Cover illustration may show optional equipment not supplied with standard unit.
401-020M
General Information
General Information
Important Notice
Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc. provides this publication “as is” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. While every precaution has been
taken in the preparation of this manual, Great Plains
Manufacturing,Inc. assumesnoresponsibilityfor errorsor
omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages
resulting from the use of the information contained herein.Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc. reservesthe rightto
revise and improve its products as it sees fit. This publi-
cationdescribesthestateofthisproduct at the time ofits
publication,and maynot reflect the productin the future.
Printed in the United States of America.
For your convenience,record your Serial Number, Mod-
el Number and the Date Purchased in the spaces provided below. Have this information availablewhen
calling your Great Plains Authorized Dealer.
Name: _____________________________________
Address ____________________________________
City________________State ____ Zip ___________
Phone_______________________
Name of Dealership ___________________________
Dealer’s Name _______________________________
Address ____________________________________
City________________State ____ Zip ___________
Phone_______________________
Serial Number _______________________________
Model Number_______________________________
Date Purchased______________________________
For your safety and to help in developing a better understanding of your equipment we highly recommend that
you read the operator sections of this manual. Reading
these sections not only provides valuable training but
also familiarizes you with helpful information and its lo-
Introduction
This manual has been prepared to instruct you in the
safe and efficient operation of your 8-Row/10-Row 3PointWideRowPlanter.Readandfollowall instructions
and safety precautions carefully.
The parts on your 8-Row/10-Row 3-Point Wide Row
Planter have been specially designed and should only
be replaced with genuine Great Plains parts. Therefore,
should your 8-Row/10-Row 3-Point Wide Row Planter
require replacement parts go to your Great Plains
Dealer.
The right hand and left hand as used throughout this
manual is determined by facing in the direction the machine will travel when in use unless otherwise stated.
Serial Number
The serial number plate is located on the left hand side
of the upper hitch plate. It is suggested that the serial
number and purchase date also be recorded for your
convenience in the space provided on the checklist
page at the beginning of this manual.
The serial number provides important information about
your Planter and may be required to obtain the correct
replacement part. Always use the serial number and
model number when sending correspondence or when
ordering parts from your Great Plains Dealer.
cation. The parts sections are for reference only and
don’t require cover to cover reading. After reviewing
your manual store it in a dry, easily accessible location
for future reference.
lows it. In addition to design and configuration of
equipment; hazard control and accident prevention are
dependentupon the awareness, concern,prudenceand
proper training of personnel involved in the operation,
transport, maintenance and storage of equipment.
Watch for the following safety notations throughout your Operators Manual:
!
DANGER!
Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if
not avoided, will result in death or serious injury. This
signal word is limited to the most extreme situations.
!
WARNING!
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not
avoided, could result in death or serious injury.
!
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not
avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury. It may
also be used to alert against unsafe practices.
CAUTION!
!
The SAFETY ALERT SYMBOL indicates that there is a
potential hazard to personal safety involved and extra
safety precautions must be taken. When you see this
symbol, be alert and carefully read the message that fol-
NOTE: Indicates a special point of information which
requires your attention.
Great Plains Mfg., Inc.
8/1/01
Section 1 Safety Rules
Section 1
Most accidents are the result of negligence and carelessness, usually caused by failure of the operator to
follow simple but necessary safety precautions. The followingsafetyprecautions are suggested to help prevent
such accidents. The safe operation of any machinery is
a big concern to consumers and manufactures. Your
3-Point Planter has been designed with many built-in
safety features. However, no one should operate this
product before carefully reading this Operators Manual.
Safety Rules
General Operation & Repair
1.Practice safety by always thinking before acting.
2.Never allow the planter to be operated by anyone who is
unfamiliar with the operation of all functions of the unit.
Alloperators should read and thoroughly understand the
instructions given in this manual prior to moving the
unit.
3.Make sure safety rules are understood before operating
machine or tractor.
4.Never permit any persons other than the operator to ride
on the tractor.
5.Regulate your speed to the field conditions, maintaining
complete control at all times.
6.Always lower the implement and shut off the tractor engine before making any adjustments.
7.After repairing or adjusting, make sure all tools and
parts are removed from the implement before attempting
to operate it.
8.Never work under a raised planter.
9.Do not grease or oil machine while it is in operation.
10. Loose fitting clothing should not be worn as it may catch
in moving parts.
11. Never attempt to operate the implement unless you are in
the driver’s seat.
12. Never dismount from a moving tractor.
13. Do not leave the tractor or the implement unattended
with the engine running.
14. Do not stand between the tractor and the implement during hitching.
15. Always make sure there are no persons near the planter
when the marker assemblies are in operation.
16. Watch for obstructions such as wires, tree limbs etc.,
when folding markers.
17. Diskedges are sharp! Be careful when working in thisarea.
18. Detach and store implements in an area where children
normally do not play. Stabilize implements by using suitable supports and block wheels.
19. If a hydraulic leak develops, correct it immediately. Escaping hydraulic oil can have extremely high pressure. A
stream of high pressure oil may easily penetrate the skin
as with modern needless vaccination equipment - but
with the exception that hydraulic fluid may cause blood
poisoning. It is imperative that the connections are tight
and that all lines and pipes are in good condition. If an
injury is caused by the escaping hydraulic fluid, see doctor at once!
20. Use a piece of cardboard or wood to detect leaks of hydraulic oil under pressure.
21. Be sure to relieve all hydraulic pressure before disconnection anylines or pipes between the implement and the tractor hydraulic system. Keep all guards and shields in place.
Transporting
1.Use good judgement when transporting tractor implements on the highway. Always maintain complete control
of the machine.
2.Limit transport speed to 20 mph. Transport only with a
farm tractor of sufficient size and horse power. (See
“Section 2 Planter Operation” on page 6)
3.Always make sure “Slow Moving Vehicle” emblem, and
reflectors are in place and visible prior to transporting
the machine on public roads.
4.Know your state and local laws concerning highway
safety and regulations. Comply with these laws when
transporting machinery.
Tire Handling & Repair
1.Tire changing can be dangerous and should be preformed by trained personnel using the correct tools and
equipment.
2.Do not re-inflate a tire that has been run flat or seriously
under inflated. Have it checked by qualified personnel.
3.When removing and installing wheels, use wheel handling equipment adequate for the weight involved.
Agricultural Chemicals
1.Agricultural chemicals can be dangerous. Always select
the correct chemical for the job. Improper usage of fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides could cause injury to all living things.
2.Always read instructions supplied by the manufactures
before opening chemical containers. Read and follow instructions supplied by the chemical manufacturer carefully before each use.
3.Apply the same precautions when adjusting, servicing,
cleaning, or storing the planter as you would when putting chemicals into the planter.
4.Inform anyone who may come in contact with chemicals,
or a planter with chemicals, of any potential hazard or
safety precaution that should be observed.
5.Avoid inhaling smoke from any type of chemical fire.
6.Store or dispose of all unused chemicals as specified by
the chemical manufacturer.
1.Your 3-Point Planter comes equipped with all safety decals in place. They were designed to help you safely operate your planter. Read and follow their directions.
2.Keep safety decals clean and legible.
3.Replace all damaged or missing safety decals. To order
newsafety decals goto your GreatPlains Dealer andrefer
to the parts section for safety decal package part number.
4.Replace these decals whenever they become worn or unreadable. See the parts section for the correct location of
these decals. To install new safety decals:
a. Clean the area the decal is to be placed
b. Peel backing from the decal. Press firmly on to
surfacebeing careful not to cause air bubblesunder
the decal.
AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS CAN BE
DANGEROUS. IMPROPER SELECTION OR
USE CAN SERIOUSLY INJURE PERSONS,
ANIMALS, PLANTS, SOIL OR OTHER
PROPERTY. BE SAFE. SELECT
THE RIGHT CHEMICAL FOR THE JOB. HANDLE
IT WITH CARE. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS
ON THE CONTAINER LABEL.
PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO
PREVENT EXPOSURE. PROTECTIVE
CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT IS TO BE
WORN. REFER TO THE OWNERS MANUAL
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROTECTIVE
818-323C
Ag Chemicals Caution
(Located inside the chemical lid)
CAUTION
!
- Read Operator’s Manual before
operating planter
- Stand clear when folding and
unfolding markers
- Stand clear when raising and
lowering planter
- Keep hands and clothing away
from moving chains and sprockets
- Never ride on the planter
- Always lower or properly support
the planter before servicing
- Escaping hydraulic fluid can
cause serious injury.
818-399C
818-323C
818-399C
Planter
Operational Cautions
13322
!
WARNING
20 MPH MAX.
TRANSPORT SPEED
EXCEEDING 20 MPH MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE
CONTROL AND/OR IMPLEMENT DAMAGE
• The legs of the cotter pins should be spread.
Tractor Preparation
Recommended Tractor Horsepower
Minium required draw bar horsepower for field work
8-row planter100 - 140 HP
10-row planter120 - 160 HP
2. Adjust the tractor lower lift links to maximize lifting
height.
NOTE: To keep the planter level make sure that the
lower lift links are adjusted evenly.
Set the tractor sway blocks to minimize side sway.
Position the lift controls in float position.
3. Back the tractor up to the planter. Align the lower
links with the lower hitch holes on the planter. Insert
the hitch pins and the spacers, supplied with the
planter, according to the category of your tractor,
Figure 2-1. Lock the pins in place.
4. The tractor Category III top link is attached in the
hole in the mast. Figure 2-1.To attach the top link
some adjustment may be required.
5. Raisetheplanterandlookforanyinterference while
standingbetween the planter row units. Removethe
pinholdingtheparkingstandandraisethestandsto
the transport position. Put the pin in the lowest hole
ineachstand, see. Never work under a raisedPlanter.
6. On level ground, lower the planter onto the gauge
wheels. If the planter is not level see Leveling the
Planter page 7.
NOTE: The tractor must have adequate Category III
3 point hitch lift capacity to lift the machine weight, attachments, seeds and dry chemicals. Shipping
weights, (refer to “Section 9 Specifications” on
page 33), do not include seed, dry chemicals or optional attachments.
For tractor front end stability additional tractor ballast
may be required. Add front ballast according to your
tractor's operator’s manual.
Attaching the Planter to the Tractor
For the planter to function properly, attach the planter to
the tractor in the following manner.
1. Set the tractor wheels at double the planter row
spacing. Example: For a planter with 30" rows the
front and rear wheels should be set at 60" center to
center. This prevents soil compaction on the rows.
Onhillsides and steepslopesset the wheelsaswide
as possible for maximum stability.
The planter should never be transported faster than
20 miles per hour!
Before transporting the planter, check and practice the
following items:
CAUTION!
•Theplantercanbetransportedwithfullboxesofseed.
It is best NOT to because the extra weight increases
thechances for problems on the road.Do not exceed
20 miles per hour.
NOTE: In order to maintain steering control, ballast
may need to be added to tractor front end. To determine the amount of ballast required refer to your tractor’s operator manual.
•Check to see that the gauge tires on the planter have
the proper inflation as listed in the Tire Inflation Chart
in "Section 9 Specifications" on page 28.
•Comply with all Federal, State and Local Safety Laws
when traveling on public roads.
•Remember, the planter is wider than the tractor and
extreme care must be taken to allow for safe clearance.
Leveling the Planter
The planter must be level for the row units to function
correctly. Before leveling the planter check tire pressures as specified in the Tire Inflation Chart in “Section9 Specifications” on page 33.
Adjust the lower links on the tractor to level the planter
sidetoside. It is best to adjust the links evenly beforethe
planter is attached to the tractor.
After setting the row units to the proper planting depth in
the field, stop the tractor on flat ground with the planter
lowered. Check the front-to-back level of the planter.
The bottom of the frame tube should be parallel to the
ground. If this is not parallel, adjust the upper link on the
tractor accordingly.
If the row unit arms are not parallel to the ground, the
gauge wheel modules must be adjusted equally. Measure the vertical distance between the front pivot and
10495
Gauge Wheel Module Adjustment
Figure 2-2
rear pivot of a row unit arm, see Figure 2-3. This is the
amount that the gauge wheel needs to be adjusted.
Raise the planter and loosen the jam nut (A) on the
wheel module. To lower the planter, turn the nut (B) at
theoppositeend of the link counter-clockwise and clockwisetoraisetheplanter, see Figure 2-2. Tighten the jam
nut after reaching the desired wheel location.
!
WARNING!
Never work under the planter while in the raised position.
This planter is equipped with a 12 finger mechanical
corn meter see Figure 3-1. Refer to the Planter Rate for
FingerPickup CornMeterchartin “Section 4AdjustingPlanting Rates” on page 14 for adjusting the planting
rates and sprocket combinations.
IMPORTANT: To extend the life and maximize efficiency of the finger pickup meter, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of
powdered graphite on top of the seeds in the hopper,
see Figure 3-2. The graphite will work its way down to
lubricate the meter mechanism.
For more information on the meter, see “Section 5
Troubleshooting” on page 25 & “Section 7 Maintenance” on page 28.
Finger Pickup
Meter
Figure 3-1
12341
6030
12342
Graphite Applied To
Top Of Seeds
Figure 3-2
Meter Clutches
Todisengageeithertheseed hopper clutch or the chemical hopper clutch pull the knob and rotate 30 degrees
clockwise or counter-clockwise until the points on the
hex shaft align with the indentations in the end of the
drive hub then release knob. See Figure 3-3.
Toengage the clutches, pullandrotatetheknob until the
shaft aligns with the drive hub then release.
Therowunitisequipped with one 2-bushel seed hopper.
Before filling the seed hopper, clear it of foreign objects.
After filling the hopper with clean seeds always replace
thehopper lid. Operating withthe lids attached prevents
objects from entering the hopper and also aids in keeping out moisture.
Empty the contents of the hopper periodically to avoid
the collection of dirt and other materials. To remove the
hopper, disengage the meter drive clutch and the hopper latch, see arrows Figure 3-4.
14912
12343
Meter Clutch, Latch & Seed Hopper
Figure 3-4
Chemical Hopper
The optional chemical hopper comes in 2 versions:
• 1 chemical meter and an 80 lb. capacity hopper
• 2 chemical meters and 1 divider that separates the 80
lb.hopper into 2compartments-approximately 40 lbs.
each.
Before filling the chemical hopper(s) clear it/them of foreign objects. After filling the hopper(s) replace the
hopper(s) lid(s). Operating with the lids attached prevents objects from entering the hopper and also aids in
keeping out moisture
Emptythe contents of the hopper(s) periodically toavoid
the collection of dirt and other materials. To remove the
Meter Clutch, Latch & Chemical Hopper
Figure 3-5
hopper(s), disengage the meter drive clutch and the 2
latch pins at the front of the hopper, see Figure 3-5.
Seed and Chemical
Meter Drive Adjustments
The alignment between the meter clutch and the input
shaft is important. If there is misalignment the meter will
not function properly. Excessive wear and damage can
also occur to the meter housings. When replacing the
meter the vertical and horizontal alignment should be
checked.
Check for Vertical Alignment (Refer to Figure 3-6):
1. Latch the appropriate hopper into place on the support.
2. The roll pin in the end of meter input shaft should be
centered (equal distances of the roll pin should protrude from both sides of the shaft).
3. Rotate the input shaft so that the roll pin is vertical.
4. Rotatethedrivecouplersothattheslots are vertical.
5. Release the clutch to engage the drive coupler with
the input shaft.
If the alignment is correct the coupler will engage with
the shaft freely and the roll pin will extend equally on
each side of the coupler. Disengage the clutch and
check the horizontal alignment.
Check for Horizontal Alignment (Refer to Figure 3-7):
1. Latch the appropriate hopper into place on the hopper support.
2. The roll pin in the end of meter input shaft should be
centered (equal distances of the roll pin should protrude from both sides of the shaft).
3. Rotate the input shaft so that the roll pin is horizontal.
4. Rotate the drive coupler so that the slots are horizontal.
5. Release the clutch to engage the drive coupler with
the input shaft.
To adjust alignment:
• With the hopper in place loosen the two 5/16" nuts.
• Engage the clutch to the meter input shaft.
• Align clutch with shaft and tighten 5/16" nuts to torque
values in the Specifications section.
Down Force Row
Standard Spring Package
The standard down force spring package, consists of 2
non-adjustable springs applying approximately
90 lbs. of down force.
Optional Medium and Heavy Duty Spring Package
The medium and heavy duty spring packages consist of
2or 4 adjustablesprings,respectively.The medium duty
packagecanbeadjustedfromapproximately 100 to 200
lbs. down force. The heavy duty package can be adjusted from approximately 200 to 400 lbs. of down force.
Spring Adjustments
• All spring adjustments must be made with the planter
in the fully raised position.
NOTE: The maximum down force stated before is
reached when the parallel arms are all the way up.
• The spring package is adjustable from 90 lbs. to 325
lbs. of down force when the parallel arms are horizontal. Consult the Down Force Pressure Chart on
page 11 to obtain the desired down force.
NOTE: To adjust the spring tension, lift the plunger by
pulling up on the roll pin handle and sliding the handle
adjustment assembly into the appropriate hole, see
Figure 3-8.
• Two springs can be purchased at your Great Plains
Dealerto make the medium dutypackageintoa heavy
duty package or two springs can be removed from the
heavyduty package to make a medium dutypackage.
Add or subtract springs by removing the cotter key at
the end of the spring pivot rod. Slide the rod inward to
addorremoveaspringfrom each side. Then attach or
remove the other spring end on the hex bar support.
Theplanting depth of the row unit iscontrolledby 2 walking gauge tires located next to the disks.
Adjust the planting depth as follows:
1. Raise the planter to remove weight from the gauge
tires.
2. RaisetheT-handle and move it forward to decrease
theplantingdepth,see Figure 3-10. Moving the handle rearward increases the planting depth. Small increments of depth adjustment can be made by
walking the T-handle from side to side.
3. After one row is set to the desired depth, move the
T-handle on the other rows to the same location.
12137
Adjustment Bar
Figure 3-8
Reinstall the spring rod and snap ring on each side.
Row Unit Mounted Coulter
The optional coulter allows the planter to penetrate
tough ground conditions. It is recommended that either
the medium duty or heavy duty spring package be used
in conjuction with this coulter.
Coulter Adjustments
1. To adjust the coulter vertically, loosen the 3/4" jam
nut and the 3/4" x 3" long hex bolt, see Figure 3-9.
2. Byturning the cam hex, rotate thecamcastingtoset
the desired height. For wavy coulter blades, it is recommended that the coulter blade should be run
even to 1" below the disks on the row unit.
3. Tighten the bolt and jam nut to torque values in the
Torque Value Chart in "Section 9 Specifications"