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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

494 Planter

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reid5365

02-19-2008 19:04:23




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How are these planters? Reliable? What should I look for in this when I go to plant with it? Thanks




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randy hall

02-21-2008 21:48:23




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
a long time ago i had a 494 the only bad thing that i remember is that it had a differential and if one wheel was in a dead furrow that didn't get worked shut it wouldn't plant. the 494a remedied that problem with dogs on the end of drive shaft like the 7000 had.



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Leroy

02-22-2008 17:04:31




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to randy hall, 02-21-2008 21:48:23  
If the field was in condition to plant you would not have that problem. The differential cept the planter running at a better speed than the newer setup that cost them less to make so that is why they went to those ratchet dogs. With the dogs you could NOT run mismatched used tires on the planter, One wheel would do all the driving and the other side would just keep on clicking as the larger tire (even if it was only 1/8" difference) would do all the driving, esentialy a one wheel drive.

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sammy the RED

02-21-2008 10:43:12




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to Soldier Tom, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
I have owend two of the 494-A.

Good planter. :)



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faillafarm 4320

02-20-2008 09:28:06




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
We used a 694A for years. good planter. the only problem was that the seed for it was harder and harder to get a hold of or the right plates. The real problem was the fertilizer boxs rust out very fast. thats what happened with ours.Last time we used one was 2005.
Nick



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2t2@ia

02-20-2008 09:07:08




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
A good planter. They basically used the 490 seed drop technology with a very different frame. Much handier to work with and a very much improved fertilizer hopper and delivery system.



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long green line man

02-20-2008 09:04:43




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
JD 494- 494A early model, good dependable planter, most sold planter in industry, problems with seed floor plate wearing (use graphite seed lube ) 3 speed gearbox was a pain, late model 494A and 1240 used a four sprocket chain drive and clutch, great improvement!! if enterested changeing e mail me.



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Leroy

02-20-2008 16:48:30




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to long green line man, 02-20-2008 09:04:43  
I liked that gear box, had 2 of the 494 planters, one set on 30" for beans, other on 40" for corn. Later got a late model 494A that had the gear setup and I hated that gear setup so bad I took it out and replaced with a gear box. The only thing the gear setup was good for was for ultra low plant populations that I would never want to go that low on populations any way. That gear setup was the worst thing about a 494A but the 494 did not have that problem.

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rrlund

02-20-2008 06:57:00




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
Check the oil in the gear box. Little to no seal in them. I have two hanging out here on the wall in the tool shed that ran low. Wore right in to the casting around the drive gear.



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LA in Wi.

02-20-2008 06:37:09




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
Make sure you used the correct plates, either 16 or 24 cell. That depends on the sprocket settings. Hope you have an Operator"s Manual, if not better get one or you will get very frustrated.



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ny bill o

02-20-2008 04:04:17




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
you'll need a selection of plates, at least 2 sizes each for rounds and flats, and need to buy sized seed (not plateless). the one i had had a worn clutch that started jumping out of gear at times, giving skips you couldn't tell until the corn came up. the marker control latch gave problems alternating the markers, although with a 4 row, markers aren't essential. otherwise, they're pretty simple. just check the wear on the disks and shoes, rust in the fertilizer hoppers, etc. there were different augers available to give higher or lower rates of fertilizer.

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JMS/.MN

02-19-2008 21:19:02




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
There is a 494 and a 494A- later version. Both good, 60s technology. I started farming with a 494 in "72- that one has a pipe frame for the fertilizer opener mountings, A had the square tube, which held the openers in place a bit better. But, when you hit a rock with the A opener, the mount did not rotate- the cast standard broke. Certainly good in their day, before the 7000 revolutionized everything.

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Wisconsin Bill

02-19-2008 20:14:08




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
Had one for 2 years- very good, solid planter. Sold it and got a 2 row 3Pt for less shed space and smaller corn plots.



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kyhayman

02-19-2008 19:47:10




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to reid5365, 02-19-2008 19:04:23  
Probably the gold standard in plate planters in their day. I'e had two, both good solid machines. Couldnt beat them for accuracy. Only thing I ever had problems with was getting a dirt clod hung inside a shoe. It would stop up the seed drop and boom, a skip row.



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J.C.in AZ.

02-19-2008 20:50:19




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to kyhayman, 02-19-2008 19:47:10  
That will happen. I had the same trouble sometimes with my IHC 440 Shoe Opener Planter.Tried to avoid letting it roll back when Shoes were in the ground but it happens some times. Now can any one remember the IHC 440 Planter? Telling my age here.JC



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Larry NE IL

02-20-2008 11:25:08




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 Re: 494 Planter in reply to J.C.in AZ., 02-19-2008 20:50:19  
Back then, seed wasn't as big a cost factor as today. I always dropped the planter on the move as close to or before hitting the headline row. A little extra seed was cheaper than dropping at a standstill and plugging the shoe and having it skip a row or more!):
Larry NE IL



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