Combines JD 653A row crop bean head

if I was to buy one, I would just look at an A model. they are easier to do maintenence on. They are a fairly high maintence machine and they are heavy.They do work nice and are great for down crops in rows.Keep the chains oiled and gathering belts sung.

I would definately get the A series header. We have an 853A and use it harvest down milo. the second year we had the header we put lovejoy belt and chain tighteners on it, what a time saver!! it cut our daily maintenance down considerably and seems to make the belts and chains last alot longer. I really think it was money well spent. We just did a major rebuild on ours (new gathering belts, sprockets, knives, welded a new floor in it, and a few other minor things) we bought alot of the parts from sloan express, definately the cheapest place to get parts. Good luck!!

I'm just curious about this Sloan Express. My brother and I just got a 653a a couple of months ago that is going to need some TlC before fall. Is there a web site for Sloan ExpressIJ

The website is www.sloanex.com Get the catalog the website doesn't show all the parts you can get from them. You won't be able to get all of the sprockets you might need, I had to order the upper belt drive sprockets from deere I was told I could buy them as cheap from deere and nobody seemed to stock them. Anyway I payed $82.50 per gathering belt and they are about $120.00 from deere. they may not be the same quality but about 2_3 the price. Idler sprockets, star knives, side knives, and of course the gathering belts were what we could get from sloans. I did find a place where I could get then belts for $80.00 if I took 8 or more but they didn't have any in stock and wouldn't have until summer. I wanted to do my rebuild this winter. the place was Mikes Equipment in Buhler Ks (800-543-2535) they also sell the lovejoy tighteners I would highly recommend them to any one that uses a row head very much they sure saves alot of time getting ready to harvest for the day Contrats on your purchase and good luck with the rebuild.