John Deere has restored a JD24 skid steer loader to commemorate its 50 years in the skid steer business. The loader will be displayed at its booth at Conexpo 2020.
“The anniversary marks half a century of innovation and collaboration between John Deere and our customers,” said Gregg Zupancic, product marketing manager, in a prepared statement. “We’re excited to hit this milestone and showcase the model among numerous technological advances at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020. After all, our skid steer lineup wouldn’t be what it is today without the customers and engineers who brought this machine to life 50 years ago.”
The JD24 was introduced in 1970. The 37-horsepower skid steer was designed as a four-wheel drive system that included a multidisc transmission clutch on each wheel, providing complete machine control. The frame could rotate 360 degrees, making it an optimal solution for working in tight or crammed spaces, according to Deere. It measured 65 inches wide and had an operating weight up to 4,750 pounds. Maximum travel speed was 7 mph and an auxiliary hydraulics system could produce up to 18 gpm to power hydraulic attachments.
“Having the opportunity to refurbish a JD24 model is an extraordinary moment for the brand’s history,” said Brian Holst, heritage marketing manager. “Showcasing the refurbished JD24 model at CONEXPO/CON-AGG shows our customers where our skid steer production began, and how far we have come in technology and productivity over the last 50 years.”
The John Deere skid steer family now includes various models and series introduced over the past 50 years. After the JD24 in 1970, the company introduced a second Industrial Model 14 skid steer and two agricultural skid steer models—70/170 in 1975 and the 60/90/125 in 1979
Over the years, Deere has added the 75-Series (1987), 75-Series II (1994), 200 Series (1998), 200 Series II (2001), 300 Series skid steers and compact track loaders (2004), D-Series skid steers and compact track loaders (2009), E-Series skid steers and compact track loaders (2013), and the G-Series skid steers and compact track loader models (2016/2018).
Source: John Deere
