John Deere 55 combine

Wildbill95 · Aug 20, 2014

I have a John Deere 55 model combine with a 2 row corn he's on it and was looking at purchasing a 4 row corn head off of a John Deere 105 combine that burnt up but the head wasn't damaged. I was wondering if the head of the JD 105 would fit on my JD 55 an if it does fit would my JD 55 with the gasoline engine be able to handle using that head?

Mike Aylward · Aug 20, 2014

The four row head will not physically fit your combine unless it is a 444 head and your combine has the Quick-Tatch feederhouse. However, four rows on a 55 was never recommended and would severely overload the machine. You would be much better served to get a smaller head for your combine. Even if the older (likely a 434 or 435) head could be made to fit the excessive weight would be hard on your machine. Best look elsewhere. Mike

coonie minnie · Aug 20, 2014

Deere did not put 4 rows on 55s. The 435 head will not fit a 55, but can fit a 95 if the mounts are changed. The throat of a 435 was 40 in wide, and the 55 has only a 30 in cylinder.

Remember too the 55 was made 1969 and earlier. Corn has changed a lot since then, and if you have a decent crop by today's standards it is simply too much, taking 4 rows, for a 55.

fixerupper · Aug 20, 2014

Twenty years ago I was creeping along at 2-3 MPH with a 635 head on a 105. I can't imagine how slow that rig would have to go today in 200 bushel BT corn.

jd40an · Aug 20, 2014

I had a 105 Corn Special Diesel, with a "new style" feeder house, a 444 head & 20 ft. soybean head. Got along fine, even in corn approaching 200 bpa, but think a 643 would have been all I would have wanted. Aside from the fact that a 4 row head simply won't fit, bear in mind that a 55 is only 3/5 as large as a 105. Even if you could "cobble" it on, I doubt that the 55 would even raise it, let alone have enough capacity to more than barley move.

coonie minnie · Aug 20, 2014

Having run the 105 in corn up to 260 bu per acre,
slow is the word with a 6 row head. Usually 2nd
gear with the variable speed as slow as it will go.

Biggest limitation would be the clean grain
elevator, especially in dry corn.

Frank 41 · Aug 20, 2014

Four rows on a 95 was too much but you must be dreaming to try it on a 55, let alone just the weight.

fixerupper · Aug 20, 2014

My 105 was a gasser and even with M&W pistons it could have used more power. That noisy old 635 head soaked up a lot of power with all those chains and those old style stalk rolls. In real trashy corn I would overload the raddle chain until I put the fast sprocket on it and even with the fast sprockets it stopped a couple of times. It got the job done for me, but I always wondered how a 643 head would have worked. Jim

John Deere 55 combine

Wildbill95

New User

Mike Aylward

Well-known Member

coonie minnie

Well-known Member

fixerupper

Well-known Member

jd40an

Member

coonie minnie

Well-known Member

Frank 41

Member

fixerupper

Well-known Member

Similar threads