major mechanical problems center on the American made and designed models while the 4100, which is made by Yanmar, is essentially trouble free. What are your thoughts out there in compact tractor land?
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 | NjJohn
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5 New Jersey 
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2002-01-13 34528
Is there any way to read those service bulletins beside going to the dealer? I would like to see them and their fixes. ....
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2002-01-13 34532
Try this web address, it looks ike most of what I saw is there. ....
Link: John Deere tips and Troubleshooting
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2002-01-13 34533
Well......... on closer review, the web site has about one tenth of the service bulletins I saw at the dealer. Maybe you can use the web site to contact JD for a more up to date list. ....
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| kay
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-01-13 34543
Mark. I gather from your original post that you thought you discovered some incriminating evidence that all was not well with the 4000's, exclusive of the 4100's. I have a 4300, and while I only have put on 200 hours in three years, I have not found anything that comes close to matching up with the service bulletins you speak of.
You ask for our thoughts. These are mine.
I am not surprised that owners have found things wrong with their tractors, as I expect all makes and models have things that can, and do, go wrong. I am happy to hear that these things are not swept under the rug, but that they likely have resulted in bulletins sent out to all dealers to give them a 'heads up' when someone has a problem that matches the service bulletins. Seems this is good for us owners, not bad.
I do know that the first year the 4000's were produced, JD set up a facility to handle the expected production of about 13,000 units per year. The first year, however, they produced over 43,000 units. That could mean growing pains (triple shifts) for anyone. I could ramble on more, but the point I would like to make, is that I am not disappointed that there are service bulletins. I am glad there are, and if I have trouble someday, there will be a service bulletin to help solve the problem. Knowing JD, even if the warrany is past, I would expect if the problem is outlined in a service bulletin, the fix has a better than average chance of falling under an extended warranty. Also, I don't get nervous when I hear that the 4100's have fewer bulletins than the 4200's and up. The 4100's have been on the assembly line longer than the others. Also, I understand that most problems have been fixed, due to changes in manufacturing. Sounds like a winner to me. I would expect the 4x10's to be solid products, and continue the John Deere solid tradition. Thanks for your post. I think it is a positive for John Deere. ....
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| Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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2002-01-13 34544
Mark, I'm not surprised that the Japanese make a better compact tractor for JD. After all, they have all of the experience. JD just started domestic design and production of compacts here in the last few years. They will doubtless get better. I am a firm believer that we should encourage domestic manufacture in all fields - even though it means putting up with teething problems in the short term. After saying that, I should confess that I have owned an equal number of JDs and Yanmars over the years - wonder what that means?....if anything.
As for the service bulletins, they are closely guarded documents and I wish you best of luck getting a copy of them for anything currently produced. The manufacturer is in an impossible situation: on the one hand he needs to tell his dealers how to fix design problems, and on the other hand he can never admit that problems exist.
....
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| Milton Williams
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-01-16 34614
I have a 4200 gear with a 420 fel and 4wd and the only problem I have had with it is the front mounted battery.It went dead and I had to go to john deere to get a replacement that would fit. The new battery came with the vented cap and hose to drain under the tractor. I also have the right hand bucket cylinder leaking some. ....
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