Check out these recent John Deere 7000 planter modifications that I’m doing right now. This is our corn, beans and pumpkin planter that I’m just continually making better and better.
This plot planter is an old planter, but honestly, these old John Deere 7000 planters are still one of the favorites and most dependable ones out there.
John Deere 7000 Planter Modifications
As you can see in the pictures below I’m cutting a 21″ section out of the tongue for quicker and easier turning. Being this plot planter has been cut down from 4 row to 2 row, there is no need for the long tongue these come with from the factory.
By cutting 21″ out of the tongue, it will be so much more maneuverable than it was before.
Check out the pictures below and see how I’ve done it. Simple and easy to do!
Here’s the step by step procedure I’m using. Check it out below here…
- First thing I did was get the planter hitch up on heavy saw horse behind where the cut would be.
- Then I place an adjustable saw horse under the portion of the hitch I was cutting off so there wouldn’t be any pressure on it while cutting, nor would it fall after final cut was made.
- Next was to cut the corners of cut (see picture above). You will need to cut about a 1″ slot in each corner for this to all work as shown in pictures. This will allow for hammering downward to close the large gap due to the angle of hitch/metal. This angle cut makes it easy to take a crescent wrench and bend metal inward, then hammer in to close gap for tight fit of smaller hitch insert.
- Once you have the front/smaller hitch section fitting good and tight, then tack weld each corner to hold and recheck your measurements and squareness before welding solid. There is a grooved indention down the center (top) area of the hitch that allows for easy and faster centering of the two hitches about to be reattached/welded.
- Once everything is checked/measured and tacked in place, then weld it up solid and then you are ready to drill new hole for the hydraulic hose holder. Notice in the pictures of how the jack fits back real nicely and it turns with just enough clearance on the side of the hitch when not in use. You will see in the pictures that the piece of hitch I cut out was 21″.
- Last thing to do is sand…or sand blast and put some primer on this hitch. Now you can apply some fresh new coats of John Deere green paint…and maybe even some new John Deere stickers on the side of hitch.
Tools Needed for this project:
- Heavy saw horse…or tall jack stands
- Leather gloves
- Safety glasses
- Ball peen hammer
- Crescent wrench
- Chalk, or magic marker
- Tape measure
- Square…or straight edge for marking cut lines
- Grinder with cut off disc, or plasma cutter
- Cut off wheels/disc and grinder disc
- Drill and 1/2″ metal bit for drilling hole for hydraulic hose holder
- 3/4″ wrench and small pipe wrench for holding and loosening and tightening hose holder
- Wire welder with at least #30 wire. I use #30 and argon/co2 mix in my bottle and turn up the heat for good metal penetration when welding the pieces back together.
- Sand paper, red/maroon scotch brite, or sand blaster for prepping for paint
- Primer
- John Deere green paint
These John Deere 7000 planter modifications will make your JD planter so much easier to get around in tight places with. Of course, you can do this to any planter, it doesn’t have to be a John Deere.
If you have a planter like this one shown here, or another brand, that you want to cut down, but aren’t comfortable doing it yourself, or maybe you just don’t have to proper tools to do it, then get a hold of me right away.
I can cut your hitch down just like I’m doing here to ours. Get a hold of me for a free estimate!
Always do your best,
-Mike
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