The John Deere 3650 was the largest of the six-cylinder tractors built for Europe at Mannheim. Its turbocharged engine gave 114 hp DIN, and its lift was strong enough to answer the criticism the firm had faced from European farmers.
John Deere 3650 at a glance
| Maker | John Deere, Mannheim, Germany |
|---|---|
| Production | 1986–1993 |
| Family | 50 Series, with the 3050 and 3350 below it |
| Engine | 5,883 cc six-cylinder diesel, turbocharged |
| Bore and stroke | 106.5 × 110 mm |
| Power | 114 hp DIN at 2,400 rpm |
| Gearbox | 8 forward and 4 reverse; 16 and 8 with Hi-Lo |
| Top speed | 30.9 km/h |
| Front axle | mechanical drive through an axial shaft |
| Lift capacity | 5.5 tonnes |
| Cab | SG2, developed from the Sound Guard |
| Weight | 5,125 kg |
This page is based on a single source, the French Wikipedia article on the John Deere 3650.
History of the John Deere 3650
John Deere bought the German Lanz works at Mannheim in 1956 and began by building small tractors there for the European market. The power of the machines grew as farms became fewer but larger, and to meet the demand John Deere built the 3050, 3350 and 3650 in Europe, covering 92 to 114 hp DIN, while the more powerful models of the range, the 4050 to 4850 of 128 to 215 hp, were still made in the United States. For its European tractors the firm adopted the comfort, handling and lift capacity that buyers there expected. The 3650 was built at Mannheim in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Engine
The 3650 had a water-cooled six-cylinder in-line diesel of four-stroke type, with a bore of 106.5 mm and a stroke of 110 mm, giving 5,883 cc. It was turbocharged and produced 114 hp DIN at 2,400 rpm. The smaller models of the European range used the same engine without forced induction. Fitting a turbocharger also reduced fuel consumption, an area in which John Deere had sometimes been criticised.
Transmission and chassis
The basic gearbox had eight forward and four reverse speeds; with the Hi-Lo torque amplifier, fitted as standard, the number of ratios doubled to sixteen forward and eight reverse, and top speed was 30.9 km/h. The 50 Series finally abandoned the hydraulic front axle, an attractive idea with insufficient efficiency, in favour of a mechanically driven front axle turned by an axial shaft; double universal joints and a caster angle of 12 degrees kept the turning circle from growing. The hydraulic lift could raise 5.5 tonnes, a figure comparable with that of its competitors and a remedy for the weak lift of earlier John Deeres. The tractor weighed 5,125 kg in working order. Its SG2 cab was a better-insulated development of the Sound Guard; users still complained that it was cramped and that its trim did not last well.
Design and features
- Turbocharged six: 5,883 cc and 114 hp DIN from the largest of the European six-cylinders.
- Mechanical front drive: the 50 Series dropped the hydraulic front axle.
- Hi-Lo as standard: sixteen forward and eight reverse speeds.
- Strong lift: 5.5 tonnes, answering a long-standing European complaint.
- SG2 cab: a quieter development of the Sound Guard cab.
John Deere 3650 versions
- 3050 and 3350: the smaller six-cylinders of the same European family, from 92 hp.
- 3650 standard: the 114 hp model built at Mannheim.
- Hi-Lo tractors: sixteen forward and eight reverse ratios.
- SG2 cab tractors: the later, better-insulated specification.
The 3650 sat above the smaller Mannheim tractors such as the John Deere 2130 and the John Deere 820. More tractors are in the John Deere collection.
Video: Mähen und Schwaden 5ter Schnitt 2013 mit John Deere 3650
Video by DerHobbybauer on YouTube.
Sources
- John Deere 3650, French Wikipedia: production, engine, transmission, front axle, lift, cab
