# John Deere grain drill



## born2ride

I am new to drills . I am looking at a JD 8000 series grain drill. Is it a good model ? It appraised for 900-1200 I was told is this correct? I am looking to seed about 6 acres. Is this a no till model, if not can I use it as one? How big of a tractor to run?


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## 8350HiTech

Perfectly good model. 
Not no-till. 
Could pull it with a lawn mower.


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## vhaby

I don't doubt that you might move a JD 8000 model drill with a lawn mower "tractor", but one couldn't plant or pick up the disks with it. Agreed, the 8000 series is a good drill, but you must be careful. Ask questions:

1. Is it a double-disk opener drill, or single? Prefer a double disk opener. If double disk it can be used to seed into grass sod with reasonable success.

2. Does it have depth bands that can be variably set to control seeding depth?

3. If you cannot see it in person, ask for digital images of all around and inside the boxes to see rust.

4. Ask about wear on the disk openers. You won't want to have to replace disk openers...

5. Does it have a small seed box? Needed for seeding bermudagrass, some clovers, alfalfa...

6. Does it have a fertilizer box- prefer to *not* have one as it will be rusted out, and the drill will have limited seed capacity.

7. $900 - $1200 appears cheap for a used drill in good to excellent condition.

I searched a long time to locate a 10 ft JD 8200 and found one with a bit of rust only on the tongue (painted over it), no rust in the seed boxes, had a small seed box, has dbl. disk openers with depth gauge wheels, excellent tires, etc. in Pennsylvania, purchased it sight unseen after viewing images sent to me by the seller (dealer), had it shipped to me, and it is an excellent machine. Like new, but with a much lower price, except for freight cost, but the hauler carried other freight that may have lowered the shipping cost.


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## cornshucker

We have one, a good drill 900-1200 seems awful cheap would not consider that for ours, if it is reasonably good shape go for it. They are very easy to pull we pull ours with 40 h.p. most of the time.


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## Vol

I am presently looking at a 10 foot 8300 that has new double disk openers(150 acres on), extra good appearance with origninal paint, grass seed attachment, and packer wheels and no rust and 2nd owner who bought a larger drill......they are ASKING $3900.

Regards, Mike


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## Tx Jim

I agree $900-$1200 sounds too cheap for a 8000 series drill. IIRC from way back when I sold JD grain drills the 8000 series could come in various widths from 8'-13'(14-23 seed openings)


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## cornshucker

Vol said:


> I am presently looking at a 10 foot 8300 that has new double disk openers(150 acres on), extra good appearance with origninal paint, grass seed attachment, and packer wheels and no rust and 2nd owner who bought a larger drill......they are ASKING $3900.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Mike I checked JD at Goldsboro, NC yesterday as my travels too me that way did not have a 450 with grass seeder box or any 450 for that matter guy got my number said he would call if one came in.


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## Vol

Thanks Tim....I would rather have a 450....but they seem rather hard to find right now....seen several up in Wisconsin, but obscenely priced. I even priced a new 10 foot through JD just to have something to compare and they are 15K now.....unbelievable for a old tech box drill.

Regards, Mike


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## born2ride

Thanks guys. Thats some good info . how can i tell if the if disc openers are worn?

side note sell says:

A drill is a type of seeder. It cuts a small line in the ground, drops the seed, and covers it up. We used this drill to plant barley, wheat, rye, and all types of grass seeds. You can adjust the rate of planting by sliding a handle. This drill is in good condition. It will plant in tilled or non-tilled ground. We even over-seeded our pastures with grass seeds with it. It works as it is right now - so no repairs needed.


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## panhandle9400

We have some 8300 series jd drills they are hooked up with tandem drill hitches, ours are 16x10'' , lawn mower will not handle them AT ALL, they are NOT NO-TILL. They are single disk openers . They dont get used very much since we went with a no-till air drill and a 40' great plains HD .


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## Vol

No, the 8300 are NOT no till drills, but what they will do with DOUBLE disc openers is no-till grass seed into moist(soft) sod quite well. They work good at thickening up thin hayfields or adding another variety of grass/legume to a hayfield.....but of course, the ground cannot be hard....you may have to wait upon a good rain.

Regards, Mike

Edit : I must add that the sod grass that is being drilled needs to be recently mowed or very short for the "no-tilling" to work well.


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## 8350HiTech

Geez, the lawn mower was an obvious exaggeration. Or so I thought.

I'm not sure why the seller is saying it will work no-till (unless to say it will deposit seeds on top of the ground  ), but as has been mentioned, it certainly isn't designed for no-till use.

Does anyone know at what diameter the discs should be replaced? I'm assuming for a 13.5" disc that recommended replacement is at 12.5". This drill is so close to me that I'm going to go take a look at it.


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## Vol

Born2ride, the photo appears to be a 8 foot drill, might check to see if it has the double disc openers....press wheels are also nice when drilling grass seed.

Regards, Mike


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## panhandle9400

I might be wrong but seems like a new disk is 13.25''


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## IH 1586

Vol said:


> Thanks Tim....I would rather have a 450....but they seem rather hard to find right now....seen several up in Wisconsin, but obscenely priced. I even priced a new 10 foot through JD just to have something to compare and they are 15K now.....unbelievable for a old tech box drill.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Neighbor has a 8000 series works good. I found a 450 at auction couldn't pass on it at $2500. It's not without issues but put in $3000 I would still make out if I sold it.


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## 8350HiTech

panhandle9400 said:


> I might be wrong but seems like a new disk is 13.25''


Shoup lists them at 13.5. Aside from that discrepancy, would you agree that an inch is the most wear permissible?


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## IH 1586

I might be trying some "no-till " operations this next season with it. Going to refurbish all the openers this spring.


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## 8350HiTech

Ok. Gave it a good look. Here are the details.

•8'
•Single disc openers in near-new condition
•No press wheels (does have packer hitch)
•Small seed, grain, and fertilizer boxes - fert probably functional but I'd personally knock the wall out and add that space to the other box
•Seed boots show only minor wear
•seed adjustments move freely
•Tires good

Negatives
•Needs plank on rear replaced
•Most of the brackets for the fertilizer tubes are broken 
•Seller can't decide if he wants to include the hydraulic cylinder

Overall, I think there is no way to beat the price. (I didn't attempt to negotiate for born2ride, but I'm all but certain it can be had for $800 or even less.) The equipment on this farm is shed kept and only being sold because the farmer died in a farm accident this summer. The son and widow are knowledgable and aren't going to be taken advantage of but he's also being very fair and practical about selling things. Too fair probably.

I'm saying b2r should buy it for his small amount of use, though if anyone wants to point out how he shouldn't because of anything I listed, have at it!


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## NDVA HAYMAN

I personally like press wheels on my drills. I know that Wengers in Pa. We're showing a few JD 450 there. You can go online to see what they are asking for them.


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## endrow

I am currently not using a drill like this but I have used them in the past.My recommendation would be to keep searching until you find one without fertilizer on it. If it did have fertilizer make sure the disks spin freely I have seen them with the bearings were seized from the fertilizer.


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## 8350HiTech

endrow said:


> I am currently not using a drill like this but I have used them in the past.My recommendation would be to keep searching until you find one without fertilizer on it. If it did have fertilizer make sure the disks spin freely I have seen them with the bearings were seized from the fertilizer.


I just assumed it didn't work and that wouldn't be a problem. My question for everyone (on b2r's behalf, as I'm completely used to a no till drill) is whether he would be disappointed in the single disc vs double discs.


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## born2ride

Keep in mind I am playing with 6-8 acres and not looking to drop a large sum of money on a piece of equipment i might use a few times. Its nice to be self-sufficient thou and not rely on others.


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## deadmoose

born2ride said:


> Keep in mind I am playing with 6-8 acres and not looking to drop a large sum of money on a piece of equipment i might use a few times. Its nice to be self-sufficient thou and not rely on others.


Go to a consignment auction. A couple hundred.bucks will get u atarted.


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## IH 1586

8350HiTech said:


> I just assumed it didn't work and that wouldn't be a problem. My question for everyone (on b2r's behalf, as I'm completely used to a no till drill) is whether he would be disappointed in the single disc vs double discs.


My cousin has a 450 like mine and he has single disc on it. He wasn't happy with it said trash kept building up in front of disc. It could very well be his tillage methods also. The old IH had single disc and had no issues. I personally like the double disc now that I have it.

Mine used to have fertilizer. It was rusted out when I bought it and they had moved the panels making it a plain grain. I wouldn't use fertilizer in one if I had the option. I don't know if that can be done on a 8000 series.


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## Tx Jim

IIRC the divider can be removed between the grain & fertilizer compartments. For that low of a price just for food plot use I'll state "GO FOR IT". Single disks were used to plant crops for many years and over many acres long before DD were thought of.


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## born2ride

So i picked up the drill today ,unloaded. put tongue back on. Pulled it around noticed tire on left side rubbing bolt.. Called it a night now inside reading the manual. It states "single-disk furrow openers are generally preferred when drilling in hard or trashy soil conditions, Double-disc are used when planting in well-prepared seedbeds" Any thoughts?


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## Tx Jim

IMHO the only reason some people think DD will handle trash better is because the DD rides over trash while SD cuts through it. Which cuts better a single edge or 2 blades(twice as thick) wedged together?


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## born2ride

When I was reading about the disks that was the biggest argument single versus double which is better. It was a pretty close split some people loved there single disc some people love their doubles. I am kind of curious to see how this would cut through my fields.


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