Combines Skid plate mod

Im with Bill on this one!!!! If we can get better cutting with the 500 flex head I be a happy man! I think Hibred if you got someone with a digital camera (local camera shop!)and got some photos on to the hyper site this would go along way to help some of us that have the 500 and 800 fronts!!! I think I know what you have had done but a picture speaks a thousand words!!! (and you don't want me typing those words ether!!!!!) Hibred PlEASE post some pictures!! Thanks Rolf

Before getting out the cutting torches I would take a look at adjusting the cutting angle slightly. I run a 520 with a Crary air reel and it cuts incredibly close (about 1") to the ground. There are a couple of ways of changing the angle, one is by using the adjusters under the head, the other way is to change the height of the back of the combine either by adjusting the axle or different tire sizes. lowering the back of the combine by a couple of inches will make a big differnce at the cutterbar.

I have my cutting angle adjustment as far as I can get it and have even gone so far as to inflate my front tires to 25 psi and lower the rears to 12 psi which does help but it cuts no where as close to the ground as my old 8900 White combine header did. I am convinced that the 500 headers were a poor replacement for the 300's. Also the wobble box skid is so wide that it flattens soybeans down and there is no way they can be picked up on the next pass. I always try to keep the wobble box side to the outside which means making strikes in the field and running across the ends of the field instead of turning and going right back with the next pass. It really ticks me off.

Bill, I have to agree with you on the wobble box divider running over beans...not quite as bad in solid seeded beans (7") because they have other plants to lean on but in 15" rows it is a real problem. I found my series 3 head to be just as bad as the 500.

Bill post your e-mail address I will send you a few finished pics. Sorry I dint take any from start to finish

Also I might add that the feeder mount for header on the combine is tiltable from '92 to '98. Don't know about laterial tilt machines though. I've only monkeyed with tilt a couple times for it seems we have been able to cut close enough with header adjustment for the crops, soils, tires, and conditions we have. I saw Minniehills pictures and it looks like he could run gaurds horizontal and clip the dirt. Take care.

Bill and all the others i will try and get a picture up as soon as i can, been busy with corn lately. Basically what was done was the top three quarters of an inch was cut off the lip of the skid shoe and then the hold down bracket on the skid shoe was moved back a bit this in turn lets us pretty well shave the ground now, we also put a little wider hold down bar on too. This is one slick cutting head now, i know Agco has pictures of it, our head was under warranty when this was done and Agco even took care of the bill, seems like they do have some other complaints out there regarding cutting short beans. listen up Agco and get these heads fixed. We and others are going to be buying new machines in the future and i fully expect this to be addressed before we make another purchase.

Bill could you please send me the pictures. thanks Randy

nt

Sorry. Wrong e-mail address. Correct one is ccorp@sympatico.ca