Combines For Sale in Kansas

Tips for Buying a Used Combine

Combines are hulking pieces of farm equipment that bring untold levels of power and utility to your harvest. They’re also expensive, even used units, so it pays to perform your due diligence and figure out exactly what you need out of a combine. Fortunately, owners keep their combines in good repair, which generally leads to longer lifespans and translates to a good selection of used equipment on the market. 

The Right Size.

How big your agricultural operation is will help you determine the size of combine you’ll need to handle those fields effectively. It’s much preferable to go with a smaller combine that can deal with what you’re regularly producing, rather than going with a larger machine that ends up sitting idle waiting for enough work to pile up. 

Rather than simply going with the biggest, best combine out there, try to focus on what you actually need and can handle. Also remember that a combine’s capacity shouldn’t be more than the gathering head can handle, otherwise you risk wasting or damaging the harvest.
 

Check Operational Hours.

Perhaps the main determiner for a combine’s condition will be its operational hours. The more time running, the more chances to suffer damage. A lot of hours won’t necessarily be a problem as long as the unit has been well maintained, but it’s still a great metric to have. 

Without proper care, even combines with fewer hours can have problems. If the engine hours are much higher than the separator, you should be sure to check for drivetrain wear. Beware equipment with operation hours that way undercut the unit condition and always ask for documentation if available. 
 

Combine Inspection.

No matter what kind of equipment you’re buying, you should give it a visual inspection for any obvious problems, with special attention paid to larger belts, chains, and sprockets. Lots of wear and tear could mean less than adequate maintenance by previous owners. Shotty condition might just mean the combine was worked too hard. 

Another sign of poor maintenance is chaff collected around bearings or behind shields that have been matted down and rained in place. Discolored or burned paint on the header covers or underneath the engine hood could mean the engine has overheated in the past. Turn the combine on if you can and check for any strange sounds or other clear operational issues. 

Ease of Operation.

If you’re going to be sitting in a combine cab all day, then you’ll want to be as comfortable as possible. The best way to check if a combine is going to be comfortable is just getting in a combine to test it out. See if it’s comfortable enough. Is there room to stretch and rearrange yourself? To adjust the seats? To reach the controls? 

If you have more questions about buying a used combine, don’t hesitate to call or head into Prairieland Partners. We proudly serve all of Kansas. Stop by today and let our team help you find what you’re looking for.