Case International 8330 Cutter Conditioner

[Kelly in tx]

See post below. Recent rains (daily, now it seems) mean tall, rank grass hay. My New Holland 469 is down. My John Deere 1219 hasn't worked well this year. Local dealer has (on
consignment, I think) a Case International 8330 Cutter Conditioner. It looks rusty, but solid. Dealer says it was built for Case International by Hesston. Perhaps same as Hesston
720??? His price ($3500) is about double average price listed by Tractor House ($1800) but: 1) it is the only cutter I can find locally 2) it seems like a solid machine 3) it'd be a
pretty easy trip to get it and bring it home (about 18-19 miles each way) 4) it looks like it could serve me for several years. Whaddya think? kelly

 

[rrlund]

I bought a new Hesston 1120 in 93 or 94. Had it for something like 23 years. I grow over 120 acres a year. That thing was still so quiet when I got my discbine that all you could hear was the hay rustling through the rolls. They're a great machine.

 

[Bret4207]

It's a Hesston 1120. Great machine. Just make sure the sway link bushings (like $7.50 each and easy to replace) are good and the belts are tight. Check the knife head too and go to cutting.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

I am not familiar with this model, is it a sickle bar cutting, or a discmower? You say your grass hay is rank. A discmower will cut through anything, but all sickle knife mower/conditioners will have a tough time cutting through down and rank crops. I would look for a discmower over a sickle