What combine should I get?

Michael Price · Jan 4, 2016

Im looking to get a combine and have a few options. Id like one with a corn head but they are hard to find. Whats for sale in my area and in my price range is a John Deere 3300 diesel with grain table, a John Deere 6600 diesel with grain table, or a 2 gleaner F combines, one has a grain table and another with a 4 row corn head. I only need it for about 15 acres this next year and hopefully pick up some more ground.

sd pete · Jan 4, 2016

Where are you at? If you have a dealer close by I would get the F. Which corn head is on it? I am guessing its an orange head. Black head is better but on a few acres the older head will be fine.

4020 electrician · Jan 4, 2016

Gleaner F's. You get 2. Make 1 nice one.

Michael Price · Jan 4, 2016

Gleaner has orange head, only dealers near me is JD, case IH, and New Holland.

GreenEnvy · Jan 4, 2016

If you go green definitely get the 6600. You will be limited on what you can do with a 3300. And from what I understand parts are easier to come by on a 6600.

Curt Cooke · Jan 5, 2016

I'm what one would call a hobby farmer and if what you have 15 acres I suspect that you are one, too. If you go green, I suggest the 3300. A 6600 is way bigger than you need for sure. A 3300 will shell corn all day without incident and you'll be comfortable. In my hobby times, I've run Gleaners A, C and C2, John Deere 4400 and 3300, IHC 715. Of all of them, I think the 3300 is the most fun and since it's small, provides the most time spent actually using the machine. If you like shelling corn as I do, you don't want the process to be over in an hour!
CC

centash · Jan 5, 2016

All are good machines, but there are far more parts available for the F series than for a 3300. A 6600 is quite a bit bigger than the F which, in turn, is bigger than the 3300. Look at each machine, and determine, given your level of repair skill, which would be easier to maintain, as in changing belts, bearings, adjustments etc.

Ben

brutus49DC · Jan 5, 2016

I'd sure like to see any of the above mentioned combines do 15 acres of corn in an hour! If you buy a gleaner buy a full set of tools to go along with it as well as plenty of bearings.

ss55 · Jan 5, 2016

For only fifteen acres, any self propelled combine in good condition should get the job done quickly.

A two row wide or three row narrow corn head for a 3300 could be hard to find. The JD 300 picker uses the same corn heads. A four row grain head should be easier to find at a decent price than a four row corn head. Sometimes a corn head sells for as much as the combine. Check the prices in your area. You might be best off buying a combine with the corn head you need and then look for a grain head.

gbs · Jan 5, 2016

take a goooooooood look a the condition of each one,any brand that is well maintained and STORED OUT OF THE WEATHER will give good service,any of them will have problems if used enough,as for ease of maintenance the gleaner design is not necessarily the best but is hard to beat, just take a good look at difference between the brands how the belts,chains and bearings are mounted, see which you would prefer to maintain,as for the statement about bearings on a gleaner there no worse than any of the others, we've put around a 1000 acres thru a well used F3 since we bought it, yes we had to repair several items on it to get it in good condition but only a few small bearings needed to be replaced,we have replaced 2 idlers with bad bearings, 1 bearing on the feeder beater, 2 on the wobble box,and 1 set of bearing sickle bearings only 1 of them burnt out it was in one of the idlers since we've been using it.

4240 Turbo · Jan 5, 2016

For 15 acres, I would be afraid the 6600 would be higher cost and the headers would be more as well. I like the 6600, not real familiar with gleaner, but a 6600 would be fine with a 4 or 6 row corn head. A 3300 would be a neat and fun little machine, but I am not convinced of the capabilities for long term service. I feel that a 6600 would serve you well, for lots of years, but at the same time, a 3300 would be a nice handy little machine. I would wonder how many acres are you anticipating in future years? The 6600 would provide a lot of good service and parts seem available, since 6600 and 6620 interchanged.

Dick2 · Jan 6, 2016

Get one that never breaks down and never wears out! That's my joke of the day.

hd6gtom · Jan 10, 2016

I am familiar with all of these. The JD are far harder to work on, a lot of stuff is tucked under the cab, same as M F. F is a good machine, are they all gas powered including the Deere? 3300's have shelled a lot of corn in this neighborhood. Do you have an experienced operator to take with you when you check them out? I would be far more interested in a gas powered 3300 or F than I would a diesel 6600 or diesel F. Check any variable speed sheaves, belts, look in the back, check straw walkers for looseness, clean grain elevator for chain wear, sprockets, look at corn head bearings, gear boxes, gathering chains, sickle and sections and wobble box or sickle driver on the grain head. Check out the brakes, they are a must. Some older gleaners did not have steering brakes. I don't know if all F's had them. It is easy to tell, the ones that do have 3 pedals on the floor. You defiantly want them. The list goes on.

Michael Price · Jan 11, 2016

The 6600 and 3300 are both diesels, both the Fs are gas

What combine should I get?

Michael Price

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sd pete

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4020 electrician

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Michael Price

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GreenEnvy

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Curt Cooke

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centash

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brutus49DC

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ss55

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gbs

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4240 Turbo

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Dick2

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hd6gtom

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Michael Price

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