Combines ave annual maintenance costs

NHDon, is that all repair or labor and repairIJ I know labor can be more than the repair sometimes. IlNH

I agree with you NHdon, and to take it a step further, I think TR repairs are less than other machines because of the stone protection system (electronic). I'm not familiar with Deere's but with all the damage I hear guys talking about to their green machines, their stone protection system can't be that good. Case IH's stone trap is a joke. Are you familiar with itIJ They have a beater for a stone retarder! And the combine doesn't tell you when you've caught a rock. At the Case dealership I work at, I see a tremendous amount of combines with rock damage regardless if they have a rock trap or not. On Case IH models, the stone trap is an afterthought, not to mention their feeder reverser, oh wait a minute 2300 series combines now feature the exact same hydraulic reverser I have on my 12 year-old TR machine!

I think it is both parts and labor. compared to a TR repairing the insides of an STS is a nightmare.

Don, Do you know what the dollar amount is for just partsIJ We rebuilt our 10 year old and 2200 hour TR-95 back in 1994 for I think less than $5000 in parts. We replaced some tin work and rotor bars and rebuilt the concaves. We also replaced the feeder chain sprockets. I think it could of went a lot longer but we broke a support that held the concave up and needed to take most of it apart anyway and I was thinking I was going to keep that combine for a long time, well that fall it burned up and the insurance company didn't give any more for all the work we did, so I don't think I ever want to do that again. I think New Holland combines are built a little stronger than others and that is why they weigh more also. I have never had any part of the combine crack because the metal wasn't thick enough and have not done much welding on any of my New Hollands over the years. IlNH

IlNH, The parts use to be about half the bill,but it depends. A good NH mechanic can rebuild a TR a lot faster than a JD because of the disassembly time. The insurance co's have figures on what time it should take.I paid $4,800 in parts on my TR-99 last spring to rebuild most of the insides. Your rebuild job made that combine almost new, the only thing is you didn't have the latest improvements, like HP, electonics etc.

Well I will agree with you I also would have to say that the newholland rock trap is second to none. But there isnt really anything wrong with the red one either my hired hands have picked up a few rocks in my 2388 rock trap and we have never had one get past the beater I guess we could be lucky. As far as the feeder reverser I have yet to have one fail me. As far as annual maintenance costs the red ones have to be right up at the top also. I have a friend who runs the 8780 massey and I was very impressed by the simplicity and the very low maintenance cost of that machine. I think if the operators dont abuse their machines and maintain them properly youll get results. I have seen one year old machines I wouldnt want any part of and I have seen 20yr old machines what are near cherry

You are way off base if you think maintenance costs on an 8820 are 4 times that of a TR. 9600's and newer may be more, tendency is for costs to increase on newer machines for JD. Sounds backwards, but they are getting cheaper. Sounds like NH may be going in the right direction. The 8820 is an easy keeper though compared to others and compared to maximizers when conditions are comparable. They are built good and simple, maybe have a few more moving parts than TR's; but not that much.

cutter2388, your last two statements just about say it all. Although, there are the freak lemon's here and there. All combines produced today are worthy of ownership by all but, geographic and demographic logistics will vary enough to sway certain designs more applicable than other's to specific regions. JD

cutter2388, I agree 100% with you, any machine regardless of brand, properly maintained and properly set and run by a good operator can be extremely productive and do as good as job as any other. I will say though, that it seems to me, certain machines can take abuse better than others and continue to function. The feeder reverser issue I mentioned may be a regional thing, I don't know but does that starter motor have enough torque to unplug a nasty wadIJ I've never had to get out of the cab to unplug a head or feeder on a NH with it's hydrualic reverser. TR

I myself run draper heads so the days of the big ole wads have pretty much went to the wasteside. When I harvest windrowed barley the wadd factor is still there, I just set the slip on my auger so it usually will slug before the feeder house and a good farmer usually windrows good enough so I dont have that problem. I still remember the days of the 915s and no reverser and dont miss them a bit. We do a big job in Idaho what I team up on with some friends and one day we had the topic of Pamela Anderson or feeder reverse, the funny thing was only the truck drivers chose Pamela. Hope all had a good safe year in this tough way of life that we all chose and cant seem to get out of our blood. Wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season and we will do as we all say next year will be better....