[ayars660]

We could go on for hours about the things that could be worn out on a 4000 hour combine, but then on the other hand if it was inspected every year and the things that were wore replaced the combine could still have some decent life left in it. If it was poorly maintained then you could be looking at repairs numbering in the tens of thousands of dollars to get it up to reliable working order. If you could get a dealer to inspect it and tell you what they find that would be a start, it looks nice form the picture, but if it needs all new chains, belts, shaker bushings, augers, rotor rebuilt, new cone, concaves, dry rotted hoses, all fluids changed, etc, etc, you could be looking at over 20k or better to get it in shape. Also if you can check the grain tank out for rotted metal where the cross augers meet the vertical auger, you could spend alot of money and time there if work needs to be done. I'm not trying to scare you from a 4000 hour machine but before you buy one with that many hours get it inspected and see what it needs, I learned a lesson one time by buying a combine that I never went and saw first. I got it home and had a project on my hands that winter. I had a 1987 1680 that I ran a 25' head on and I felt it fit that machine just rite, I cut wheat and soybeans with it. Good luck with your search

 

[arcticcatfarmer]

I also farm in the thumb of Michigan. We have run Axial Flows since 1991. The dealer in Pigeon is the best Case IH for service and will answer alot of your questions. However some of my experiences with our 4000 hrs 1688 tell me the same as ayars660 has said. I'm pretty sure that a combine without a stone trap has an overall longer feeder house, so I don't know if there is a challenge to "just adding one" . Also I have heard that the Redekop takes quite a bit of horsepower over stock. I have been looking at adding a TSR chopper as it is similar to factory and is supposed to take similar HP. Are you going to be direct cutting the drybeans? Does the 1680 have a specialty or standard rotor? You'll need the specialty at minimum. An AFX rotor or aftermarket front for a specialty is well worth the investment no matter what combine you find. We run 12-30" windrowed beans through the 1688 at 3.5 mph in 25-30 bu. navys in good conditions so even though a 1680 has a little less hp, I would look for a 30 ft head. In wheat you would probably run in the mid to upper 2 mph range, but will also need a hopper extension in a half mile field to make a round, even with a 25 ft. If you would like to talk on the phone I would give you my number, but this site has a lot of very experience operators that know a lot too, so go back through the past topics, many of your questions have been asked before. What part of the Thumb are you from?

 

[herby04]

Thanks for the pep talk. I think I am going to be holding off for a year or two unless something comes along that looks good. Just starting to shop around. Auction sale season is coming up.
I think a 1680 or 88 would be ideal, just need to find one for the right price in the right condition. Here is a couple of pics of our 1666 she's a bit dirty.

320 acres of dry beans in fall of 08'
Anyone have any tips on starting a custom harvesting bussiness?

 

[ayars660]

As far as starting a custom harvesting business you can talk to alot of area farmers and tell them that you are looking to upgrade your machine and do some custom work, you never know when one of them may need help finishing up for whatever reason and it will help get the word out you're willing to help out and do some work. When I first started out I put a small add in the local paper before harvest and again towards the end of harvest. There is a thread on this forum for custom harvesters, scroll through it and see if any of it is of help.

Joe

 

[herby04]

I am 23yrs old looking into custom combining in the thumb area, Mostly wheat and dry beans to start. We already do two hundered custom acres a year with our 1666. Keeps the machine busy for the most part of fall. I have been looking at a 1680 with 4,000 hours asking price of $16,500 looks sharp in the picture. How do the motors hold up with that many hours? How about the rotor, When does that normally get replaced? No chopper, rock trap or field tracker. I know a chopper runs somewhere around $3000 from case. Or there is this redekop chopper that looks bad a** for around $2500. Or should I spend a little more money and buy a machine that has a rock trap and chopper, with the same amount of hours. Does anyone know what a rock trap costs? I was hoping to do get the combine and most of the upgrades for around $20,000, Is this reasonable or I am I dreaming?
What size header should be used 25' 0r 30'?

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/det....B163CE224797C03
http://www.redekopmfg.com/strawchopper/images/IMG_0140.jpg

Any thoughts would be much appreaciated.

Bret

 

[goalie]

I expect that machine from Arkansas has done rice. It's very abrasive and there is likely a huge amount of wear on that machine.

As for custom harvesting it's very important to be reliable. Don't
be in a big hurry and do a good job. We picked up another customer for next year because the guy that had been doing this fellows work for years got in a ram and did a poor job on his corn last fall. The cutomer checked fields we had done for others, was impressed and now we have his work.

 

[redinshed]

With doing custom work do the best job you can do and that well go a long ways in keeping the job you got and getting more down the road word of mouth well do ten time more for you than a add in the people will ever do.

Now on the combine or on a yous ed machine if you have got mechanical skills it is best to find a combine that need some work if it has got a good sound structure. Ween you replace parts you no what you have got. I no you have heard a dealer say field ready and you take it to the field and it breaks down right off the bat.

 

[herby04]

Thanks for the Information everyone

Bret

 

[cornstalks]

actually a chopper from case is about 6100 and ft and rt is alot with a lot of labor. I redid a 1990 1680 last summer that was bought on auction and wanted it totally up to snuff. The bill went over 48K. That machine had chopper and rock trap but no FT and had 4800 hrs and no maintenance other than a new headgasket, injectors and valve lash. My advice is to find a 2388 with about 1800 to 2000 hrs and redo yourself. If you are custom cutting you need to be reliable good luck and broaden your search dealers are willing to sell.

 

[herby04]

I've looked at a few 2188's and 2388's with 2-3,000 hrs on them. Most dealers and private sellers want more than I have to start with. I dont think I am gonna buy anything from down south due to being so far away, and not knowing if they've been run in rice. But if I were to find one what are the pro's and con's of these machines. Or are they basically the same as the 1680's and 88's?

 

[farmerboy3]

in my opinion redekopps suck because they limit your turning and they always plug up my combine...and 4000hrs is pushin abitlook for about 2000hrs if you want to have a custom harvesting business

 

[cornstalks]

the core is the same, the cab and yield monitor are different the hydraulics are much better and the unload has a switch instead of a handle there are other things but in a nutshell the21`s and 23`s would be an upgrade

 

[yam]

Cornstalks- did your jaw hit the floor when you got the bill?? When I read 48K mine sure did- I sure hope the 1680 lasts you a long time- you should start a new thread and see who has the highest $$$ rebuild bill.

1666 CWS- I would go with a newer machine, most people want to see newer iron harvesting their crop- the first 2100's will be 14 yrs old when you go to the field this year. It seems if you have less invested in the machine they may think that you should be less per acre.

 

[cornstalks]

no, I gave the bill I didn`t get the bill,

 

[herby04]

Arcticcatfarmer I am from Parisville. Just west of Ruth three miles. Son of Herb Pionk. Do you happen to know Armbrusters? I also feel there are alot of knowledgeable operators, and mechanics on this site.

Ive been doing some more looking I seem to be more fond of the 16 series machines. Price has alot to do with it. I've found a 1688 with an asking price of 37K. Has Rock trap, hopper topper, clean interior. 2700 hrs. Not sure if it has a chopper. Shouldn't be near the repairs needed as compared to a 4,000 hr machine. As far as rates go We feel we charge fairly, no one complained about $40/acre for clipping dry beans. Not to toot my own horn but we do an excellent job.
This is what I found for a combine
http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/det....A0203AD1C3FFC00

I have done alittle research on custom harvest rates so that if someone felt that they were'nt being charged fairly I could just pull out the papper.
http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/dep....ineworkrate.pdf
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/FM1698.pdf

 

[tooc]

if i was u i get a 30 foot draper type header for sure, drapers feed way way better, lighter, easy to maintain, 1680 will lift a 30 foot so then it just a question of goin a little bit slower gives the cutter bar more time to cut anyway

 

[herby04]

Not to many people with drapers up in this area, not real sure about them yet. Kinda pricey too. I am pretty sure we can get a 1020 to do a d**n good job with cutting at speeds up to 3.5-4.0 mph.

 

[ninety420]

40 bones an acre??? Man if I could get that I would be piloting the newest, most loaded up 'bine available.

 

[herby04]

$40 an acre might sound like a lot but when people have beans contracted for 40 an acre its pretty d**n cheap. 1 bag an acre For combining and hauling with tractor and wagons. Like I said no complained a bit. Except for my uncle. But he was just giving us a hard time. As of right now sounds like we are going to have another 200 acres dry beans to custom harvest on top of our 120. Cutting pretty close to the ground, about a half inch off or so. Very little header loss.

 

[arcticcatfarmer]

1688CWS. My grandmother's step sister was married to Roman Pionk. We live up near Port Austin. I have heard the drapers can lose a few beans where the cross belts dump to the feed belt when the beans are small. The only guy I know that has a draper said even in small soybeans they lose "a few". He doesn't do any drybeans, so no help there. Yeah, getting a draper is going to cost about $20,000 more than a nice used 1020 with a wind system already on it.

Has anyone running a draper had some issues with really small soybeans at the center transition. Some of the drybeans can get really small or should I say stay small? Like 6 inches small. At $18 a bushel you don't what to lose many.