Big Bud guy

From what I have seen, it seems like the leveling system was modified over the years and JD did increase the horsepower at some point. Most of the 36s around here were level land and most were JD green versions. JD did make a No 33 and 35 patterned after the 36. But they weren't in production very long. Actually the 55 and 55H replaced the 36. The level land 36 was dropped in 1951 and the hillside version was dropped in 1954 when JD introduced the 55H. I'm have no experience in which combine will out cut who but some farmers claimed they could put more grain in the tank by the end of the day with a 55 due to the faster and more flexible ground speeds and better maneuverability. Thats only what my info says.

That 453 is it just the 715 modified like a 403 hillside??? Also, I think it was the 141 IH first introduced the 4 way leveling system.

Our mid 30s Case Rosario Q had two small spike drums in front of a rasp bar cylinder. This combine was the typical 30s big galvanized big header combine like the 36. Were there any Harris combines in your area?? Those used spike tooth cylinders up till when they quit production in the early 70s. I know spike tooth cylinders were optional on JD combines up through the 90s but far as I know the Harris combines had to be the last one made only with a spike tooth.

Actually, the spike tooth cylinder has a much longer history and was the only cylinder used in grain harvesting machines going back the first thrashing machines. And I mean early 1800s. The rasp bar came much later and I think was a British innovation. Far as I know no threshing machines were ever made with rasp bar cylinders/concave and combines didn't start transitioning to rasp bar cylinders until the 30s. The one exception was Gleaner. Basically by the 40s, rasp bar was standard and spike tooth was optional unless of course you live in rice country. Then I think it was the opposite.

I've checked out of paying attention to the Olympics this year for various similar reasons too

They have been since 1989. There was a 20 year gap with the offset design starting in 69'. You are correct JD did have it right. I guess JD had a different generation of engineers in the 60s. Actually some of their 55 prototypes back in the mid 40s did have the engine up front right next to you.

I can kinda see why. Normally what works great in wheat and is popular such as MF is the same for rice too. From what I heard is rice is a heavy straw crop. If true that flared out separator Massey used lent itself well to those conditions.

It seems like just from what I gather is the big pull type combines were kinda useless trying to drag them through mud and that’s why the binder/threshing method was still used. I know from reading JD material rice farmers needed self propelled combines more then anybody else and the 55 was available with a “rice package” almost as soon as they started rolling out the door.

Montana was ground zero for 4x4 tractors. Wagner put the first modern articulated 4x4 tractor on the market in the mid 50s and some of the very first ones were sold right in my backyard.

That right there to almost sounds like more work then what bitty had/has to do to swap out his transmission. Don't matter anyway because Big Bud has everyone beat on accessibility and ease of work.

👍 Too nice to use

No. It was the mostly costly tractor we over owned. It ended up getting overhauled front to back. Plus I thought it was kind of weak on the horsepower. However, I don't entirely blame the tractor. You see we bought it out of AZ with unknown hours as it turned out. We think it was on the 2nd go around on the tach because instead of around 1,000 hours it showed we think it had 11,000 hrs. The drawbar and other areas of the tractor showed way more wear then it should at those hours and coming from AZ were they could farm year around we think the hours were wrong. Because of that I would never own a 8850 new or used again even with a Kinze. But I don't think they were horrible tractors either. Less then a mile from me sits two to of them owned by my cousins and together they have 16,000 hrs and neither one has ever been opened up. There are a few more in the area that still run but don't get used much anymore. The 8850 goes down as the most costly tractor we ever owned but the Versatile 976 was the worst tractor we ever owned and that's because the expectations were higher on the 976 plus it was brand new.

I figure they are easy to work on but that doesn’t make up for their complicated nature. We had the transmission overhauled in our 8850 and the dealer worked on it in their “big” shop outside of town. I remember poking my head in the shop and from all the parts scattered all over it looked like someone lit a stick of dynamite and dropped it in the transmission case. The 12 speeds in the Steigers and Versatiles took up much less room.

But but as you know it ain’t near as bad as a pre 60 series JD. Pretty much have to duck from all the parts flying over your head if you have to overhaul.

Well I have zero sympathy for you:) Were I farm badgers are part of the wildlife scene and as common as the deer and other animals. I used to shoot them whenever I could but anymore I’ve kinda taken a holistic approach towards them. You see we have gophers or Richardson ground squirrels. They feast on crops and will cause economic loss if they get out of control. We used to control them really good with strychnine but the poison made today is so diluted you either have to dump a pound on each hole or use bait stations so they can feed like cattle on a feeder. Neither is acceptable solution. Because of that I’ve concluded it’s easier let badgers go through a field and clean out all the gophers and the go in with a plow and level the holes.