Combines wobble box question

It sounds like your sickle is pulling to hard. We have a place called Sickle Service here in central Nebraska and I was having alot of trouble with breaking the sickle head and the sickle bar itself. I am sure you probably have a place like that and all they do is work on sickles for anything. He put more hold downs on than what came from factory(one per foot is what he recomended) and then took more wear plates and turned them upside down to hold the sickle so it could not go back and fourth so much. I also did the modification that is on this web site with the extra weight on the wobble box pulley.I think it helped take some of the vibration out. Mine is a 30 ft flex and I believe it is more important the wider you are the better your sickle should be. After he was threw I could pull on the header drive belt real easy. Have not had trouble since.

1994 500 series, 30 foot Flex front. 1000 acres flex work in lentils plus 1500 acres locked up work per year. We have had our wobble box rebuilt once. Wobble box pulley weight as per Hyper Mods is a good start. Too much grease into the main bearing box can cause some over heating. If the box has a knock when idling then shims should be removed from under the trunnion bearing housings to take up the slack in the tapered roller bearings at the front and back of the main bearing housing. The other source of problems which we have not completely solved is in the ball pivot bearing under the main bearing housing. The bearing holder plates wear loose with the pounding of the knife reversals and allow movement which quickly escalates to a severe knock and shock loads on the whole knife system. Replace bearing plates if this occurs. I got fed up with them last time and figured there was not much actual movement in the ball and locktited the plates onto the ball. Seemed to fix the problem. A cool running and quiet knock free box will go a long time.

I also have a 30 foot flex. I am in Northwest Kansas and I don't know of any sickle service shops around here. Where in Nebraska is this shop you are talking aboutIJ So with the wear plates are you running 2 at each hold down, one up and one downIJ This seem like it would hold the sickle to highIJ Thanks for your help and comments Kurt

Do you have to completely remove the wobble box to remove these shimsIJ How often do you think that you have had to readjustIJ Thanks for your help, I am always looking for ways to not have to grease as much Kurt

When new, adjustment is only required every couple of thousand acres depending on the severity of the cutting loads, ie. frosted lentils which don't ripen properly can cause huge loads on the knife from gum, dirt and sap build-up. We have to use heavy duty truck wash detergent or even diesel fuel on the knife every hour to remove the gum build up on the knife in this situation. The fly wheel is a big help in this case by reducing the stop_ start shock loads from the knife and ensuring the smooth operation of the wobble box under very heavy load. We only adjust when we start to hear a distinct knock in the box when under load. Cutting dry cereals, the box will go for years with out adjustment. The shims in the trunnion bearings can be removed with the box in place. Unbolt the heavy U shaped plate across the top of the box and that will give access to the bearings. The trunnion bearings are tapered roller so the removal of 1 or 2 shims can take up any clearance very quickly. Don't over do the shim removal. Its a very easy job. Any work on the bottom ball shaped needle bearing and plates requires wobble box removal. When setting the knife up, make sure the first 2 or 3 wear plates under the knife hold down clips, next to the knife head, are pushed hard back against the knife bar. The swing arc of the wobble box arm causes the knife to move fore and aft during it's stroke. We broke the odd knife near the head until we woke up and gave clearance to allow for this movement. Cheers.

The Repair shop is called Webbs Sickle Service in Grand Island Ne. John is the owner and the man to talk to. The wear plates do not go on top each other they go upside down between and on two of the guard bolts in between the hold downs. I am not very good at explaining probably but it keeps the sickle from going backwards (as your setting in the seat)and binding the sickle. Has definetly helped us. The number for his shop is 308-381-7090. He will make it run like it should.