I have had JFs since 1985 , and have used a friends Mengele 40N . He previously had a very clean 1986 30N , and only reason for the upgrade was the built in hydraulic system on the 40.
If you are used to a Mengele , you are used to a heavy well built machine . A chain cover will be made from heavier sheet than the heaviest bit of a JF. You are used to keeping the blades in tight to the shear bar , blower paddles let out tight. Chokes in the narrow spout. The astronomical price of a set of blades and a shear bar. Great blow and good output , WHEN set up properly , and sicken you to look at if not.
Very simple build. Easy to do anything to , except to replace the front flywheel bearing , as you well know. I reckon you could keep a Mengele in good working order for a farmers use for ever. They haven't changed the design in 30 odd years , so it must have worked.
A JF will pick silage if half set up. To get the spout choked is a Rae enough occurrence. Parts not too dear ,but worse since Kongskilde got involved.. Made out of very light tin. Easy to drive. Good output .
A man near here bought a new 1060 last year. Pics in laoisfarmers pics last year. Picking 20 fts behind a 210 hp Deutz. He had a 1050 before that. A Pottinger mex6 before that. I thought that a great machine , but he would never go back to a flywheel. Reckons you would have a couple of acres picked with a JF , while unblocking a choke in the spout of a flywheel chopper.
Did you put back the cover to keep the grass out of the bearing when you replaced it ? Your own harvester could be in better order than a lot of S/Hs you will find.
