Combines 4400 a good buyIJ

[Rockpicker]

I would think a 6600 would be more matched to the 550. Of course maybe a 3300 would be better matched if the 550 only runs half of the time like you indicated.

 

[855man]

The 6600 will outcut a 760 massey. 550 wouldnt be any comparison.

 

[agcoman]

I have a 1974 4400 and it handles a 13 ft. head in soybeans, wheat, and oats very well. I think it will depends some if its a gas or a diesel, my 4400 is a diesel and handles the crop very well.

 

[Rockpicker]

Actually there is a combine that the 760 will outcut. During the "short" time we had our 760, the custom cutters brought Gleaner N6's. They had so much trouble with them things that our 760 ended up out cutting the N6's even though the N6's were going about 5 mph when they were cutting.

 

[Hogfarmer]

I have two 4400s they are good combines. I would go with a diesel rotary screen mocel. The gas ones often overheat. They are also know for having brake problems. Bleed the brakes yearly to keep moisture build up to down. They handle a 15 foot head well in beans and small grain. We use a 4 row corn head with no problem. Hope this helps.

 

[mkola]

we have a 70's 4400 i really like it we cover between 100 and 300 acres every year small grains and beans i would look at the belts - there's a lot especially the belts on the driveshaft under the seat also we had trouble with the front axle separating from the rest of the machine and it was a big job to correct yes brakes are expensive to fix the gas engine is fine if you clean the rad every day i can clear about 30 acres of average grain in a day if the grain is heavy and down then i do maybe 10 acres.... -Mark in canada.

 

[kornkurt]

Its OK if you hate MF combines, but realize that a 760 has a 60" cyl and is a lot bigger combine than the 6600, so how is the 6600 going to outcut itIJ You are going to tell me that the JD keeps moving and the MF breaks down. I say that a good operator and good maintinance make the difference in any machinery. I have a MF Grey Cab 750 for a second combine and it is a fine machine. We put 600 plus acres thru it last fall and only broke one belt. My 9510 blew a hydraulic hose and made a heck of a mess and cost more to fix than my MF belt.

 

[Rockpicker]

Maybe the 6600_760 wasn't a fair comparision but a 7700_760 comparision is. Yesterday I ran into friend of mine who used to farm but now runs a elevator. He had a JD 7700 and Massey 760. I asked him which was the better combine. He said the 760 had alot more capicity than the 7700 but by the end of the day, the 7700 had more acres cut because it wasn't sitting in the corner of the field broke every day. His exact quote was "The massey was a pile of shi%". I also had a 760 which was new from the begining but it was junk too.

 

[JHEnt]

I run a 16' flexhead on my 1974 4400. If the head's good and shined up, the beans feeding even then it will run about as fast ground speed wise as my niehbors 9600 and 25' head. like I said it must be feeding even, at that speed you will quickly slug it if you're not careful. At reasonable speed it will do a very good job and easily handle a 15-16' head and a 4 row corn head. If you want to put a 216 head on one older than 1975 you will have to get a set of larger cylinders ('75 on)from a salvage yard to lift it. Brakes are known to be less than effective. If you've got the time you can remove the brake pads and roughen the surface with emery cloth. That will make a real big difference without the cost of new pads. They are ussually not worn down but are glazed from use and age. Check the bolts that attach the sheet metal side panels to the front cast uprights that the feederhouse pivots in. These are ussually loose on an older machine and some may be broke. It takes some time but replacing any loose or worn bolts here will save the frame. Install grade 8 bolts and use locknuts. The only other common problem would be the rear sheetmetal cracking from an unbalanced chopper. Ussually the bolts holding the back end of the augerbed will be loose too. If you can tighten these up it will make the rear hood much more rigid and prevent more damage. Also at some time Deere had a bracing kit update. It had a channel that reinforced the rear hood from underneath connecting it to the rear lower end of the main frame channel iron. If you find one in the salvage yard it is worth the time to bring it home. These are the biggest problems with these machines. Other than that its just belts and bearings, the usual stuff.

 

[mkola]

thanks JHEnt for your post glad to see someone else still knows these machines so well have you ever considered putting a straw spreader on the back of your machineIJ i've been wondering about building my own spreader for bean straw i'm in central ontario and we don't do much better than 30bu_ac. beans so i feel a spreader would be a reasonable option also easier to use the back walker shaft for power than the long belt needed for chopper power anyways keep on cutting -Mark in Canada