Combines need a little help

[DK_in_MN]

Alex, lot of times idler bracket gets rusted in aluminum housing of stalk roll frame, this must move freely back and forth. Also guessing gathering chains are worn(streached)and when turning they are riding up teeth of upper drive sprocket and making head hard to turn. Need to loosen brackets, make sure sprockets sit straight lot of times tip down in front, install new chains and check top sprockets-compare to a new one. Once you get bracket loose, take roll pins out of back, take completely out, clean and spray some slip plate(graphite) on bracket to lube and not attract any dirt.

 

[little_al]

I'm putting new chains and sprockets were needed. If a gearbox is locking up or going out will the slipclutches slipIJ or if a chain tries to bind will the slip clutch slip. While i had the chains off of the sprockets all of the gear boxes turned freely. The rods inside the houseing area were rusting and not moveing some were frozen up and would not move at all. could this be the problem. it looks like the slip clutch would slip if it got binded up somewhere.

 

[DK_in_MN]

Yes Alex, the rods need to move freely in housing so chains don't bind. Also when they're froze it puts alot of stress on chains as their is nothing to absorb the shock, especially if chains are worn and climb on sprockets, this will cause a hard turn condition

 

[little_al]

I put new chains and sprockets on and it performs alot better. Does the chains work better offset or paddles streight accross from one anotherIJIJ Also when there streight across from one another the paddles are close together at the lowest point next to the idler pulley and sometimes they touch, is this normalIJIJ it looks wider at top next to auger than at bottom. I'm thinking of offsetting the paddles the book said this was for rocky conditions. what do you think is best..

 

[DK_in_MN]

Alex, if you are in rocky conditions offset the paddles, it's real easy to pickup a rock with a cornhead when they're straight across. Shouldn't be running so low to pickup one but alot of times happens in dips of the field or uneven places. Adjust snouts not to run to low.

 

[little_al]

We have corn that is real tall 15' or so. and the ear is right on top. so i'm running high off the ground about 3 mph is this around the right speedIJIJ about 150 bus. to acre. I see alot of pictures of corn being cut low is there a reason for this.

 

[DK_in_MN]

Alex, only reason would be to get rid of tall stalk residue. But if you have corn that tall is it crossed with bamboo or whatIJ Don't get that tall up here unless a fellow plants a special hybrid for silage. If it's that tall run off the ground to save undue wear on your cornhead running all that stalk through the knives and such.

 

[little_al]

I'm throught!!!!!!!!!! 600 acres in 12 days. wound up with about 80,000 bus.going thought my machine. Combine perforned well,but my corn header give me alot of trouble.For next year is it going to be cheaper to go trought and replace all sprockets and change over to the new style bearing do a complete over haul or find me another newer corn head next year. I give $5,000 for this 946 a new one cost alot,also corn heads are hard to find here. that is one reason farmers don't raise anymore corn in this area.

 

[little_al]

I didn't tell you the problem i had with that head. I keep breaking the hex shaft were you connect the combine to the head. this shaft connects to the combine with a sleeve with a bolt through it. It would only break on the left side. I had to slow down real slow to keep from breaking it. the shaft would break between the coupling and the sprocket which drives the head.