Combines 9860 sts

Well I am not sure but if all the components of a 9660 are the same as a 9860 like deere claims don't get one! I have a 9660 I have harvested 1500 acres of 220 corn and about 1700 of 55 bushel beans and it is ready for a new owner. That 9860 machine has to much horse for the rest of the components. A heavier rotor drive and bigger lift cylinders aren't the answer. In my area the 9860's are flying apart daily. My 9660 is bad enough I can't imagine what I would have done to it with 100 more horse!!!!

My first comment would be why buy a 35 foot flex head and a 36 foot draper, when you can run your 35 foot flex head in rigid modeIJIJ Good luck with your new challenge though. Please let us know what you think of the green machine after a harvest compared to your Red machines.

We have been running just a dual spreader on the 9650 STS instead of a chopper, for no-till corn and soybean operations. Been pleased with the lower cost and less horsepower requirement. Therefore, I would suggest considering just the dual variable speed spreaders, instead of the powered tail board option for $4,500.

Hey Unit 2 good to see you have an open mind. last fall my brother demoed a 9860 Deere with a 36' Deere draper head. I was cutting with my 2388 in the same field he had it for 10 hours he did 149 acres according to his acre monitor I did 126 with mine I had a 30' head. the wheat was right at 50 bushels an acre. Tell your guy if he is getting a draper head get the new Macdon it is 35' and it will cut 16 rows that have 30" spacing a 36' won't meet the row spacing right. Sounds like to the west of you around Phillipsburg they are in for a storm Friday and Saturday. Take Care

Why get two heads when one will do. We run a CIH 2062 flexdraper on our 2388. It's made by Macdon and it's a great head. I don't recall the Macdon model number for it but they certainly make them to go on Deere combines.

FarmBuddy, does the Deere Bullit rotor chop the straw up more than the 2388 AFX rotorIJ This farmer was never very happy the way my 2388s chopped up the straw especially in green stem beans.

I would think that one of the heads could be eliminated. I think the 35' flex would work good in wheat, probably better than the draper in beans unless conditions are ideal. I also know that the choppers on these combines do an excellent job if you put the blades in and run them fast. They take alot of power but I don't think power will be what limits this combine in wheat.

If you haven't run a flexdraper then don't discount them. They do an excellant job in beans.

I am sure I would agree with that. I have not had the chance to try one, but that is my dream header. I have a 960 MacDon and Dad has a 936. In flat dry conditions they do okay, but from what I hear the 70 series MacDons do a good job in beans most of the time as well. A 35' auger worries me a little too.

Keith, it looks to me money is not an issue for your friend. A 12 row corn head can't keep a 9860 full, why try an 8 rowIJ On the headers, I agree with all the others below. A MacDon could do a better job in wheat than the Deere and save the extra bean head. We ran a Deere draper in our last year of harvest and it couldn't match the MacDon's. It can't cut beans and I have done thousands of acres with MacDon's over the years. The MacDon's are a lot cheaper in upkeep, too. Once I put over $10,000 in a JD Hydraflex, that had done just 1.5 seasons. The power tail board should help spread the residue while pushing 36'heads. I know from experience that the chopper by itself can not cover the full width. Without chopper the residue comes out of the STS like out of your Axial Flow. Have more questionsIJ Please feel free to send an email: ralfnew@yahoo.com