John Deere 3010 Tractor Review & Specs

John Deere 3010 is a new generation series tractor preceding JD 2010. John Deere manufactured this tractor from 1961 to 1963 in its factory in Waterloo, Iowa, USA. A total of 44,000 tractor units were manufactured within three years.

JD 3010 has both garden tractor and industrial tractor models. There are four models for the garden tractors, namely, row-crop, utility, standard, and orchard. The single industrial model is the wheel version. 

All these models are slightly similar but with distinct features that set them apart. For example, the row crop has a higher ground clearance than the others. This allows it to work on some garden chores like till hard dirt seamlessly.

Despite this tractor coming earlier than the JD 300 and 400 series, there is a considerable engine power gap between them. That is one of the driving forces behind this tractor’s relevance over the years.

Buying a brand new JD 3010 would have presented you with the opportunity of owning one of the three available engine variants.

  • A 3.3 liter, four-cylinder John Deere gasoline engine
  • A 3.3 liter, four-cylinder John Deere LP gas engine
  • A 4.2 liter, four-cylinder John Deere diesel engine

This powerful tractor will put an end to stressful fertilizer application and land clearing.

Let’s go deep into some of its features and why you may be interested in owning this old but useful tractor.

john deere 3010 review

John Deere 3010 Specs

ModelJohn Deere 3010
VARIANTS
3010Agricultural Tractor
3010 WheelIndustrial Tractor
EngineJD 3.3L 4-cyl gasoline
JD 3.3L 4-cyl LP gas
JD 4.2L 4-cyl diesel
Fuel CapacityLP-gas: 94.6 liters (25.0 US gal, 20.8 Imp. gal)
SteeringPower
Brakesdifferential hydraulic wet disc
Cabin TypeOpen operator station
John Deere 3010 attachmentsFront-end Loader

This is quite a large tractor weighing 6,500 lbs. it is a workhorse tractor that can match and even surpass most of the available consumer tractors today. Its power is its greatest strength. It can pull up to 6323 pounds of weight.

Another attractive feature John Deere 3010 has is its large fuel tank. It’s gas, and diesel engine can hold up to 110 liters of fuel while the LP-gas can hold close to 95 liters.

Features of the Agricultural & Industrial Versions of John Deere 3010

I know the agricultural and industrial models may become confusing; that is why I will be stating some of the distinct features of these two models.

john deere 3010 tractor specification

Agricultural Model

  • You can get the agricultural version in three different engine variants, all with varying capabilities of fuel. It has Diesel, gasoline, and LP-gas variants.
  • It is smaller and less heavy. 
  • Rear PTO has a rating of 540 and 1000 RPMs

Industrial Model

  • It comes in two engine types:  the gasoline and diesel variants are available for this tractor model. The LP-gas variant is not available due to safety reasons.
  • This model is significantly heavier.
  • It sports bigger and broader frame rails.
  • It also sports a cast iron nose frame to protect the tank.

Features of John Deere 3010

Engine 

As I stated earlier, this tractor comes with three different engines, and we’ll see their features independently.

  • John Deere Gasoline 4 Cylinder Engine

John Deere manufactured this engine, and it is liquid-cooled. It has a displacement of 3.3 L and a bore/stroke of 4.00×4.00 inches. It cleans the air through an oil bath. Its starter volt is 12 like most garden tractors, while its rpm rating and compression are 2200 and 7.5:1, respectively. Its massive horsepower is 55.7

  • John Deere LP gas 4 Cylinder Engine

This is another four cylinders liquid-cooled engine manufactured by John Deere. It also has a displacement of 3.3 L while its bore/stroke is similar to the gasoline engine at 4.00×4.00 inches. The horsepower here is slightly lower at 55.4 while its compression ratio is 9.0:1

  • John Deere Diesel 4 Cylinder Engine

The third engine type is still John Deere, manufactured with four cylinders, while its fuel type is Diesel. The compression ratio, bore/stroke, and displacement are significantly different than the other two at 16.5:1, 4.125×4.75 inches, and 4.2 L, respectively. Its horsepower is also the highest of the three at 59.9.

Transmission 

It has a power steering with differential hydraulic wet disc brakes to help in navigation and control. This tractor’s transmission model is called the John Deere Syncro-range model, and it is partially synchronized with a dry disc clutch.

Unlike John Deere 318 tractor and several other newer tractor models with infinite reverse and forward gears, this tractor has eight forward and three reverse gears. Its forward speed is 23.3 km h, while its reverse speed is 13.7 km h.

Tires 

It has already been stated that this is quite a large tractor, and at 6,503 lbs, it is also heavy. So, what tire specifications can handle this weight?

Front tires Ag: 9.00-18, 6.00-14, 6.50-16, 7.50-16, 7.50-18
Rear tires Ag: 16.9-24, 13.6-28, 13.6-30, 18.4-30, 12.4-36, 13.9-36

john deere 3010 tractor parked in snow

Pros of John Deere 3010 Tractor

This section will show you in plain terms why this tractor is still being used even after 50 years of its manufacture.

  • Tremendous horsepower: it is common to find bogus adjectives for mediocre horsepower on review blogs, but this is far from modest. It packs over 50 HP across its different engines and can rival newer versions of raw power.
  • Substantial fuel tanks: at about 110 L for one of the engine types, this tractor has a large fuel space that’ll give you the peace of mind when working. You don’t have to stop working to refuel regularly.
  • John Deere brand name: the brand name associated with this tractor is known for its reliability and efficiency. It is no wonder John Deere sold off over 40,000 units in about three years of production.

Cons of John Deere 3010 Tractor

No tractor is perfect, and neither is this. Here is why you may be discouraged from getting a JD 3010 tractor.

  • Modification needed to use some attachments
  • Lack of annunciator lights to make working at night easier
  • Parts are tough to find due to its age

How to Know your JD 3010 Manufacture Year

If you’re getting a used tractor and are interested in knowing its manufacture’s exact year, let me share an easy way to achieve this.

For all John Deere tractors, the serial number located under the steering panel indicates its manufacture date. Here’s a table to guide you

Manufacture Year Serial No.
1961: 1000
1962: 19801
1963: 32400
Final: 46952

How much is John Deere 3010 Tractor?

man driving john deere 3010 in green yard
The Company sold a brand new JD 3010 for $4,700 in 1963, but you can get a used tractor still in good working condition today for around $6,500.

It is essential you carefully check any tractor you intend to buy before bargaining on price. The condition will guide you on its worth.

JD 3010, Go Or No Go?

You want to know if this 50+ year-old tractor is worth the investment today.

Well, the answer is not cut in stone. It depends on several variables like its present condition. As stated earlier, the parts are quite challenging to come by, so you have to make sure you do not need to change so many parts at first.

Other than that, this is a powerful tractor you’ll enjoy.

About Jennifer Igra

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York City known for it’s green gardens. Jennifer, a 30 year old gardener and green living fanatic started Igra World to share her gardening journey and increase gardening awareness among masses. Follow Igra World to improve your gardening skills.

3 thoughts on “John Deere 3010 Tractor Review & Specs”

  1. I love John Deere 3010. Easy to operate. Turns on a dime. I have a 1961diesel. Also have a 1961 4010 diesel. My uncle had a 3010 and my grandfather had a 4010. I just added a 1968 2020 gas to my collection. I have a 1941 Model B restored I gave to my nephew…need to keep the passion for these old tractors going.

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