Convert 7000 planter to 4 row?

What would it take to convert a JD 7000 planter from 6 row to 4? How hard would this be?

I want to do this, so I can get a narrow row unit. All the 4 rows planters I find for sale are wide rows and I don?t think they are adjustable to 30 inch.

I found a 7000 that is 6 row narrow. I?m thinking about buying it and making it 4 row.

Can I just:
Take off the markers
Take off one planting unit on each end.
Get someone to cut the main bar, with a blowtorch or metal cutter.
And cut the smaller ?power? bar
Put the markers back on.
Is that it?
The wheels and the drive shaft are inside the 4 rows.

How hard it is to remove the markers? Do I just remove the 2 nuts on the big U bolts that go around the main bar?

Also: What is the smaller bar in the front, all the way across, parallel with the main bar? What does that do?

Thank you!
a229546.jpg
 
Couple of questions. Why do you need 30 inch rows? A 4RW can be set in to 36 inch rows. Why cut the 6RN down. To fit through a door? You would have to remount the marker cylinders Huge PIA. Would have to shorten marker arms, then the expanding part would not fir fight Another PIA.. Clutch pawls?
 
I don't think that would be very $$$$ wise, anyhow around here.

Since 6 row planters have 4 wheels, certainly you will have issues with the extra wheels and drive shafts being too long. The wheels are welded up just like a 4 row, so you can't just unbolt.

The markers will be way too long.

I would look for a 4 row wide, it is common to modify them to 4 row narrow with just cutting and re welding tabs on the rock shaft, would be far less modification than a 6 row would take.

'Here' anyhow the 4 row wide are 1/3 or less the cost of a 6 row narrow, you could hire out the cutting and re welding and be money ahead over wrecking a 6 row. And the 4 row narrow you end up with from a 4rw would be more valuable than what you started with.

Paul
 
I would have to ask why you would want to do that? Having just rebuilt a 6 row narrow from the ground up...and I mean REBUILT (even the jack stand was broke!)...I think you need to really reconsider this idea. A lot of the parts on the planter are probably worn out to start with and will need replacing. You will put a lot of money into it just making it plant six rows before you even get to the conversion. The only way I would consider it is if I could disable the two outside row units and adjust the marker arms to a length that would be correct for just the four inner units, or not use markers. Don't know if this is possible but I would certainly look into it before I would waste a lot of dollars and time on re-manufacturing it. Take my word for it, you are getting in pretty deep here.
 
Here is a picture, I believe from one of the long time posters here and/or at newagtalk, hope he doesn't mind me reusing his good pic. Sorry I can't remember who at the moment.

It is a 4 row wide cut down to a 4 row narrow.

You can see how the rock shaft tabs were cut, a new tab welded on the frame, and the wheels rewelded onto the tabs.

While this looks major, it is a lot easier in my opinion than trying to change a 6 row into a 4 row, getting the markers set up on the new configuration would be hard you don't realize all the cables and hydraulic tube inside that frame for the markers that you would need to change out..... And the 2 extra lift wheels in the way.... And.....


The small bar out front is for placing sidedress fertilizer, there are many types of single and double disk openers that go on that tube to place granular or liquid fertilizer about 2 inches beside your rows. You can see a homemade but very good example of that in the picture as well.

Paul
a229547.jpg
 
It is much easier to cut down a 4row wide to a narrow. Just had one done this spring and the local Amish shop does a dozen every year.I have the measurements wrote somewhere. You cut off both ends of the main frame and take some out of each side of the wheel assembly. You can use a grinder to remove the axle brackets and reweld them. You need to make sure to mark the axle tube very well so as not to get it out of alignment.You can even use the markers when finished. I did not have time and my local welding shop did it in a morning.If interested post back and I will get you the measurements. I would even trade you my cut down 4row for your six row. I am located in southern WI. Tom
 
Just buy it and leave it a 6 row! I don't understand the need for a 4 row? It is not that much bigger, as far as tractor I have an uncle pulls a 6 row 7000 with liquid fertilizer with his Super M on hilly ground even. The old saying goes, "Don't fix what isn't broken", but then there is Red Green, "If it ain't broke, your not trying"! LOL All up to you.
 
(quoted from post at 13:18:15 06/15/16) Just buy it and leave it a 6 row! I don't understand the need for a 4 row? It is not that much bigger, as far as tractor I have an uncle pulls a 6 row 7000 with liquid fertilizer with his Super M on hilly ground even. The old saying goes, "Don't fix what isn't broken", but then there is Red Green, "If it ain't broke, your not trying"! LOL All up to you.

I have narrow gates and a 4RW barely fits through. Not everyone is planting 40ac. I plant about 1/3-1/2 acre at a time every 10-14 days.
 
The cheapest way....not necessarily the best....remove outer two units.Remove outer drive wheels only. Remove disc from the end of the marker and bolt a bracket to the marker such that a disc can be attached to it at 120 inches from the Centre of the planter. May look fugly but should work....Ben
 
(quoted from post at 20:15:36 06/15/16) Good grief man! If only planting 1/3 t0 1/2 acre at a time, I'd be looking for a 2 row 3 point hitch planter! But that's just me!
Dave

Looked at that option but those 3 point 2 row planters with JD 7000 units sell for $2000. Lots of 4RW planters out there for less $$$.
 
Thanks to everyone for their comments. I think I like Ben?s suggestion best; just remove the 2 outer units and remove the outer wheels, and figure out a way to rig up a marker.

Does anyone have any pictures of how you?ve made your own marker, when the included marker didn?t work for what you want? What did you connect to the marker arm and how did you connect it?

Thanks Paul for the info on the front bar.

I think what I was missing was: I didn?t realize the mechanism for the markers are inside the main bar. Thanks to everyone who told me about that.

From the other comments: Price; I found this one for $2,000, so this 6 row is about the same as the 4 rows that I?ve found.
Gordo asked, ?Why 30 inch rows?? I think most experts says that 30 inch crops are better, more productive. Plus, for corn you have to match the rows for the combine and I think 30 inch rows are much more common to have someone combine.

For Brown Swiss who suggests: Just use 6 row! But, It?s not just planting, you have to match the number of rows on the combine, and I?m still cultivating, so i have to have the same number of rows on my cultivator, my cultivator is 4 row, or buy more new/used equipment.
 
Paul, I planted with a 1440 4 row with no markers. I had a 2x4 under the belly of the tractor with a short chain hanging at the proper spacing to be directly over the last row planted on the previous pass. Worked good for me.
Dave
 

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