IH 2588 or 6088, and which 8 row head

We are looking to trade combines.
Currently running a 2366. It has about
5700 engine hrs and 3500 seperator hours
and it's well past due for trading. We're
thinking it would be wise to step up to a
class 6 machine. Looking to spend about
100k give or take a little and get a
machine with less than 1500 engine hours.

So, I'm wanting to know what the
differences are between the 2588 and 6088
are. I know that in general they are
still the same basic design as our
current rig, just curious as to what has
been upgraded from the 23 to the 25, and
the 25 to the 60.

Then the other question I have is about
corn heads. Currently we have a fairly
new grain table, but are still running a
JD 693 with an adapter. So the question
is do we trade that for an 893 or
whatever would be a little newer but not
super expensive, or do we ditch the
adapter and just run an IH head. Back in
the 90s when that head was new Dad said
it was worth the hassle because JD heads
were easier on ears or something, but I
would think that 20 years later everyone
has made improvements.

Reading online ive seen very mixed
opinions on what head is best. Some guys
say IH is best, some say JD is best, some
say AGCO is best, some like aftermarket
brands. And an equal amount of people
claim each of those brands is junk. Makes
me wonder if it's somewhat conditions
dependant.

I'm in Iowa and our land isn't very flat
if that means anything. We don't own
enough land to be in a big hurry to
finish before winter so we usually pick
it in good conditions and then do a bit
of custom work. We do use a reel for
downed corn when needed and plan to
install one regardless of brand. Having
that reel has earned us custom work we
wouldn't have otherwise had.

Well the 21/23/25 are legacy machines and the heads are interchangeable between them, the 5088 and up has a larger feeder house. Some of the later legacy heads can be adapted to the fit the newer style feeder house machine but that also comes at a cost too vs buying newer style heads. We still run a late low houred 2166 with late 2206 and 1020 heads. I figured the next machine will be a low hour 2577/88. There are several things different, I haven't spent a lot of time around/in the newer machines yet but I think they all have at least a two speed feederhouse, 3 speed rotors, Iveco motors, different cab and the list goes on. You really need to take a look at one and/or get a brochure to thumb thru. If you get a 6088 make sure it has the power fold bin extention as a couple here have forgot and taken out the tool shed door opening not folding the bin or you have to manually fold/unfold it. A close neighbor/friend runs 6088/duals with Drago 8-30 roto-disc, it will eat corn and used to run a 30ft 2020 platform but now has a draper head. I have been in it some with him in corn but have not ran it myself. When he bought it years ago he went from a 2166 to that. It has been a very good machine for him but he has been looking to update as it's starting to get some hrs on it now.

Brad

Ok so the 6088 uses the new NH/IH "flagship" style heads? I'm curious as to how much capacity is gained with that machine, but it sounds like the 2588 may be the more economical choice all else being equal. Our table is a 2020 which we bought very lightly used a couple years ago. I don't believe a flagship style corn head is in the budget so going with the 6088 would end up costing us 2 adapters and if I recall they are over 2k apiece. How do you like your 2206?

Yes those are CNH flagship machines built in the same plant in Grand Island NE. The only difference between a 5088 & 6088 I believe is hp rating. I have seen some 2206 advertised as being setup for/off flagship machines. This is the second season we have had this head. I put all new chains and sprockets on it this year, not as easy job as the 9/1063 heads though. There was a lot more things to take apart just to replace a chain & sprockets, plus uses both standard & metric bolts so double the wrenches and sockets needed to use. It is a NH head painted red. The 32 series is back to a CIH built head and very similar to a 1063. So far I have been happy with it, it had all the updates already, some of the earlier built heads had some different issues they kept revising/improving. It was a one owner and low acres from a neighbor who passed away. We run stalk stompers on all 6 rows and have on the last couple of 1063 heads before this. A 693 should be a pretty good head. I like the CIH knives better than the JD stalk rolls you either had to have built up or change them out for aftermarket to get them to cut like a red head. A 2577/88 doesn't have any trouble running a 8 row corn capacity around here in NEIL, one neighbor is running a 5088 with 3408 head. The second # "4" is for the flagship feeder house and the "2" in 3208 is legacy feeder, it the same wether it's a 2000 or 4000 series head also. Originally the adapter conversions were in the $4-5K range.

"our land isn't very flat if that means anything"
Sounds like a good excuse to get a Gleaner with its gravity defying accelerator rolls.

A R62/72, R65/75 R66/R76 would be a good step up. Avoid the 8.3L Cummins with the CAPS system if you can. It is found in late r62 and early R65.

the Agco Hugger cornheads have a rather agressive gathering chain, which is especially handy in down corn conditions. Some heads like Gerringhoff will toss a chain if you look at them wrong, the Hugger (and its predecessor for that matter) can dig dirt rather aggressively and still not hop off. In dry conditions there is a little more deck plate shatter and husk coming in than I would prefer, but I have not done the snapping roll mod yet.

I help a larger farmer part time during harvest, he ran CIH Legacy (2188, 1680, etc) and his dad went from 2188 to 6088 to 7230, Never thought terribly highly of any of them, but the 6088 I liked the best. For cornheads they ran an old MF 1183, then 2208s on the legacy machines, then on the 7230 a Drago, then a Gerringhoff Northstar, then a 4408. I didnt see the 4408 run much, but I know the 2208 by far had the most head loss, and the Drago the least. the old MF1183 was a wore out old warhorse, but it could keep the corn in the head better than the 2208. He has since went to 9895 MFs and sold all his CIH machines. His dad kept his 7230/4408. The 9895s run Agco Hugger 3000 12R30, he has done the snapping roll mod and has much less deck plate shatter and husk intake than I do.