IH 800 planter

[Turkish]

I’m wanting to find a 2 row planter to use for no-tilling sunflower and soybeans. I have found a well used 2 row IH 800 planter that’s priced right.

I’ve never used a planter but have a crude idea of the parts and how they work from researching online. If I go look at this one, what parts should I scrutinize to confirm it’s ready to use and not a money pit? Owner indicates it does need one chain replaced, which he will do before selling.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I'm most familiar with John Deere, but we had an older IH on the farm and it was a good unit. I think the 800 is an air planter? Buying a used planter, one thing you look for wear on the ground contact parts, which in this case would be the opener discs. If you know the factory spec's ou then measure the diameter and see how much smaller they've become. One rule of thumb with buying commercial farming equipment for foodplots is that it can be very well worn, because of the light use and small acreages, it will probably still not wear out in the next 20-30 years, VS. buying harbor freight etc. new stuff will probably break within a year.

 

[bigbluetruck]

I was thinking that the 800 was an air planter as well, also known as an IH Cyclo planter but maybe they made different models within the 800 family. Maybe throw up a picture of it, that might help figure it out.

If they are the 800s I'm thinking of, I think theyre pretty decent unit, lots of farmers still using them as soybean planters because they were the first "bulk fill" planters which when planting beans beats filling individual boxes. But for food plot use wouldn't be my first choice because of a somewhat limited availability of the stainless steel drums that were used to set the population and singulate the seed before it was blown out to the row units.

 

[Turkish]

I haven’t seen it but it’s a plate style planter.

Some examples on the web.
https://rdhoutdoors.com/international-planters (1 row at bottom)

https://bid.taylorauction.com/m/lot-details/index/catalog/19021/lot/2743772

They have offset disc openers, which some claim to be a superior design for “out of the box” no tilling. I’m mostly interested in planter shopping tips, specific wear spots to be vigilant of. I’m happy to tinker with my method to get it to perform best — I just don’t want something that is non-functional because of an oversight by an uninformed buyer (me).

 

[Frosted brassica]

I haven’t seen it but it’s a plate style planter.

Some examples on the web.
https://rdhoutdoors.com/international-planters (1 row at bottom)

https://bid.taylorauction.com/m/lot-details/index/catalog/19021/lot/2743772

They have offset disc openers, which some claim to be a superior design for “out of the box” no tilling. I’m mostly interested in planter shopping tips, specific wear spots to be vigilant of. I’m happy to tinker with my method to get it to perform best — I just don’t want something that is non-functional because of an oversight by an uninformed buyer (me).

I don’t have experience with that model but would look for fresh weld and obvious repairs. Are you buying from the farmer because he should be able to show you common repairs. Check all bearings, grease zirks, adjustment pins or springs, look at how the individual units would bounce up and down and see wear/ bends in those spots as if you hit a big rock or years of small rocks. This may seem general and not what you are looking for but I have replaced lots of different planter parts from years of wear.

The previous advice to measure disks for wear is good as is to check for wear on chain sprockets and chains.

The seller hopefully has good info and if the price is right hopefully isn’t hiding anything. Maybe he even has a pile of parts.

 

[Turkish]

Frosted, that’s helpful advice. Thanks.

Current owner sounds like a food plotter that has used it for about 5 years. He bought it from someone who fabricated the 2-row planters from ag planters. It has been shed kept at least since the current owner has had it. He also purchased it on the merits of this model for no tilling but indicates he doesn’t use it as much as he expected.

 

[Turkish]

I’ve still got some population issues to work out, so I haven’t actually put more than a few seeds in the ground as a test — but she’s gonna no till just fine. This thing actually turned out to be considerably heavier than I expected. The tool bar was left a good bit heavier than necessary, adding a lot of weight.