[AT] OT--- 800 IH plate planter

[jtchall at nc.rr.com]

The sad part is my family owned 2 of them (bought new) and both had around 
8,000 hrs when we stopped the real farming operation. As much as my pride 
gets hurt sometimes, reading the owner and service manuals can be a really 
good thing! Of course some of the manuals aren't worth the paper they are 
printed on. I just wish the technology would have been better regarding the 
photos for the older stuff. There are 2 things I certainly want manuals on, 
combines and hay balers.

Just thought of another "do it by the book" situation. We've discussed dad's 
4020 still having two 12 volt batteries. Its so old now I'll probably never 
change it from the 12/24 volt system unless it gets to be really bothersome. 
With its current set up, one battery always runs down before the other. If 
you read the manuals you find both batteries are for cranking and only one 
is for running the lights. I don't remember the particulars but Deeres 
solution was to rotate the batteries--like anyone would ever do that 
voluntarily. At least Deere explained the problem and a way to help maintain 
the situation instead of buying batteries often.

John


-----Original Message----- 
From: Ron Cook
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2015 3:03 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] OT--- 800 IH plate planter

John,
     I had to chuckle when reading this posting.  I have a good friend
that owned more than one 4020 from the time they were new. About 10
years ago he bought one again and remarked to me that he had forgotten
the danged 4020 had no float position on the hydraulics or he would not
have bought the thing.  I bought mine expressly for loader use and
because it has the float position so I can use the tractor hydraulics.
He informed me I did not know what "float" was,  I suggested he read the
manual.  He did.  I won.
     The family farm still has one of the two 1965 4020 power shift
tractors that were bought new.  My youngest brother, he is 60, said his
only complaint on that tractor is the harsh, jerky shifting.  I told him
to get under there and back off the shift pressure a little for yard
work.  It is probably still adjusted for plowing.  He looked at me like
I was on something.  I said, look in the manual. He did.  I won.
     The strangest things turn up in those operator's manuals.

Ron Cook
Salix, IA

On 5/22/2015 10:21 PM, jtchall at nc.rr.com wrote:
> It worked fine, I think. Let me elaborate. The fields I planted in corn 
> were
> in milo last year. I cut it right before Christmas, miring in the mud and
> leaving ruts all the way. When it finally dried out in March I bushhogged
> the  stalks and then proceeded to tear the ground up. We got a nice seed 
> bed
> on most of it, although some of the areas were a little clody so the corn
> has not come up in those yet. Due to the extensive repairs to the planter, 
> I
> didn't get in the field until 2 weeks ago, about 3 weeks later than I 
> would
> have liked. I think the areas that have not come up will in the next day 
> or
> two as we just got some rain. Isn't it funny how it won't stop raining and
> then when it does, it doesn’t want to start back? I wanted to plant more
> corn but with the cheap price and our low yields (compared to the midwest) 
> I
> only planted on the best land I had available.
>
>
> Regarding the planter, the only problem I had was with the fertilizer 
> hoses
> stopping up. I bought a set from Shoup. When the planter is operating 
> there
> is not much drop in the hoses and almost a horizontal run. I've been told
> agri-supply carries some that are much shorter. I had to use duct tape to
> stretch my hoses fairly tight. That and dropping the ground speed to give
> the fertilizer time to flow worked well. I was putting out just over 400lb
> acre. To get the fertilizer back operational required a couple shafts to 
> be
> made and a few new bearings as well as a sprocket. I also had to replace 
> the
> fertilizer discs and put on some new chains. I had to buy 2 fertilizer 
> drop
> tubes and 3 of the sheet metal pcs that hold them--those 5 pcs were over
> $300 from IH. I engineered a set of aluminum locating blocks so the tubes
> can't get into the discs up top. Too bad these planters are old or I'd 
> make
> a bunch and sell them! The shaft that drives each planter unit needed all 
> 4
> of those custom flange hex bore bearings. I searched everywhere and it
> appears they are unique to IH, at over $40 each. I bought 2 sets of 
> scrapers
> from Shoup, cheaper than IH and they were carbide--I had to "adjust" them 
> to
> fit properly. Put on 2 new press wheel tires and bought 2 more gauge wheel
> tires that I didn't have time to change. Of course the old ones worked 
> fine
> but if the new ones weren't here they would have finished splitting. I 
> also
> put a new chain on each row unit. I have new chains to go on the series of
> step up/down sprockets but didn't have time to change them. I did install 
> a
> new chain on each drive wheel. Before next year I need to order a set of 
> row
> openers and consider replacing the bushings on the gauge wheels. Noticed 
> the
> beginnings of some stress cracks in the fertilizer hoppers that need some
> attention. The cast iron arm that the closing discs connect to the back of
> the row unit needed drilling out and making new bushings. I tried one
> evening to get the monitor working but it appears I will need a set of
> photo-eyes(sensors). Worked fine without it, haven't noticed any skipped
> streaks. We did figure out after 48 years that Deere built 4020's with a
> float position in the hydraulic--you have to unbolt the cowl around the
> controls and move some linkages on the lever. Hard to believe that tractor
> has been here that long and we never knew about or needed that feature 
> until
> now. I evicted my grain cart so as to have a shed to put the planter 
> under.
> Now I need a shed for it, guess that means I should get serious about
> selling dad's thresher and binder.
>
> John Hall
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greg Hass
> Sent: Friday, May 22, 2015 7:17 PM
> To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
> Subject: Re: [AT] OT--- 800 IH plate planter
>
> If you don't mind, John, just how did your "new" corn planter work out
> for you? Hope you like it.
>    Greg Hass
> _______________________________________________
>



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