Gehl 400 corn Chopper

[oldfarmall]

Hello-

I bought a Gehl 400 chopper 2 years ago. Has a one row corn head. First year I chopped with a Farmall 450 hooked to it. Second year I got a bigger tractor, international 856 diesel. First year, it was all myg 450 could handle, 1st gear t/a back and full throttle. This year the 856 ran it fine, but you for sure knew it was back there. Worked the 856 good.

I sharpened the knives with the built in electric knives sharpener. They had a good edge in them. Set the shear bar until the knives made a slight "ticking" sound.

I do have a backup antique single row corn chopper, IH McCormick model 36, 1958 vintage. This chopper cuts better than the gehl and takes much less horsepower. The IH chopper is a 6 knife flywheel cut chopper, not drum style cut and blow like the gehl.

Why does the gehl 400 take so much more horsepower to run? Where gehl choppers known for being horsepower hungry?


I only fill about 12 chopper wagons per year to fill a small 12x35 silo for my steers. Have been seriously thinking of going old school and finding an old IH 16 chopper as a backup to my 36. Since I am not setting any world land speed chopping records, a little more time in the field for 12 loads is no big deal to me.

Thoughts on the gehl 400? What am I missing? I have heard they were great choppers. So far, I am on the fence.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Hello-

I bought a Gehl 400 chopper 2 years ago. Has a one row corn head. First year I chopped with a Farmall 450 hooked to it. Second year I got a bigger tractor, international 856 diesel. First year, it was all myg 450 could handle, 1st gear t/a back and full throttle. This year the 856 ran it fine, but you for sure knew it was back there. Worked the 856 good.

I sharpened the knives with the built in electric knives sharpener. They had a good edge in them. Set the shear bar until the knives made a slight "ticking" sound.

I do have a backup antique single row corn chopper, IH McCormick model 36, 1958 vintage. This chopper cuts better than the gehl and takes much less horsepower. The IH chopper is a 6 knife flywheel cut chopper, not drum style cut and blow like the gehl.

Why does the gehl 400 take so much more horsepower to run? Where gehl choppers known for being horsepower hungry?


I only fill about 12 chopper wagons per year to fill a small 12x35 silo for my steers. Have been seriously thinking of going old school and finding an old IH 16 chopper as a backup to my 36. Since I am not setting any world land speed chopping records, a little more time in the field for 12 loads is no big deal to me.

Thoughts on the gehl 400? What am I missing? I have heard they were great choppers. So far, I am on the fence. View attachment 164706

The cylinder will give a finer cut, especially if you add a screen. Flywheel cut is a bit coarser & the flywheel is meant to throw. Which is why you don't fill the silo with a cylinder.

Mike