7000 Deere planter

I found a planter close to me for sale for 1500 dollars. It comes with corn and bean meters, What do I need to look at for wear and at what point is it too far gone? You all know that I farm organic, so fertilizer and insect boxes mean nothing to me. What else should I consider?

check the bean cups and corn meters, make sure the plastic is not brittle...I can't tell you too much about them as I'm still learning. Other than that, its just like any other...openers, sprockets and chains. But for the money, you can out a little work into it and have a real good planter.

Lots of 4 row 7000 go for that money, now. Dismantle the finger pickup units, look for rust or physical wear in the backing plate, broken or missing, stretched springs, and rust on the fingers- seed side. Worn brushes. All easily replaceable for few dollars. New plate is in the $20s, brushes and fingers , springs are cheap. Measure opener disc for size compared to new, also wiggle opener bearings, gauge wheels for arm wear. Wheels should almost rub openers. Closing wheel bearings and tires. Bean cups or meters? Plastic cups measure volume- need rate adjustment when changing bean size to maintain desired seeds/foot rate. Meters (JD or Kinze) give accurate rate no matter the seed size, JD is more complicated and has three size adjustments built in. JD and Shoup have updates for older planters to match later ones.

Kinze makes a blue seed disc for large soybeans up to 2200 seeds per pound, the black disc is to be used for beans above 2200

Shoup - shoupparts.com - has a lot of parts cheaper & just as good as JD.

The depth wheels that run alongside the opener disks are often wore in back on the bushing. Once they spread out a bit, then dirt packs in & you need to replace the arm. Many have already been replaced with a screw type or one with washers, that can be adjusted - original JD can't. Anyhow, See if the depth wheels are loose or pull away at all from the opening disks.

The parralel straps that hold the planter units to the main bar - 4 of them - tend to egg out in the holes. Shoup has bushings to install if it's not warn too much; otherwise need to replace the straps. Doesn't look expensive, until you realize you need to buy 16.... See if the planter units rock fore & aft, at the bolts on these arms. It affects planting depth some.

The corn meters need attention from time to time, as others mention.

That's going to be about it.

If you want to be better at planting beans, the original cups from JD aren't all that great, they just spill beans out about like a plate planter. You can find upgrades - basically seed meters like the corn unit is - that will do a better job of perfecting beans. Probably doesn't matter on a few acres, might be worthwhile on a lot of acres. Can't think of the popular after market co that makes them.... Nothing wrong with the original cups, the bean meters would be an upgrade.

--->Paul

The belts on the corn meters get very brittle. Dont replace just one or two, do them all you will save a trip to the dealership.

check closing wheels and bearings,guage wheel bearings, drive shaft and bearings, transmition and bearings, also check to see if the the two metal sides that hold the transmition are bent, as mentioned above meters, DRIVE CHAINS COMING OFF THE WHEELS.
i dont know how to describe them but here it goes. there are these things that go on the wheels and the chain snakes through them to the cog and when you want to transport it on the road you flip a lever on each one and a guard like thing comes down and takes the chain off the cog so it wont wear out the clutchs on th drive shaft and you pull the lever back up to engage it in the feild but those are a realo life saver and a lot safer to take the chains off when transporting. if you buy it and are interisted i will look to find where i got them and a phone number

One little thing, that always wears - check the steel cables that raise and lower the marker arms. Not too crazy to buy new part for, but BIG pain in butt if it breaks during planting.