290 corn planter

[pickup22]

I tried in the John Deere forum, I will try here. Why does my John Deere 290 corn planter continue to deliver seed when it is in the raised position?

 

[SVcummins]

I looked at the parts book but didn?t have time to really look but there should be a linkage somewhere that disengages the seed drive when you raise it and engages it when you lower it .

 

[rrlund]

Can you get that lever to shift to a position where the sprocket will turn on the shaft then?

 

[rrlund]

I just went and looked. I have two of those gear boxes in the toolshed. I think one's off a 494 and the other is off an 894. They both turn and disengage alright. The only issue might be the sprocket. I think yours drives with a flat link chain doesn't it? If memory serves me right,these drove with a roller chain. Maybe somebody else will know for sure and will chime in. If one of these will work for you and you want to drive down here and pick it up,I'd take $35 for one.

 

[pickup22]

I appreciate that Randy, first I want to complete the diagnosis, I think you idea of dirt and grease has a lot of merit. This runs with a flat chain. Also, you better look on e-bay, $35 is a heck of a deal.

 

[rrlund]

I had one of those apart once. If that sprocket had to be changed,I think you have to split it in half and swap it out from the inside. You might not have much to loose by splitting that one in half anyway. Both of these ones I have here,the sprocket turns free on the shaft when I pull down on the lever. It makes a little bit of a ratcheting sound when it's turning.

 

[Leroy]

That box is easy to work on ant it fits the 290, 490, 494 and early 494A and I think the 6 or 8 row versions of them. I just scraped a bunch of them. Only problem is keeping oil in them as they like to leak. Use cheap engine oil, book called foe 20 weight. Had to use a pump oil can to fill and hard to get fingres in to get plug out and back in.

 

[rrlund]

I let one get low one time and it wore the hole around the sprocket oblong and let the gears come apart.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

I have used a few different planters and one thing they all had in common was a toothed slip clutch that disengaged the seed drive when the planter was raised. My 7000 was dropping seed in the raised position. Even though the slip clutch looked fine, it was worn to a point where it did not disengage properly. I replaced the entire unit and it did fine thereafter.