Combine capacity, just curious.

[Anonymous-0]

One of these days I am going to get into farming and want to know what size heads a JD 6620 can handle. The only crops that will go through it will be corn and milo. Is a 215 grain table and a 4 0r 6 row corn head okay. Max and mins would be appreciated. I know a corn head is going to cost as much as the combine. Thanks for any and all replies. The willingful sharing of knowledge is what makes this forum great. Caleb

 

[Anonymous-0]

Okay, it's a John Deere 6600. It has a 44 inch wide cylinder, which is not bad for any small farm, even today. That model was also very popular even among professional harvesters, in the 1970's. Don't be too bashful about looking into just what this combine will handle with ease. For a corn head, I would not go under 3 rows at all. That's your minimum. Next, don't go over 6 rows. Bear in mind that today's corn also yields much more BPA than corn did 30 plus years ago. That said, cut the machine a little slack and don't run faster than it can handle the heavier crop. It's still a 6600, not a 9660. It will not fly through any corn, even with small head, at 5-7 MPH. I think back then, I ran a 6600 with 6 row head, at 4 MPH, top.

Grain head; 16-20 feet is ideal. I would say no less than 14' minimum, if you even find one that small. Max is 22' Yes, a lot of 6600's ran very nicely with a 22' bar, including some I ran myself. Again, look at the "happy medium" I said first. This will give oyur combine enough charge on its separator, while not overcrowding it.

That right there, is a key issue with combining efficiently. Keep the separator loaded, but not too much. Too little, and the combine will do the exact opposite of what many expect with only a light load. It will pass grain with straw to the ground. Overloading one, needs not even explained.

As far as "modern" combines go, the John Deere 6600 is still one of my all-time favorites. Like many here, I learned to cut with one. Sadly, time, elements, just good old wear and even worse--outright displacement by the bigger, faster and stronger, not to mention deliberate demolition, have decimated the vast majority of these fine combines during the past 3 decades. 6600's are nowhere near as common, so finding a good runner is quite a treasure, too.

Whatever happens, take good care of that old 6600!

 

[Anonymous-0]

I know you said a Model 6620, but I was too caught up in comparing capacity to my old 6600. Still, they are basically the same, so what I said, still fits.

The 6620's are also becoming increasingly rare and must likewise be preserved, too.

 

[Anonymous-0]

A 4 row or 6 row is a good match for a corn head here where we get around 200 bu corn per acre. It can't handle more than a 6 row, and it's too wide for a 3 row, so you are looking at 4 or 6 no matter what. Can drive faster & farther with the 4 row before filling the tank, so a lot like the easier to go down the road 4 row.

Don't do milo here, in soybeans a 20 foot header is pretty much standard for that machine. You can do smaller.

--->Paul

 

[Anonymous-0]

In 1979 I bought a new 6620 rice special with rub bar cylinder. I put over 200o hours on it with a 6 row-30" corn head and a 20' 220 bean platform. We never had a problem with 60 Bu/acre beans, but with 200 Bu/acre corn we had to match ground speed with sieve capacity. Never had to slow down too much, maybe 4 mph in really good corn.

 

[Anonymous-0]

have 6620 unit for sale,just don't need anymore. very good unit if interested

 

[Anonymous-0]

Lots of 6620's around here had 4 or 5 row wide corn heads and 16' platforms. Never seen a 6 row on one.

Al

 

[Anonymous-0]

You musta used more machinery on your farm than anyone else I know of. Doesn't matter what is being talked about, you always have 1 or 2 sitting in the back of the shed waiting to be sold.....

--->Paul

 

[Anonymous-0]

You wont be able to run a 3 row corn head on a 6600-6620.Its
either a 4x40 or a 6x30.

Everyone around here ran a 6x30 corn head and anywheres from a
15-20 ft grain head.The neighbors 6620 handled an 18 ft
nicely.One neighbor only had a 15 ft on his 6620 which wasnt
nearly enough.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I had not heard of that. Maybe ther was no option for that small of a head, but was thinking more about the combine's actual capacity. Three rows are okay, but two are just not quite enough.
I do know they ran up to 6 rows, while the bigger 7700/7720 did 8.

 

[Anonymous-0]

No actually I don't own hardly anything my self,it is all stuff other fellows have asked me to sell for them. This unit was my own thou and since I only have 50 acres of rowcrops now days/everything now is hay or straw for crops I can't afford to own unit for that. used to have between 2 and 3 thousand acres. Even then I didn't own much was rented when needed usually. Like on my website it is all other fellows items except the hay and straw. NEEDS major updating thou. And Paul if it makes you feel better I own 2 tractors/discmowco/rake/570square baler/ and 9 donahue implement trailers and a 15ft marliss drill. Thats it as far as machinery. It looks alot different if you go buy because I assemble and repair machinery for implement dealers also when not making small bales. Sell for them also. So yea have combine/ Oliver 1650/ buhler loaders/straw blower/ 6wheel rake/3pt sickle mower etc etc for sale right now

 

[Anonymous-0]

Just wanted to say thanks guys for all the information. All my extra money is paying for college right now but once thats over I wont owe anyone anything for my education and then the combine and farm buying begins. Thanks guys I appreciate your replies. Caleb