Combines sickle sections

[Aar]

You are getting one of your reel tines caught in the sickle. Go look at the tines above the sickles you have lost and they are probably have bent ends or pulled out a little. Usually happens to me now and then in the middle of the head. Try raising your reel a bit for a round to see if it helps and if it does leave the reel there or reset the reel on the adjustments at the divider. If you have a long tine cut it with bolt cutters. Only other thing would be the hold downs are not set right and allowing the bolts to catch. Just my experience but it may be different than yours!! Good luck

 

[Ohio__Steve]

I second what Aaron said and would add that if you are running on auto float that if one or more of the linkages on the back of that head is_are out of adjustment, it will allow the cutterbar to raise higher before the head raises when that section hits a high spot. If that happens the reel tines may be in the cutterbar even though you seem to have enough clearance setting with the head on level ground... Take a close look at the tines, you will see knicks where the sections are hitting.

 

[nebraska_farmer]

thanks guys i'll look at what all was mentioned

 

[Bigsky]

We had this happen on our windrower this year. Just as the guys stated in their replying posts, we checked the tines on pick up reel, which happen to be U11's, and it sagged in the centre. We had no more room on cylinders to adjust a bit higher, so we took a large bolt cutter, and trimed the tines that were hitting. This solved the problem. We figured we had enough clearance before, but just a small bump, and it would sag just enough to catch a sickle and break it like you said. You more than likely got an adjustment on your hyd. cylinders, that will raise the reel a bit, and stop it from bottoming out. let us know if this is your problem. Good luck.

 

[a1]

i put a new sickle and gaurds on 2 years ago and now have the same trouble breaking sections. so does my uncle and a friend since they put in new sickles.