John Deere 7000/7100 unit planter

[barkerwc4362]

Anyone have any experience with these units?  I an looking to replace my two row Cole planter with something that will plant sweet corn more precisely.  The plates I can get are either too small or too big using the available seed.  In other words the seed is too inconsistent in size within a bag to be able to select the correct seed plate and get a consistent stand.  I end up having to both replant for skips and thin for doubles or triples within the same row.  I am currently planting at 24" rows because I can space the compact out to work with that row spacing.  30" won't work because the compact doesn't have that much adjustment.  To use the 24" spacing  I have physical spaces between the end of the axle and the rim.  So, can I get them to move into to 24" from the 30" I see most people have them set at.  I also understand these are not plate type planters, but use a finger pickup system.  Any issues with that and stuff like sweet corn?  I also plant green beans and field peas (smaller than soybeans).

[Lazy WP]

@Sledgehammer he knows 

[Chester5732]

This year I switched to a 7000 platelets. I should have done it 30 years ago. 

[TN Hillbilly]

38 minutes ago, barkerwc4362 said:

Anyone have any experience with these units?  I an looking to replace my two row Cole planter with something that will plant sweet corn more precisely.  The plates I can get are either too small or too big using the available seed.  In other words the seed is too inconsistent in size within a bag to be able to select the correct seed plate and get a consistent stand.  I end up having to both replant for skips and thin for doubles or triples within the same row.  I am currently planting at 24" rows because I can space the compact out to work with that row spacing.  30" won't work because the compact doesn't have that much adjustment.  To use the 24" spacing  I have physical spaces between the end of the axle and the rim.  So, can I get them to move into to 24" from the 30" I see most people have them set at.  I also understand these are not plate type planters, but use a finger pickup system.  Any issues with that and stuff like sweet corn?  I also plant green beans and field peas (smaller than soybeans).

I use a 7000 planter at work. Mostly field corn and soybeans, but I have used it to plant sweet corn at, I think, 18,000 plants per acre. If the brushes get worn, it gets kind of inconsistent. Otherwise, it works great.

[766 Man]

  Excellent units.  Always do a maintenance check prior to planting.  Make sure finger units move with minimal effort and fingers open and close without issue.  Make sure seed belt moves freely but not loose on the wheels.  Make sure the boot has no obstructions such as a mouse nest.  Make sure bearings turn freely and chains do not have stiff spots.  Make sure parallel arms are not stiff.  Make sure depth and closing wheels pivot freely and bearings are not stiff.  I've planted a fair amount of sweet corn with the Max Emerge units and am well satisfied.  

[stronger800]

We’ve had a 7000 for 30+ years,  you’ll like one if you get it.  

[barkerwc4362]

Sounds like good units.  Now, can I get them close enough to plant 24" rows?  I am looking at either purchasing a functional 2 row unit or building one from individual units.  Do the row units drive themselves or do they need a master drive wheel?  How big is the tool bar?

[lorenzo]

I have a 6 row John Deer model 7000 and a 6 row Kinze. They are basically identical.   The story has always been that an Engineer from John Deer went to kinze and made the same thing. The finger pick up , bean and corn meters , drive chains, sprocket's, sead hoppers , herbicide hoppers, opening disk’s, hight adjusters, closing wheels , as well as just about everything else will all interchange with each other and are readily available.

Most dealers have meter test stations in house to service them.  
Depending on how many acres you’re planting most guys run them through the local dealer annually. 

I have 6 complete row units off a 7000 in storage here if you’re looking. 

[MoeSzyslak]

If you are planting sweet corn there are sweet corn fingers available. I use the regular fingers for sweet corn but buy the largest seed possible. Here is a link the pequea planter you can see what a cut down planter is.

https://www.pequeaplanter.com/product-page/pequea-planter-with-7000-row-units-id-3005

[lorenzo]

17 minutes ago, barkerwc4362 said:

Sounds like good units.  Now, can I get them close enough to plant 24" rows?  I am looking at either purchasing a functional 2 row unit or building one from individual units.  Do the row units drive themselves or do they need a master drive wheel?  How big is the tool bar?

You will need a transmission with a set of sprokets , they are ground driven.  I can set you up with the whole thing

[lorenzo]

Heres what the transmission looks like for adjusting seed population.

Kinze

John Deer

[lorenzo]

A Kinze tool bar.

[lorenzo]

Example of a ground driven system.

[lorenzo]

Individual row units , held on by U- Bolts spaced at what ever you want.   FYI. At 24 inch it will be almost impossible to get between the row units unless your very skinny.

[lorenzo]

#1.  Adjustment for seed depth

#2 . Adjustment for closing firmness.

[Sledgehammer]

I have an ex plot planter that's a 2 row. It has the bottom half of a 7000 unit and the top half of a plate planter. I was told they were produced for only a couple years. I size the plates to the seed each year. This has a transmission like @lorenzo talked about. I have built planters from AC and IH ground drive units also. When I worked in corn research we used a 4 row 7000 planter set up on a 3pt toolbar for planting end rows and show plots. The finger pickups work well. You have to swap them over to soybean meters for beans.  The sweet corn fingers aren't a must have but I'm sure they would work well. I always used normal corn meters. I hope to find a finger pickup setup someday. 

[barkerwc4362]

Lorenzo,  I am looking to replace this:

This is the Cole units set at 30".  I normally don't need to get between them.  I now have the compact set up on a little over 46" center to center on the rear and front.

If you look real close you can see the spacers I added on the back to get to the width I am at.  I really don't want to go any wider (spacers are expensive).  That's the reason for the 24" row spacing.  This year I planted with the Coles and had trouble with skips and multiples.  All I attribute to the variability in the size of the seed available from the vendors. That, and there haven't been any new plates designed in probably 60 years for these units.  I dont' plant enough to get any preference in size.  The most sweet corn I have grown is 12 100'+ rows.  The was of three varieties.  This year was 10  85' rows.  I am not a business, just an old Iowa farm boy who loves to play in the dirt.  I have been looking at how the 2 row units being sold are put together.  I have not welder and metal working equipment.  That, and I need to build my shop this fall keeps me just looking right now.

Thanks for all the pictures and info.  Those look like what I need to move to when I make the plunge.

[lorenzo]

1 minute ago, Sledgehammer said:

I have an ex plot planter that's a 2 row. It has the bottom half of a 7000 unit and the top half of a plate planter. I was told they were produced for only a couple years. I size the plates to the seed each year. This has a transmission like @lorenzo talked about. I have built planters from AC and IH ground drive units also. When I worked in corn research we used a 4 row 7000 planter set up on a 3pt toolbar for planting end rows and show plots. The finger pickups work well. You have to swap them over to soybean meters for beans.  The sweet corn fingers aren't a must have but I'm sure they would work well. I always used normal corn meters. I hope to find a finger pickup setup someday. 

That’s awesome.   I love it.

[lorenzo]

4 minutes ago, barkerwc4362 said:

Lorenzo,  I am looking to replace this:

This is the Cole units set at 30".  I normally don't need to get between them.  I now have the compact set up on a little over 46" center to center on the rear and front.

If you look real close you can see the spacers I added on the back to get to the width I am at.  I really don't want to go any wider (spacers are expensive).  That's the reason for the 24" row spacing.  This year I planted with the Coles and had trouble with skips and multiples.  All I attribute to the variability in the size of the seed available from the vendors. That, and there haven't been any new plates designed in probably 60 years for these units.  I dont' plant enough to get any preference in size.  The most sweet corn I have grown is 12 100'+ rows.  The was of three varieties.  This year was 10  85' rows.  I am not a business, just an old Iowa farm boy who loves to play in the dirt.  I have been looking at how the 2 row units being sold are put together.  I have not welder and metal working equipment.  That, and I need to build my shop this fall keeps me just looking right now.

Thanks for all the pictures and info.  Those look like what I need to move to when I make the plunge.

You need a set up like Sledgehammer has.   7000 series finger pick up row units would bolt right on that very easily.

[barkerwc4362]

Sledgehammer,  So, on that one they used two gauge/drive wheels.  That would make it possible to go to 24" row spacing.  Also it looks like you are using a 2 1/4 diamond tool bar.  That is what I am using now.  

[stronger800]

Small scale here…our 7000 has only seen 100-150 acres a year…..and the parts/repairs it has needed…essentially nothing.  We replaced the belts and the finger mechanisms once just because dad felt like we should. 
plants sweetcorn about perfectly, imo 

[stronger800]

Is the need for 24” just to keep them out of the tire tracks or do you need to spray or cultivate with that tractor?  If it’s just for fear of driving in the tracks….i think you could plant through them (light tractor, good planter)

[acem]

I use a CIH 900 plate planter. They work very well with plates. However the JD is a very good planter as well.

The IH/CIH plate planters were available with press wheel drive so you don't need a tire and transmission.

I don't like planting in tire tracks. 

[acem]

1 hour ago, lorenzo said:

I have a 6 row John Deer model 7000 and a 6 row Kinze. They are basically identical.   The story has always been that an Engineer from John Deer went to kinze and made the same thing. The finger pick up , bean and corn meters , drive chains, sprocket's, sead hoppers , herbicide hoppers, opening disk’s, hight adjusters, closing wheels , as well as just about everything else will all interchange with each other and are readily available.

Most dealers have meter test stations in house to service them.  
Depending on how many acres you’re planting most guys run them through the local dealer annually. 

I have 6 complete row units off a 7000 in storage here if you’re looking. 

The truth about JD and Kinze is actually more interesting. 

https://www.kinze.com/john-deere-v-kinze-part-one-the-meeting-of-two-fools/

[barkerwc4362]

I need to spray and cultivate with this tractor is the reason I need the 24" row spacing.  After looking at Sledgehammer's set up, it looks like getting a 4 row 7000/7100 and cutting it down to two rows would give me the two drive wheels on the outside that would allow moving the planter units closer together.  Drive wheels could then follow the tractor tracks.