John Deere 694 Planter

[2Cylinderfarmer]

Purchased a 694 planter on a consignment auction over the weekend and is in real good shape. Bought it to give my 2 cylinders something else to do planting a sweet corn patch. I've been looking for a serial plate to identify if its a 694, 694A, 694AN, etc so than I can get an owners manual for it. Do they have a serial plate or number stamped in the frame someplace? If it helps any the planter is set up on 30" rows. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Mark-Ia]

usually on the end of the frame.

 

[Jim.ME]

You can download free Operator's Manuals at the John Deere AG & Turf Bookstore. Click on Equipment Publication then type 694 in the Model box and search. Scroll through the list to get the 694 planter.


John Deere Ag & Turf Bookstore

 

[spacechem]

Purchased a 694 planter on a consignment auction over the weekend and is in real good shape. Bought it to give my 2 cylinders something else to do planting a sweet corn patch. I've been looking for a serial plate to identify if its a 694, 694A, 694AN, etc so than I can get an owners manual for it. Do they have a serial plate or number stamped in the frame someplace? If it helps any the planter is set up on 30" rows. Any help is appreciated.

I'm pretty sure a 694 or 694A could not be got down to less than about 32 inches. Another sure tell is the pipe in front that attaches to the hitch and meets the end frame. 694 and 694A will be a round pipe with a sweeping bend at the outer end. 694AN will have a square pipe with a weldment at the outer end.

If you don't find a serial number plate on one of the end frames, it's an early planter so likely a 694. Serial numbers were added beginning in 1967.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Pictures will help you help yourself by being able to tell you from good pictures not so close all we can see is a opener disc rivet but most of the planter from a couple directions.

 

[2Cylinderfarmer]

Pictures will help you help yourself by being able to tell you from good pictures not so close all we can see is a opener disc rivet but most of the planter from a couple directions.

I'll see about getting some pictures posted later tonight.

 

[2Cylinderfarmer]

Sorry took so long here a re a few pics.

 

[paul]

Nice looking planter!

Paul

 

[rrlund]

You're missing the two short fertilizer hoppers for the outsides. I had a 694AN.

 

[NY 986]

You're missing the two short fertilizer hoppers for the outsides. I had a 694AN.

Did it work good? I really do not miss the 1960's planters for the most part as the press wheels did not close the seed trench very well in heavy soil.

 

[spacechem]

Looks to be 694AN in relatively good condition. As rrlund mentioned, outer fertilizer hoppers are missing as well as the openers. Maybe the openers are in a fertilizer hopper? If you're not going to use the dry fertilizer (wouldn't be surprised to find the hoppers pretty rusty and metering augers missing/shot) then I recommend you remove the hoppers and openers to give you a better view of hopper drives from the tractor seat.

Looks to be a pretty late model, though a bit of a riddle. It has the chain drive (early ones had a gearbox) and taller seed hoppers. Those could have been retrofitted but you also have the later end frames. Should have a serial number, though a couple of your photos show the area it would be located and I can't see it. Maybe just before serial numbers? Yet it has the two-legged Deere emblems on most of the hoppers (at least a couple of the insecticide hoppers have the four-legged deer). I think that change came in 1968. This copied from the parts catalog intro:

NOTE: BEGINNING WITH 1967, SERIAL NUMBERS WERE ADDED TO ALL 494AN AND 694AN PLANTERS. THE FIRST SECTION OF THE SERIAL NUMBER IS THE TYPE DESIGNATION. FOR 494AN NUMBERS THROUGH 014202, THIS DESIGNATION WILL BE EP1J1. FOR NUMBER 01423 AND GREATER, THE TYPE DESIGNATION WILL BE P2900. FOR 694AN NUMBERS THROUGH 012902, THIS DESIGNATION WILL BE EP1F1. FOR NUMBER 12903 AND GREATER, THE TYPE DESIGNATION WILL BE P2910. SERIAL NUMBER PLATES ARE ATTACHED TO THE RIGHT-HAND END PANEL OF THE MAIN FRAME.

If you don't find a serial number, it's not really too critical. The main seed metering parts didn't change much over the years and you would have a hard time finding non-wear parts available anyway.

 

[spacechem]

Did it work good? I really do not miss the 1960's planters for the most part as the press wheels did not close the seed trench very well in heavy soil.

He has the optional covering knives which should help in that regard.

 

[rrlund]

Did it work good? I really do not miss the 1960's planters for the most part as the press wheels did not close the seed trench very well in heavy soil.

It worked as good as those old planters worked. I'd had a 495A, then got a buy on an 894 (AN?) at an auction. It was in super nice shape, but I hated having to set up the end transport every time I wanted to take it down the road. That 694 was rough when I bought it, but I took all the units off the 894 and rebuilt it. I cut one of the fertilizer boxes down and made two of the half boxes out of it. I used it up until I went to a White air planter.

 

[NY 986]

Looks to be 694AN in relatively good condition. As rrlund mentioned, outer fertilizer hoppers are missing as well as the openers. Maybe the openers are in a fertilizer hopper? If you're not going to use the dry fertilizer (wouldn't be surprised to find the hoppers pretty rusty and metering augers missing/shot) then I recommend you remove the hoppers and openers to give you a better view of hopper drives from the tractor seat.

Looks to be a pretty late model, though a bit of a riddle. It has the chain drive (early ones had a gearbox) and taller seed hoppers. Those could have been retrofitted but you also have the later end frames. Should have a serial number, though a couple of your photos show the area it would be located and I can't see it. Maybe just before serial numbers? Yet it has the two-legged Deere emblems on most of the hoppers (at least a couple of the insecticide hoppers have the four-legged deer). I think that change came in 1968. This copied from the parts catalog intro:

NOTE: BEGINNING WITH 1967, SERIAL NUMBERS WERE ADDED TO ALL 494AN AND 694AN PLANTERS. THE FIRST SECTION OF THE SERIAL NUMBER IS THE TYPE DESIGNATION. FOR 494AN NUMBERS THROUGH 014202, THIS DESIGNATION WILL BE EP1J1. FOR NUMBER 01423 AND GREATER, THE TYPE DESIGNATION WILL BE P2900. FOR 694AN NUMBERS THROUGH 012902, THIS DESIGNATION WILL BE EP1F1. FOR NUMBER 12903 AND GREATER, THE TYPE DESIGNATION WILL BE P2910. SERIAL NUMBER PLATES ARE ATTACHED TO THE RIGHT-HAND END PANEL OF THE MAIN FRAME.

If you don't find a serial number, it's not really too critical. The main seed metering parts didn't change much over the years and you would have a hard time finding non-wear parts available anyway.

The decals would suggest 1968 or later. Shortly thereafter came the 12X0 planters. By 1975 the 7000 sent the earlier planters into permanent retirement.

 

[NY 986]

It worked as good as those old planters worked. I'd had a 495A, then got a buy on an 894 (AN?) at an auction. It was in super nice shape, but I hated having to set up the end transport every time I wanted to take it down the road. That 694 was rough when I bought it, but I took all the units off the 894 and rebuilt it. I cut one of the fertilizer boxes down and made two of the half boxes out of it. I used it up until I went to a White air planter.

I remember dad looking at a new IH 56 planter around 1976 and not being impressed. The 56 was OK for what it was but surely did not measure up to the JD 7000, AC 600 air planter, or the White 5400. But dad had to worry about the cost and the 4,300 dollars would have been easier to swallow had he bought it versus the other choices. He bought a used AC in the end.

 

[rrlund]

I remember dad looking at a new IH 56 planter around 1976 and not being impressed. The 56 was OK for what it was but surely did not measure up to the JD 7000, AC 600 air planter, or the White 5400. But dad had to worry about the cost and the 4,300 dollars would have been easier to swallow had he bought it versus the other choices. He bought a used AC in the end.

I've got an AC 333 now that I've had for a long time. It has the air units similar to the White, but better closing wheels. I get a way better stand with it than I did with the White.