# JD vs MF/Hesston disc mower conditioners



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I'm sure everyone is getting tired of me asking questions about mower conditioners but here we go anyway. The offer I made on the NH 499 was turned down and I have decided not to buy it for what they want. I think I have tentatively decided to buy a disc mower conditioner instead of a sickle.

I have narrowed my choices down to a MF/Hesston 1383 or a JD 946. I wanted to see what everyone's thoughts are on these two machines and which might be the better machine. Dealer support isn't a concern either way.....durability of the machine and most importantly quality of the cut will be my deciding factor. Either way I go I'm going to add Circle C rolls.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

I for one - enjoy the post and questions/answers. More info - better the decision.

Here is my 2 cents - YMMV.....

For the $$$$'s your going to spend, I'd ask for a demo - side by side when your hay comes-in and buy the one you like best.

Based on what I've read, I think both mower conditioners are very good.

The 946 is plentiful. There are a ton of videos on youtube showing them in action. I don't know nothing about nothing, but they look like they are doing a good job cutting grass/legumes. The manual for the 946 is also online for a free read too.

Both machines IMHO have a low(er) profile cutterbar. I have read no real negatives regarding the MF/Hesston Razorbar design and from the posts you've made, you make a compelling case for giving one a try. The Razorbar sounds like it gives a very clean cut - even in light crops.

My concern with the MF vs the JD is two fold. One is shear protection (and maybe that's not an issue), the other is the number of units out in the field and the tribal knowledge that comes with that beyond the dealer. Deere's cutter bar has shear protection, modular cutter bar and a ton of these 946 models are fielded.

Deere offers the trip-lobe steel rollers - which I've read lots of good reviews about. If you bought the 946 and tri-lobe rollers, you might be satisfied with that set-up. If they are not satisfactory, then you could always move to the aftermarket conditioner rollers, but going in - you'd be using a reportedly highly rated set of rollers.

In the end, I don't know that (IMHO) one would necessarily have an advantage over the other - but again, for the $$$'s your spending, a field demo on your ready to cut hay would be a reasonable request.

Good luck,

Bill


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

The Deere cutterbars are almost twice the $$ as the older Agco bars. I don't know how the Razor bars compare. This is likely irrelevant if you're buying new. It's hard to beat a Deere for cut quality. I do like the JD shear protection system as well. I'm curious what the TriLobe rollers would add to the cost as I hear they're frickin expensive.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I am planning on buying new but to do so I have to trade in a piece of equipment I have. A demo wouldn't probably work out since there are no mowers of that size stocked on dealers lots around here and I'm not going to be buying local anyway due to the item I have to trade. Right now I'm about 10 days away from cutting hay with no mower.

I was pretty well set on the MF/Hesston until today when I noticed that the JD 946 is available with a drawbar swivel hitch.....for some reason I had been under the impression it was only 2 point which doesn't work for me. After looking into the Deere more I liked what I saw from the online brochure but was unsure of what advantages or drawbacks it might have compared to the MF/Hesston 1383.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

discbinedr said:


> The Deere cutterbars are almost twice the $$ as the older Agco bars. I don't know how the Razor bars compare. This is likely irrelevant if you're buying new. It's hard to beat a Deere for cut quality. I do like the JD shear protection system as well. I'm curious what the TriLobe rollers would add to the cost as I hear they're frickin expensive.


 Just curious, how did the older Hesston cutter bar compare in cut quality to the Deere? I'm not sure what the difference in their older bar and the newer razor bar actually is?

Read somewhere today that the tri lobe rollers are a 10k option.....not sure if that is right.....seem way too expensive. I have read that the tri lobes don't feed well in thicker stemmed crops......I grow a lot of oat hay and occasionally some sudan so I'm not sure if they would be a good fit for me anyway.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Deere disc mowers cut is terrific and I also have the drawbar swivel hitch on my moco and I really like it...took a hour or two to get the hang of it down but it is a pleasure to mow with compared to what I was using. The turtle profile is also nice and low and a good size.

You will not be leaving anything "uncut" or ragged in the field like several other folks are complaining about with their new disc mowers.

Regards, Mike


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

Both excellent cutters. My choice would be whoever gives you a better deal cause I don't think you could go wrong with either.


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

I was talking to the local Deere dealer manager, and telling him about my troubles with my NH. I ask him if should I go with a Deere or Krone next he said krone. I ask why and he said he sold a new Deere last year that was a roller and it was having streaking problems and Deere hadn't been able to tell them how to fix it to his satisfaction. I would rather have a Deere, but he's been my friend for years and I'm gonna take his word for it. Now the 946 maybe different since that is the head that goes on the SP discbine, and he was talking about a smaller mower.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Colby said:


> Both excellent cutters. My choice would be whoever gives you a better deal cause I don't think you could go wrong with either.


 Dang it, y'all sure are making it easy for me to make a decision! Probably will get more for the item I'm trading at the Hesston dealer but I don't really want that to be the deciding factor.


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## thendrix (May 14, 2015)

FarmerCline said:


> Dang it, y'all sure are making it easy for me to make a decision! Probably will get more for the item I'm trading at the Hesston dealer but I don't really want that to be the deciding factor.


If there's nothing that points one over the other as a clear winner then why not let that be the deciding factor?


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Nate926 said:


> I was talking to the local Deere dealer manager, and telling him about my troubles with my NH. I ask him if should I go with a Deere or Krone next he said krone. I ask why and he said he sold a new Deere last year that was a roller and it was having streaking problems and Deere hadn't been able to tell them how to fix it to his satisfaction. I would rather have a Deere, but he's been my friend for years and I'm gonna take his word for it. Now the 946 maybe different since that is the head that goes on the SP discbine, and he was talking about a smaller mower.


 Do you have any idea what type of crop he was cutting and having the streaking problem? I think the 946 has the same cutter bar as the smaller 630 and 830 mocos?

I think Krone makes a nice looking mower but they don't offer rollers in the 13 foot machine like I'm interested in and all of their mower conditioners are only 2 point hitch which doesn't work for me.


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

FarmerCline said:


> Do you have any idea what type of crop he was cutting and having the streaking problem? I think the 946 has the same cutter bar as the smaller 630 and 830 mocos?
> 
> I think Krone makes a nice looking mower but they don't offer rollers in the 13 foot machine like I'm interested in and all of their mower conditioners are only 2 point hitch which doesn't work for me.


Honestly I don't know what crop type he was talking about, but if you would like your welcome to give him a call he is the sales manager at Meade tractor in Johnson City TN his name is Rick Shelton 423-282-4343. Tell him Nathan Kimery told you to call him, and trying to decide about a new discbine.


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## Riverside Cattle (Jun 4, 2008)

I have three years on a MF 1366 the little brother to the 1383 you are considering

On the issue of shear protection on the MF razor bar headers: They do not have a weak spot built in as a shear protection but when you hit a steel well casing it shears right off and and you just replace the broken piece. It was close to $900 in parts if I recall correctly. My dealer had it in stock but said I was the only one he had ever sold one to.

I have the drawbar swivel hitch on mine and and I can rub the tongue with the tires if I am not careful, that's how tight of a corner you can cut.

It cuts clean in everything other than super light crops. In those circumstances I have to really slow the PTO down in order to keep the wind speed generated by the conditioner rolls down.

I don't think you will need to "upgrade" to circle C conditioner rolls. I have the Steel on Steel conditioner rolls and it crimps my alfalfa wonderfully and retains leaves just fine.

ask away if you have any other questions


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Why does the 2 point hitch not work for you?


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Grateful11 said:


> Why does the 2 point hitch not work for you?


 Kind of hard to pull a 2 point hitch down the road with a truck. I do a lot of road travel between fields and I will frequently haul the tractors and then pull the equipment to the field with a truck.....hate to drive a tractor 15-20 miles down the road. I generally take the lift arms of my tractors anyway so they aren't in the way or have to worry about putting one into a drive shaft.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Riverside Cattle said:


> I have three years on a MF 1366 the little brother to the 1383 you are considering
> 
> On the issue of shear protection on the MF razor bar headers: They do not have a weak spot built in as a shear protection but when you hit a steel well casing it shears right off and and you just replace the broken piece. It was close to $900 in parts if I recall correctly. My dealer had it in stock but said I was the only one he had ever sold one to.
> 
> ...


 I really wasn't concerned about the lack of a shear hub after talking to the Hesston guys at the world ag expo. They said the cutter bar did have a shear point.....I think it was a spindle shaft if I remember correct......In case something very solid was hit like a irrigation riser so it wouldn't destroy the whole bar. They assured me it would take something very solid to shear it.....they didn't say it cost $900 to replace though. I'm guessing this shear point is what you sheared when you hit the well casing. Hmmm, I might have to rethink the lack of a shear hub now.

From what I gather none of the disc mower conditioners cut well in very light crops?

I was convinced on here a couple weeks back that steel rolls would leave something to be desired for fast dry down as they would only pinch the stem and not split it for as fast of dry down as possible.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

FarmerCline said:


> Kind of hard to pull a 2 point hitch down the road with a truck. I do a lot of road travel between fields and I will frequently haul the tractors and then pull the equipment to the field with a truck.....hate to drive a tractor 15-20 miles down the road. I generally take the lift arms of my tractors anyway so they aren't in the way or have to worry about putting one into a drive shaft.


Understandable. They make, or you can make, an adapter for the 2 point hitch for a receiver hitch. Supposedly James River has one that other dealers have copied.

They'll never be a another one here without either a drawbar swivel or a 2 point hitch swivel, my son does not care for the std. drawbar hitch on the NH H7220. The Kuhn they had before you could actually turn it passed 90˚ in right turns and still never hit the back tire, I think you'd hit the front of the mower before you would hit the back tire.

Have you thought about getting something that transports sideways? 15-20 miles on the road is a long ways to go with a mower that wide on narrow roads.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Grateful11 said:


> Understandable. They make, or you can make, an adapter for the 2 point hitch for a receiver hitch. Supposedly James River has one that other dealers have copied.
> 
> They'll never be a another one here without either a drawbar swivel or a 2 point hitch swivel, my son does not care for the std. drawbar hitch on the NH H7220. The Kuhn they had before you could actually turn it passed 90˚ in right turns and still never hit the back tire, I think you'd hit the front of the mower before you would hit the back tire.
> 
> Have you thought about getting something that transports sideways? 15-20 miles on the road is a long ways to go with a mower that wide on narrow roads.


If I were to buy a mower conditioner, one of the challenges for my hp tractor is vertical drawbar load. Some of these small mower conditioners are over 1,000 lbs on the drawbar. Per the manual (as an example), the vertical load on the Deere 946 is 2,100 lbs.

Machine Weights

Weights are with typical optional equipment.

Weights with other optional equipment will vary.

*Maximum Static Vertical Load on Tractor Drawbar-Specification*

*Item*

*Measurement*

*Specification*

946 Mower-Conditioner

Weight

955 kg (2100 lb.)

*Item*

*Measurement*

*Specification*

956 Mower-Conditioner

Weight

865 kg (1900 lb.)

Here is the link to the above:

http://manuals.deere.com/omview/OMFH305940_19/?tM=HO

Maybe that's not a big deal - but I kind of like the idea of two points for load distribution. However, I understand and agree with the concern for towing. If an adapter can be used - that's good to know.

In my neck of the woods - a 2 point hitch would be a great theft deterrent to the locals.... 

Bill


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## bigd6.7 (Dec 12, 2008)

I have a 946 and a Massey 1363 with razor bar. The Deere cuts better and is a better built machine in my opinion.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

bigd6.7 said:


> I have a 946 and a Massey 1363 with razor bar. The Deere cuts better and is a better built machine in my opinion.


 What in particular about the JD makes makes you feel that it better built?

I ended up buying a NH 499 haybine for the time being but I could still possibly see myself buying a disc mower conditioner in the future to run in addition to or to replace to the 499.


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