Pics of the 105

So we finally got the new to me 105 together and ran a few rounds of the neighbors corn. It does handle the 6 row head, but in 180 bu corn, the clean grain capacity becomes a limiting factor. I definitely want to redo the flighting on the bin auger for next year and somehow try to speed up the whole clean grain system. Ideas welcome. Other than that I think it did well and I was pleased. I do have some upgrades in mind but nice to see her run. I don't think any of the neighborhood farmers thought this combine was field worthy, let anlone handle the 6 row head. Got several thumbs up from area farmers hauling grain. Anyhow, here are some pics, lemme know what you think.



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Congratulations! I remember when I was finishing up high school, I saw an ad for a 105 with all the heads. I wanted to buy it. I had the money in the bank, too, as I had aspirations of custom harvesting back then. Never went through with it, but I still have a great deal of respect for a 105, as do I have respect for a 7700 Deere. It was the first combine I started operating.
 
Sure looks good. Your bin sample looks perfect. Maybe I should hire you to adjust my machines as I never seem to be able to get it that clean. My problem is I have new rasp bars and concave and with the factory sprockets I can only get my cylinder speed down to 450 and that is to fast in dryer corn. Years ago before we started feeding snaplage (made with a combine head on a forage harvester)we used the 95 to make corn and cob mix. Not having the correct chaffer and seive we pulled both out and set the cylinder to break up the cob and put it in the grain tank. I learned very quickly to keep one eye on the grain bin auger as it was always maxed out even going as slow as the machine would go. The bin was always full and the wet cob and trash did not flow out very well but it made great feed. We would then grind it into a 14x40 silo or a silage bag. Deere did make sprockets to speed up the grain conveyor chain in the bottom of the machine and I heard years ago about a farmer that put a 4 row on a 55 and he sped up the clean grain elevator to make that work. Nice pics. Thanks for posting as I like to see others that run these machines like we have. Tom
 
I was real pleased with the sample at first till I discovered a fair amount of kernals on the ground behind the machine. I think I had the sieve closed too much and the darn chaffer kept closing by itself. I will have to make a new lever where we can lock the adjustment in.

As for the clean grain, only thing I can see is to decrease the upper pulley size or increase the pulley on the slip clutch. So I will need to go take a look at some other combines for parts ideas. I'm not sure what the current cylinder speed is. It's a chain drive not variable like on a corn special so I will have to see what sprocket is on it. The guy that had before us ran corn last and we kept the same cylinder and concave settings. I had a heck of a time getting the head to lift. Luckily my parts combine had some different brackets where the lift cylinders attach to the feederhouse. They put the put the pivot closer to the end but that didn't allow it to lift very high. So I took the spacers and had 3" extenstions welded in to bring the head up. The tips are about 38" off the ground which is pretty good. Nothing like these new combines but adequate for an old machine.
 
Sharp rig! I'm not familiar with where
the 105 return elevator is. On the
4420 there's a door by the left foot.
I farm hills and always left the door
open enough that I could hear corn
rattling in there. If there was noise
in the return I needed to slow down.
Plus I opened the sieves up so I could
go faster, not a perfectly clean
sample but the elevator didn't seem to
mind.
 

The return elevator is outside the cab. It's possible to open the cover and look out the lower cab window and see in. Not as convenient, but perhaps better in a way because when it breaks you are not in the cab on your knees with your head under the seat like 00-20 series. Seems like everything important that goes wrong is under the darn seat.
 
Much simpler than newer models and much easier to work on. Your cases though do look like the definition of simplicity. Any pics of the sides on them?
 
(quoted from post at 13:28:15 12/01/17) Much simpler than newer models and much easier to work on. Your cases though do look like the definition of simplicity. Any pics of the sides on them?

I think I’m in love with that 105. That poly head looks different on there, kind of adds a sense of modern farming to the old workhorse. If you don’t mind me asking how much do you guys think a useable X5 machine is worth
 
(quoted from post at 15:55:45 12/01/17)
(quoted from post at 13:28:15 12/01/17) Much simpler than newer models and much easier to work on. Your cases though do look like the definition of simplicity. Any pics of the sides on them?

I think I’m in love with that 105. That poly head looks different on there, kind of adds a sense of modern farming to the old workhorse. If you don’t mind me asking how much do you guys think a useable X5 machine is worth

That's a difficult question. Finding one in usable working condition might be a tall task since there aren't many around that I know of. This one came up at auction in IN only a couple hours drive away and it was a good running diesel with hydro, which makes it pretty rare and it was in pretty good shape to boot. The ability to look at it in person as opposed to taking a chance on one sight unseen a thousand miles away and having a huge hauling bill was worth paying a little extra for it right there on the spot. I didn't really go there with a set stopping poing in mind. I knew it was the closest one I would ever have a chance to see and after standing there all day I decided it was coming home with me.

But really I bought it more as a collectible item that I can dink around on, customize, have a little fun, etc. Not something to run a whole crop with (although we know several that do without batting an eye). But for the money, you can likey buy just about any 00 series and most 20 series deeres for what one of these may cost. kinda like why 720 and 730 diesels are bringing 4020 kind of of money.


I'd say If you could get into one for 5k or less you need to do it now before they go up. A few years ago you could buy them for a couple grand because nobody wanted them, but not so much any more. A good number of them have been scrapped and it just seems like they are now coming back into popularity. Kind of like why the 237 mounted picker at the same sale brought $4700 by itself. I was really surprised. My dad said he bought a deere mounted picker off a guy once for a hudred bux. So go figure. But yeah I think collectibility has a lot to do with it.

Overall there was crazy amount of interest in that 105 at that auction. I talked to Jeff Polk briefly and he said he got more calls on that combine before the sale than anything else there. If you want to check out the auction feed, you can see it here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXZ1Ga6Qctc
 
It depends a little on what you get. Good running gas 95 and 105 machines can still be found for $2000. Now a quick attach feederhouse for the later heads will cost$500-1000 for a good one. A factory hydro is worth another $1000 and on the 105 the diesel engine (same as late 4020) is worth $2-3000. If you do buy one I would recomend looking for a parts machine as well as some parts are getting harder to find. Most of my machines the trucking was more than the combine. It has been five years since I got my last good machine and that was a 105 gas that we paid $1200 for on an auction. We have added the quick attach feederhouse and a diesel engine. Do not pass up a good machine because you think it is $500-1000 to high in price. On these older machines condition is more important than price. Good luck in your search. Tom
 
I see you are filling a cart. I think there were two auger lengths available as mine will only reach a 200 bu wagon. Wondered about the drive belt slipping driving a longer auger in mid moisture corn as mine sometimes struggles with the short auger.
 
This 105 has a longer auger than my parts machine. I was pondering extending the auger another 3ft and if the drive system would handle it. I will say that my lever in the cab takes two hands and a big boy pull to get it engaged, so it must be fairly tight.
 
Nice rig, looks like it does an excellent job cleaning the grain. My uncle always said the 4400 was the best corn combine he had. The early series 6620 does pretty good job too if set just right. It's amazing how these old combines can clean the grain just as good as the new ones.
 
Here's a picture of my old 105 seven years ago before I got rid of it. That 635 head should never have been invented.
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Just think how much of a BTO you were if you bought a brand new 105 Diesel Hydro with the 635N Head.
 
When the Deere engineers designed the 105 one concern they had was hauling the grain away fast enough. That was back in the day of 150 bushel flare wagons and 200 bushel barge boxes here in the Midwest. Maybe a few BTO's had 300 bushel single axle trucks but there weren't any in my neck of the woods.
 
(quoted from post at 18:24:06 12/05/17) Here's a picture of my old 105 seven years ago before I got rid of it. That 635 head should never have been invented.
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I see you did the rotating screen mod. I just got one off a f2 gleaner from salvage so I can do mine. Thinking about making it hinge at the top and using a tractor oil cooler/condenser inside (also on a hinge) for easy cleaning. Also have a few other mods planned. Eventually will pull the cab and extend the back wall down and upholster the whole thing, but that will be after I build an ac unit for the roof.
 

What about putting a Sound Guard on the 105?
A one from an 8820 would not fit right.
A one from a chopper would not fit either because too long on the floor.
But a one from a Zweibrucken machine would bolt right on (Deere 4425-4435 in USA), and should be fairly cheap if found because nobody has those in USA. Unless you deal with a salvage yard that does not understand that you are the only chance for him to sell his junk combines parts. (and there are many of them...)

With that update, you will get the RH pillar losses and low shaft speed monitor and you will be able to keep all your controls. So make sure that you rob all the required sensor from the donor machine, plus maybe the Dialamatic, as it was an option as well and was exact same valve than Moline's machine. Only major drawback is the long rive to Canada to find one.

I have seen European made 730 (same age and same size than 105), converted to SG Cab, and it looked great.
 
The screen on mine was off a Gleaner but I forget what model. It worked really good in beans but let silks through in corn, just the opposite of the way the old factory screen performed. The factory screen plugged in beans on calm days but rarely needed to be cleaned in corn. I painted an orange stripe across the rotary screen so I could keep an eye on it through the mirror. If the screen slowed down I knew it was time to clean the radiator.
 
A way to avoid the rotary screen is to install a reversible and variable pitch fan such as the flexxaire fan.
Only drawback is that it might be costly and not exist in a so small size.
Maybe in 2047 it would be a cheap alternative with all the new combines already in the junk yard due to electronics issue.
Also, you can make the fixed screen much longer and also prevents it from plugging up.
For rotary screen, a setup with a belt driven aspirator such as used on Deere 20 series is the best. Late 860-850 Massey also have that setup with a small dust apirator and air duct. I am sure that running trough the salvage yard, you will figure out what is best for your needs.
Frederic (Combine engineer)
 
(quoted from post at 00:49:43 12/11/17) A way to avoid the rotary screen is to install a reversible and variable pitch fan such as the flexxaire fan.
Only drawback is that it might be costly and not exist in a so small size.
Maybe in 2047 it would be a cheap alternative with all the new combines already in the junk yard due to electronics issue.
Also, you can make the fixed screen much longer and also prevents it from plugging up.
For rotary screen, a setup with a belt driven aspirator such as used on Deere 20 series is the best. Late 860-850 Massey also have that setup with a small dust apirator and air duct. I am sure that running trough the salvage yard, you will figure out what is best for your needs.
Frederic (Combine engineer)


I'm not trying to avoid the rotary screen at all. I really like the rotary screen idea and want get away from the current bubble screen chimney deal. The air has to come down then turn 90 degrees to get into the radiator. Plus the oil cooler and a/c condenser sit nearly horizontal in the plenum and the dust accummulates on the top surface. Once that residue draws a bit of moisture it starts to cake up, which in turn makes it even harder to clean. Horrible design in my opinion. I want to make it totally accessible on both sides for easy cleaning. If you look at the old IH 715/815/915 combines, they have a really nice screen that hinges open and the swings out so you can access it from either side.

A belt driven screen is not really possible since there are no extra pulleys in that area to utilize. The unload auger is already using the crank pulley so using the air driven fan is about the best one can hope for without a serious engineering project.
 

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