At a local consignment auction is a john deere 1209 in decent condition with a few small cracks in the rolls but over all in decent condition. I would prefer a HN but right now there aren't any local. So what would you give for a decent 1209
 
They were quite a bit different from early to late I believe. Late model 1209 was about identical to 1219, it was in the way the gearbox and roller drive shafts work I think. But it would have to be really good to be worth $1000, should not be over 3 or 4 hundred.
 
Updates were available to put the early 1209's on par with the later machines. Whether that was done to the machine in question or if it is a late 1209 is another matter. A biggie was the wobble-knifehead portion of the machine.
 
Early ones had hex shaft drive shafts from gearcase to rolls. Later used splined shafts from gearcase to rolls, were an
improvement.

Knife drive on early was like a ball joint. Later were a pin on drive arm into a bushing in knife head.
 

Main differences that I remember between early & late model 1209 was early model(sn-285,000) platform lift had master/slave cylinders with no transport lock while later model had 1 lift cylinder with transport lock. Early model had hex drive shaft for crimping rollers that were difficult to keep in time after the shafts got worn while later model had splined drive shaft for conditioner rollers.

Be sure to check wobble box mounting bracket for welds or cracks. If bracket has be re-welded to platform run not walk away from cutter.
 
I am sure you are right. I have a late one junked here now. I mowed with a 1219 a while. Not a bad mower, but like most haybines I got tired of working on it.
 
If you get it post here and I can email you a scanned service manual. I paid $1200 for a 1207 over ten years ago and it was kind of beat up with bad rolls, home made skid shoes and missing right side cover. Picked up another for parts for $1600. Yeah, too much but it had good rolls and with the extra parts worth it. Earliest ones had a three-bar reel.
 
i paid 3500 for mine back in 2000.. LOL.. depends what kind of shape its in.. if the rubber is in good shape no chunks
out etc.. thats worth alot.. cracks are a given.. make sure wobble box is o.k...

Im still running mine to this day.. good little machine..pain in the but to replace sickle bar
 
We have a 1219. The wobble box is same as a JD. Combine. When put new guards and sections in, changed to Combine guards and sections, with bolts. Only difference is the bolt goes in guard from other side. But a cheaper and available almost everywhere. What I like about the sickle conditioners is a 45 hp tractor will pull it. And takes a 90 hp tractor for a disc mower. Also the disc conditioner will suck dirt lowering your quality. Especially if it has flails.
 
The rolls are not missing any rubber, just a few small cracks. The auction is on feb 20 so I will let you now the results then. I think i will probably give up to $1000 for it or is it worth more?
 
I have an early model 1209, it was "well used" before I got it but I have gotten it to where it is a pretty good cutting machine, I have pretty heavy hay that sometimes goes down due to weather. It will cut down hay, not as good as a knife machine though. A few years back I broke a U joint on the roll drive. I would have to do a lot to update from the hex to splined shafts but was able to find used parts in classifieds here. I tried to get a complet new sickle, but could only get the one with new style head which required other updates that through JD were more than swather was worth. I was able to order sickle back and old style head so I built a new sickle. I use Non clog guards on mine and they work good in my conditions. If your rolls are good that is probably one of the highest dollar items in swather
 
if yours is old sn withour transport lock, like mine. a couple pieces of large angle iron, tied around cylinder work to keep header up when not in use. be sure to get an operator's manual
 
IMO it would have to be pretty nice to go past 1,000 dollars. An older run of the mill 1209 is probably worth 4-500 dollars currently with the hay market off its prime of
several years ago. A fair amount of hay equipment is being parked just like back in the 1970's when hay was very plentiful with guys renting out hay acreage if any takers.
 
Location and condition make the price around here. I have had 2 of them over the years and both ran in the $1500-$2000 range, 1960's models
purchased in mid '80's and 90's. I liked them because of the open drive shaft...makes greasing and repairs easy. Hydraulic cylinder operation from
road to field positions is much better....both better than a NH MOCO I had prior to the JDs. Roller adjustment is easy, easy to get to things to service,
like greasing roller bearings, wobble box and all.

Main soft spot from wear would be a wobble box output worn. Main thing to watch is the sickle bar to wobble box tensioning bolt. Manual (which I
still have) says 150 ft-lbs and means it! Not all that difficult to remove/replace sections and pulling the whole bar isn't that much of a problem
either...a PIA, but not much of a problem. Parts are readily available, both from JD, after market, and places like ebay for used.

I sold my last one when I retired and became a STO...very small.
 
mine is on the triangular part below PTO where the hitch rotates. Not sure what it is called, but part that rear of tongue goes into.
 

I always read these awesome deals online for used equipment, yet what is offered locally and at auctions invariably exceeds those numbers by A LOT!
If I could buy a 1209 for $400 I'd be over that like white-on-rice!

I scored a 1219 a couple of years ago in great shape, but it was ~$2300.

A word of caution to OP: not sure how far the auction is from where you need the haybine, but keep in mind that these things are BIG, and transport can be expensive.
We had ours put on a trailer sideways and it was a pain to get it off when it was delivered.


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