[RJF]

I am harvesting medium grain CA rice with a Shelbourne RVS stripper header and JD 9610 walker machine right now.

I am thinking I want to step up to a rotor machine for next fall or the fall after. My price range will likely be around $100K which puts me into an earlier 575R, say '05-'07.

My questions are, is there anything significant in improvements from one year to the next, meaning should say an '05 be avoided because '06's got "X" upgraded and is more reliable, etc.

I'm familiar with JD, so as far as capacity and size goes, what JD model is comparable to the 575?

What is the top speed?

Anyone here using a 575 in rice? What header are you using, how fast can you go? Are they tough to plug up? Any other thoughts from rice guys?

Anyone using a Shelbourne Reynolds stripper head with one?

How do you like Cat's parts network? Does Cat have big parts distribution centers like JD? I happen to live pretty close to a huge JD depot and if my dealer doesn't have the parts I can go strait to the depot and will-call the parts. Is Cat set up in a similar fashion? Being able to get parts quickly is important, especially for a guy like me that can't afford a late model machine and is running slightly older machines.

 

[SouthernSK]

I would try stay with a 2007 and newer. Any cat dealer can run the seriell number to make sure all the updates have been done. Are you looking for a conventional cat with walkers or a rotor?

 

[RJF]

Only interested in rotor machines.

How about the cylinder, does Cat use a spike tooth type for rice?

 

[SouthernSK]

RJF I am in Canada a long way from rice country. There is not to many farmers on the forum that do rice in general or with cat combines. Do you see many CTS2 Deere combines in rice? We had one for 10 years and it was the best combine we have ever owned. It gave us no trouble and ran and ran. We went from it to our 590r. The 590r is quite a bit bigger but has not had the reliiability the CTS2 had.

 

[lexpower]

Where are you located?

 

[greentech]

I know many guys who have or have had Lexions and they are a decent machine but parts and service is a weak point, at least in our area. This has caused many to shy away from them. But for rice I'm sure the tracks would be a plus and with a Deere you will have to go with bolt on tracks for an extra cost. The other issue with Lex's that I see is header selection if you go away from the stripper head. The Maxflex does not perform like a Deere 600F and parts are more expensive. You could go MacDon but they are pricey.

 

[RJF]

RJF I am in Canada a long way from rice country. There is not to many farmers on the forum that do rice in general or with cat combines. Do you see many CTS2 Deere combines in rice? We had one for 10 years and it was the best combine we have ever owned. It gave us no trouble and ran and ran. We went from it to our 590r. The 590r is quite a bit bigger but has not had the reliiability the CTS2 had.

I've contemplated more than once on trading my 9610 for a CTS2. My RVS20 stripper would be just the right size, while giving me the option to have a 20' draper head to for when conditions are poor. But, then there is still the track issue. I would love to have tracks, harvesting rice in the mud is a PITA, too much up and down, side to side movement. But, the added cost of an aftermarket track is crazy. $60K for a set of tracks is nuts. Plus, ground speed is reduced to where it's tough to road anywhere, and we road a LOT.

That is why the Cat interests me, I have a new Cat dealer that is close to me now, and factory rubber tracks with a 20+mph ground speed is a huge plus.

 

[RJF]

I know many guys who have or have had Lexions and they are a decent machine but parts and service is a weak point, at least in our area. This has caused many to shy away from them. But for rice I'm sure the tracks would be a plus and with a Deere you will have to go with bolt on tracks for an extra cost. The other issue with Lex's that I see is header selection if you go away from the stripper head. The Maxflex does not perform like a Deere 600F and parts are more expensive. You could go MacDon but they are pricey.

If Cat's parts are not up to par with JD, that's a problem. Got to be able to have parts in-hand quickly. Plus, with these being a European machine, I'm wondering what parts pricing is. If it's even higher on average than JD, thats a problem too. I know with Shelbourne, their prices are insane with everything coming from over seas.

I would likely run a MacDon or Honey Bee. If I can go 3mph with a draper header and a Cat, like I've heard, that's plenty good for me and I'd ditch the expensive Shelbourne. I can only do 3mph with it and my 9610 anyway.

 

[RJF]

Where are you located?

California

 

[SouthernSK]

The parts pricing is about the same as other companies. What I appreciate about Class is when you buy a bearing it is a good name bearing and not a no name bearing from a third world country that I had to pay a fortune for like what I experienced from Deere in the latter years. The bearing we replaced this year were slightly above jobber price from Claas.