914 IHC Combine

[Grabatire]

What were the differences between a 914 White Top and a Red Top? What were some of the main weaknesses of each?

 

[caterpillar guy]

Never saw a 914 . 915 yes.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Keep in mind that you're talking about 40+ year old machines here. Any "weaknesses" have long since been dealt with, or the combine is a parts machine. There is no in-between.

If you can find a good machine, low hours and/or well maintained with recent new parts, it will be as good as can be expected for a 40 year old combine, regardless of color.

 

[fastfarmall]

The 914 was a PTO driven machine!

 

[Grabatire]

Thanks fellas.
My BIL has one that he said I could have. I'm not a farmer, although I still live on the farm I was raised on, but the BIL has updated to a new John Deere combine so I thought I might see what it needs and if it's not to much, I'd make it ready for next fall to do some custom combining. He said the pick up needs a rebuild. Other than that a new floor on the feeder house and it should be field ready. He updated to a newer larger machine because he acquired some more land and the 914 was a bit too small.

With the weather being what it has been here this fall, farmers have been screaming for custom help of any kind, but most machines are still busy on their own farms. This machine doesn't have a straight cut header, but there is a lot of folks with swath covered in 4 inches of snow right now. Primarily Canola.

 

[RTR]

(quoted from post at 07:51:23 11/06/19) Thanks fellas.
My BIL has one that he said I could have. I'm not a farmer, although I still live on the farm I was raised on, but the BIL has updated to a new John Deere combine so I thought I might see what it needs and if it's not to much, I'd make it ready for next fall to do some custom combining. He said the pick up needs a rebuild. Other than that a new floor on the feeder house and it should be field ready. He updated to a newer larger machine because he acquired some more land and the 914 was a bit too small.

With the weather being what it has been here this fall, farmers have been screaming for custom help of any kind, but most machines are still busy on their own farms. This machine doesn't have a straight cut header, but there is a lot of folks with swath covered in 4 inches of snow right now. Primarily Canola.

I have parts if you need them. Some are New Old Dealer Stock

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Oh, I didn't realize it was a pull type. Somewhere in the recesses of my brain I think I was supposed to know that a 914 was the pull type version of a 915.

Pull type combines are cool, and rare. Definitely worth saving, especially if you're going to fix it up and put it to work!

 

[D1206]

If it s a late model white top, not much difference. The early ones didn t have a detachable header. Midway thru production had slip clutch on driveline ahead of gear box. Pretty reliable machines, but are 40 plus years old now & finding decent one in good shape might be tough. 100 to 125 horse was a good match. There wasn t a bunch of weak spots, if machines were shedded made big difference. Sheet metal on bottom of hopper not rusted thru, shaker bushings, walkers good, chopper.. normal wear items. Unloader & feeder clutches engage properly.

 

[Grabatire]

What has me spooked so far, more than what condition the combine might be in, is that it doesn't have a header reverser. I suppose there is a slip clutch that can be adjusted to let go a bit sooner, but digging out a plugged header isn't my idea of a good time. Of course digging out a plugged cylinder trumps a plugged header.

I didn't get the opportunity to have a close look at things before 6 inches of snow came along so the final decision will have to wait until spring.

 

[D1206]

There s a slip clutch on the header auger, we used to run it fairly loose because it s way easier to unplug header auger than feeder house or cylinder. No factory reverse on these machines. Big long cylinder wrench should be hanging on feeder house. If you go by what I posted before too, tractor around 100-125 or so HP was good match. They will handle a bigger horse, but will plug easier too. I can hopefully answer any questions you have as I worked at IH, then case IH dealer in 84 to 90. There was still a few around then, plus dad had a white & redtop when he still farmed too. Ran them with 1066 Hydro, then later a 2290 case. Both pretty decent for 914.

 

[Grabatire]

Thanks D1206, I appreciate the input.
I would be running it with an Allis Chalmers 7060 with 160 PTO horse power. Looks like it could twist a few things off. The only other tractor I have
with a PTO is a 1939 McCormick Deering W30. It might start breathing pretty hard just running it empty, but it would be easier to unplug.

 

[D1206]

The driveline was pretty stout, biggest thing with more horses is they would eat it, just not hang onto it as well. If you don t push too bad, that Allis would probably work good. Dad used our 5488 IH, 190hp on it one fall to finish up & long as you didn t push too hard, it was ok. The 914s had a bigger feeder house & could take in more than the threshing system could handle.