Combines 1660 header sizeIJ

[bob]

I would deffinitly go to a 25' head. I have a 2166 and have been cutting beans with a 25'er for years. you can keep the machine full yet slow down the ground speed to do a better job of cutting. I was told by many to run a 30' header you need either duels or field tracker but in fairly flat fields I have no trouble with the 25' head. the duel drive is smoother, and if you get a new one get the full finger. I installed one in mine last summer and won't go back. I also changed them to all fiberglass fingers to keep a broken finger out of the rotor and chopper. if you want to go larger maybe one of the draper heads would work for you . it looks like they hinge in the middle so maybe a 30-35' draper would work but don't know for sure.

 

[a1]

how fast can you combineIJ i am a little worried about power as a 1660 has less power (180hp)than a 2166. how long is your unloading augerIJ mine is the 172 inch.i dump onto a parker 524 grain cart and am thinking i might have to be right up against the cart to hit the middle of the cart(the cart is 12 feet wide).

 

[canuck]

I've found that bigger is not actually better except in the coffee shop. In wheat my average acres per hour were higher with a 20 foot as compared to a 25 footer. I don't want to afford the 10 cents a bushel that a grain cart costs to operate which is about the only way a wider head would excel. With the 20 footer I can usually squeeze on that extra round which in a long field might be a second round instead of only 1 with the wider head. Secondly if you have alot of moving to do you can have 10 acres done if you don't have to take the head off for the road,as compared to having to take the head off and putting it on again in the field. Not to mention that you don't have to get out of the cab. Then there is header cart flat tires, extra price of the wider head, extra weight on the machine...the list goes on. Give me the narrower unit any day and then I can afford to buy you a coffee.

 

[boog]

A lot depends upon bean yields and harvest conditions. I have owned a 1660 with a 20' 1020, a 2366 with a 25' 1020 and am currently running a 2388 with a 30' 1020. With each machine there were times I wish I had a smaller header and times that I wish the header was bigger. . Not sure of your bean yields but ours will normally range from 55-60 bpa. IMO, the 1660 was closer to maxed out than either of the other 2 machines in those kind of yields. Your unload auger may cause you some problems if you go to a 25' as well. That was length of the one on our 1660 and worked good unloading into a cart on the go or for getting up to a truck. The 23s both have the long auger (208"IJ),was slightly long for a 25' but we need an "Extender" on the 88. We can unload on the go but the cart almost has to be on top of the header and even then we can't unload in the center. Sure wouldn't want unexperienced help running the cart. I wouldn't think you would need to go with a field tracker with a 25' platform if your combine hase 30.5 tires. We didn't have one on our 2366 and it had the 30.5s and we cut some rolly ground, not hill sides. Once in awhile you might get into a place where you had to come back and "trim up" but not often. We don't run a field tracker on our 2388 either and IMO the 30' cuts closer than the 25' did but that might be because the 88 has 73x44-32 tires Just my 2

 

[robmgrig]

i have an 88 1660 and had a 22.5 head for several years before it played out. i traded for a 20 ft head this year and it was the best decision i ever made. the 22.5 ft head would load the combine heavy and if it pulled a slug in it would choke the combine. it worked just fine in wheat and even high yielding milo(150+ bu)but in 60-70 bu beans it was a little too much. The 20 ft works much better on that machine in high yielding beans but if your beans don't yield tha much and you have a lot of wheat or milo, then the bigger head may be what you need. Also with the smaller head it is easier to spread the residue. you will still have that strip down the middle, but it won't be quite as thick The '96 20 ft head had the dual drive with the oil bath wobble box and I like it so much more than the older head

 

[a1]

we would be combineing only beans and our yields have been in the upper 50s-lower 60s.

 

[boog]

With those yields I would stick with a 20' head. I think you would be happier in the long run

 

[Farmer_Ed]

I would stick with a 20ft. head. We have an 1989 combine with the Cummins and it has more horsepower (200hp vs. 180hp). With the yields you described, this would load your machine well. We have a 20ft head and while it would handle a 22.5ft or possibly a 25ft I would not do it. We are happy keeping it full and loaded and it's easier to manuever in the fields, feeds easier, unload on the trucks, and go down the roads. For your machine, I believe a 20ft. head would work the best in your situation. Good luck!

 

[a1]

thanks guys for all your input. i just bought a 2004 25 ft . in a year from now ill know if it was the right thing to do