Best cheaper swather for flat cereals on clay soil?

[poorboy]

25% of the cereal acres left were rolled. Not great, but at least it is something.

[furrowtickler]

What model Massey swathers seem to be working? Is the massey 5200 header good enough or is the 5300 header way better? Massey swathers are the cheapest, so would be great if they worked.

The 5200 header is ok , built too light but if you don’t abuse it , it will be fine . And you can get a 5200 for a lot cheaper
5300 header is much better header but they both work
We have a 9760 with a 5200 header
It has its flaws for sure but for doing flat crop on wet ground it was hands down far better the anything else we tried.

[Crestliner]

4000 or 5000 CaseIH 24 foot header with half moon lifters or Dutch Industries. Will not leave a stalk and you will find tools you lost years ago jammed in the knife.


Or

CaseIH or Heston 30’ with half moon lifters. I have 36’ John Deere’s now and will not do half the job these old guys did.

Get poly skid plates underneath the table as well if you are serious about getting all your flat crop.

[Crestliner]

Massey

That is a respectable job for a big swather....lifters? What kind?

[foragefarmer]

The conditions that Massey of Sk3's don't look bad at all, there isn't even any ruts being left. Hard to gauge the performance of that unit based on that.

[furrowtickler]

The conditions that Massey of Sk3's don't look bad at all, there isn't even any ruts being left. Hard to gauge the performance of that unit based on that.

We had the same conditions last year as that picture . And everything I stated is fact
Yes there is no water or ruts , but the question was asked and we gave real world advice .
There is alway worse cases in every situation.
When your dealing with negative margins that’s not a good scenario let alone worse

[Quadtrack]

The 5200 header is ok , built too light but if you don’t abuse it , it will be fine . And you can get a 5200 for a lot cheaper
5300 header is much better header but they both work
We have a 9760 with a 5200 header
It has its flaws for sure but for doing flat crop on wet ground it was hands down far better the anything else we tried.

Just traded swathers this year-got another Massey with the 5300 header and full Schumacher knife. It is so much better than the 5200 on older one. And the new Massey reel big improvement over a UII.
So if you have to choose, the 5300 is worth the extra $.

[furrowtickler]

Just traded swathers this year-got another Massey with the 5300 header and full Schumacher knife. It is so much better than the 5200 on older one. And the new Massey reel big improvement over a UII.
So if you have to choose, the 5300 is worth the extra $.

Agree. If you have the $ 👍

[farmaholic]

Wouldn't just about any head work if you adjusted the float to make them run light? Fine line.

[poorboy]

I have lots of hills and waterways. One corner or the other is always digging in trying to follow the ground. Big differences in float and ground following on older swathers. Trying to determine if there is still big differences on these 5-7 year old models.

[sawfly1]

Oddly I too have a 14 9740 massey with a 5200 36 ft. Other than the lack of height
For clearing a canola swath .
I like it.
Schumacher knife etc.actually
Never been impressed with them in the past. But this one .seems ok.
I have one mess to deal with.
That only got worse with this snow.
A lifter has to help. To get the
Cutter bar out of the mud.and save
The u 2 reel .
Any recommendation on a lifter
That will get me a little off the ground . But not push mud and crop
To screw the reel.
Floats pretty good for a 36 ft.on flat ground .
But Hate to wreck a reel in the process

[SASKFARMER]

That was taken last fall in Late October early Nov with Frozen ground most mornings. Two start swathing as soon as frost off and then at one the combines arrive. It's slow and a pain in the ass but works. Yes, the new header is better and worth the money.

We keep these units two to three years and then move on.

They mostly do Canola but some seed wheat and all the barley.

The mud they are the cat's ass you can get through more water and mud than any macdon.

The fuel I have stated before I fill two after a days work with a 100 gal tank need maybe another five gal. ANd one macdon with a 100 gal so figure the extra fuel costs.
DEF on new ones uses way more than the first series.

Their only complaint I have is the head needs to lift higher up to clear big canola swaths. They have a whine from the pump as you sit right in front of it. The reversible fan is excellent also for the rad.

As a Deere guy who has all deere, this is my one speciality device.

[Guest]

"As a Deere guy who has all deere"


we will see if we can cure you of that affliction , lol

[Guest]

nothing wrong with a MF 9430 either, unless you want newer
we have gone up and down the field in the mud years , when macdons were getting pulled on the next quarter
"lighter" is better in the swamp when its wet
they don't swath as fast as a macdon or lay as nice as swath , but can buy a 10 or 11 for $50 k

[Goodtime]

Curious how do the 35' single knife drive headers stand up? Do you break the knife a lot in tough conditions compared to a double knife?