Combines 500 Flex head problems

i learned after the first year with my 300's that you have to blow off the tops of the skids i am running johnson rock bars and that causes lots of dirt to build up underneath due to the split tins last fall was sooo wet and it froze before i could blow off the underside also the last field i combined has salt and calcium in the soil that is off the map spent 2 days just getting the sickles to drop down without stepping on them if i get them blown out well and move them around a couple times in the summer they generally require very litte at harvest time just my .02 august wieser rosholt, sd

When harvesting lentils we usually have to blow the very dry dirt off of our skid plates 3 or 4 times a day. We use a 100CFM compressor for the job. We repair our busted rod end knuckles by cutting off the threaded end close to the ball and welding on a 5_8 x 2 inch UNF bolt using a high grade "weld all steels" type rod. We have yet to break one of these modified knuckles. Cheers.