JD 4420 Combine Purchase?

[AJB-830]

My local JD dealer just took in a 4420 with 2800 hours. They are asking $8,500. I have talked to the owner who had it for 22 years. He says the only thing not working and needs fixing is the low shaft speed monitor. It has had a few fixes over the years like electric header clutch, new bushings in the seive shaker, cross grain auger fixed, and air-conditioning fixed last year. It will have a 213 straight grain head. A friend of mine who has a 4420 that he put 4,000 hours on will help me check it over.

I just hobby farm and only plan to use this for about 40 acres of wheat and oats. I wanted a small combine with air to replace my IH 205. This is about the largest small combine with air that will fit in my shed. Probably more combine than I need for 40 acres.

Anything special to check for or any good-bad points about a 4420. Thanks for any help. Al

 

[flying belgian]

Friend of mine has one and only farms 115 acres. Had it for years and no issues at all.

 

[ISU JD]

Be sure to check out the counter shaft. They can be pricey to get fixed, otherwise they are an all around good machice.

 

[Kevin B from Illinois]

My Dad and I had one the only real problem we had was the chopper on the back end the tin covering the straw walkers is weak and it was breaking off the back end when we sold it and went Red.

 

[AJB-830]

Kevin, Thanks for the input. This combine never had a chopper as the previous owner was a dairy farmer and baled all his oats straw. The back tin looks good. I won't have a chopper or staw spreader on it either as I sell my straw. Thanks. Al

 

[AJB-830]

Thanks for the input. I will make sure my friend and the Shop Foreman help me check out that shaft. Al

 

[Anonymous-0]

The 20 series deeres are good machines. I would look at the conveyor auger pan and the conveyor augers. The pans wear holes in them and are stinkers to change. The augers ride in a wood block and they will wear the ends out that ride in said block. The augers are repairable if they are worn so just make sure they drop the price accordingly. Like the others said shaker bushings and the counter shaft do need to be looked at. I have replaced a counter shaft in the 7720 series I do not know why but it was bent and took the bearings out quickly. We placed a dial indicator on the shaft and turned by hand and measured run out. I will be suprised if the dealer will stand out side while you do these test though. Overall pretty good machines

 

[AJB-830]

Thanks for all the information. My price is supposed to include a clean-up and inspection. Not sure what they check in an inspection though. I will ask the forman, a friend of mine, to check out the counter shaft. The augers looked OK to me as they didn't have much play in the wood blocks. The previous owner replaced the shaker bushings. I will take your input along and and make sure all is OK. Don't think my friend with the 4,000 hr 4420 mentioned he had to ever replace the counter shaft. Thanks again. Al

 

[Mike Aylward]

AJB, if the shaft speed monitor isn't working it could be as simple as the switch under the cab not working, or it could be something much harder to find. I never had any countershaft trouble or heard of it when I owned a 4400. If there was it likely would have been caused by dirt setting up in the auger troughs and binding an auger. They don't have any inherent problems there. Your friend should have a pretty good eye if he has run his combine for any time at all. One thing to keep in mind is unless the combine has been rebuilt with the hours it has it is a prime candidate for it's first rebuild which will likely be big dollars. Another thing to check is the separator upright bolts which are right above the front axle. These bolts ARE known to get loose and cause all kinds of problems. Keep them all in place and if any are gone replace them with grade 8 bolts. Mike

 

[AJB-830]

Mike, Thanks for the reply. My friend and I took a good look at the 4420 today. Everything we could see looked good. Augers had very little play in their wood blocks, cylinder bars looked like new, belts all very good, shaker bushings all good, tin in back is very good because it never had a chopper, unloading auger worked smoothly. The feeder house chain looked good but just a little loose. However, most of the adjustment is still left. The combine ran very smoothly at full throtle etc. My friend could not find any real problems with it and he really knows the 4420. Only thing that is needed is a cab kit as some of the insulation has come off the roof. The dealer will do a clean-up and inspection and check the monitor. Foreman said the counter shaft problem usually occurs after a bearing fails. They will check all the bearings, elevator chains etc. I will check the bolts you mentioned tomorrow.

Anyhow, unless the inspection turns up something major, I will buy the combine. The engine was totally rebuilt 22 years ago when the current owner purchased it because anti-freeze got in the oil. It has 1400 hours since the rebuild. I only plan to use it for 40 acres a year so hopfuly will last me for 10 years. I will be 78 then. These smaller JD combines are really getting hard to find in my area of NE Wis. Thanks again for your input. Al

 

[Anonymous-0]

I do not know why my shaft bent. I bought the combine used and the first year the bearing went out on the countershaft. I replaced the bearing and ran it an afternoon and the next morning on greasing the machine found the bearing was out. The shaft was bent. I do not remember how far into my ownership this was and it may have been bent before I got it. I do not know of any inherent problems with the shaft but after replacing one I would look at the next one. For the small acreage that you are looking at this machine will be overkill but should work fine. I just sold my 7720 titan II with 230 header and 224Flex for the low 20's. I think your price is pretty fair, but like they say with those hours it is going to need some work.

 

[oleclint]

It is diffucult to check that counter shaft for wear , but do it. The combine can run a while with a bad brg. and not know it . My 7700 C S went out and it is a real nasty job to replace plus hi dollars. 4400 s were a good smaller combine, go for it . clint