[ReinhardVL]

Hi,
I'm a young farmer starting off in Organic Cash crop farming (corn, soybeans, wheat, spelt, hay,...) and looking into buying a combine. I have some experience with a case 1680. I'm in south western Ontario. Looking at an approx 20year old combine cause that seem to fit my budget. Have to harvest about 500acres/year. I'm looking for the ideal mix of capacity, maintenance/repair costs, clean threshing, fuel consumption and a machine that's not overly complicated.
Any advice to make a good choice is welcome.

 

[ry0972]

Hi,
I'm a young farmer starting off in Organic Cash crop farming (corn, soybeans, wheat, spelt, hay,...) and looking into buying a combine. I have some experience with a case 1680. I'm in south western Ontario. Looking at an approx 20year old combine cause that seem to fit my budget. Have to harvest about 500acres/year. I'm looking for the ideal mix of capacity, maintenance/repair costs, clean threshing, fuel consumption and a machine that's not overly complicated.
Any advice to make a good choice is welcome.

I think you are good with a 1680 for those crops and acres.
Find a nice 1482 or 1682 pull type for the wheat and beans.
They can be bought very cheap and are a very cheap source of parts for the 1680.
There were 17.5 foot 1010 headers and i believe corn heads as well built for them.
Those heads are almost impossible to find but guys have made some out of regular 1010, 1020 and even draper headers.

 

[torriem]

Or there's the much nicer 2388 or 2588 machines.

 

[ReinhardVL]

Is there a big difference in capacity between a 2388 and a 2588?

 

[tswanson]

A 1680 with the cummins and long sieve, all the way thru the 1688's, 2188's, 2388's and the 2588's, all have roughly the same capacity. The AFX rotor was a nice improvement. A 25 will out combine a 16, but not by a lot. Lots of upgrades obviously, but the size of the guts of the machine never changed. More power, different pulley speeds, heavier drive components. If you're interested in a CaseIH machine, I'd worry less about the model number, and just try to find the one in the best shape. I'd lean towards the newer cab. It was a nice upgrade. If you happen to decide on a 16, something that really improves it is to put the hydro handle from a 21 or 23 in it. You'll have a much happier arm and wrist. Good luck. Heres a pretty good timeline showing the changes thru the years.

Axial-Flow Timeline

I put this together, let me know if anything is wrong or especially if you have something to add!! Axial-Flow “Heritage” Combine Timeline 1977- Introduction of the first 300 Axial-Flow Combines; · 1440: 135-Hp 436 Cid, 145 Bu. Grain Tank, 4750 sq. in. Sieve Area, 24” Rotor · 1460: 170-Hp 436 Cid,...

www.redpowermagazine.com

 

[ReinhardVL]

thx so much for that overview. The 1680 I'm using currently has the longer sieve, and the 'old' style fan. I have the strong impression it doesn't make enough airflow for that sieve.
Why is the AFS rotor so much better if I may ask?
The newer cab, with seat in the middle is for sure an improvement.

Another question, how does a Gleaner combine of those same years compare to a case?

 

[Ross the farmer guy]

Hi,
I'm a young farmer starting off in Organic Cash crop farming (corn, soybeans, wheat, spelt, hay,...) and looking into buying a combine. I have some experience with a case 1680. I'm in south western Ontario. Looking at an approx 20year old combine cause that seem to fit my budget. Have to harvest about 500acres/year. I'm looking for the ideal mix of capacity, maintenance/repair costs, clean threshing, fuel consumption and a machine that's not overly complicated.
Any advice to make a good choice is welcome.

Find an 88 series Case. One of the most reliable machines ever made, and have really good capacity. We ran 2188s for years, one with a 36ft honeybee the other on a 30ft. They do get a little tippy with the heavy headers but can easily handle the material and give a decent sample. Definitely look into getting Sunnybrook concaves and if you can pick one up with the specialty rotor kit they thrash like a dream. You're right, those older style fans didn't blow enough air, I remember grain would collect in the bottom of our 1440 fan when we were overloading the sieves. Also, the AFX rotor is a heavier built rotor, it has a thicker skin compared to the standard rotors and has rub bars all the way to the back of the rotor which gives a little more threshing capacity compared to the standards switching to the separating bars half way through. The AFX is really nice and quiet, takes a bit to get used to because you'll plug er solid before you know it. I wouldn't get an AFX if you have an older Case, the 2588s and 7088s had beefier drives and could handle the extra weight.

Gleaner is also a pretty good machine, you can get into one of them for a good price and they are fairly simple to maintain. However, the cabs on the gleaners are kind of backwards.

 

[gleaner l]

If you want old I'm running a 1976 Gleaner L, 18' flex with air reel, 6 row 863 IH corn head covering 4-600 ac a year. Finished harvest number 44 several weeks ago. No idea how it compares to something else of that age, only thing I've run. Shantz had 2 nice L3's this fall, just under 2000hrs on each, $25,000 asking price.
Easy to work on. Currently dismantling a L I bought a few weeks ago for $1000. Lots of parts I can use. Have a guy badly wanting the engine, offered $3000 so far but my luck if I sell it I'll need it.
As far as my operator cab comfort, there is none! A/c usually not working, noisy, not much room and the vibrations are my sensors. If my feet or seat feel different, something is wrong. The less then air tight cab also allows me to smell burning belts or hot bearings. Best part, if one of these sensors goes bad the combine will still run.
Keep thinking I should up date but it's been paid for for years and keeps going. Plus a newer machine won't make more yield, just get done sooner and sit in the shed longer.

 

[Daner]

So doing organic do you swath everything? If not do you have issues with green weeds straight cutting? I would be looking at something with plenty of power if there is a chance of running green weeds through.

 

[ReinhardVL]

No, the last years we don't swath much. In the soybeans we went through with a weedzapper 2 weeks before harvest. That made a nice difference. And we try to do a good job on weedcontrol.
Thx for all the help so far.
How are the Gleaners on straw quality? I hear different stories, ranging form very good to bad... don't know what to believe.

 

[Last gen farmer]

If you go with a 1680 or newer version like the 21-2388 you’ll be able to source aftermarket parts for upgrades and modifications to suit your organic operation. If uneven ripening or weedy crops are the norm there are various setups that can help maintain crop flow and reduce slugging. I’ve had an early 1680 with a international 466 motor a later Cummins powered and have a2388 now as an extra backup machine. Yes the 23 is the nicest to run but the early 1680 was my most reliable smooth running machine I’ve owned.

 

[CRToney]

Late model 2388 are the way to go. Upgrade to KILE intake flights and rotor transition bars. They are the best 2388. Thicker flighting throughout. I just happen to have one for sale.

 

[gtcustomag]

Dont waste your time on old Case combines, find yourself a clean Lexion 460, if your interested i know where there is a good 465, tracked machine.

 

[Slip clutch]

Every time I look at lexion. They have no resale value.
But not to say they can’t thrash.
Yes They can.

 

[Transaxial]

There is a difference between the 1480, early 1680, late 1680 and later combines. The 1688 had all the improvements and updates that happened through the years prior. It had the long sieve and the cross flow fan that made a big improvement over earlier machines. It had the heavier 3C rotor drive belt and ran the 6CT engine slower for more torque. I think it was 265 HP also. I think it had more open area on each concave as in longer open area and better hanger system for concaves. Easy to change concaves would be a plus going from corn and beans to wheat. You need to keep wheat in the concave until it is threshed completely, maybe by using cover plates on the first concave and possibly under the return auger inlet to make sure the return grain gets threshed and not just fall through. That helps spread the return across the sieves better too. I always had trouble clean threshing with my 1680 and plugging the return. Never did on the 1688 with the setup I had.

I ran Lexion 480 and 590 the last 12 years and that is a big step up in capacity and complexity. It was a good step up but that is a whole different world. The 480 I ran cost me about $14/ac all in for ownership and maintenance and will be getting less each year with all the work I did near the end of the time I owned it. I think not bad for a class 8 combine that was very reliable and ran side by side with my 590.

 

[ReinhardVL]

it sounds like a 2388 or a lexion from the same age are the way to go!? Prices seem to be close to each other as well...

 

[torriem]

Every time I look at lexion. They have no resale value.

Sounds ideal then!

 

[druggles]

Yup go 2188 or 2388!

 

[Slewis]

I'd say an R72 can't be beat for price, capacity, and ease of maintenance but I'm biased.