4400 gear in corn

Hi guys,
I have a new to me last year jd 4400 diesel combine. It is in great shape and well care for. It did a great job in 50 bushel beans last year. I have been picking and cribbing my corn in the past, so my only experience is with a corn picker. What gear should I be in for 200 bushel corn on 30 inch rows and a plant population of about 35,000 plants per acre? I was told 2nd gear and obviously adjust the variable speed as needed, but that seems fast. Can that combine handle 200 bushel corn at that speed? Thanks for your advice.
 
I'm not familiar with a 4400 exactly as I've driven different color machines for 30 years...

But that sounds right.

Corn comes off the cob a lot easier than beans through a cylinder. I find you can drive about the same speed in corn as you can in beans, but far less issues with plugging the combine in corn. You can plug the header easy in corn, esp in wet corn, plugging the header or overflowing the shaker is the problem in good corn. Drive too fast and corn spills out the back of the machine. It will go through the cylinder just fine tho.

Going to make a big difference on how wet the corn is. Few years ago when we had a cool summer and short season, we had to start at 34-36% moisture corn just to get started. You drove slow then! Header drive belt got real warm; augers and elevators struggled to move stuff that wet.

At 17% or under, the few times we can see that, just drive, its fun. Whatever the shaker can pass through.

You will learn what works in a round or two, mostly be watching what comes out the back of the machine, you probably won't be close to slugging it, but need to watch how the shaker is dealing with the amount of corn flowing through. The header will let you know right off what is too fast for it.....

Paul
 
On level ground you should be fine going slow in second. If you're on the side of a hill you may have to get into low gear to keep the corn from going over the chaffer and out the back of the combine. I opened the tailgate on the back of the chaffer a little bit more to catch the last of the corn. The tailings elevator door down by your left foot is your friend, I left it partially open in corn. IF there is corn coming thru the tailings elevator you'll be able to hear it, slow down, You've either got corn coming thru the tailgate or it's going out the back. Always get out and walk around until you're happy with the conditions and the combines performance. I opened my chaffer and cleaning sieve up some so I could move faster in good corn, it wasn't spotless but I never got docked and the elevator never complained.
 
It will very much depend on the moisture of the corn. I used to have a 4400 and it would handle 200 bushel corn wide open in second gear if the moisture was 20 or below. In higher moisture corn you would have to slow down. Get everything "right" and second will be no problem. Mike
 
I think we'd need to know how big a head you have.

If I'm not mistaken you can hang a 2-6 row head on a 4400.

A two or three row and probably a four row you will be able to move along alright. Hang a 6 row on her and you will need to drive a stake to see if you are moving.

Just look for corn on the ground (run over the back) when you get started. If your are running it over....slow down.
 
200 bushel corn! seems like a lot to me. This would make a much larger combine grunt. If you have been picking it in the past, I am inclined to think you have much less and will be able to combine in 2nd gear at a higher speed.
 

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