Prairie Star 4900

[timbruun]

Is the prairie star 4900 a good swather? It's a 1995 turbo with 25 header. Will be swathing mostly canola but could also be used for cereals and peas.

[oldbrownsierra]

Simply put yes.

What header? Its hard to comment on how it cuts without knowing what header.

[deeretech99]

Great swathers

[timbruun]

I'll look into the header. How many hours are reasonable on these machines?

[Don Boles]

It's likely a 960 header which is pretty good for canola.

[deeretech99]

i had 6500 hrs on my 9300 mac don

[albertabuck]

Have around 2300 hours on mine, overall an excellent machine as far as I'm concerned. Have both a 21 ft 960 draper and 18 ft 942 Multicrop with crimper. Bit under powered in heavy hay, but in grain no problem at all and cheap on fuel. Mine is a 1995 none Turbo model. Great cab, comfy to drive, more lights than you need, I have disconnected two of them , just dont need them all for 21 feet.

Other than things like all the large hydro and other smaller hoses needing to be changed, seemed they were of poor quality and oil literally started sweating right thru them, mostly been trouble free. This summer I changed out the complete driveshaft assembly between the engine and gear box as the ujoints were getting a bit loose as was the splines on the slip yoke. Orignally was just going to replace the ujoints and slip yoke, but a complete shaft was only @ $300 so I went that route.

I've been told to watch the oil level on the main gearbox, apparently it is very sensitive to low oil levels. I replaced the check plug with a quick open drain valve so I don't need a wrench to check the oil. Mine leaks a bit at the seal between the gearbox and the first hydro pump, so I check it about every three or four days. It has a remote filler opening, so its easy to add oil if needed. Less hassles to add oil than to tear it all apart over a small seal leak. Been that way for a long time, don't seem to get worse, breather isn't plugged, so I live with it. Maybe end up adding a little bit of oil four or five times all year.

As for the headers, well same as any other ones, as long as your knife is free and everything is bolted down tight as it should be, quiet and smooth running. The MacDon pickup reels work awesome, and once everything is set right, the drapers run well and no wrapping on rollers.

[timbruun]

It has a 960 macdon header.

[deeretech99]

you will be fine with a 960 but if you ever want to cut hay get a 972

[timbruun]

Wont' be doing any hay. What's the difference?