Is a 1066 too much power for a super 717?

I am looking at buying a 66 series tractor for my Super 717 so that the tractor doesn't have to get the tar worked out of it when chopping heavy haylage. I was told the 1066 is about the best size for a Super 717 and others are saying it's too much and will twist off the driveline and go down to the 966. What are your thoughts? Thank you

I run my Super 717 with the 986.

I don't put up haylage just corn.

I had bought a parts super and that is exactly what happened to the chopper; too much tractor for that piece of equipment, especially haylage.

A 718 (newer model) is rated at 90 hp max. with the heavy driveline; I would think that 60 or 70 hp with the standard driveshaft would be all you want for a S717.

Ben

I think that's two big too, that's a old series mfg when 65 hp was a good size tractor. Dont overspeed the PTO speed especially when chopping corn, that will do damage to the sickle drive.

Ah yep , way tomuch tractor , read the BOOK on horse power for that chopper . and 806 would be more power then ya need on a 717 . I have been in this argument already this year. As we drug out the old 717 as we were going to do first cutting this way due to the weather and i started the total rebuild on the old 717 . That was till my buddy said that we would put the 1066 on it and we could go FAST . The chopper was made for around 65-75 Hp. and it is only going to feed somuch thru it , the size of the chopper head is only so big and you can only fit thru what it will take .The dive line will only stand somuch the gear box will only stand somuch and you can only go so fast . Same as the other chopper we have it is a 782 New Holland , and it will only run somuch thru it at a given speed . So no your not going to run in low third and try feeding in a double windrow . About twenty five years ago i built my other buddy's S/MTA up for him and it will rivle a 806 stock on power to the point that what use to only do in first gear it would now do in second . Veron was chopping corn one evening with it and i stopped by to see how it was doing Vernon was running along in first gear chopping corn that was as tall as the silage wagons , as he came by me i stepped up on the draw bar and the old S/MTA was running like a swiss watch . I asked Vernon what he thought of the added power and Vernon said watch this and stuffed the clutch down and popped it into second gear and the old S/MTA just never missed a beat and never slowed down it just opened up the gov. and we were really feeding the corn thru it till the big BANG happened , the gear box on the chopper exploded . (1) the slip clutch on the chopper was rusted up and DID NOT slip like most are due to people not servicing them and (2) more power being added over what it was designed to handle . same as the old 782 it was designed for the tractors in the 100 Hp class and will chop all day and night but when you try FORCE feeding it then you spend more time working on it then chopping . Ya want to go FAST then get a chopper that was made to go FAST but you will not go fast with and old chopper

With 16 gears in a 1066 you should be able to find a ground speed that matches the capacity of the chopper instead of the maximum horsepower of the tractor. A bigger heavier tractor will give you better control of the long heavy outfit on greasy slopes and let you power up hills with a nearly full wagon without downshifting. A bigger tractor might use slightly more fuel unless the smaller tractor had to be over-fueled to handle the job.

Probably more tractor than you need, but like the other poster mentioned, just use the slower gears and do not crowd the chopper and you'll be fine. Plus, that bigger tractor will be real handy when you encounter a soft spot in the field. A large tractor working at less than full capacity will be more economical on fuel than a smaller tractor working at full capacity.

My brother had a light duty Gehl, i think it was a 300, sane thing happened to him. But he had his 1066 on it!

I use an 886 on a two row Fox chopper, and it has no trouble with it. Plenty of power, and only 85 hp or so.