Corn husker was restored in the fall of 2017. I enjoy working on John Deere 300 huskers and on our family farm; we still pick ear corn for cattle feed. I restored this husker to almost new condition due to this being my hobby and no one hardly restoring ear corn pickers.
I first removed the wagon elevator for several reasons. Reason number one was to disconnect the wagon elevator chain and remove end drive gear assembly to install an elevator extension piece (Part number BN100169). The wagon elevator did not have the extension piece that I prefer and later purchased the extension piece from a salvage yard. I took the wagon elevator extension to a local weld shop for them to reinforce. After this, I installed the elevator extension piece and end drive assembly for wagon elevator. Also, the bottom drive gear was incorrect and the main drive shaft for the wagon elevator was broke. I removed the drive shaft and took to a local machine shop to have made. The machine shop made the drive shaft according to specification from a blueprint from John Deere & Company. I purchased a new drive sprocket for the wagon elevator from John Deere. I also replaced the wagon elevator lower bearings and installed new bolts to hold bearing holder pieces into place. Installed new machine shop made driveshaft and wagon elevator gear. I then installed wagon elevator chain and installed shear bolts as the disconnect link break point for the elevator chain. I did this due to the potential of old-style pins falling out. Tightened wagon elevator chain. Before the wagon elevator went back onto the machine, the wagon elevator was primed and painted. Once wagon elevator was installed on the machine, a new drive chain and idler sprocket was installed to run wagon elevator. The old wagon elevator shut off harness was damaged. I purchased a new wagon elevator shut off harness from John Deere and installed on machine. I looked for a while and finally found a wagon elevator control box from a salvage yard and checked operation of wagon elevator shut off. Control box would shut wagon elevator on and off correctly.
With the wagon elevator being removed, I disconnected husking roll drive chains and removed each rubber-husking roll. I rebuilt each rubber-husking roll with new tire carcasses cut out using a punch press. Checked husking roll holder bearings. I replaced any bearing in the husking bed that felt rough while turning over. I also replaced the bushing holder spacer pieces on each holder. The old bushings were stepped and needed to be replaced. Husking pegs for nodular iron rolls were already installed. The pegs help the nodular husking rolls be more aggressive in difficult husking conditions. Installed rebuilt rubber husking rolls. Installed new drive chains for husking rolls. In order to help move the ears of corn through the husking bed more efficiently, I installed husking paddles from an International Harvester 234 corn picker husking bed along with two extra bars between husking rolls to protect against shelling on the end of the husking bed in two places.
Installed new drive chain to operate the feeder house chain and husking rolls. Tightened shell corn elevator chain, feeder house chain and shell corn drive chain.
I removed the cross auger underneath the husking bed. The cross auger was breaking off toward the drive end. I took the cross auger to a local weld shop where they rewelded and reinforced auger. Installed auger along with new auger bearing and drive chain. Also, underneath the auger and shell corn area, the sheet metal was starting to rust away. Took husker to a weld shop where they welded and reinforced this area. At this time the weld shop welded in place a new tongue lift jack bracket. Installed new jack.
Old fan belt and fan idler pulley was in poor condition. The idler bearing was going out. Replaced fan belt and fan idler pulley.
The cornhead on the 300 husker was originally a 244 cornhead and the person I purchased the cornhead from moved the gearboxes into 30-inch rows and installed 243 cornhead decals. I removed cornhead snouts, drive chains, sprockets, deck plates, stalk rolls, and weed knifes. LH side cornhead gearbox stalk roll shafts were worn/stepped. Replaced roll shafts with updated John Deere 90 series cornhead roll shafts. Installed new gearbox shaft seals. Filled gearboxes with John Deere cornhead grease. Installed Calmar knife stalk rolls, Calmer weed knives, Calmer slow down chain kit, and Calmar deck plates. I went with the Calmer cornhead rebuild kits for several reasons. One is I have found out the Calmer rebuild kits have helped eliminate the amount of stalk material and husk going through the husker. I have another 300 husker with a 244 cornhead and use to operate the machine with old John Deere fluted rolls and it seemed like it would break the cornstalks off and run it through the entire husker. After installing the Calmer rebuild kits, in good operating conditions, it will help eliminate stalk material and husk going through the husker. With this being said, it helps the husking bed do a better job of husking the ear of corn and less stalk and husk material going through the machine. Also, the Calmer kits project the ear of corn with the slow down chain kit and beveled deck plates. This helps prevent butt shelling at the cornhead and helps reduce stalk material. Also the Calmer knife rolls chop the stalk up like confetti and helps BT cornstalks break down faster. On our farm after harvest is complete and the beef cows run the stalk ground for a few days, it seems like they eat a lot more of the stalk material that is run through the Calmer stalk rolls. Also, the Calmer stalk rolls save us from having to run a stalk chopper through our corn ground after harvest. The Calmer rolls also helps the ground temperature warm up faster in the springtime of the year due to the stalk material being broke down so small allowing the material to break down faster. In the springtime of the year, this has allowed us to perform spring tillage two to three days faster. With a wet spring like this last spring, the Calmer stalk rolls allowed us to get our crops in sooner. Overall the Calmer stalk roll kits were expensive, but in the long run have saved us thousands of dollars in future crops and fuel savings. All new drive chains to run cornhead were installed along with new idlers and high-speed cornhead drive gear.
Husker has 12.5L-16 tires and wheel, along with the bigger axles. This was an option from John Deere and the bigger axles and tires help the machine sit up higher.
Installed new PTO shields.
The husker was lastly painted and new decals installed on machine. The decals were made by Signs to go in Platteville, Wisconsin. Installed new SMV sign.
I used machine to pick several loads of ear corn for my neighbor in the fall of 2017. The husker performed well and overwhelmingly pleased how it moved the ears of corn through the husker efficiently.
Note: Roughly $6,000 spent in new parts on husker. Have parts tickets available.
120 Hours spent in the restoration of the John Deere 300 Husker.
$10,500 or Reasonable offer.
All work performed by a John Deere Certified Service Technician. I am certified in John Deere hydraulics, electrical, and service advisor.
Please call Andrew Conrad at 815-541-7630 for more information
