Combines 8820

I had an 8820 for about 4 years, 1981 model. I didn't have very much trouble with it and don't think the TitanII is worth the extra money. like all combines, check the wear parts like augers, concave, bars,clean grain elevator especially the bottom and top, auger troughs, etc. I had a 6 row 30 on mine and it worked ok, but with that size head you must have your tires turned in to the narrowest position so you don't run over the standing crop. In this position the combine is nearly impossible to work on,on the left side especially. They are a hard combine to work on, but they are a reliable combine and hopefully if it is in good shape you should not have to do much work on it.

The 8820's are very reliable ad have great capacity. We've run two a few years back. We used 30' heads and 8 row corn heads with no problems. The one thing not yet mentioned is the sprocket and the key that keeps it turning on the retailings auger that carries the tailings across the cylinder. JD service guys know these machines well. I suggest you have a dealer go over it commpletely. It'll run long time if maintained. We have several in this area doing 200 bu. corn. One is running with a NH CR940 and is out doing the CR. The other is preventatively maintained each year by the dealer and works great. A heck of alot less moey tied up than a newer model, and in my book almost all the features of the 8820's are on the 9600's.

cyl. on 8820 is 22" diameter. Cyl. diameter on 9600 is 26". Makes for large increase in threshing area on the 96. large hp increase on 9600 although 8820 can be screwed up as much but radiator cannot handle the heat. bigger grain tank on 9600. Much larger sieve area too. Final drive units, trans. and hydro drive are all larger. Rear mounted motor on 9600 makes the cab so much better it would break the deal for me no matter how nice the 8820 was. gs