Replacing parts on John Deere equipment can be expensive. The best place to get parts cheap is at a lawn mower or tractor salvage. There are also certain yards that specialize in second hand John Deere parts, accessories, and equipment. In this article I will share my experience with the John Deere salvage yards near me and how these lawn mower junkyards work.
Map of John Deere Salvage Yards Near Me
For “John Deere Salvage Yards Near Me” or “John Deere Junkyards Near Me”, see the map below…
Exclusive John Deere junkyards are hard to find, but there are a few. You can of course find their small engine equipment for lawn care and gardening at mower salvages and tractor salvages. For bigger equipment like forestry machinery, farming, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) a John Deere salvage is ideal. Alternatively you can check heavy equipment junkyards.
How the John Deere Salvage Yards Near Me Work…
The John Deere salvage yards near me are run at the local level. These salvages buy and sell used agricultural equipment. Some deal exclusively in the American manufactured John Deere brand, while others simply have a large John Deere section. The businesses work by purchasing junked equipment and then reselling the functional parts.
The equipment comes to the salvage through various channels. Some equipment comes vis private owners who junk their mower or tractor, some via auctions, and some from businesses (i.e. landscaping company). The condition of the equipment determines how the salvage handles it. A John Deere mower that needs a new motor might get repaired and resold, while a rusted out mower with a seized engine may have parts sold off of it.
How John Deere Junkyards are Arranged
Every junkyard is arranged a bit different. Some are highly organized and have groups of equipment by model. Others will be arranged by manufacturer. It’s common at a general junkyard to see sections by manufacturer. Then inside each section a mix of equipment like tractors, lawn mowers, commercial equipment, UTV’s, accessories. Even the mechanical aspects are mixed so there will be no separation of gas, diesel, or electric powered machinery.
A lot of the machinery you come across will be in poor shape and may be rusting out. That doesn’t mean there aren’t still parts of value to pull. Much of the good parts were likely pulled by the yard when they first got the equipment. Parts that deteriorate quick, get pulled so that the junkyard can sell the piece in it’s best condition. Some may even sell the used John Deere parts online.
How is The Inventory Managed
Salvage yards of any kind be it lawn mower and tractors or cars and trucks, must adhere to government regulations. These are rules set forth to protect the environment and local communities.
Junked agricultural equipment when it comes to the salvage may still contain hazardous materials and chemicals like gas and oil. If these were to seep into the local ground water it would cause great damage. This is why when equipment comes to a yard spark plugs and batteries are pulled and all fluids are drained. Some older John Deere models may even have lead in them!
Other parts like an alternator or engine might get pulled and resold, maybe even rebuilt. For a mower they may unscrew the blades and resharpen them, those tend to sell quick online. Parts like belts and hoses are usually left, but do get pulled and resold on occasion.
Selling Your John Deere to a Local Salvage yard
If you have any John Deere equipment to sell like, a salvage yard for tractors and mowers is a great choice. Before you make that move you should consider another alternative.
The most money you can get is if you can sell the equipment yourself to a private buyer. If your equipment can be fixed or still works, you should consider trying to sell it yourself first as salvage yards don’t pay a lot of money. Of course the advantage of a salvage is they will take your John Deere equipment even if it is in really bad shape.
If you are still considering a junkyard and your equipment runs or can be fixed try and negotiate the salvages offer up. This si even more true if you have an exclusive John Deere salvage yard in your area. These yards tend to pay a little more because they have a niche customer base.
A few things to consider before you junk your John Deere equipment:
- Can you fix it and sell it to a private owner? (That will get the most cash)
- If it runs you should be asking for more money!
- If it only recently has stopped running, try and negotiate a higher offer.
- Consider what valuable parts are still on it and mention those when you negotiate.
- Call around and get several offers, if you don’t like any of them consider stripping parts and selling them online yourself.
Salvage yards don’t pay much for mowers. If you have a huge piece of John Deere agricultural or farming equipment you may get more because of it’s value in scrap metal. If the machine runs or can be fixed, they likely are going to sell it second hand themselves on the lot or at auction. Remember that so you can negotiate up.
If you have a mower or tractor to sell, you can check these two resources:
Used John Deere Parts Pros and Cons
For the most part any kind of part you are looking for you can find at these salvages. That includes replacement mower parts for walk behind, ride on, and zero turn mowers. You can get spindles, seats, blades, belts, starters, decks, fuel tanks, panels, steering wheels, drivetrain parts, wheels, engine covers, etc. While mowers and tractors are mostly what you will find you can find parts for anything John Deere like harvesters, UTV’s, combines, seed spills, cotton pickers, etc…
The Pros of Buying Used John Deere Parts
The best reasons to get used John Deere parts are saving money and finding OEM parts. You are going to save 50% to 75% off buying these parts new. Then there is the benefit of finding parts that are no longer manufactured. For example if you have a 1999 Single-Tine Separation (STS) good luck finding parts anywhere other than a salvage yard.
Another perk I like is that you will find OEM John Deere parts. These are parts that were installed and assembled at a John Deere factory. This is way better then getting after market parts, Plus you can see how the original part was installed before you pull it.
The Cons of Buying Used John Deere Parts
Quality is always the biggest question when purchasing used parts. This equipment was built for heavy duty work and you don’t know how much duress it was under. It is very important to inspect parts before you remove them and again after you remove them. You should also ask if the junkyard offers a warranty on parts you purchase.
John Deere Salvage Yards Near Me Conclusion
John Deere junkyards are great places to get used parts for heavy equipment as well as small engine tractors and mowers. There aren’t many exclusive John Deere yards, but you can find these at your standard farming junkyards. if you are looking for an older piece of equipment or something really large, it’s best to call these businesses first. They can tell you if they have the parts and if they don’t they can usually tell you whom to call. This is my experience with the John Deere salvage yards near me.