I see a planter unit is leaning slightly from the rear

andy r

Member
My Kinze planter has units the same as a John Deere 7000. When walking around the rear I see that one unit is leaning slightly. Seems like everything is at a slight angle. Since everything is at an angle (gauge wheels, closing wheels, double disks, hopper, upper sheet metal) I assume that the shank that comes down between the double disks isn't bent by itself. What is out of whack must be the parallel arms and the heavy metal they bolt to on the planting unit. I think the bushings are OK. Can't remember hitting any rocks. Did make 1/2 a turn with the planter in the ground when the hydraulic valve didn't stay in the raise position. Unit still plants fine - just needs to be straightened up.
Anyone ever straightened a planting unit up?????? Thinking of using a heavy wood 4" by 4" or a long 4 inch steel pipe and put some opposite "twist" to the parallel arms back where they attach to the planting unit. Could probably attach a come-a-long on where the closing wheel unit attaches as well to help make a twist. Anyone ever straightened one up????? Maybe it just needs to be disassembled and the parallel arms checked for straightness, new bushings, and reassembled. Thanks for your ideas.
 
Sometimes that hi-line pole in your yard is a good anchor for a winch/whatever...to straighten out things like that. The political wag in me says I hope it is leaning to the right! Otherwise, there are guidance counselors available that can issue participation certs/trophies to assuage your concerns.
 
it could be the parallel arms, or it could be the unit itself. I have experienced both.

I have a Deere 7200. At first, we had unit mounted no till coulters on it. Between contour strips, rocks, and sometimes hard sod, we managed to twist a couple units slightly. The no till coulter and the tru-vee opener will fight one another if you turn with the unit in the ground, kind of like a tandem axle wagon turning, where both wheels skid a little. The 7200 untis weren't heavy enough in that application for our conditions.

We removed the no-till coulters 12 years ago, and installed the Deere frame mount ones. End of unit issues.

I would suggest you fix it, because a sprung unit will still plant, but the closing wheels may be impossible to adjust after a while. Once the steel gets bent a little, it is likely to keep bending.
 

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