Combines R50

Hi Nate, I would bet the 1" rasp works better than the 1_2" on the sep. side. Sounds like your doing a great job at getting these machines going. Keep up the good work. Dan

Exactly!!

Ed just wanted to let you know why someone would want more than an "R50" like a "72". It's for cutting a 1000 acres of 60 bushel heavy straw wheat in under a 100 hours. They are for cutting 220 bushel corn at 4.5 mph(just a stock combine) and keeping 4 semi-trucks busy so you can get the crop in before that snow that is coming. Don't be so hard on us guys that need the big horsepower O.K.IJ

My R50is a 1988. Don't really understand the earlier processor. The first thing I had done was move the reverse bars from the discharge end of the cylinder. We put 2 at the drive end and the other 2 in the centre but offset 90 degrees. This sure made a big difference in ability to handle tough material. I now have the wide wire concave. For small seeds, I think it is no good at all. I cannot get it to thresh spring wheat well. The problem seems to be the ability to install good concave fillers on top. At least the original concave worked okay in red clover with the filler bars installed. If you are referring to red clover - kill it down with RoundUp and cut it like soybeans. Works beautiful!

go over to "tips" and click then "upgrades" and browse and then come back and ask a bunch of questions!!!!

Try these 2 for a start:

I don't think that the 1.50 per acre is out of line if you do the work yourself.

1) Based on 23 years of running Gleaners, I havent spent a lot of money keeping them running. Some years I spend nothing.

Eight or 9 dollars per acre. Spent $7900 in 1999 in repairs and improvements to harvest 1150 acres. Only one small breakdown. I was shocked when I got the numbers all added up. Imagine the costs if I'd had some major expenditures like a feeder chain (which I replaced from my stock so no cheque to write). Tom, it takes $650 just to change the oils and filters. a new sickle is whatIJ $300 to 400 - I generally replace the sections for probably $150. Break 4 or 5 guards in a season and there's another $100. I had to replace a header lift cylinder - $500 for a used one. Replaced 2 rear tires @ $600 each. Replaced the impeller paddles, added some helical bars to the cage and changed the discharge paddles on the rotor to the combination paddle_rasp bar style - about $800. Fixed an oil leak on the hydro control valve - $900. And now I find the AHHC controller I ordered in February is still on back order. Nice company support! A grain elevator chain for a 1680 Case is 3 paddle shorter that my R50's sold for $192 while my Gleaner dealer asked me $650! My corn sells at the same price as me neighbour's. They both use the same chain! I AM a grumpy Gleaner owner - the cost reductions I expected have not materialized, available supply of used headers is still as low as for my l2 and the market value as a trade declines at twice the rate of red or green. Yet, I do like the simplicity and the current capacity of the machine. And, I sure don't want to go through this same learning curve with a red combine.

Hey Ed I thought my bride was the Big Spender. Do you spend that much every year or did you buy a used machine like I did and have to pour money into it because the previous owner never did anythingIJ Another problem you have is the exchange rate if you are talking Canadian dollars. I would agree with you that some parts from AGCO seem overpriced in comparison to other brands or aftermarket suppliers. I dont know if the quality is the same, but it is hard to justify twice the price for something like a feeder chain. Tom Russell