Combines off subject Case IH cotton pickers

They're good pickers. I had one and it would pick cleaner than any john deer. Just make sure it has good spindle bushings and new spindles at least 7 high. Make sure it has new doffers and that they are ground. Also new moisture pads. You might check the linkage where the fan kicks in and out of gear for play. Check the drive shafts for the headers too. If you have any questions just e-mail me. Tim

The heads on the 1844 are considerably harder to work on than the inline head, but not quite as bad as the 40 and 50 John deeres. Tim about said it all, the 1844 will pick faster than the 40 and 50 series. Saw a really clean 9965 with 2200hrs sell at a retirement auction for $9500 last week.

Nothing really wrong with chain drive heads, they rarely give a problem. And the 1844's have an oiler to oil the chains. If it really has been recently rebuilt, it should last a long time on those acres. They pick fast and clean if set right. The ones with the Cummins engines had more power. About the only problem we ever had was a few electrical switches on the basket dump. I'd try to find out exactly what was done to the heads, and who did it. If it was really a complete overhaul, you should be in good shape. Check the tightness of the bushings, and sharpness of the spindles. If it checks out ok, then go for it.

Thanks, for all of the advice. It wasnt a complete head rebuild, but it has brand new doffers and moisture pads. I know the farmer who has the picker and he takes great care of all of his equipment, so I feel like this picker has had above average maintenance. I really just wanted to make sure I would be better off with the 1844 than a 40 or 50, because there just about giving them away. We havent owned a picker in probably 12 years or so we have been growing UNRC stripper cotton, but my father has always run red combines and pickers. The last picker he owned was a late model case ih 782 and although I saw that several of yall disliked them he really liked it compared to our buddy that we picked with that had a 9920. Thanks Stan

I think you'll be fine with the 1844. IH was really ahead of JD in features until the 9960 inlines came out. My only beef with the 782 was it's tendency to choke up the back doors. Other than that they were pretty trouble free, and never bent bars like the 9920's always did. I can't remember ever bending a bar. Most of our neighbors that ran JD's kept several spares in their truck at all times.