Funny How We Look At Things...

Thx skk

Farm tractors are only as good as that dealer network right in your hometown, don't matter whether they are IH, JD, MH, Case, Oliver, Ford, etc. YT is a place of intelligent discussion.

You shouldn't be taking such great offence to my responces to your posts. I've been around YT close to 8 years now, and will give you a bit of advice. Those who run down other makes of tractors don't tend to stay around YT too long. I farmed for a good many years, probably as many or more acres than you. I bought 16 new or near new Farmalls in that time. I also bought a new Deere, 2 new Case and a used Cockshutt. I used New Holland haying and forage equipment and bought a new Massey Combine. That equipment, doesn't matter what make, it is no damn better than the dealer right in your hometown. He is the guy you deal with, not the manufacturer. In the early days I bought all IH, my dad before me had. Why did I change, that IH dealer began to falter. The Deere, Case and NH equipment all came later. There is no longer a CaseIH dealer in that area.

Of course you should stay around, don't let me turn you off. You do have much to offer. I'll probably continue to be a knuckle head as City Boy Mike calls me, boy will I get him for that one. It may take awhile but he will leave himself vulnerable one of these days. You take Allan in NE for example, he and I have locked horns on numerous ocasions, called each other some quite unflatering adjectives. The next week we were back seeking each others advice. We are never going to all agree, we are individuals. We can all learn from individuals, we would never learn anything if we were all the same.

Oh by the way, I almost forgot, I can spell Rhode Island, Chris just happens to be one of those guys that injects fun into this game.

I repair planter meters as a winter hobby (am retired and can't stand daytime tv). I've worked on about 1600 of JD and KZ finger meters and JD Vacs, as well as a few White air planters and a few IHCase using a meter stand in my shop. I agree that the JD 7000/7200 and KZ are amazing machines; with all those little parts that can wear & go wrong (and they do) they really do a fine job when adjusted properly.

Now about speed: My experience is that too many people plant too fast. No matter which brand, planters are not designed to race with....they are planters. Slow down and you will be pleased by the improved plant stand you have.

I once heard a farmer say "My hired man plants my corn and he likes to drive fast". I told him the best thing he could do with his hired man was to put him on the smallest tractor he had and then have him bring your lunch out to the field for you.

SPEED KILLS any attempt to accurately plant a field. You want to race? Get a stock car.

I had and IH 400 air planter and later a Deere 7000, probably the best IH, Deere or anyone else built up to 1990. If you pushed either one of those planters much over 4 mph, seed spacing and planting depth went all to hell. I know all about it, I used to do custom spraying, and it would amaze you the number of folks with 4, 6, 7, 9 inch spacing and corn growing in the middle of the row. Some of them didn't get the planter down until they were 10' off their headland rows. It doesn't flow nice through a combine head either.

Speaking of hired hands driving too fast. The first year I had 1066, hired hands plowed with 5x16 semi-mount. I thought wear part expence and breakage was too high, per acre. Just wasn't measuring up to 560 with 4x16, No60 plow. The next year I hitched that 5x16 semi-mount behind the 656D, that slowed them down and cut the cost per acre as well. I hired a guy to go on 1066, dualed with 25' cultivator, not a heavy load for 1066. I was planting corn and suggested to my lead hand "Mike" you best go and check on him, I don't want any damn messes. Mike drove in and he was making 2nd high, about 11 mph, and the cultivator was bouncing. It left the field just like 4" perminant waves on a lake. It took 3 years of tillage before that disappeared. One could feel it in a tractor or pickup as he drove over it. Thankfully he'd only made 4 passes when Mike caught up with him. Mike ordered him out of the cab. He went and found a delightfull young lady to run the 1066. She hung in there at 6 mph and did a beautiful job, not a ripple in the fields anywhere. Un fortunately she was a young nurse and we couldn't match the salery. She did enjoy her holliday weekend.

Amazing the number of folks that don't know the difference between tillage-planting and auto racing.