Combines rock traps

Yes, you need to empty the trap every day. if you don't, the grain and dirt in the trap will get hard, and won't move out of the way of a rock. it probably should have stopped the softball sized rock. around here (PA hill and rock territory),we run a stone retarder drum in front of the rock trap, and put the upper drum stops in the low position for added protection. nothing is foolproof, unfortunetly.....

I farm in PA also. We find the caseIH trap to work well. I "picked" 6 rocks from the trap this season- Nothing made it to the rotor. If you clean it frequently everthing will drop out cleanly just with gravity. In addition to our 2188 we also run a 9510 Deere. The Deere rock trap is a dirty mess to clean and is not as effective as the CaseIH. Rasphead

In beans I clean out the trap each day prior to starting and also when I hear one go in , you can hear them rattle around in there , makes lots of noise sometimes . I also have the stone retarder drum , get a few in there too . Have had the machine 6 seasons and haven't yet had one get to the rotor . As mentioned by the others you ""MUST ClEAN OUT "" the trap often , if it gets packed with dirt etc. the rocks will not fall into the trap they will go on through . I have a milk crate tied on the combine and in a season , 250 ac beans and 650 ac corn , I get it almost full of rocks that I take from the trap and what gets caught by the retarder drum . I have also picked up a few in corn , especially last year with all the mess we had here in NC Il . Again if you think there is a chance of rocks ClEAN IT OUT regularly it works . I would never have a machine without a rocktrap . JIM

ours works good cut very short wheat this year on rocky ground at least six rocks in trap every day not one in the rotor wish rest of combine worked that good

I agree completely with JDJIM. Clean out the rock trap daily. I picked up several this year in beans and two in down corn. None have ever gone into the rotor. last year the rock drum also stopped 2 softball sized rocks. I wouldn't be without the rock trap, rock drum and feed reverser.