It replaced the nearly identical 4010 that had been introduced with Deere's New Generation series in 1960 and offered a number of improvements over the previous model including more horsepower, heavier rear axles, and a differential lock.

Other options included dual rear wheels and an enclosed cab with heat and air conditioning.

Some of these improvements included moving the hydraulic levers from the left side of the dash to a console to the right of the operator, a narrower oval muffler for improved visibility, and a longer, bent, gear shift lever.

The John Deere 4000 was also an economy tractor, providing the same power as the 4020 with fewer features and smaller rear axles at a lower price.

[2] When John Deere introduced its Generation-II tractors in 1972, the 4020 was replaced by the 100 horsepower 4230.