I have had a few people ask through messages about my Great Plains planter. I don't know if people are nervous to admit they are looking at something that seems shortline or what.
There is nothing to be afraid of, Great Plains makes some excellent products and this way everyone can see!
I have a YP2425a 48TR, YP=Yield Pro 2425=bar a=air pro 48=number of rows and TR=twin row
For those of you looking to do canola and you are not sure what your looking at while shopping online "a" is air pro and needed to get the canola meters
Don't quote me on this but I believe 13 models have the newer brushes and the 14 models have the newer seed tubes for the canola. The new ones are dark red/burgundy. Neither are hard to change or cost that much. I believe to do the whole package to seed canola with mine was right around 3000$ US
Prior to this planter I had a 1750 Deere witch was a great planter but covering 12-1400 acres a year was pushing the envelope
Mine is a 2012 making it one of the early air pros, I purchased it in 13 with just under 3000 acres, right now it is at 12,700.
Pro's
These planters sell cheap, I had 120k in mine with trucking from Indiana and the dealer tossed in a hydraulic hitch for me. It was well equipped for the year with Martin row cleaners, Great Plains turbo coulters and thier spider wheels (witch work very well) along with drag chains. It also was equipped with thier style of totally tubular and keeton seed firmers.
Disc life is amazing, I got 10,900 acres out of the first set of blades making them last almost 3 times as long as my Deere 1750. The new blades I installed are 4mm with a massive bearing. Looking forward to seeing how they last.
The disc blades also overlap each other witch seems to help them cut alot better. I had slightly over 50 bu average flax in 15. I stripped it and some did lay over and I had no problems cutting through it at all. But this could also be the sheer weight of it. Witch it also seems to perform better in high traffic areas.
It has relatively good floatation, you wouldn't think so by looking at it. Mine empty weighs 58,000 pounds.
They have a superior depth gauge wheel arm to get the wheel right where they need to be. Initial adjustment is a pain but when set they are easy to keep in adjustment, often going over 6-700 acres with no adjustment.
I like the depth adjustment (Deere style) if your currently running a White you could appreciate that.
They also have a tandem on the gauge wheel arms to keep good depth control.
Huge hopper capacity, have had no trouble dumping 2 pro boxes into one hopper!
The hoppers can be removed to run pro boxes, they come off with just two pins and a fork lift or good skidsteer.
Down pressure is easy to adjust
The overall opener is very well biult and very solid.
Parts have been very reasonably priced
I'm sure there is more to add.
Cons,
While twin row is definitely getting me better crops it isn't that easy to work between the units but it really isn't too bad, nothing else a guy could do to change that.
The seal system under the hopper for switching to pro boxes is somewhat failure prone and a prick to get into adjustment. I have replaced the seal twice.
The early air pros had a piss poor lid, there was updates done, somehow something wasn't done right and mine wasn't eligible, they had tried some other things with the first customer and he was happy but the recall expired while I didn't know anything different.
It does not pull easy, not at all, on a 500 quad in some conditions is 90-110% hp all day long. Our 865B challenger is in that 75-80%. Part of it is just the weight.
While reading with fertilizer and seed on board the inside tires on the main frame will heat up, fine on the highway but you don't want to drive more than 12mph on the gravel because the crown of the road places most of the load on the tires to the center.
Navigating through the Dicky John Intelliag is a pain, I have been told I should get updates that make things alot easier. I really hate there is "dealer screens" that you have to use a password to get into. You can't do squat without that password in there. I will enfisize some more on that, I hate that!
Getting the air pressure on the meter right is rather simple but... getting the fan speed correct to keep from plugging hoses has been a challenge for me. DO NOT be shy with talcum powder or you will pull your hair out.
I think I have a pretty fair review here, I am very happy with the planter and it has been affordable to maintain. I have put one weld on a bushing that has porosity in the weld but there is nothing scary about these things, I will be happy to buy dark green again
There is nothing to be afraid of, Great Plains makes some excellent products and this way everyone can see!
I have a YP2425a 48TR, YP=Yield Pro 2425=bar a=air pro 48=number of rows and TR=twin row
For those of you looking to do canola and you are not sure what your looking at while shopping online "a" is air pro and needed to get the canola meters
Don't quote me on this but I believe 13 models have the newer brushes and the 14 models have the newer seed tubes for the canola. The new ones are dark red/burgundy. Neither are hard to change or cost that much. I believe to do the whole package to seed canola with mine was right around 3000$ US
Prior to this planter I had a 1750 Deere witch was a great planter but covering 12-1400 acres a year was pushing the envelope
Mine is a 2012 making it one of the early air pros, I purchased it in 13 with just under 3000 acres, right now it is at 12,700.
Pro's
These planters sell cheap, I had 120k in mine with trucking from Indiana and the dealer tossed in a hydraulic hitch for me. It was well equipped for the year with Martin row cleaners, Great Plains turbo coulters and thier spider wheels (witch work very well) along with drag chains. It also was equipped with thier style of totally tubular and keeton seed firmers.
Disc life is amazing, I got 10,900 acres out of the first set of blades making them last almost 3 times as long as my Deere 1750. The new blades I installed are 4mm with a massive bearing. Looking forward to seeing how they last.
The disc blades also overlap each other witch seems to help them cut alot better. I had slightly over 50 bu average flax in 15. I stripped it and some did lay over and I had no problems cutting through it at all. But this could also be the sheer weight of it. Witch it also seems to perform better in high traffic areas.
It has relatively good floatation, you wouldn't think so by looking at it. Mine empty weighs 58,000 pounds.
They have a superior depth gauge wheel arm to get the wheel right where they need to be. Initial adjustment is a pain but when set they are easy to keep in adjustment, often going over 6-700 acres with no adjustment.
I like the depth adjustment (Deere style) if your currently running a White you could appreciate that.
They also have a tandem on the gauge wheel arms to keep good depth control.
Huge hopper capacity, have had no trouble dumping 2 pro boxes into one hopper!
The hoppers can be removed to run pro boxes, they come off with just two pins and a fork lift or good skidsteer.
Down pressure is easy to adjust
The overall opener is very well biult and very solid.
Parts have been very reasonably priced
I'm sure there is more to add.
Cons,
While twin row is definitely getting me better crops it isn't that easy to work between the units but it really isn't too bad, nothing else a guy could do to change that.
The seal system under the hopper for switching to pro boxes is somewhat failure prone and a prick to get into adjustment. I have replaced the seal twice.
The early air pros had a piss poor lid, there was updates done, somehow something wasn't done right and mine wasn't eligible, they had tried some other things with the first customer and he was happy but the recall expired while I didn't know anything different.
It does not pull easy, not at all, on a 500 quad in some conditions is 90-110% hp all day long. Our 865B challenger is in that 75-80%. Part of it is just the weight.
While reading with fertilizer and seed on board the inside tires on the main frame will heat up, fine on the highway but you don't want to drive more than 12mph on the gravel because the crown of the road places most of the load on the tires to the center.
Navigating through the Dicky John Intelliag is a pain, I have been told I should get updates that make things alot easier. I really hate there is "dealer screens" that you have to use a password to get into. You can't do squat without that password in there. I will enfisize some more on that, I hate that!
Getting the air pressure on the meter right is rather simple but... getting the fan speed correct to keep from plugging hoses has been a challenge for me. DO NOT be shy with talcum powder or you will pull your hair out.
I think I have a pretty fair review here, I am very happy with the planter and it has been affordable to maintain. I have put one weld on a bushing that has porosity in the weld but there is nothing scary about these things, I will be happy to buy dark green again