Combines 1020 revisted

looks like you just stumbled upon the dirty secret of IH combines.lousy bean heads. I once owned a 7720 and a 220 and even I,who would not pee on a JD dealer to put the fire out had to admit that it was a better head than my one year old 1020. once you get the hang of using a 1020 it will be better I assure you. I have had several diffrent sizes and they have all had the same issiues,and here they are: They don't feed from the right side, they bunch up and then you get a slug feeding(My lovely wife learned all about unslugging the feeder house sunday.) To change a sickle section on a 3in sickle is impossable!Who's idea was it to bolt the guard thru the flex bar springIJ thanks alot. Why not have a stainless steel floor panIJ it would feed,not rust and could'nt cost anymore than the joke of a floor in them now. On a bright note they have much better dividers than Deere. When everything is right they do a fine job of cutting and feeding but most days I think long and hard about getting a 925 and painting it red but I won't do it because of old bias and stubborness. Just needed to vent I'm sure I'm not alone in this,but I'm also sure that somebody here can tell me how to fix all of the problems I just listed. later, Will love this site one of the most helpful on the whole web.

Not to be argumentative, but I've not notice the above problems with my 1020. This is my first year with one. I have a 25' and have not noticed any right side feeding problems. I know this head feeds much better than the 820's ever did. I have yet to take a guard off to change sections either. I have the bolt on sections and unless the section is under a hold down, never take a guard loose, let alone off. As for the floor, perhaps stainless would be better, but as I store my head inside, I've never had the rusting problem. I do agree that for years, JD had the head to beat. It kills me to admit it, but it is true. looks like my 1020 will do whatever a 925 is doing around me. I have not seen the new series JD heads work so I cannot compare to that. In any respect, I think the 1020 is a big step up from the 820. As for uphill side cutting higher than the down hill side, that's a basic physics lesson. As the combine leans so does the header. Running duals on the machine helps, but without "tracker" it's pretty tough to keep them on the ground the whole way across.

No its not a physics problem as my old 216 stayed glued to the ground. didn't rise any let alone 4 inches or more there has to be a way to adjust it better its only 22 ft not 30. Combine has 30.5 tires and I doubt if it is tipping that much. Any way a old 7700 with 200 platform is running next to me and makes my field look sick, which I find annoying. Ben

What combine are you running this onIJ We cut with a Deere head, an old 224, but the neighbors with 1020's certainly do at least as good a job. Do you need to level your feederhouseIJ Check the air pressure in your tiresIJ How big a "hill" are we talking aboutIJ Chads

We had right side problems as well for a long time before we had tracker. I finally loosened the right spring quite a long ways until it actually sank down below everything else. I then raised header height and that took care of the the gouging problem. It seemed like the head was always bottomed out before because we were trying to cut lower and when I came to a ditch, it would always dig. It also helped cut much better on the right side uphill.

A 1020 will cut with a JD head any day . Just a matter of setting it up properly . As for your head raising 4 inches on the up hill side ... is it that your dividers are taking it up IJ You may need to set them so they have a longer float stroke before they activate the lift .Your knife should control the lift_lower not the divider . I have had a stainless floor in my 1020's since 1990 . An air reel makes a world of difference on combine performance . If you have smooth constant feeding ... the whole combine performs smooth a silk !! Joe

It all boils down to knowing what you are doing when you adjust a 1020 head.You can have a 2388 or a 1480 and if the 1020 head isnt set right it wont cut right.If you have electric header control spend the 236.00 and get the new potitemeter rod kit and install it first. Be sure and use the tool with it and get the angle they want in instructions. I have head all the way up with safety stand down to do all settings. Make sure cutting bar is hanging down with no spring tension holding it up. You will readjust this later.If you have to back off large spring on left side do it. Same goes for right side and any where else the leaf springs are holding up cutting bar.loosen all feelers on the runners and raise them up so they dont touch runners. Hook up tool like instructions says and then adjust the spring tension at the left side first and then the right side.Everyone has a different idea on tension but the corners are most important. Make sure you have some bounce at each side. If you pull down on the cutting bar it should spring back up some. Wobble box side needs more because of extra weight. Tighten springs in middle of head to try to keep head from being dead. Hard to explain exactly on computer.Next you lay the feelers on top of runners after setting spring tension. VERY IMPORTANT. If feelers arent touching the runners it wont work right!!! This is all being done with tool still attached to pipe. Once you have all feelers tightened down take off tool and hook up rod from new pot assembly.If 21 series or newer you do the key switch process like it shows in OWNERS MANUAl.On 14 and 16 series you have to get a jumper harness from your dealer to go between new pot and the hookup at the feeder house. With head still up in air the head height lever at right side of head should be set just below top of slot. When you set cutting height keep it above middle notch about 3_4 of inch. Make sure when in cutting height that the feeder face pitch is 10 degrees. This adjusted at feeder face . Use a protracter that tells degrees. It is a process to go thru but it makes it work. Hope this makes sense.

Well one thing is for sure we or rather I don't know what I'm doing. You guys have been helpful last night we fiddled with the leaf springs made it so there is less down pressure. I'm hopefull it will help. I think the new linkage will be a job for later on in winter. Thanks