Dont see much on here about these machines.I ran a 503 with a 13 ft head cutting rice back in the late 70s early 80s.we had a 403 and a 503 gas and one 503 diesel.the diesel machine gave us nothing but problems.when it was really wet we used tracks or dropped the air pressure on the machine without tracks.I liked the hydrostatic drive compared to the JD belt drive which I heard was prone to slipping in heavy mud conditions?spent a lot of hours on that open station machine
- Thread starter rrman61
- Start date
Fritz Maurer
Well-known Member
Id be willing to bet a large sum of money that if the ground drive belt was slipping on the Deere it was because of years of bean dust and grease packed into the recess behind the movable sheave so it couldnt close up all the way. In extreme cases even a new belt wont cure it. Only fix is take it apart and clean it.
I have a late 503 , I like it, theyre starting to get uncommon. I cut enough with it to keep it limbered up, but it burns too much gas to use it on a regular basis.
I have a late 503 , I like it, theyre starting to get uncommon. I cut enough with it to keep it limbered up, but it burns too much gas to use it on a regular basis.
403s were very popular in Central SD back in their day. My late brother ran a 503 LP in the 70s. He bought a new-style feeder house so he could mount an 844 cornhead and a 22.5 grain head. He also had a narrower dummy head with a Sund pickup. Lots of capacity. I picked up many a swath of wheat with it. It was a hydro.
used red MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Coon Rapids, MN
My Grandpa bought a new 403 in 1967 and also a new
Chevy C50 truck with combination grain and cattle sides. In the mid 70s my dad and Uncle took over the farm from him. Sometime in the late 70s they bought a 715 gas, gear drive when a local farmer retired, I think the machine was only a couple seasons old. I think the 715 was essentially a modernized 503, basically the back end above the straw walkers was squared on the newer model instead of rounded. It always seemed like the red combines in that era would eat green weedy patches without much trouble even if the conditions were on the ..tough.. side. If a green machine was running in a field over the fence in nearly the same condition you could bet they would have to quit a hour or two sooner.
Chevy C50 truck with combination grain and cattle sides. In the mid 70s my dad and Uncle took over the farm from him. Sometime in the late 70s they bought a 715 gas, gear drive when a local farmer retired, I think the machine was only a couple seasons old. I think the 715 was essentially a modernized 503, basically the back end above the straw walkers was squared on the newer model instead of rounded. It always seemed like the red combines in that era would eat green weedy patches without much trouble even if the conditions were on the ..tough.. side. If a green machine was running in a field over the fence in nearly the same condition you could bet they would have to quit a hour or two sooner.
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