643 corn head rebuild with calmer chopping rolls

[@CalmerCornHeads]

Thanks for posting this video! We're here if you ever have any further corn head or harvest-related needs.

[@iafarmer]

Sounds good thanks!

[@AgWildNebraska]

Thanks for showing. My rolls need replacing too but I didn't know how to do it.

[@iafarmer]

It's not bad really but time consuming. If your just doing the rolls you can probably get away without pulling all the top stuff off. Definitely need a good puller. I'd lend you mine if you were closer.

[@sweetfarmsllc8886]

They do a nice job, we have had them for about 5 years or so. Actually on my second set. Depending on what year your 643 is you may or may not have the welded gears in the gear box. If its an earlier head, you will have gear box issues with those rolls, they do pull harder.. Hopefully its a later year head, then you wont have any issues.

[@iafarmer]

Your making me nervous lol. I think its older because it was a high tin and doesn't have the oil bath. How many acres did you get out of a row with your first set?

[@sweetfarmsllc8886]

The first set of rolls had some manufacturing issues, I guess they were not hard enough. I got about 3500 acres out of them. I have about 2500 on this set and they are not even hardly worn, so I think they will last much longer. Yea if its not an oil bath head, you have the welded cluster gears. That was the weak link on the older 43 series heads. The newer ones had a once piece machine gear that was much stronger. I know guys that put the JD knife rolls on the older heads and had gear box issues. I would run the head as slow as possible, that will help some. If you start having gear box issues, you can replace those gears in each box, its not the most fun job in the world.

[@ShermanT.Potter]

@@sweetfarmsllc8886 I have an '82 444 with oil bath, do you know if I would have the welded cluster gears?

[@LVFFarmVlogs]

If the combine is already covering the acres and burning fuel, might as well chop as much of the stalk as possible at the same time! Did you buy the puller from the same company you bought the stalk chopping kits from?

[@iafarmer]

Exactly. I actually bought the puller from shoup and it worked great

[@TAHDAHFarm]

Thanks for sharing. I could handle an even more details on the how to. My neighbor has to replace his on a 643 next year. I was fortunate that the 643 that I bought last year had been rebuilt. The snoots on there, are they a kit for the 643 and can you share where you got them from.

[@iafarmer]

They are poly, I put them on last year. The company is poly tin. These are the(jackknife) style so they fold up. You can get them like the tin ones for a little less money. I bought them through Worthington ag parts out of Minnesota. I think the kit was around 3,000 but so far was worth the money especially if you have down corn. I'm happy to answer any questions

[@TAHDAHFarm]

Thanks, I have very little barn space and that would save room by folding up. I'm always looking for ways to get more space to fit more in the barn. I will look into it.

[@markhoogendyk879]

What width do you set your deck plates at?

[@iafarmer]

I think about an inch and 1/16 in front and 1 and 1/8 in the back. I was always told 1/16 wider than your stalks and 1/16 wider in the back than the front

[@coreymartin5185]

1inch and 1/8th front, 1inch and 3/16 rear

[@coreymartin5185]

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[@russelllinger8650]

Did they send that puller with the kit?

[@iafarmer]

No they didnt. I got mine from shoup mfg

[@EDBZ28]

I put the same kit on my 1980 model 643 head back in 2012, and I love the job it does. I've had neighbors ask me if I got a "chopping head". Calmers have gotten pricey though. The complete kit back in '12 shipped to western NY (where I live) was 6,500; I priced a kit a month ago bc someday I'd like to update to a poly head, 693 maybe?, and they want almost twice the 6,500 now. I like your poly kit; do you? Where did you get it and if you don't mind saying how much? Does the poly go over the old metal snouts or are they a complete snout? Sorry, if you've already talked about this in a video, if you have, i haven't gotten to watching it.

[@iafarmer]

Yeah theyve been the best investment ive made i think. I think my kit was 8600 when i did mine. The poly kit is from "poly tin" made here in iowa. Really like them, i think the kit was 2900 from worthington ag parts but thats been a few years back and i think i caught them on sale. They fully replace the tin snouts. Do you run stalk stompers on your head?

[@EDBZ28]

No stalk stompers. I’d say you’ve done well to get into a poly head with chopping rolls. I’ve seen a couple used stalkmaster 6 row heads sell anywhere from high 20s to high 30s. I wouldn’t mind if I could get into one for around 25. If I bought a 693 to get into a poly head I’d have 10-13k plus another 11k to calmer, you’re darn close to a used stalk-master. And at this point I suppose I hate putting more money into my head considering I’ve got 8 seasons on the bt choppers.

[@iafarmer]

Yeah its a vicious cycle, just when something doesnt owe you much you get to a crossroads with it. Mine still owes me a little i feel so i gotta keep running it. How fast do you run with your 9500 and do you run your feederhouse wide open? The guy i got my 9500 had a nice 693 but the rolls were shot. Think he wanted 6500 for it but itd be a hell of a haul to get it to you

[@EDBZ28]

Viscous cycle is right! I combine anywheres from 3.2-3.8. I just leave feeder house in the same drive gear (slower gear) through all my crops, corn, sb,& wheat. Not sure if that’s what you’re asking? Was his 693 stored inside and nice shape otherwise?

[@iafarmer]

@@EDBZ28 yeah i probably shouldve bought it and if nothing else resold it. Had new deck plates and chains and sprokets. Looking at inputs for the next year and taxes slows the spending down fast tho

[@AgWildNebraska]

So after 1 harvest on them what do you think of them? Still haven't put new on my head.

[@iafarmer]

Really like them. Its alot of money to put in an old head but since it saves me chopping stalks and helps get the residue into a manageable size to me it was worth it.

[@AgWildNebraska]

Well I found some rolls from Clarke machine out of SD for 130/row. Thought I'd try those

[@iafarmer]

@@AgWildNebraska that sounds real good! My old ones were pretty bad so even just new regular ones would've been a big improvement

[@Deere70Diesel]

What poly kit do you have on that head. I've got a 643 that has the calmer kit but no poly so that's my next investment

[@iafarmer]

They are "poly tin". I bought the jackknife style so they fold up. Got the kit through worthington ag parts.

[@samtalley791]

Hope you have a good harvest! 643 is a damn good head pretty low maintenance compared to some others. How are you liking the new shed? Are you not using the old one at all?

[@iafarmer]

Thanks. The shed has been great so far. The shop doors are too narrow to get the corn head or ripper in so it's been nice to work on them inside. All the other work I'm still doing down there

[@russellcorry1778]

what was the cost per row on this kit?

[@iafarmer]

If i remember right it was about 8500 for 6 rows. That was the rolls, deck plates, sprokets and chains. Expensive but i really like not having to chop stalks anymore. Tell them you saw them at a farm show and i think it was 20% off

[@russellcorry1778]

@@iafarmer thanks!

[@drmyronbouray]

Where you get your puller for the rollers

[@iafarmer]

I got it through shoup parts. Worked good