# Massey WR 9770



## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

As many of you know I upgraded to the R450 this year and have had nothing but trouble out of it (service truck was out 20+ times this summer). I've heard nothing but good about the Massey windrowers but have only watched them run from a distance. I took a road trip today to Livingston in Chickasha and looked long and hard at the machines and talked with the sales and service guys for several hours. Long story short they seem like a far superior machine to the Deere in everything but the cab although the air conditioned seat is nice. There is very little to read on the forums about these machines and I have a few questions before I pull the trigger.

Any problems that standout with them?
Specific points I should be looking at on the Massey? 
How is the top con Gps? Sales guy says they are great but a few post online say otherwise. 
What kind of life do y'all see on the razorbar head before it needs major work? 
And last how good is the hydraulic reversing fan and v shaped radiator? They say it's the best thing ever and I won't see anymore cooling problems.

I'm pretty much sold on this machine, they say there is virtually no benefit going with the newer 9870 over the 9770 machine and I've been looking at the W235 and 500R head but I haven't been able to find anybody that has run the new head to tell me if it's much improved over the 995.

Sorry for being long winded but I want the most info possible before I pull the trigger. Thanks in advance for any input you might have.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

The V cool is fantastic on the combines. No reason it wouldn't be on the windrower. Razorbar is highly heralded out west for its durability and low cutting ability.

I am an as some may call over zealous Agco fan. We have very little that isn't Agco, so when I tell you TopCon sucks the big one, believe me. Being a mechanic for 15 years, and working with many different systems, TopCon was the worst. It is actually one of the main reasons I quit a couple weeks ago. The thought of another spring dealing with it was too much for me.


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

stack em up said:


> The V cool is fantastic on the combines. No reason it wouldn't be on the windrower. Razorbar is highly heralded out west for its durability and low cutting ability.
> I am an as some may call over zealous Agco fan. We have very little that isn't Agco, so when I tell you TopCon sucks the big one, believe me. Being a mechanic for 15 years, and working with many different systems, TopCon was the worst. It is actually one of the main reasons I quit a couple weeks ago. The thought of another spring dealing with it was too much for me.


What is the problem with the top con system? Dealer says when they first fully integrated the system it had a little trouble but everything has since been fixed. I was told that for running ab lines or adaptive curve waas would be fine but running under the pivots I'd want a $2700 receiver and $800yr activation.


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## Jay in WA (Mar 21, 2015)

This is big time export hay country so quality and fast drying are what sell windrowers here. The MF and NH rotary's own the market here. Macdon owns the specialty seed market but you wont find one in a hay field. JD is not even in the market. The reason is how long it takes to dry the hay. So buy the 9770 your going to love it. I have never run the Top Con GPS because I run a NH 8080 with Trimble autosteer. But I have never heard anyone that was very happy with Top Con.


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## hf449269 (Jun 4, 2014)

We have a 9760 and love everything about our machine but the Top Con. It is a joke won't hold a line have to run a 24 inch over lap to prevent skips at times. We demoed a new R450 before we got our Massey and the Massey will run off and leave the R450 in everything but the cab and the autosteer. Really wanted the R450 but it just wouldn't compare with the Massey and the $15000 difference


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## Hank- in or (Feb 12, 2009)

The 9770 will use less DEF than the 9870. Single or double conditioner razorbar? I run a double and would not be without it, excellent conditioning and dry down. They are a very straight forward low maintenance header that last well. The only improvemment the header needs is a oval hole under the augers on both ends of the helper roll.

Topcon would not be on my list of guidance systems to buy.


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

All the machines at Livingston have the topcon Gps with them so it's gonna be on the machine regardless if it works. I called again today and talked to them and according to Livingston they have two guys full time that do nothing but set up Gps systems on the machines and they swear that they can make them run great and everyone saying they are having trouble just doesn't have a good dealer to get the machines set up right. Something definitely seems off

Thanks for your input so far, keep it coming I'll be back up there tomorrow to look these machines over once more.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Lewis Ranch said:


> All the machines at Livingston have the topcon Gps with them so it's gonna be on the machine regardless if it works. I called again today and talked to them and according to Livingston they have two guys full time that do nothing but set up Gps systems on the machines and they swear that they can make them run great and everyone saying they are having trouble just doesn't have a good dealer to get the machines set up right. Something definitely seems off
> 
> Thanks for your input so far, keep it coming I'll be back up there tomorrow to look these machines over once more.


They might be able to make them work, then again, the folks that have them may have just quit calling for service, are learning to live with a bad deal, and are suffering in silence. Why don't you get some references from them and call the guys that are happily running them?


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

How much hay are you cutting? Do you even need the GPS? Though if it comes with it and you are paying for it then it better work. They must sell a lot of equipment for them to hire 2 full time guys that just work on the Topcon systems. Or......the things are so lousy. In my mind you shouldn't need any employees to "work" on them. Maybe a guy to show people how to use them. But they shouldn't need worked on.


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

Teslan said:


> How much hay are you cutting? Do you even need the GPS? Though if it comes with it and you are paying for it then it better work. They must sell a lot of equipment for them to hire 2 full time guys that just work on the Topcon systems. Or......the things are so lousy. In my mind you shouldn't need any employees to "work" on them. Maybe a guy to show people how to use them. But they shouldn't need worked on.


I have run a couple of years without it but would definitely like to try it as I hear it helps with production and fatigue. I will try to cut 5000+ acres next year if everything works out. Supposedly they have sold 50+ new machines a year for several years and they are the largest Heston dealer in the country so I could see having a couple folks to set up new systems.

Was finally able to talk to someone with a w235 and 500r yesterday and it took them all season to get the Gps set up right but says the machine cut good as his chalanger.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Lewis Ranch said:


> I have run a couple of years without it but would definitely like to try it as I hear it helps with production and fatigue. I will try to cut 5000+ acres next year if everything works out. Supposedly they have sold 50+ new machines a year for several years and they are the largest Heston dealer in the country so I could see having a couple folks to set up new systems.
> 
> Was finally able to talk to someone with a w235 and 500r yesterday and it took them all season to get the Gps set up right but says the machine cut good as his chalanger.


Well with 5000 acres I would say you should have a GPS. I couldn't remember how many acres you did. My neighbor just traded his 2 Deere rotary swathers (I don't know the model, but they were just 2 years old) for 2 500r swathers. He thinks the Deeres do very well on Alfalfa. He also has GPS as his employees do most of the cutting. My MF salesman tried to get him to buy MF swathers, but couldn't beat the Deere price. The neighbor runs MF big balers so it's not that he is Deere and nothing else. Deere is being very aggressive to sell the swathers here. My MF sales guy says the 500r Deeres weigh 2000 lbs more then the MF swathers. (I haven't checked if this is indeed true as I don't care enough). I haven't known anyone here that runs Topcon and I don't with my MF 9635 as I don't farm enough to merit the expense.


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## RCF (Sep 14, 2009)

Livingston is a good dealership and they are the number one AGCO hay dealer in North America. We use them now on Fendt tractors. With that said they are blowing a little smoke on the Top Con system and for a while AGCO was just giving them away to put on the swathers and thats why they all have them. The V cool system does a good job and it keeps the machine cool. As far as head life goes these machines are designed for Alfalfa so if using them to cut Bermuda grass you might not see the life expectancy as others. Overall if you are just cutting and not trying to put two windrows together these are good machines.


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## cdhayman (Jan 25, 2011)

so, I feel safe to say that I have about as much experience on these machines as anyone. We have a 9770 and a 9870. As far as the headers go, they are tough. We cut a lot of alfalfa but we also cut a lot of orchard grass, and quite a bit of 3-way forage. The hardest thing I ever cut is laid over 2nd or 3rd cut grass. You need slingers for that sort of crop to help it feed properly. The only major thing we've ever done to the header is replace the auger flighting. It can get worn down over time if you don't keep dirt cleaned out. Very simple thing to fix. Occasionally we've had to replace belts. We have the swath board actuator on our machines to control windrow width from the cab. To us, that is an extremely important feature. As far as the tractor unit, no real problems. Make sure all pip's are up to date especially the repositioning of the key location so you don't whack it with your knee and shut the tractor off. I don't have any real beef with topcon. It works just fine on waas for straight runs. If you do much pivot cutting I would upgrade it. Livingston machinery is really awesome to deal with. They will treat you well. They are right when they say their guys know how to setup and run topcon. If you have any problems they can usually walk you through it over the phone. Let me know if you have other questions.


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## cdhayman (Jan 25, 2011)

Also, I ran a Deere 260 with the new 500 header on first cutting grass for a while this year. I will say, it ate it up. It was working the masseys, but the Deere did well. That being said, of course it did well, it has 40 more horsepower! I know that the Massey, and especially the dual conditioner will dry significantly faster than the Deere. That is one of the big selling points for us is the dry down time. Also, I really did not like how the new Deere handled. It felt bulky and awkward. Maybe I'm just used to the Massey. I am by the way a Deere man. All of our tractors are Deere. But for now, none of our swathers will be.


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## Hank- in or (Feb 12, 2009)

This solves the issue of the auger flighting on the helper roll wearing out.


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

Hank- in or said:


> This solves the issue of the auger flighting on the helper roll wearing out.


They pointed out the wear points to look at down there and said it's a structural part of the head and not a good idea to cut a hole out under it.


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## Hank- in or (Feb 12, 2009)

If you buy one and are in some dirt you will most likely think the hole isn't such a bad idea. The factory should cut the hole and plate it underneath. I bet at some point it will be there from the factory. I cut the holes when I had to remove the helper roll and replace the flighting. Bear in mind we pressure wash the header each and every night and under the auger just builds up and wears.

The guys who don't have gophers and squirrels don't know how fortunate they are.


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

Plenty of gophers and fire ants here, I'll be sure and keep a close eye on it! Thanks


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

Kind of late on the post, and most likely not relevant. Deere and Mac Don have had a relationship in the past, some of the parts made by one for the other. Here in grass seed country they are now Mac Deere. I believe it's a Mac Don in John Deere green.


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## JBair36 (Mar 30, 2016)

Hank- in or said:


> The 9770 will use less DEF than the 9870. Single or double conditioner razorbar? I run a double and would not be without it, excellent conditioning and dry down. They are a very straight forward low maintenance header that last well. The only improvemment the header needs is a oval hole under the augers on both ends of the helper roll.
> 
> Topcon would not be on my list of guidance systems to buy.


Most dealerships should be cutting the metal out below the fighting on the anti-turbulence roller. That could be a factory change soon. Only suggestion is put the auxiliary motor on the double conditioners, it will wake up the machine in heavy crop.

As per topcon, the new integrated system is built by topcon, but the software and idea are engineered by AGCO. Most places waas or free service will do pivots at 17mph no problem. I suggest starting in a smaller pivot track that takes less than 15 to go around while setting the ab line. Shouldn't see too many issues doing that.


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## mtrancher1 (Feb 28, 2010)

Deere is awful aggressive in this area as well but when the dust settles they are the worst swathers on the market. MF and CNH will leave them sitting with their heads on fire and their asses are catching. Baffles me why they sell so many around here. The green paint seems to put people in some trance. lol


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

I think it all comes down to the green paint, customer service, and nice plush cabs. If your gonna spend that much time in a cab to be able to afford a SP machine your naturally gonna wanna buy the one with the nicest cab. My new Deeres AC is outstanding and I'm really looking forward to it this summer!


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## Jay in WA (Mar 21, 2015)

The cab on my NH is awfully nice too. Having said that the cutting and drying job is much more important to me.


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