GREAT PLAINS PL5500-0830 User manual

Read the operator manual entirely. When you see
this symbol, the subsequent instructions and
warnings are serious - follow without exception.
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supplied with standard unit.
!
Table of Contents Index
Original Instructions 411-633M
Great Plains
OPERATOR MANUAL
MODELS PL5500-0830, PL5500-0870, PL5500-0875
PLANTER

Machine Identification
Record your machine details in the log below. If you replace this manual, be sure to transfer this information to the new
manual.
If you or the dealer have added options not originally ordered with the machine, or removed options that were
originally ordered, the weights and measurements are no longer accurate for your machine. Update the record by
adding the machine weight and measurements with the option(s) weight and measurements.
Dealer Contact Information
Model Number
Serial Number
Machine Height
Machine Length
Machine Width
Machine Weight
Year of Construction
Delivery Date
First Operation
Accessories
Name:
Street:
City/State:
Telephone:
Email:
Dealer’s Customer
No.:
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov

To our customer:
Congratulations on the purchase of your Great Plains product. Great Plains welcomes you to its
growing family of new product owners. Your product has been designed and built by skilled
workers using quality materials.
Your dealer has performed the necessary pre-delivery service to your machine, and will advise
you of the proper maintenance and operating practices that will give you long, satisfactory use of
your machine. Do not hesitate to contact your dealer when you have a question related to your
machine.
Your machine has been designed to run efficiently in most operating conditions, and will perform
relative to the service it receives. If you need customer service or repair parts, contact your dealer
who has trained personnel, repair parts, and equipment specially designed for Great Plains
products.
Read this manual carefully before using the machine. It will familiarize you with safety, operation,
adjustments, and maintenance of your new equipment. This manual must always be kept with
your machine.
Great Plains wants you to be satisfied with your product. If for any reason you do not understand
any part of this manual or are otherwise dissatisfied, please take the following actions first:
1. Discuss the matter with your dealership service manager. Make sure he is aware of
any problems so he can assist you.
2. If you are still unsatisfied, seek out the owner or general manager of the dealership.
If your dealer is unable to resolve the problem or the issue is parts related, please contact:
Great Plains Service Department
1525 E. North St.
P.O. Box 5060
Salina, KS, USA 67402-5060
Printed 06/20/2019 | English
Great Plains reserves the right to revise and improve its products at any time. This publication describes the state of this product at the
time of its publication, and may not reflect the product in the future. The content of this publication may be changed without notice.

© 2019 Great Plains | Printed in the United States of America
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any
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Plus, Short Disk, Swath Command, Terra-Tine, Ultra-Chisel, and X-Press.
Registered trademarks of Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc. include: Air-Pro, Clear-Shot, Discovator, Great Plains,
Land Pride, MeterCone, Nutri-Pro, Seed-Lok, Solid Stand, Terra-Guard, Turbo-Chisel, Turbo-Chopper, Turbo-Max,
Turbo-Trill, Ultra-Till, Whirlfilter, and Yield-Pro.
Brand and produce names that appear and are owner by others are trademarks of their respective owners.
For permission requests, write to the publisher at the address below.
Great Plains Mfg.
1525 E. North St.
P.O. Box 5060
Salina, KS 67402
You can also visit our website at www.greatplainsag.com/en/manuals/905/product-manuals for a full catalog of this
and other manuals.
Ordering Information:
Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For
details, contact the publisher at the address above.
Orders for personal, non-commercial use. Please contact our service department by mail or our website
www.greatplainsag.com.

PL5500 Planter Cover Index
Great Plains | 411-633M | 2019/06/20 v
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Intended Use Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Prohibited Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Machine Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Target Group for Operator Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Training and Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Before Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Handling and Disposing of Chemicals . . . . . . 4
Operation Noise Hazard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
PTO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Tire Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
High Pressure Fluids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Transporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Safety Chain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Safety Lights and Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Shutdown and Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Proper Waste Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Safety Decals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Preparation and Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Hitch Planter to Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Planter Hitches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Hydraulic Hose Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Fan Hydraulic Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Electrical Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Planter Leveling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Wheel Adjustment for Leveling. . . . . . . . . . . 12
Speed Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Speed Sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Monitor Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Pre-Start Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Field Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Before Planting Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Begin Planting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
End Planting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Transport Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Raising and Lowering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Rephase Lift System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Unfolding and Folding without IRC. . . . . . . . . . . 16
Unfolding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
IRC Unfolding and Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Unfolding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Tongue Stop Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Height Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Air System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Fan Hydraulics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Fan Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Fan Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Adjusting for Skips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Doubles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Alternate Skip/Doubles Check . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Furrow Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Fine-Tune Meter Pressurization . . . . . . . . . . 25
Butterfly Valve (Dry Fertilizer). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Loading Hoppers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Seed Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Seed Meter Setup and Adjustments. . . . . . . . . . 26
Seed Meter Rain Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Seed Disk Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Seed Disk Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Seed Inlet Gate Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Seed Pool Slopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Seed Meter Refill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Seed Meter Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Planting Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Monitor Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Ground Drive Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Check Planting Rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5000 Series Row Unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Row Unit Down Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Down-Pressure Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Opener Disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Setting Planting Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Disk Contact Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Side Depth Wheel Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . 34
Depth Wheel Scrapers (Option) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Press Wheel Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Down Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Press Wheel Stagger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Press Wheel Centering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Unit Mount Coulters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Coulter Row Alignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Seed Firmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Keeton® Seed Firmer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Liquid Fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Tank Loading Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Tank Loading Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Tank Hatch Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Liquid Fertilizer Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Great Plains | 411-633M | 06/20/20192019/06/20 vi
PL5500 Planter Cover Index
Vantage I Liquid Fertilizer Coulters . . . . . . . 42
Dry Fertilizer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Dry Fertilizer Hopper Loading . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Dry Fertilizer Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Dry Fertilizer Ground Drive Setup . . . . . . . . 43
Dry Fertilizer Coulters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Marker Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Marker Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Maintenance Schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Regular Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Hydraulic Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
JIC Torque Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Bleed Lift Hydraulics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Rephase Lift System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Bleed Marker Hydraulics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Seed Clean-Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Meter Clean-Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Alternate Meter Clean-Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Seed Tube Clean-Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Seed Meter Brushes Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . 51
Seed Meter Brush Replacement . . . . . . . . . 52
Seed Disk Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Cleaning and Storing Seed Disks. . . . . . . . . 54
Side Depth Wheels Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Disk Spreaders and Scrapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Seed Flap Replacement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Chain Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Chain Lubrication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Chain Slack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Chain Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Meter Drive Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Shear Bolt Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Marker Disk Lubrication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Liquid Fertilizer Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Tank Clean-Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Liquid Fertilizer Strainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Dry Fertilizer Clean-Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Lubrication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Grease Fittings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Bearings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Hydraulic Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Lift Hydraulics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
IRC Lift Hydraulics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Fold/Marker Hydraulics with Dry Fertilizer . . 62
Fold/Marker Hydraulics with Liquid Fertilizer 63
Fold Hydraulics with Dry Fertilizer . . . . . . . . 64
Fold Hydraulics with Liquid Fertilizer . . . . . . 65
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Fan Hydraulics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Planting Rate Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Seed Pool Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Seed Pool Recovery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Pressure Gauge Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Seed Population Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Seed Population Too Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Seed Population Too High . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Planter Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Liquid Fertilizer Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Dry Fertilizer Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Torque Value Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Tire Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Hitches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Row Unit Press Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Liquid Fertilizer System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Fertilizer Orifice Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
VisaGage II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Vantage I Coulter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
High-Rate Dribblers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Dry Fertilizer System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Adjustable Dry Fertilizer Coulter. . . . . . . . . . 82
Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Seed Lubricant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Unit-Mount Coulter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Inside Disk Scrapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Scraper Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Side Depth Wheel Scrapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Seed Meter Disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Seed Firmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Tongue Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Press Wheel Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Marker Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Introduction
Great Plains | 411-633M | 2019/06/20 1
Introduction
The Great Plains PL5500 front-fold planter is a
pull-type implement with optional dry or liquid
fertilizer capability.
The planter includes 5000 Series openers with
Air-Pro®meters. Optional unit-mounted coulters are
available for light to moderate no-till conditions.
The seed metering system is ground drive or electric
drive.
Intended Use Statement
The PL5500 Planter with standard equipment and/or
authorized attachments and options is intended to be
used as a seeding/fertilizing machine when operated
according to instructions and safety precautions in
this manual, machine decals, or other information
provided with the machine.
Use this planter to seed and fertilize
production-agriculture crops only. It is suitable for
conventional till, min-till, and moderate no-till
conditions.
Any other use, for example, using the machine as a
grader or cultivator tool, is not permitted. The
manufacturer and dealers are not liable for damage
caused by improper use.
Prohibited Use
Do not use this machine for any purpose or in any
way other than what is described in this manual,
machine decals, or any other information provided
with the machine. These materials define the
intended use of the machine.
Unauthorized modifications to the machine will
relieve the manufacturer of all liability for any
resulting injury or damage.
Machine Identification
Your machine’s parts were specially designed and
should only be replaced with Great Plains parts.
Always use the serial and model number when
ordering parts from your dealer. Record your planter
model and serial number on the inside cover of this
manual for quick reference.
Target Group for Operator Manual
Simplified Illustrations
Illustrations of the machine in the operator
manual are shown without protective
equipment - or with the protective
equipment open - for better understanding.
Be sure to observe the safety information
and follow the handling instructions in the
operator manual. Serious or fatal injury may
be caused as a result.
This operator manual is aimed at trained
agriculturists and persons who are otherwise
qualified for agricultural activities and have received
instruction in working with this machine.
For your safety - You must familiarize yourself with
the contents of this operator manual before assembly
or initial operation of the machine. In this way, you will
achieve optimum work results and operational safety.
The operator manual forms an integral part of the
machine and must always be kept at hand. This will
ensure that you:
avoid accidents.
comply with warranty conditions.
have a fully functional machine in good working
order at all times.
68682
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PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Introduction
Training and Instruction
Your dealer will provide instruction on operation and
care of the machine.
Information for the employer - All personnel are to
be regularly, at least once a year, instructed on the
use of the machine, in accordance with the
regulations of the national organization for Health
and Safety at Work. Untrained or unauthorized
persons are not permitted to use the machine.
You are responsible for ensuring that the machine is
operated and maintained safely. Make sure that you
and all other persons that operate, maintain, or work
in close proximity with the machine are familiar with
the operating and maintenance regulations, as well
as the corresponding safety instructions in this
operator manual.

PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Safety Information
Great Plains | 411-633M | 2019/06/20 3
Safety Information
The safety symbol indicates a potential safety
hazard to persons operating or near the
machine and advises on how to avoid it.
The notice symbol indicates a potential for
machine or property damage from operator
error and advises on how to avoid misuse.
The information symbol indicates useful - but
not crucial - information for machine
operation, assembly, or adjustment.
Before Getting Started
1. Read this manual in its entirety before attempting
to start and operate the machine.
2. Only use operators that are thoroughly trained by
the owner or trained by someone with the
owner’s consent. The operator must be familiar
with all functions of the tractor and attachments,
and be able to handle emergencies quickly.
3. Maintain attention on operation at all times. Do
not operate if using a smart phone, tablet, or
similar electronic device, and never operate
machine while impaired by alcohol, medication,
any controlled substance, or while fatigued.
4. Do not ever allow passengers to ride the machine
at any time, for any reason.
5. Before operation, make sure that all tractor cab
levers are in their neutral positions and that the
parking brake is engaged.
6. Check brakes, link pins, and other mechanical
parts for wear before using machine.
7. Never wear loose or bulky clothing around
machine. Use additional safety equipment, such
as hard hats, eye and ear protection, safety
boots, etc., as needed.
8. Do not modify the machine. Unauthorized
modification can result in unsafe conditions that
lead to machine damage or personal injury.
Operation
1. Always stop the tractor, put in Park and turn off
engine before leaving the cab. Dismounting from a
moving tractor can cause serious injury or death.
2. Consider turning radius of tractor and implement
in the field. Turning tractor too tight can cause
hitched implement to ride up on wheels which can
result in injury or equipment damage.
3. Pull machine only from the hitch at the end of the
tongue. Never pull from jack stand, safety chain,
or any point other than the hitch.
4. Never leave the tractor cab unattended while the
implement is running. Remove key and turn off
tractor before exiting the tractor cab.
5. Watch your surroundings at all times. Do not
operate with bystanders nearby, and avoid
contacting overhead obstructions.
6. Check that all guards and shields are
undamaged, installed, and secure before
operating implement.
7. Keep children out of the work area. Do not
operate or turn on machine while children are in
the area.
8. Do not operate near ditches, holes, steep slopes,
embankments, or other surfaces which may
collapse under the machine’s weight or tip the
machine over.
9. Never stand between tractor and implement
unless parking brake is applied.
!
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PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Safety Information
Handling and Disposing of Chemicals
Agricultural chemicals can be dangerous. Improper
use can seriously injure persons, animals, plants, soil
and property.
1. Read chemical manufacturer’s instructions
carefully, and then take appropriate precautions
before use.
2. Wear protective clothing.
3. Wash hands and face before eating after working
with chemicals. Shower as soon as application is
completed for the day.
4. Apply only with acceptable wind conditions. Make
sure wind drift of chemicals will not affect any
surrounding land, people or animals.
5. Dispose of unused chemicals and chemical
waste as specified by the manufacturer. Observe
all the local ordinances and regulations in your
area.
Operation Noise Hazard
1. Use proper ear protection like headphones or
earplugs while working.
PTO
1. Wait until all moving components have
completely stopped before adjusting, cleaning, or
servicing any PTO driven equipment.
2. Before installing or using PTO driven equipment,
read the tractor manual and review the safety
labels attached to the equipment.
3. When operating stationary PTO driven
equipment, always apply the parking brake and
place chocks behind wheels.
4. Stay clear of and never step over any rotating
parts.
Maintenance
1. Understand procedure before doing work. Use
proper tools and equipment.
2. Work in a clean, dry area.
3. Lower the implement. Put tractor in Park, turn off
engine. To prevent unauthorized starting, remove
key before performing maintenance or service
work.
4. If work must be performed with wings raised, set
the wing tilt locks to the road position.
5. Make sure all moving parts have stopped and all
system pressure is relieved.
6. Relieve hydraulic pressure before disconnecting
hydraulic lines or performing any work on the
system.
7. Do not work underneath any hydraulically
supported components. Hydraulics can settle,
leak, or be accidentally lowered. If working
underneath hydraulically supported components
is necessary, secure implement with stands or
suitable blocking beforehand.
8. Disconnect electronic monitor and lighting
harness from the tractor before servicing or
adjusting electrical systems.
9. Before welding, disconnect electronic monitor
and lighting harness from the tractor. Protect
hydraulic lines. Avoid fumes from heated paint.
10. Remove buildup of grease, oil, or debris.
11. Check and replace worn brake lines as needed.
12. Remove all tools and unused parts from
implement before operation.
Tire Safety
1. Check tires for cuts, bulges, and correct
pressure. Replace worn or damaged tires.
2. Tire changing can be hazardous and must be
performed by trained personnel using correct
tools and equipment.
3. Tire explosion and/or serious injury can result from
over inflation. Do not exceed tire inflation
pressures.
4. When removing and installing wheels, use wheel-
handling equipment adequate for weight involved.
5. Tighten wheel bolts only to the specified torque.

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High Pressure Fluids
1. Escaping fluid from holes in hydraulic lines is
difficult to spot. Do not use your hands or bare
skin to search for suspected leaks; instead, use a
piece of cardboard or wood. If injured by
escaping hydraulic fluid, see a medical
professional immediately. Exposure can result in
gangrene or severe allergic reaction.
2. Check that hydraulic fittings are tight and all
hydraulic hoses and lines are in good condition
before applying pressure to the system.
3. Wear protective gloves and safety glasses or
goggles when working with hydraulic systems.
Transporting
1. As with transporting any piece of heavy
machinery, comply with all local laws and
regulations before and during transport process.
2. Transport only at recommended transport speed
for implement. Some rough terrains require a
slower speed. Sudden braking can cause a
towed load to swerve and upset.
3. Before towing implement on roads, make sure to
empty out all material from the hoppers or boxes.
4. Know transport height and width of implement.
5. Do not tow an implement that, when fully loaded,
weighs more than 1.5 times the weight of towing
vehicle.
6. Keep clear of overhead power lines and other
obstructions when transporting.
7. Do not fold or unfold the implement while the
tractor is moving.
8. Reduce speed when turning, and make as wide
a turn as possible. Turning tractor too tight can
cause implement to tip over.
9. When towing on a trailer, secure implement with
tie downs and chains.
10. When towing on a trailer, sudden braking can
cause a trailer to swerve and upset. Reduce
speed if trailer is not equipped with brakes.
Safety Chain
1. Use a chain with a strength rating equal to or
greater than the gross weight of towed machinery.
2. Replace chain if any links or end fittings are
broken, stretched or damaged.
3. Do not use safety chain for towing.
Safety Lights and Devices
1. Always use safety lighting. Slow-moving tractors
and towed machinery can create a hazard when
driven on public roads. They are difficult to see,
especially at night.
2. If equipped, use flashing warning lights and turn
signals whenever driving on public roads.
3. Use safety devices provided with implement.
4. Keep safety lights and signs clean and visible from
front and rear of machine.
5. Keep lights in operating condition.
Shutdown and Storage
1. Park the tractor and implement on a solid, level
surface where children normally do not play.
2. Fold and tilt wings.
3. Put tractor in park or set the parking brake. Turn
off engine and remove switch key to prevent
unauthorized starting.
4. Wait for all components to come to a complete
stop before leaving the operator’s seat.
5. Turn lockout valve and wing lock levers to locked
position to prevent the wings from lowering.
6. Detach the tractor. Secure the implement using
blocks.
Proper Waste Disposal
1. Dispose of waste properly to avoid threatening
the environment and ecology. Potential harmful
waste includes oil, fuel, filters, and batteries.
2. Use a leak-proof container for draining fluids. Do
not use a food or beverage container that may be
mistaken for a consumable product.
3. Do not drain or pour waste onto the ground,
down a drain, or into any water source.
4. Contact your local environmental or recycling center
for the proper way to recycle or dispose of waste.

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PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Safety Decals
Safety Decals
Your implement comes equipped with safety
reflectors and decals in place.
Read and follow decal directions. Keep all safety
decals clean and legible. Replace all damaged,
faded, or missing decals.
Order new decals from your Great Plains dealer.
Refer to this section for proper decal placement.
When ordering new parts or components, also
request corresponding safety decals.
To install new decals:
Clean the area on which the decal is to be placed.
Peel backing from decal. Press firmly on surface,
being careful not to cause air bubbles under decal.
Slow Moving Vehicle Reflector
818-055C
One reflector at rear of machine.
Red Reflectors
838-266C
One reflector on each bracket on outside hopper
frames when planter is folded.
Amber Reflectors
838-265C
One reflector on each outside hopper frame when
planter is folded, and one on each outside end of
folded wings.
68579
68579
68579

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One reflector on each side of hitch
Daytime Reflectors
838-267C
One reflector on each bracket on outside hopper
frames when planter is folded.
Excessive Speed Hazard
818-188C
One decal on right-hand side of hitch.
Chemical Hazard
818-323C
One decal on front of each liquid fertilizer tank.
68580A
71227
68579
818-188C Rev. C
Do Not exceed 20 mph maximum transport
speed. Loss of vehicle control and/or machine
can result.
To Prevent Serious Injury or Death:
EXCESSIVE SPEED HAZARD
WARNING
68580A
68710

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PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Safety Decals
High Pressure Hazard
818-339C
One decal on right-hand side of hitch.
Falling Hazard
818-398C
One on each wheel mount.
Machine Operation
818-587C
One decal on right-hand side of hitch.
Tire Pressure/Wheel Bolt Torque
844-125C
One decal on each wheel arm assembly.
68580A
68580
WARNING:
Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
Read Owner’s Manual before using machine.
Stand clear when folding and unfolding markers.
Stand clear when raising and lowering machine.
Keep all safety shields and devices in place.
Keep hands, feet, and clothing away from
Never ride on machine.
Always lower or properly support machine
Escaping hydraulic fluid can cause serious
Review safety instructions with all operators
moving chains and sprockets.
BEFORE servicing.
818-587C Rev. B
injury.
annually.
CAUTION
68580A
844-125C
Torque wheel bolts to 240 lb-ft .
Maximum inflation pressure of tires is 75 psi .
To Avoid Inju ry or Ma chine Dam age from Imp roper Tire
Inflation or Torquing of Wheel Bolts :
CAUTION
71212

PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Safety Decals
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Lift Valve Lock
844-133C
One decal on the tongue near the lift valve.
71227

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PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Preparation and Setup
Preparation and Setup
This section helps to prepare your tractor and planter
for use. Before using the planter in the field, you must
hitch the planter to a suitable tractor, inspect the
systems, and level the planter.
Hitch Planter to Tractor
Crushing Hazard
Do not stand or place any body part
between planter and moving tractor. You
may be severely injured or killed by being
crushed between the tractor and planter.
Stop tractor engine and set parking brake
before installing hitch pins, and attaching
cables and hoses.
To prevent soil compaction on rows, set the tractor
wheels between rows. For hillsides and steep slopes,
set the tractor wheels as wide as possible for
maximum stability.
1. Use the jack to raise and lower the planter
tongue.
2. After hitching the planter to the tractor, store the
jack on the storage tube on top of planter tongue.
3. Secure the planter safety chain to an anchor on
the tractor capable of pulling the unit.
Planter Hitches
Hitch Failure Hazard
Install the hitch base and assemble the
parts as shown. Incorrect installation or
assembly may lead to hitch failure which
could result in a serious highway accident
or severe machine damage.
There are four different hitches available for the
planter.
Single-Strap and Scharmüller Hitches
1. Install the hitch assembly onto the tongue with
1-1/4 x 10 inch bolts (1), lock washer and nut.
2. Assemble the safety chain, washer, and hitch
spacers as shown. Secure with a 1-1/4 x 11-1/2
inch bolt (2), lock washer, and nut.
!
71277
68581A
!
1
2
Single-Strap Hitch 71242
1
2
Scharmüller Hitch 71227

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Category II and III Crossbar Hitches
1. Adjust the tractor 3-point arms and sway blocks
to minimize side-to-side sway and assure proper
tracking in the field and when transporting. See
your tractor operator’s manual for information.
2. Install the crossbar hitch onto the tongue with
1-1/4 x 10 inch bolt (1), lock washer and nut.
3. Connect the tractor to the crossbar hitch.
4. Connect the hydraulic hoses to the tractor
remotes.
Hydraulic Hose Connection
High Pressure Fluid Hazard
Escaping fluid under pressure can have
sufficient pressure to penetrate the skin.
Check all hydraulic lines and fittings before
applying pressure. Use paper or cardboard,
not body parts, and wear heavy gloves to
check for suspected leaks. If injured, seek
immediate medical attention from a
physician familiar with this type of injury.
Hydraulic hoses have color coded handle grips to
help when hooking up hoses to tractor outlets.
Hoses that go to the same remote valve are marked
with the same color.
To distinguish hoses on the same hydraulic circuit,
refer to the symbol on the handle grip. Hoses with an
extended cylinder symbol (1) feed the cylinder base
ends. Hoses with a retracted cylinder symbol (2) feed
the cylinder rod ends.
Fan Hydraulic Connections
1. Connect the motor return line (1) to the remote
circuit return (extend port) or to the sump.
2. Connect the motor inlet line (2) to a tractor
remote capable of 20 liter/min (5.3 gal/min). If a
priority remote is available, use it for the fan.
Electrical Connection
Make sure the tractor is shut down with accessory
power off before making the following connections:
lighting connector (1) to tractor outlet
monitor connector (2) to tractor harness
any optional or after-market electrical connectors.
These connections can be made in any order, and
must be made before moving the planter.
Color Hydraulic Function
Grey Marker/Fold
Blue Lift
Black Fan
71225
1
!
31733
12
1
71224
2
12

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PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Preparation and Setup
Planter Leveling
During initial setup and periodically throughout the
season, check that the planter runs level. When
planting, the top of the main frame should be parallel
to the ground.
To level the planter, the distance from the bottom of
the mainframe tube (1) to the ground, must be 66 cm
(26 in) with the planter lowered into planting position.
With the openers in the ground, this frame height
normally requires a hitch height (2) of 46 cm
(18.25 in) measured from the bottom of the tongue to
the ground.
To get the correct hitch height, remove the two hitch
bolts, and move the planter hitch to another hole
location. Make sure to assemble the hitch parts and
safety chain according to “Planter Hitches” on
page 10.
Sudden Hitch Failure Risk
Always have two bolts through two holes on
both hitch and tongue. Never rely on a
single bolt.
Wheel Adjustment for Leveling
If the target tool bar height cannot be achieved with
the frame level, relocate the wheel axles in the arms.
To do so:
1. Block up the frame to remove weight from the
tires.
2. Remove the bolts (1) securing the ground tire
assembly to the unit.
3. Move the wheel assembly to one of the other
holes and secure the assembly using the
previously removed bolt.
Speed Calibration
Calibrate the speed sensor the first time the planter is
operated in the field (with or without planting). See
the monitor manual for this procedure.
Cross-check the monitor speed reading with the
tractor speedometer.
Speed Sensor
The monitor uses a pickup wheel for measuring
planter ground speed. The speed sensor should be
set at 1.6 to 3.2 mm (1/16 to 1/8 inch) from the pickup
wheel.
!
1
2
68587
1
1
68582
25318

PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Preparation and Setup
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Monitor Installation
Install your planter monitor using the instructions in
the monitor manual.
Refer to the monitor manual for operating
instructions.
For Tellus monitor installation and information, a USB
thumbdrive is available.

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PL5500 Planter Table of Contents Index Operation
Operation
This section covers general operating procedures
and adjustments necessary for the best field
performance and results. Experience, machine
familiarity, and the following information will lead to
efficient operation and good working habits. Always
operate farm machinery with safety in mind.
Even if planting conditions rarely change, some
items need periodic adjustment due to normal wear.
Pre-Start Checklist
Read and understand “Safety Information”
beginning on page 3.
Lubricate as indicated in “Maintenance Schedule”
on page 48.
Check all tires for proper inflation. See “Tire
Information” on page 79.
Check all bolts, pins, and fasteners. See “Torque
Value Chart” on page 79.
Check the planter for worn or damaged parts. Repair
or replace parts before going to the field.
Check hydraulic hoses, fittings, and cylinders for
leaks. Repair or replace before going to the field.
Field Operation
Electrocution Hazard
Keep clear of overhead power lines when
unfolding, folding, operating, or
transporting the planter. Machine is not
grounded. At higher voltages, electrocution
can occur without direct contact. Any line
voltage present on planter or tractor can
cause severe injury or death.
Before Planting Checklist
Check electrical and hydraulic connections.
Check all tire pressures (page 79).
Make sure planter is leveled (page 12).
Make sure marker extension and marker disk
angle are set correctly (page 44).
Set up the seed meters for correct seed
(page 26).
Set planting rate. See the Material Rate manual.
Set fertilizer rate, if required. See the Material
Rate manual.
Check monitor and observe any diagnostic
messages.
Check chain tension.
Make sure meter inlet gates are open to chart
value. See Material Rate manual.
Make sure hoses are fully connected to meters.
Close and latch all hopper lids.
Set planting depth handles the same (page 33).
Set down pressure springs the same except in
tracks (page 32).
Check coulter alignment to the row (page 37).
Set press wheels the same except in tracks
(page 36).
Check fan operation (page 23).
Make sure the lift valve lever is set to RIGHT/LEFT -
UNLOCK (page 15).
Begin Planting
Unfold and line up the planter at the start of the
first row.
Prime the meters with seed (page 30). Leave the
fan running.
Unfold the marker on the next-row side.
Pull forward, lower the planter, and begin planting
for a short distance.
Stop and check the planting depth, seed spacing,
press wheel operation, and fertilizer application
(if in use).
Make the necessary adjustments and resume
planting.
For turns:
Fold the marker, raise the planter, and make the
turn.
After turning:
Lower the planter, unfold the marker on the
next-row side, and resume planting.
End Planting
Stop the tractor.
Set the fan hydraulic circuit to float or neutral.
Fold the marker.
Raise the planter and install transport locks
(page 15).
Fold the wings (page 16).
Turn on lights for transport.
!