# Which windrower to buy?



## Aussie farmer (Jan 26, 2015)

So I'm looking at upgrading from my old hw340 windrower to a new one. I'm keeping my options open to which brand I'll go too at this stage but be either new holland 240 or John Deere R450 or Massey 9860 all with disc fronts. So like to hear everyone's thoughts and which has best condition rollers in them. Queensland Australia so do a lot of thick stalk forage etc. any help from the guys over seas would be nice as you guys are always ahead of us in the way of new hay gear. Thanks brad


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Aussie farmer said:


> 'm keeping my options open to which brand I'll go too at this stage but be either new holland 240 or John Deere R450 or Massey 9860 all with disc fronts. So like to hear everyone's thoughts and which has best condition rollers in them.


A lot of good things said about the Massey/Hesston 9860.....JD's R450 model is not as well received as some of their previous models....not familiar with NH windrowers.

Regards, Mike


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

Sold my 450 a couple months back, very disappointed in that machine. I believe Heston is the way to go.


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

Massey Ferguson/ Hesston is the only way to go really. Double steel conditioners will help you out alot


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

What disappoints did you have with the R450?


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## dirtball08 (Jun 26, 2011)

I have the 9770 with the 16' dual conditioner and would not trade it for anything. Reliable, comfortable to operate and maintain.


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

Nate926 said:


> What disappoints did you have with the R450?


Nearly everything about it. I had a 4995 and the 450 was supposed to be an upgrade but It was like taking 10 steps back. Even though it had a 995 header which should have been the same it struggled to cut anything put in front of it. Ac sucked and cooling sytem sucked even with a reversible fan. Engine was supposed to be bigger but never seemed to run right even with new injectors and pump. The few days it ran right it was an amazing machine but those days were far and few between. I lost count after the 18th time the service truck made it out.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

Lewis Ranch said:


> Nearly everything about it. I had a 4995 and the 450 was supposed to be an upgrade but It was like taking 10 steps back. Even though it had a 995 header which should have been the same it struggled to cut anything put in front of it. Ac sucked and cooling sytem sucked even with a reversible fan. Engine was supposed to be bigger but never seemed to run right even with new injectors and pump. The few days it ran right it was an amazing machine but those days were far and few between. I lost count after the 18th time the service truck made it out.


Did you decide what to replace it with yet?


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

carcajou said:


> Did you decide what to replace it with yet?


9770 Heston if I don't loose my big contracts this year. I'll know for sure in another week or two. Gonna be a boom or bust year I'll have two running or won't be running much at all.


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

Dang I hate to hear that!! I know your pain, but not to the $$ that you do! If NH can't figure out how to get my H7230 cutting right they'll be a krone 3210cri sitting in the barn this fall.


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

Nate926 said:


> Dang I hate to hear that!! I know your pain, but not to the $$ that you do! If NH can't figure out how to get my H7230 cutting right they'll be a krone 3210cri sitting in the barn this fall.


I sure like the looks of them krone machines, never hear anything bad either.


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

Lewis Ranch said:


> I sure like the looks of them krone machines, never hear anything bad either.


You remain speechless ! That's because after you hear the price, can't say a word!


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

Trillium Farm said:


> You remain speechless ! That's because after you hear the price, can't say a word!


I have priced them with Deere, and NH and there compare able with like options.


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

Nate926 said:


> I have priced them with Deere, and NH and there compare able with like options.


Glad to see this. Normally their products are a lot more expensive than all the others manufacturers.


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## Aussie farmer (Jan 26, 2015)

Thanks for all the replies! Keep em coming wanna hear everyones thoughts. Anyone got info with the twin max conditioners with how good of a job they do? How about agco draper fronts also?

Thanks again as there are not many windrowers around to see and compare with so all answers help.


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## Jay in WA (Mar 21, 2015)

This area is pretty evenly split between NH and Hesston for alfalfa and timothy. The reason is simple. The hay drys the fastest when cut with a NH or Hesston. MacDon or JD hay will take longer to dry. MacDon owns the seed and specialty crop market. JD is not even a player.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Lewis Ranch said:


> Nearly everything about it. I had a 4995 and the 450 was supposed to be an upgrade but It was like taking 10 steps back. Even though it had a 995 header which should have been the same it struggled to cut anything put in front of it. Ac sucked and cooling sytem sucked even with a reversible fan. Engine was supposed to be bigger but never seemed to run right even with new injectors and pump. The few days it ran right it was an amazing machine but those days were far and few between. I lost count after the 18th time the service truck made it out.


My neighbor bought 3 of the 450s this last winter. He's gonna be one angry fellow if he has the same experience as you. The MF sales guy said he couldn't match the JD price so the neighbor went again with JD. He had 3 995s. He also says the JD is 2000 lbs heavier then the MF. I haven't looked up stats to see if this is true. I have no real interest (meaning I'm not buying a new one for years)


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Aussie farmer said:


> Thanks for all the replies! Keep em coming wanna hear everyones thoughts. Anyone got info with the twin max conditioners with how good of a job they do? How about agco draper fronts also?
> 
> Thanks again as there are not many windrowers around to see and compare with so all answers help.


I don't have a new Hesston but a 9635 with double conditioner. It does very good job. Much better then the older one we had with the single conditioner. Especially in alfalfa.


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

What do you guys think about the John Deere W235 or W260??


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## haystax (Jul 24, 2010)

We have a MF 9770 and 9870. Both with double conditioners. They do a good job in most conditions. A conditioner drive update is supposed to help in heavy crops. I've never been able to cut as fast as some people with other brands claim to. Maybe the update will help. Short crops plug the ends of the header. The slingers on second disc hat help a lot.

If you want auto steer and don't already have a TopCon RTK tower don't but this machine! Seriously I can't say enough bad about TopCon. Our dealer is supposed to install a tower this year so we will see how that goes. I run Omni Star corrections and it's expensive and convergence times are horrible. We run Trimble on RTX on tractors and they are perfect. TopCon is a PITA.

I might look at the CASE NH machines if the RTK doesn't solve our guidance issues.

I'm hiring BTW come over here for the summer and you can get plenty of hours on my machines before you buy!


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## Aussie farmer (Jan 26, 2015)

Thanks haystax! That gave me some really good answers. I would want to make sure it can handle big crops as i cut forage sorghum high as the roof for hay and for silage and even oats chest high if it ever rains enough here. Also i bought 2 balers few months ago so looking for a machine that has the best dry down in hay. so still half keeping my mind open to John deere with them tri lobe rollers as i have heard they are really great. Still not sure about new holland?

Yeah haystax my off season is end of may june and july. So I'll be keen to come over for couple months. Send me a message on here if ya can? Thanks brad


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

Sounds like good advice in all the posts. I run the Massey Razor bar header with the double conditioner. In my opinion it gives the best drydown for 2 reasons, the crop is fully conditioned and the windrow formation is second to none.

I don't care if we are able to run at the ground speed some companies like to brag about, I care about the quality of cut and the end product. We run Trimble EZ pilot and FMX on centerpoint for guidance in the swather and have been very pleased with the results. If I was not cutting pivots I would run rangepoint.


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## Jay in WA (Mar 21, 2015)

Hesston and NH hands down have the fastest dry down here. The other 2 are not even close.

I run a 8080 NH with Trimble FMX and EzSteer on RTK. EzPilot would be nicer but with the current hay market the EzSteer will work just fine. I like the simple header design and excellent swath formation of the NH. The Hesston head appears to be heavier built though. Both are good machines.


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## cdhayman (Jan 25, 2011)

[quote name="haystax" post="346601" timestamp="1458594930"]We have a MF 9770 and 9870. Both with double conditioners. They do a good job in most conditions. A conditioner drive update is supposed to help in heavy crops. I've never been able to cut as fast as some people with other brands claim to. Maybe the update will help. Short crops plug the ends of the header. The slingers on second disc hat help a lot.

I am curious about this update you speak of. Any specifics on it? Has it been done on your machines?
My biggest battle is cutting heavy lodged grass. It will cut the way it is lodged just fine, but cutting against the lodged grass can be challenging


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## JBair36 (Mar 30, 2016)

AGCO swathers now have common electric architecture, so that means at some point anyone will be able to put any GPS system in it. The 2016 models have a factory Trimble option. The newer GPS is the swathers have little topcon compared to the older 150 systems.


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## haystax (Jul 24, 2010)

@cehayman

I don't have the conditioner drive update on my machines. Hoping AGCO and dealer Coke through with those before we start this season. They say it's mostly standard on new machines with double conditioners.

@JBAir36 - is the Trimble option going to be available as an update to '14 and '15 machines? Or is it typical AGCO that updates (see above) aren't offered to customers who already own slightly older machines?


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## JBair36 (Mar 30, 2016)

@haystax 
The auxiliary hydraulic motor is a 6-800$ kit that is and has been available as an option for a few years now. I can provide kit numbers if needed.

As per the Trimble and topcon, the new models have a different electrical system design that allows and makes it possible for the Trimble to connect and talk to the machine. As for if it will be able to retro fit back, my guess for now and I will look into it is that it MAY be possible on the 9800 series, but unlikely the 9700 and earlier. Give me a few days and I will have a concrete answer on it. I'll grab the kit number while I'm at it.


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## haystax (Jul 24, 2010)

Thanks for the info. We plan to install the conditioner upgrade kits abs hope the dealer gets an RTK tower up this season.

Glas that Trimble is an option going forward.


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