Tbeck, thanks for the reply and information on the N6. This particular one is supposed to be an 85 and recently gone through by a longtime Gleaner dealer. Haven't seen it yet but it's claimed to be in great ready to use shape. With my small farm I realize it's overkill in size but it is tempting for the $. Around here it's just about all JD and the prices are highern' a cats back, even with high hours and in poor condition. Got me looking at TR's, CIH and now the Gleaner.
If I keep my 7700 it's time for another set of spikes and a new 213 cutting bar. Spikes aren't all that spendy but it's not as mutch fun as a guy might think.
Thanks again for the reply and info,
Dwight E. Lambert

 

The N series wasn't a bad machine and had good capacity compared to the L3's of that day. But I don't think they were much bigger and they were less reliable. We went from an L2 to a N6 then to an L3 again. If I recall the only thing we liked about the N was the larger grain tank. The step down into the cab is one of the biggest design flaws ever. In dry beans the N was better in tough stem beans we felt the conventional machine was better. If I were buying an N I would make sure you have a dealer nearby who has decent parts and service.

 

Thanks guys for the info and replys. The closest Gleaner dealer is over 200 miles away. JD dealer less than 10 miles. However the JD dealer stocks few parts and usually it's order from the warehouse and wait. Of course you can pay extra for a shorter delivery time. New Holland and Case dealers about 25 miles away and neither of them stock many combine parts either.

Watched a friend with an old rub bar MF 860 last summer. Man alive that thing goes through wheat twice as fast as my spike tooth JD 7700. Grain in the MF was a just a little bit cleaner. Neither combine left mutch grain on the ground.
Only a couple axial flows types around here but the owners swear by 'em. Just watching them work they are a lot faster than the similar JD.
Now when I win the lottery!!!
Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon
For now I think i'll take a look at the 1985 N6 and see what I think after I see it and talk with some more Gleaner operators.
May be that it'l never need any parts, HA!!!

 

We ran a 85 N6 for a good number of years and it was a good machine for us. Like any machine, if it is maintained it will be a good combine. It was our only combine for many years and it cut alot of acres. I think an N6 is a cheap combine to buy for the capacity that it can offer and for what you are looking to use it for would last a long time if it has indeed been completely gone through. I'm lucky to have a dealer very close and would be a little leery about buying a combine when the closest dealer is 200 miles away. But if your JD or Case dealer don't really stock combine parts I guess there isn't much of a difference. Like said above the later N series were much improved over the early machines. If/when you look at the machine check out all the normal wear spots but also see if it has the small seeds kit on the tailings return elevator. Our N6 had this on it and it cleaned and saved the grain better than any machine Ive ever seen.

Matt

 

I have a very small wheat farm and my JD 7700 is tired. I have a chance? to buy a 1985 N6 w/24 plarform. Supposedly all gone thru by Gleaner dealer 1 year ago. I haven't looked at it as its 250 miles away from here. Closest Gleaner dealer is at Pendelton Oregon and no Gleaners still in operation around here. Is the N6 worthwhile or to mutch troubles? I would be into the N6 around $6-7,000 to buy and deliver here. SUpposedly mid hour machine in good condition, with good 24 pwheat platform.
Appreciate any info as I have zero Gleaner experience and $ to spend are a big factor.
Thanks to all, Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon

 

I am in Northern CA and I use Farm Equipment Headquarters from Pendleton Oregon for most of my parts. They are great and ship UPS after 5:00pm so you always get your part. I run a N6 and R50. I would say go with it.

 

I am in Northern CA and I use Farm Equipment Headquarters from Pendleton Oregon for most of my parts. They are great and ship UPS after 5:00pm so you always get your part. I run a N6 and R50. I would say go with it.

 

Thanks again guys for the N6 info. The N6 in question is basically going to come from a situation where the last owner can't make the bank payment. The current economy has 'sacked' his main business and thats cut into his farming $. FEH at Pendelton would be my closest known parts source (250 miles). Waiting right now on a reply from the selling dealer/bank and of course the last buyer has to sign it away. I think it may be a good unit with being a 1985 model, mid time and recent dealer gone through.
Near as I can tell the last owner shedded and maintened it for 2 years 'till the economy and his main business went bad.
Meanwhile thanks to all for the info on the N6 model it's really helping in my decision making. Just have to wait a few more days to see if it works out before I make the trip to look it over a bit. Other experiences with the N6 and possible problems would be helpfull to me.
Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon

 

Made an offer to the lien holder on the N6. Pending my looksee to do a little evaluate and make sure nothings changed since the dealer sold it. Just have to wait and see if they want the money or be in the combine selling business.
Any more info on the N6 would be appreciated since I really don't have experience with that N6 combine.
Thanks again for the help and info to all that replied.

Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon

I suppose that xport to here (over 250 miles) will take a lowboy with a 2nd trailer to haul the 24 ft wheat header. That probably wont be to cheap. Plus drop off at the local JD dealers to put the wheels back on and attach the header. Costs do add up.

 

First of all, your in for a big learning curve maybe huge if you never been around a gleaner rotor, but you won't go back once you learned the machine. I went from a M2 to a N5. The first 50 acres, I hated it, but the next year come to love the machine. Now got a N6 and R50. Start by check over the feeder chains. The middle one, you have to climb up behind the transmission and drop the bottom door. No bad, but usually get a little dirty. The toughest bearing to get at is on the rear feed chain on the back shaft on the inside. Really no way to see it. The rest is fairly easy and that bearing probably not a problem. Check condition of rotor bars. Also the helicals. These are the flat irons that spiral inside the cage. The left edge should be pretty square yet. Also check condition of cage. I had a whole in mine in front of the impeller that caused alot of problems on grain cleaniness. Then check the accelator rolls. These are right under the cage between the augers. They are the rubber flaps. They should be good shape and been told, you shouldn't fit a pencil between. To access them, you can see them from the engine compartment by removing the panels. Also look around the rear axle pivot area. I've had one crack there before. Of course auger flighting, belts, etc. DON"T forget to grease the zerk on the main clutch housing underneath the combine that runs the machine. It is up underneath by the transmission and is the shaft pulley opposite of the hydo/transmission. The one I bought was never greased and that was an expensive thing to replace. I believe it is a once a week zerk and I grease it at least once a week. This site is a great place and where I learned how to run and set the machine. I do just corn and beans, but see a lot of wheat guys here. Good luck with your endeavor.

 

make sure if you are using the machine in wheat that the "returns" goes back to the cyclinder and not just the to of the sieves. We had an early model N6 and was unaware that there was a difference. Had an awful time getting a clean sample.

 

Thanks guys for the great info on the N6. I suspicion i'm in for some time wait to see if the lein holder wants my $ or wants to let the combine sit. If I get it will post and most likely be looking for more info/experiences and how to's.
Several years ago I went through a similar thing on a late model lein repo. Looked the combine over and made a cash offer. Lein holder said their board had to talk it over. Happened to go by the farm a few years ago with the same now old combine sitting in the same spot, litterally rusted and sunk into the ground. Farmer went belly up and in the early 80's the lender bellied up also. Some really amazing things happen sometimes and what a waste. As I recall the FED govt' ended up with the loan institution. Does it surprize anyone that the Feds let things go to ruin? Same loan institution also ended up with a small farm close by that was subdivided approved. I attempted to buy for cash all or part. Made cash offer to the institution and the FEDS. Was told to wait as all was in limbo. FEDS turned it over to a local Broker who also ended up buying it at less than half of what I had offered. Broker was also a well known contributor to one of our FED Senators at the time. Just coincidence I suppose? Broker financed with the FED govt', made only one payment, paid no property taxes for over 5 years then with attorneys negotiation made a cash out reduced settlement with the FEDs. The feds as Govt. lein holder were exempt and paid no taxes. I suspect that the broker ended up with all of the property and no taxes at possibly about 10 cents on the dollar. By the mid 90's those lots sold at 10 to 20 times the original farmer owned asking price.
I'm sure glad we aint getting all of the Govt' that were payin' for.

Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon

 

Check motor carefully or find history with mid hours would need at least crank bearings. Bad motor or cage worn out would cost more to fix than combine worth. Tires are expensive item now also. dfb

 

dfb, thanks for the info on the engine. Are crank bearings a major concern on the N6's engine? I'm pushing 6000 hrs on my JD combine engine with no repair or internal maintenance. Starts and runs great with no leaks and really as new oil consumption.
On tires i've whenever possible been buying major farm tires from Tucker tire co. in Dyersburg Tennessee. So far a bunch cheaper and 0 problems. Occasionally a tire is damaged at the wrong time and I have to buy local and pay a whole bunch more.
Tuckers phone is 888-248-7146 or 800 443-0802, might be worth a call to check out/compare prices. Welcome to use my name as a reference for a new customer.

Thanks again for the info on the engine, Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon/
Next move on the N6 is up to the lein holder, accept or refuse my cash out offer?? Then a fact finding trip to see if it appears as represented.

 

Forgot to post the 3 8820's I traveled to look at were all bad. One was sold, one was absolute rusted out junk the third I made an offer on and owner said he wouldn't sell it for 4 times that amount. Must be something there I can't see, however it hasn't been used for around 4-5 years, hasn't sold and needs a bunch of help. TR 70 I was going to look at I found out had been badly overheated on the Cat 3208. Supposedly a useable combine if/with a different engine, then would be more $ than it's worth.
I thnk i've developed a real knack for finding junk. Hopefully the N6 will be as represented.
Thanks to all for the replies and info on the N6.
Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon

 

we have had N's for as long as i can remember. so of course this will be biased. but we love em. great capacity. great samples. it does do better in certain crops over others, but for the most part very capable machines for the investment.
we always keep the rub bars and helicals up. as previously mentioned, the accelerator rolls will help in a better sample. good advice in earlier posts as far as other things.
over the years we only lost one hydro, and even though those motors scream and smoke, touch wood but we have yet to loose a motor. of course i say that now....i probably just cursed myself.
hopefully it works out for you and it turns out to be a good machine.

 

You just gotta wonder how that = pa24180

Don

 

The biggest share of engine failures on N-6's were due to processors (cage, helical bars, cylinder bars, concaves, removal of reverse bars, etc) that weren't maintained properly ( or just simply worn out) causing the engine to work "overtime" and fail due to constant overloading. An engine that only has to run 15 or 16 pounds of turbo boost will last much longer than one that is cranking out 20 or 22 pounds all day long. Been there...dun that !!

 

drallis, is a turbo boost or manifold pressure gauge standard on the N6's?
Thanks to you and all posting info for me on the N6.

Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon

Possibly engines and parts last a little longer around here especially in wheat. Here in the western part of Oregon we don't have a lot of dust when doing wheat. I have quite a bit of lite soils on my little farm but the sand in the soil is larger particles and pretty mutch stays on the ground. Combines with pickup type headers get a lot of wear from the coarse/sandy dust than a wheat platform combine does. Even the chaff is heavier and tends to hit the ground pretty fast with less intake and cooling clogging problems. You get a lot of hours on a wheat combine here with accidents and stupidity being more serious problems for the combine/owner.

 

rburk, recently priced one combine tire from a couple local shops. Priced a pair of front tires plus the 2 new steering tires for same combine. Price delivered from Tennessee for all 4 tires was just over $2,000. The one front tire local was almost $2,000 placed on the rim. I've found the same with other tractor tires. Very little competition around here so everything from the tire to labor is full bore and boy do they know how to charge. Maybe i'll have a bad experience with Tucker Tire but so far it's only been good and the tires seem to hold up well with 0 problems so far. I think as I recall the shipping of the 4 tires was around $200 but it saves saves a bundle over the local stores price.
Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon

 

On the N6 does anyone have an experience comparison to the IH 1460? 1480? There is a 1460 possibly available locally but it's twice the money as the N6, 5 years older, more hours and that pushes my $ to spend.
Comparable, better or not as good?

Thanks again, Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon

 

We ran a 1480 for many years, trading for an R60 which we ran for several years. The 1480 didn't have the capacity the R60 had, but it was close. I think the 1480 would be close to a N6 however no where near a N7. We harvested wheat with our 1480 along side a R50 for a few years, the 1480 had more capacity, 21ft swathed wheat.
As for Maintenance, our 1480 was Very reliable, most seasons it never left the field for unscheduled maintenance. The R60 was not as reliable, but a good machine. We did like the air cooled engine, and we also liked not having to change concaves every time we switched crops.
Personally, I'd go with the 1480, but I'm somewhat biased.
N6 or 1480,,, I'd say go with who's got the best dealer support.
John

 

John, thanks for the reply and info on the comparison. Since I have neither Gleaner or 1460, 1480 i'm really relying on others experience.
Dwight E. Lambert, Albany, Oregon

 

As I said before, I own two Gleaners. I have found those machines to be much simpler and easier to mechanic on than other brands. Gleaner has good service manuals and we have never had a service call because there are no close dealerships, yet we keep the machines cutting wheat all day.

 

The dealer being 200 miles away would be a huge turn off to me. But, if you do go with the N6 spend the extra $$$ on a shop and service manual. You can always call Shoup for parts. They have free shipping on orders over $200. Their website is www.shoupparts.com. Good Luck!