Combine upgrade - 7720, 9400, 9500

Been running a JD 6620 and a JD 4420. Sometimes both at the same time - one corn and one beans. Both are later models with low to average hours. Looking to go from a JD 443 to either a 643 or 843 to speed corn harvest.

Questions -

How does a JD 7720 compare to a JD 9400 in capacity?

Can you put a JD 443 corn head on a JD 9400? a JD 7720(Don't think so).

If I found a late model low hour JD 7720 would it be about as good as a JD 9400 considering all of the electrical problems that could go wrong on the JD 9400?

How is JD 7720 with an 8 row corn head going to do in hills - many contours and terraces? Would a 6 row corn head be better?

Seems to be many more JD 7720's that were maintained better than JD 6620's at the moment. Wouldn't be opposed to a 9400 or 9500 either.

Part of my problem is that I have a very nice Kinze 8 row corn planter I would like to continue to use. Seems to me I need to either stay with the four row corn head or go to eight. I can't plant that perfect to harvest across the field when the planter and head don't match up. I could turn my 8 row planter into a 6 row, but I like the increased width of 8 rows in the spring. I guess an 8 row on a Deere 7720, 9400, or 9500 would be an option. Thanks for you options.

I like my 9500 and haven't had too many electrical issues. It seems the only ones I've had are with the contour master sensors on either end of the flex head. Other than that, I haven't done anything more than wear items. I do replace stuff that's anywhere near worn, though. I'm kind of a stickler about maintenance. I thought it was a six row machine for some reason, but it should do eight. I think. I don't know where I got that idea.

I've got a late 9400, bigger engine, bigger clean grain auger and elevator chain. I've ran it for 11 seasons and the only electrical problems I've had were an alternator and a relay back by the engine. I'm a stickler for maintenance also and this 9400 is almost bulletproof. As far as capacity, I run a 6 row narrow cornhead and for me it's a perfect match. 8 row narrow would be too much and a 4 row wide isn't wide enough for the 24.5 tires. I ran it that way for a couple of years and got tired of running over corn. I farm hills and terraces. As far as a comparison to a 7720,9500 someone else will have to comment.

Well your JD 443 corn head will not work on any of the combines you have talked about. A JD 9400 and 9500 are the same width. The JD 9400 just has shorter straw walkers. I would take a JD 7720 over an early JD 9400. The early ones with the smaller motor had crankshaft troubles. The later JD 9400s where fine. The eight row header would be too much on hills for the JD 7720 or 9400 if your growing 200 BPA corn. A JD 9500 Might handle it OK but not the best. You would be better off switching the planter to 6 rows and be done with it.

If your set on 8 row then look for a JD 9600 they can be bought for about the same money as a JD 9400 or 9500. The eight row corn head will set you back as they are in demand.

I would just go with a 6 row head. Unless you have steep hills or have REALLY BAD guess rows,a 6 will gather just fine. I started with a 4 row planter and 3 row combine(45/313) Never noticed any loss. then went to 6 row planting and still combined 3. Saw no difference in gathering.Then bought a 4 row combine(95/443). So...here we are,miss matched again.And I cant tell any difference.But I have pretty straight guess rows.IMHO,the 4 row is too small even for a 6620,let alone a bigger machine.

The 8 row will work on a 9500... mine was running an 8 row head when we bought it. 9500 will have more capacity than a 7720, as well- and be easier to work on.

Brother liked his 8820 much better than his 7720. Sold them both when he retired.

When I was combining corn in Wi. back in the 90,s I used a 6 row head. Bossman Ralph sent me to combine some that had been planted with a 4 row planter. He said "it would work all right on the corn that was planted early in the morning, but not so well on the corn planted later in the day. Just combine 4 rows at a time when it gets bad". The fellow who planted it was quite a drinker.

I don't know too much about JD since I drove dads 45 a long time ago....

Watching the neighborhood, the 6620 and 7720 were the machines of the day, 6 row seemed to work better, 8 row was on some 7720s. Hard to find any not all used up any more, lot of hours.

Now a days see a lot of 9500 with 6 row, and 9600 with 8 row. Really do not see many 9400, they seem they were too small for 200bu corn? Too wide to easily do 4 row, and too small to efficiently do bigger heads.

You can always adapt and make stuff work, but don't get yourself behind the 8 ball when harvest goes you need to go.

Paul

Andy, I understand your wanting to upgrade your combine and capacity. However, getting a bigger combine doesn't necessarily equate into getting more done in a day unless you can keep the grain away from the combine. If you can run the combine steady all day, even with a small combine, you can get a lot done in a day's time. This being said, I have ran all of those combines listed except the 9400. The 9400 is basically a 9500 with one less step in the straw walkers and a much smaller engine. The 7720's are a very good machine but it will be hard to find a nice one. The 7720's and 9500's are about perfect with a 6-row corn head and will take about anything you can run through them at a good speed even in high yielding corn. Many were also sold with 8-row heads but you will need to slow down with those and you will also need to put the 8-row head on a head mover to transport while the 6-row can be left on the machine. The 9000 series combines are built with much larger bearings and shafts than the 20 series combines and as such do not give a whole lot of trouble. I used to own a 7720 and loved the machine. I now own a 9500 and prefer it head and shoulders over the old 77. The 9500 will do a tremendous job in getting and cleaning the grain as long as you DON'T set it like the book says. I don't know how many acres of corn you plant but if it were me I would go with a 6-row corn head on a good 7720 or 9500 and get either a 6-row or 12-row planter. Unless you have lots of help an 8-row machine will be sitting much more than a good 6-row will be. And given the grain tank size of these combines you will be full before you make a round in many fields and will end up "dead heading" which shoots your combine capacity in the foot. Mike

I tend to agree with Mike on the subject. We ran a late 7700 for many, many years on our farm. If memory serves me right, we had it for nearly 20 years and was mostly a joy to run. Was a very good machine on a 6 row corn head and a 20 foot flex head. We considered looking for a 7720 and decided it was probably not a significant step up or improvement. Ultimately we opted to purchase a 1996 model 9500. We are running the same 643 corn head that was on the 7700 and moved up to a 925 flex head. The machine settings in the book and on that "card" in the little compartment in the cab console are not even close with respect to the settings on the machine. You can achieve a grain sample that is far superior to the 7700 on its best day in the field and the capacity is awesome on the 9500. Since purchasing in 2004, we have harvested corn yielding in excess of 200 bushels per acre and soybeans approaching 70 bushels per acre. In the conditions we operate in, an 8 row head would not be out of the question, but since we have a 12 row planter, and have had that size since the early 1980's, the 6 row head works best for our situation. I am not aware of your circumstances, but 12 row planters are abundant in our area. Even if I had a larger planter, I still think I would prefer to run the 6 row head on the 9500.

Around here, the 9400 and 9500 bring within $10k of a 9650 with similar hours (at large auctions, not equipment lots). If bigger isn't a deal breaker for you maybe your should expand your search.