John Deere's FIRST DIESEL Tractor - John Deere Model R & John Deere 80
Video by Classic Tractor Fever
Watch on YouTube ↗Skip to contentJohn Deere R tractor VA1 — Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized; converted to WebP. · Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0 commons.wikimedia.org source ↗ John Deere R tractor VA1 — Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized; converted to WebP. · Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0 commons.wikimedia.org source ↗
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Years in Production / 1949–1954
John Deere
R
Explore the specifications, hardware, and original references for the John Deere R.
43hp
Engine estimate · from belt
2WD Only
Drive
1949–1954
Production years
John Deere
Manufacturer
R / 01
At a glance
Overview
1949 - 1954
Two-Cylinder Letter Series
Standard-tread tractor
- Alternative Additional Value
- SAE 90
Production
Standard-tread tractor
Built in Waterloo, Iowa, USA
Original price was $3,650 in 1954
The model R was John Deere's first diesel tractor. The R was the first John Deere tractor with a live PTO, which used a separate clutch.
- Manufacturer
- John Deere
- Total Built
- 21,293
Mechanical
Two-wheel drive
Manual steering
Mechanical drum brakes
Open operator station.
Pto
- Rear Pto
- live
- Rear Type
- 540
Serial Numbers
FAQ: How to read a serial number table.
- 1949
- 1000
- 1950
- 3541
- 1951
- 6505
- 1952
- 10745
- 1953
- 15720
- 1954
- 19485
- Final
- 22293
Electrical
- Ground
- positive
- Battery Volts
- 6
R / 02
Under the hood
Engine Detail
John Deere
diesel
2-cylinder
liquid-cooled
- Displacement
- 415.5 ci6.8 L
- Bore Stroke
- 5.75x8.00 inches146 x 203 mm
- Air Cleaner
- oil bath
- Compression Ratio
- 16:1
- Rated Rpm
- 1000
- Firing Order
- 1-2
- Starter Type
- 2-cylinder pony motor
- Coolant Capacity
- 54.5 qts51.6 L
- Fuel Type
- diesel
- Cylinders
- 2
- Cooling
- liquid-cooled
- Oil Capacity
- 13 qts12.3 L
Engine Options
John Deere 6.8L 2-cyl diesel
- Fuel Tank
- 22 gal83.3 L
- Aux Fuel
- 1 gal3.8 L
R / 03
Gears & controls
John Deere RTransmission
5-speed gear
R / 04
Size. Stance. Footprint.
Dimensions And Tires
- Wheelbase
- 85.5 inches217 cm
- Weight
- 7400 to 7603 pounds
- Front Tire
- 7.50-18
- Rear Tire
- 14-34
Serial Number Location
Right side of tractor above belt pulley.
Tires And Tracks
- Front Ag
- 7.50-18
- Front Ag
- 30x6 steel
- Rear Ag
- 14-34
- Rear Ag
- 15-34
- Rear Ag
- 54x12 steel
R / 05
Tractor Photos
See it in action
Videos
Watch John Deere R videos from their original YouTube creators.
R / 07
Tests (NTTL)
Nebraska Tractor Test 406
Diesel 5-speed 2WDApril 19 - 28, 1949
Drawbar performance
Gear 3 used for power test.
Gear 1 used for pull test.
- Id
- 406
- Belt Power Max
- 48.58 hp36.2 kW
- Belt Fuel Use Max
- 2.8 gal/hour10.6 l/hour
- Max Power
- 43.15 hp32.2 kW
- Max Pull
- 6644 lbs3013 kg