[AT] For the steamer guys(now JD 65)

[Jon Fridgen]

Hey Guys,
I'm relatively new to list and enjoy the posts... Just wanted to add
something about the old JD combines:

Ralph is right - the early 55's had a Hercules QXD6 six-cylinder engine.
Over the years, Deere increased the power and the later models used a 303
cubic inch JD engine (available in gas or diesel) that had about 75 hp. I'm
not sure how much horsepower the Hercules had, though...

I remember my Grandpa had a JD45 when I was a kid that had a Hercules JX4-C3
engine. The combine is long gone, but we've still got the engine sitting in
the shed. The early model 45s and 55s (maybe even the early 95s) all had a
flat belt driving the separator. I still remember all the four-letter words
that filled the air when a thistle patch or a damp spot was encountered
while harvesting swathed oats.

I couldn't help but chuckle about Ralph's comment regarding horsepower not
being the weakest link. We had a neighbor that had a JD 65 and in the early
80's actually used a JD 4240 tractor to power it. It didn't seem to matter
though - the combine still plugged.

The best,
-Jon

--
Jon Fridgen
Champaign, IL

MH 44, MH 444-D, MH 30
JD 30 combine


On 2/16/07, Ralph Goff <alfg at sasktel.net> wrote:
>
> Gene Dotson wrote:
> >    John;
> >    You may be confusing the small model 55 combine with its bigger
> > brothers, the models 95 and 105. The 105 used the 4010 engine and later
> > models the 4020 engine.
>
> >    The 65 pull type combine has the same workings as the 55 self
> > propelled and would be much lighter and in the likely dry field
> > conditions and windrow pickup, would require much less power. A 3020 at
> > about 60 horsepower would be equivilent to the power of the self
> > propelled machine.
> >    My first combine was a John Deere model 42 pull type combine that I
> > ran with a 51 horsepower Case 700 and it had more than adequate power,
> > even in wet field conditions.
>
> Sounds about right Gene. I couldn' recall what the 55 had for an engine
> or horsepower, had some idea the early ones had Hercules engines.
> Yes, I pulled the Case 460 with the Case 730 diesel too and this combine
> had a 40 inch wide cylinder. Thats not to say it was any bigger capacity
> than the JD 65, but horsepower was never the weak link in that
> harvesting chain. Biggest problem was transmitting it through the dried
> up old drive belts that would slip and plug the cylinder at the first
> bit of heavy going. Belt dressing made a world of difference when I
> finally discovered that.
>
> Ralph in Sask.
>
> >
> >
>
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>



-- 
Jon Fridgen
jon.fridgen at gmail.com