John Deere 750 No-Till Drill

Good morning,

I've been contemplating on getting a 750 drill for our haying operation.

In an effort to get away from the labor intensive practice of breaking land we would like to use it for the direct seeding of certain cereals(likely fall rye or triticale) into hayland(post burndown) & for transitioning back to alfalfa and/or alfalfa/grass mix(seeding into stubble). Also thought of using it for banding fertilizer into current low producing hay stands.

We'll be using a 4020(ballasted to 12K + lbs-ish) pulling through light/sandy soil with moderate hills with no fear of conditions resembling anything too wet(read sandy soil) LOL

Will have to find a drill with the front dolly wheel configuration due to the lack of 3 pt. hitch on tractor....


Any suggestions or comments regarding the viability of this endeavor would be appreciated along with any recommendations on what to look for on a used machine. I've read some posts mentioning that the later model 750 are more desireable & was curious if that is the general consensus & why? Also wondering about maintenance of these machines, specifically bearing replacement - use OEM parts or will jobber suffice? Or anything else to be aware of......

TIA,


Glen
 
Been running one a couple of years. I don't know the next latest model number but heard there were lots of improvements. I know their is an upgrade for closing wheels that helped with bearing issues. Lots of bearings on the machine. I went through and tightened hubs on opening Coulter's last year and didn't have any issues, but it's quiet a job getting to all the bearings and such. I believe about 4 bearings total per row unit if I remember correctly. Has done a good job for me though planting oats, rye, wheat, and clover into Bermuda stands.
 
A 750 would be an excellent choice for doing what you want to do.

I've owned two. I'd offer the following suggestions:

A 10 foot one is well suited to a 4020. We owned one from 1990 till 2013. It had a straight drawbar hitch, and on level land you can run in 6th gear with the 4020. Big hills and a full seedbox meant
shifting into 5th.

I currently own a 15 foot with the 2 point. I have not tried it on a 4020. I would need to put a lot of front end weight on if I did. The two point arrangement makes the front end light on a 4450 if the
box is full. The dolly wheel version can be pulled with a 4020, but you might want dual wheels in some conditions. I had a friend who pulled a 15 foot with a 4020. He liked the combination, but later
switched to using his 4430.

Both the early and late ones have minor issues, but either is a good choice. The early ones had more grease fittings but less replaceable bushings- meaning it can take a bit more to refurbish them. The late
ones had more bushings, but the bushings could get loose in the castings, creating another issue. Look any over closely for wear. I've used both Deere and aftermarket parts. There are some great
aftermarket fixes for worn bushings etc out there as well.

The late ones also had a different downpressure system. I liked the earlier system a bit better. It was a bit more user friendly with a 4020 vintage tractor.

You will not be disappointed seeding small grains or alfalfa with a 750. No tearing things up, packing seed beds, etc. No erosion issues afterward. You will use less seed to get a good stand, and have
less weed issues. I've never had a failure, even seeding alfalfa in VERY dry fall conditions after cereals. This spring is the 29th season.
 
Thanks for the replies & info.!

I'll be keeping an eye out for one now....


Based on how our 4020 handles our 15K lb land roller with levelling blade in our terrain I feel relatively confident tieing it to a 15' drill although I realize the draft will differ under certain conditions & will be prepared to add extra traction if needed.


Thanks again!
 
I'm planning on starting my hunt for a 750 drill pretty soon.

As previously mentioned, I'd like to use it for banding dry fertilizer into our existing haystands. To be perfectly honest, I have to profess my ignorance of fertilizer application never having done it before.

I'm aware of the corrosiveness of the fertilizer and the need to clean / wash the boxes out thoroughly afterwards but I'm more curious about the actual application and the capacities/limitations on the machine itself.

I see that some drills are equipped with a dedicated fertilizer box but I assume that one could simply use the main seed box as well or in addition to if desired? What would the range of fertlizer application rate be using one of these machines?


Regarding the seeding aspect on the machines with the dedicated fertilizer box, where is the fertilizer actually placed with respect the seed? How effective is the seed VS fertilizer placement? We plan on sowing alfalfa, grass mixes, triticale, rye, oats, etc. Just wondering if a machine not having a fertilizer box is a deal breaker? I know its inefficient but making a pass to fertilize & another pass to seed(or vice versa?)would not be the end of the world for us if needed.


Thanks again!



(quoted from post at 06:47:43 05/13/18) Thanks for the replies & info.!

I'll be keeping an eye out for one now....



Thanks again!
 

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