White 5100 Planter

I am looking at a White 5100 Planter. What are the pros and cons to this planter? I will use it for corn. Does it have any particular weaknesses I should look for or be aware of? It is a 4 row wide with dry fertilizer. I beleive it has the central air pump, not the individual electric air pumps. Thanks. Paul

In my opinion the best planter built during the 1980's. A few of the early 4 row 5100's had individual blowers but most have the central one. Blower can drive off of tractor hydraulics if you have a closed center system. We did that with an Oliver 1755 and White 2-105. They also have a pto pump similar to the IH's. White's don't take near the power to operate though. Look for wear in all the parallel link bushings and closing wheel arms. The gauge wheel arms will wear out. Early ones did not have replaceable bushings. Later models did. Of course the bearings in the disc openers will wear out too. This is true of any color. The seed and fertilizer openers measure 13 1/2" diameter when new. Not 15" like Deere. White went to a 15" seed opener on the 6100 series I think.

A 4 row should have 2 drive clutches I think. One off of each wheel. You can lose one and still operate everything on the planter. 7000 John Deere's are not that way. If you start losing cluches then parts of the planter quit working. The 4 row Deeres might only have one anyway. If I am wrong about this I'm sure someone will let me know.

The key to the metering system are the little brushes behind the seed disc. If they wear too much that can mess up the spacing and population. A common wear item on them and not too expensive to replace. Oh yeah, they don't need graphite or talcum powder in the seed either.

Dad bought a 5100 8-30" new in 1981 and used it until he retired in 2005. Just kept fixing what wore out and it did just fine.

I agree with MCL that they are a very good planter and low maint. costs. Be sure to have it picked up so you can spin and wiggle everything that moves and measure the opener disks. Parts for everything are costly these days. Hope it has been stored inside. The drive tires should turn the planter units with some resistance, but not be hard to turn or there is a bearing or more sticking. Take a flashlight and look at the bottom of the seed tubes for wear and cracks on them. Pull the seed disks off and look for very deep grooves around the outside of where the disk runs. Very deep ruts will show a lot of acres covered.

I would look for a 6000 series if you find one cheap as they have some good updates but we are running 2 8 row 30" 5700s and will for many more years to come. Stay away from it if it has a blower fan for each row.

I agree with the others. I had one I just replaced. I wanted a new White, even priced one, but the dealers are gone from this county. I would have had to have traveled farther than I wanted to.

I have an 8 row 5100, I bought from my Dad, been in the family for 15+ years. Easy to work on and if you have good brushes and everything set right it will plant more accurate than any other brand. Custom chopper that came here said the stand was like a picket fence. I like medium round seed corn, it helps uniform population and White used to recommend it. Some changes in the 6100 is the opener is larger, but not much else is different but the seed boxes. Any wear parts can be bought from Agco dealers and do cost money, but I am sure JD is just as high or higher. Let me know if you have any questions I know the 5100s inside and out, would go to a 6100 someday, but don't need to yet. My dad bought a 6180 and it works just as great.