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Anyone Harvested 30 Row Corn With A Wide-Row Head?

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
This probably seems like a silly question, but I'm curious if it is possible to harvest 30" rows with a wide-row (36" or 38") corn head. I'm referring to a 2-row head, used on a small combine like a JD 3300, Gleaner K, etc.
There seem to be a fair number of small machines still around with 2-row heads, so was curious if it's possible to harvest corn without excessive loss on a 30" row setting. Obviously you would have to go around and around the field, or you would run corn down, I imagine.
Just considering this as I will only have about 40 acres of corn this year, and could maybe do it myself if I could find an older combine in good condition.
 
You're gonna have a mess. If the corn is standing perfect and if the ears are held on like glue and if you could drive perfectly in the middle of the row at maybe two miles per hour max for hours on end it might work. A 4400 Deere could handle a 3-30" head and will be easier to find than a 3300. I don't have any experience with older Gleaners.

I can't blame you for wanting to do it yourself, because it's really fun to do your own work in your own field, but watch your expenses if you get a combine. Having a neighbor do it for you might save you a few bucks. Jim
 
If the corn is standing well and the drive tire will clear the next row, it will work surprisingly well on flat land.
 
It can work for chopping silage, but does not work well at all on average for grain. Stalks will want to fall over, ears will want to fall off.

As well, the combine won't want to fit down 30 inch rows, you'll be driving on the stalks of the standing rows, shaking ears off.

They do have 3 row narrow heads for a lot of those combines, that works.

--->Paul
 
To even use as a 1 row machine the drive tire would not clear the next row and to try 2 rows it would have even less clearance.
 
In a couple hours you can make a JD 2 row wide into a 2 row narrow. Anyhow I did it with a model 244 for a 300 picker. Just remove center snoot slide the row unit over, cut some tin off the corner of the end snoot so it will fit on the inside of the end of the head and narrow up the center snoot. Lee
 
Can the planter be adjusted to fit the corn head? Would probably have to change wheels adjustment (settings) on tractor too. For 40 acres might be able to get "close enough".

If you miss a "tolerable" amount can you aftermath graze it? Corn is not entirely lost if livestock eat it.

John77046
 
That might be possible, don't know. With the 210 and 234 heads not possible. And on 40" rows from center of machine to row outside tire is 60" and you had about a 5" tire clearance at most to that row, now on 30" rows change that 60" center to next row to 45" and you will see that the tire would run on the outside, straddel and push down, of the next row.

The only combine that was ever made with a narrow enough total tire width and made for a 2 row 40" corn head that you could put a 30" head on was a Massey 35S and then you had to take a 2-30" forage harvestor snapper head and build all the modifications to mount and drive the head. That was done with them for use on corn test plots where they planted 4-30" rows with a 4 row planter and then harvested only the center 2 rows for the weigh wagon so they would not get contamination from the next variety with 2 rows in between the test strips.
 
Hi if you are looking for a 3 row narrow head for a gleaner K combine I have one. My uncle told me the rule of thumb is about a 2 inch tollerance for a corn row to combine it. Also have the combine to go with it if anyone is interested. Thanks
 
It does work with a 244 as I said I have already done it. And like the original poster said you would have to go around the field like with a pull type picker not back and forth. Lee
 
There is a 3 row narrow head made for a JD 3300 combine. I don,t think a wide row head would work very well.
 
How much are the older 30" heads? Surely you can pick up a 3 row 30" on a JD 4400 for real cheap. Would be much better off.

At $4.50 (we hope) corn on 40 acres 5 lost bushels to the acre equals $900 dollars in one year. Don"t want to lose that running the wrong head. That would be neat to do your own 40 acres, I"d say a fun idea.
 
On 25 acres for the last 20 years, I've figured the annual upkeep on a combine was more expensive than what I've paid a custom combiner to harvest it.

Gerald J.
 
It would not make any difference if you went around like a pull type picker or back and forth as one wheel depending on left side or right side you put next to the standing corn as the wheel on that side always be either running right on top of the next row mashing it down with the tire or beyond the next row mashing it down with the axle. When you put the head on the chopper you did not have a big drive tire sticking out to carry the machine, your tire was small and under the chopper.
 
I understand what you're saying, but if you move the left hand row unit over 8" closer to the right one wouldn't you shift the combine over 8" and give your wheel more clearance. On a 244 set for 38s there is also some room to move the units closer to the outside of the head so you could kind of make an off center head. A 3-30 head is from outside point to outside point is 90" and a 2 wide is 80" so if you could off center it a little it might work. Lee
 
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