Good morning!
We recently came across a fairly cheap JD 290 2 row corn planter with fertilizer attachment and are planning to use it to plant a 1 acre plot we use for sweet corn. Last year we used a manual push type disk seeder (think Earth Way but about 40 years old itself). We are hoping this planter will save down on some labor while seeding.
I have purchased a manual for it and have been trying to figure out how to work this thing. It seems much of the operation is focused on "check planting" and "hill drop", this isn't a concern for us we only need it to drill.
Right now there are two main issues. When the planter is lowered the throw-out arm isn't engaging the clutch and I manually have to do it by pulling on the lever on the side of the gear box. Is it possible this throw-out arm is out of adjustment? Should it contact when the planter is lowered?
My second question is more of a head scratcher for me. The manual references the "Shift lever" and setting it on 2,3,4 to set the population, in addition to the sprocket and disk choice. My planter does not have a shift lever. I think it is missing. Can someone explain the operation of the shift lever? Does it move the shaft through the gearbox laterally and in turn change the gearing inside the gear box? Because if that's the case I did try to move the shaft and it wouldn't budge left or right but I didn't force it because I wasn't sure if this was the way.
I really need to figure out that shift setting so I can find the right plates and get the seed/acre right. Since I don't have a lever I am wondering if I can manually shift it then clamp it in place or something to hold it in the right gear.
Any help with someone with an understanding of these JD 290 Planters would be appreciated. Thank you.
We recently came across a fairly cheap JD 290 2 row corn planter with fertilizer attachment and are planning to use it to plant a 1 acre plot we use for sweet corn. Last year we used a manual push type disk seeder (think Earth Way but about 40 years old itself). We are hoping this planter will save down on some labor while seeding.
I have purchased a manual for it and have been trying to figure out how to work this thing. It seems much of the operation is focused on "check planting" and "hill drop", this isn't a concern for us we only need it to drill.
Right now there are two main issues. When the planter is lowered the throw-out arm isn't engaging the clutch and I manually have to do it by pulling on the lever on the side of the gear box. Is it possible this throw-out arm is out of adjustment? Should it contact when the planter is lowered?
My second question is more of a head scratcher for me. The manual references the "Shift lever" and setting it on 2,3,4 to set the population, in addition to the sprocket and disk choice. My planter does not have a shift lever. I think it is missing. Can someone explain the operation of the shift lever? Does it move the shaft through the gearbox laterally and in turn change the gearing inside the gear box? Because if that's the case I did try to move the shaft and it wouldn't budge left or right but I didn't force it because I wasn't sure if this was the way.
I really need to figure out that shift setting so I can find the right plates and get the seed/acre right. Since I don't have a lever I am wondering if I can manually shift it then clamp it in place or something to hold it in the right gear.
Any help with someone with an understanding of these JD 290 Planters would be appreciated. Thank you.
