Combines Shopping NH

DO NOT WORRY about the NH. I am the only one in my neighborhood who runs a NH and I can run as late as anyone. Probably later in wheat. My corn is 2-3% less damage when I go to the elevator. I see guys who run 9000 JD and they dump in the high fm_damage bin and I never do. I start threshing wheat at about 23%. 80 bpa. I run a 25 ft table on a TR 88 or 89. I have to go slow, but does a nice job. Keep you rotor speed up. The small diameter rotor still does not damage the crop. You did not mention the size of the heads. Consider a TR89 if you are running a 6 row cornhead or a 25ft table. I would only go to a large machine if you run bigger heads . The TR88 is smaller, but with your yields and a 6row head you should be OK. I ran into problems if yields went over 170 bpa. Hills I suppose would make this worse, but I farm flat land. Good luck- dealer support is most likely the most important. Do not be afraid of a newer NH.

I will run with a 8_22" (same width as 6_30") corn head, 25-30 flex head, and 25' swather if needed. Should a guy consider a rigid head for wheatIJ

The flex head is a little bit of a pain to lock the sickle. Mine ddoes fine though. I would stay away from a 30' on a TR 88 or 89 and maybe the 8_22. The TR 89-99 have heavier drives and larger lift cylinders. The capacity is there esp on the TR89.

I have a mix of farm machinery as I am always trying to buy what is the best at the lowest cost to use. I have a TR 98 combine. I have used a 9600, it is not a bad combine but the NH will give you a better grain sample if that is imporant to you. You can combine as late at nite as anyone else can. If you have to clean the combine (like growing seed beans) the NH is faster to do that. If mud is a problem the NH is lighter. The only problem with NH may be parts supply but that depends on your local dealer. I use 3 dealers in 50 mile area and have no problem. Resale on NH is better than JD now as JD has overloaded the market. I have combined the last 3 seasons with no breakdowns at all. I run a 25 foot grain head and 8rn corn head on mine. The engine on my TR 98 it is super as it starts great in cold weather, has a lot of hp and uses not much fuel. I like my TR 98 for now but I think JD is on the right track with the STS combines now too. Any more IJ

Do you feel that the TR in comparable in capacity to the 9600IJ I also think I would go with a 30 foot head for soybeans and try to run alittle slower. I think the side to side float that the TR has would be a big improvment over the 9600.

A lot of good things have been said about the TR's. I would just reinforce them by saying yes the TR's are much better performing machine than any JD. TR's are very efficient and much lower maintenance. The flex head will work great. I have been using a flex head for wheat harvest for 10 years. I would probably stay away from a 30'however. The TR'98's have most of the shortcomings out of them so I think a TR-88 or '89 are great.

What is this talk about not getting a 30' headerIJ My advice get a TR 98 or 99. The 88 and 89 are good machines, but you're getting a much larger combine. As far as cutting beans, you can tell from the roadside a field that a JD has been in. A brand new 25' JD flexhead compared pathetically to our 7 year old 25' NH flexhead. New Hollands cut much better, even JD guys will tell you that if they will be honest with you. JD flexheads tear the beans and leave a lot of pods and stems in the field, even if you slow up. TR's have great capacity, and have had no problems. If I had to complain about something, it would probably be leg room. Although not bad, it could have a bigger cab, but not being a very large person, I personally don't have a problem with it (I'm 5'11") If you're larger you may get uncomfortable, but some guys will tell you they love the cabs; personal opinions I guess. Anything we wish they could inprove on the TR 98 they did on the 99's. New Hollands are great machines and I see them taking over a larger share of the market in the next 5-10 years. Only complaint is dealer support, meaning there aren't enough of them around.

If you are set on a rotor, then you have many options to go with. Personally, from what I've seen first-hand, the STS is the way I'd go. If you are used to the JD parts and service being outstanding, then you'll hate the New Holland (or any other brand) parts and service. No matter how good the dealer is, John Deere is second to none in this department. Also the cab in the Deere is much nicer (and bigger, like the last post said). Someone talked about lateral tilt on the New Holland being nicer, but Deere has the same option, you just have to have it on the combine. Chances are if you are neither used machine will have it. The next thing is that the Deere is just simply built heavier. If you compare any Deere machine to any other brand, and look at steel thickness, bushings, bearings, how much heavier the feederhouse is built on the Deere, etc...you'll easily notice the difference. That's one of the reasons that John Deere is the best selling brand. Personally, if you're set on a rotor, you have plenty of choices. They all do a good, gently job on corn, but in other situations, they are not as good because of roping problems, etc. Deere has helped this with the STS. Maybe not perfected it, but it is the best at taking care of it. I'd stick with a Deere for the simple fact of parts and service and eventually trade for an STS. Plus right now, you can get 9600s dirt cheap because there are so many out there.

I would disagree that all JD dealers are better. In this area of western Ohio, the NH dealer is picking up slaes because of the dealer. We have a very large JD dealer ( about 4 stores ),but he does not seem to stock parts. He does not do a lot of mobile repair. The NH dealer has what a farmer needs, and will come out with a nice service truck and install it. I know you guys are going to hit on the NH needs more help, but for example a neighbor a few years ago had a raditor leak in a JD. The dealerr came out to load the combine on the truck to take to the dealership- and dropped it off the side. Fell against a telphone pole- no one hurt. The NH dealership would have sent someone out and field installed that in a matter of a few hours at most. I get bothered by blanket comments JD is always better. NH resale is holding better, partially because of a good dealer, but also because JD is dumping so many used combines on the market. There is some bargains out there in greene paint, which I am sure would work for a lot of operations. Nh grain quality is better at least against the 9000 JD. STS might be a tie. Regarding capacity. There is not much difference between a TR89 and TR98. Internally the same. The 99 has 250 horse and 89 240. zThis is not a problem unless running 4wd, lots of hills, etc.. I have a TR89 and plenty of power. The TR99 has a bigger clean grain elevator, improve bubbleup and I think 280 hp. It also has heavier header drives and more lift capacity. This is mainly for a 12 row head. Not needed with a 6 rowww in 130 bu corn as the orignal questiion. Might help with 8 row in higher yield

I would go to a 30 foot head too if I had to buy again also. It has plenty of combine to use the bigger head. The terrain tracer works great. I forgot to say anything about it because NH has had it on there combines for so long. Also look at the feeder reverser on the NH, you will like that too. You can inch it backward and forward. The 9600 I used was against a TR 96 and the TR would keep right up with it. You will not have that much problem's in green stem beans if you set the combine a little different. All you have to do is close the concave down and speed the rotor up. Sometime's a little different than the book will say, but it works. I think you will be happy with the TR-98. my $0.02