# John Deere B serial number



## dieseldale1 (Jan 25, 2015)

I have just purchased a john deere b. The serial number is unreadable. Can anyone help? I would like to know what year it was built. Here is what it is:
square seat with riveted back
brakes have nut on outside
one tank
magneto
shifter is part of steering post with throttle and shutter lever
lift has hand lever
I believe it to be a 50, 51, 52 but not sure.


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

Pictures would help but if the seat is square with the battery under it it is definitely a late styled B, which would be 47-52. Is the rear axle housings square or round, does it have 6 strait speeds or 3 with a lo/hi? 


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

If it has a water pump it would be a 1952, as this was introduced during the 1952 model year. Other than that, the 1950 - 1952 were pretty much the same. There were some changes t the tractor during the 1950 model year, but nothing that I can gather was changed at all during 1951.
Perhaps another option would be to determine the year of the engine through it's serial number / date of manufacture to narrow down your odds of getting the year correct.


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## dieseldale1 (Jan 25, 2015)

dieseldale1 said:


> I have just purchased a john deere b. The serial number is unreadable. Can anyone help? I would like to know what year it was built. Here is what it is:
> square seat with riveted back
> brakes have nut on outside
> one tank
> ...



Here are some pictures of it. It has square axle housings and no water pump. Where on the engine would the date code be located?


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

If you go to terrystoy.com and click on john Deere tractor then history of the B you will find serial number brakes noting when changes were made. I'm pretty sure there is not a date code on any john Deere two cylinder engine. If I am wrong I hope somebody can explain. I have a service manual for your B and would be more than happy to look up and copy any information from it and forward it to you if you need. I had a '49 that was in ruff shape. My friends little boy wanted it more than anything in the world so he ended up with it!






here is a picture of mine, the first and hopefully last tractor I ever sold. Thanks for sharing your pictures!


Would you rather pay a buck for a burger or eat a free sh!t sandwich?


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

ben70b has a great lead there with http://www.terrystoy.com/JD-B/history.htm. If you go through the list of changes by serial number and ad or eliminate the changes that were made as compared to the unit you have, you may be able to narrow down the possible serial number range then pick the year that falls within that range. As for the engine number I couldn't say whether there is a number on it or not!?! The serial number location on your tractor should be in the immediate vicinity of the handle of your bead breaker.


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

Serial number should be just in front of the belt pulley if I remember right. With grandpa's Oliver 70 the serial number was on the belly and we couldn't read it, I took a piece of thin paper and put it over the number and rubbed a crayon across it and was able to lift the impression of the serial number on to the paper. It's worth a shot. What's your plans for your B? Maybe you are gonna restore it and share picture with us as you go?


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## dieseldale1 (Jan 25, 2015)

I tried the pencil over the paper trick but there was nothing there. I'll go to the sight you have suggested and research from there. The tractor hanging in the air is nicer than mine. I live in Alabama and the moisture here kills these old tractors too fast. My plan is to restore it. I want to use it to pull a float in the local christmas parades. I torched the battery box off it today. The bolts were pretty far gon but the old vicegrips got them. I'll show photos as I progress. I pulled the other wheel off too. Have you ever seen the splines in the hubs worn down. Undoubtedly the were loose and wallered away. The axles show a little wear but I will reverse the hubs and move them out past all the wear. Question here: Should I start new posts as the subjects change? Oh Yes; Thank You for the help!


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