A Guide to Harvester Maintenance
Performing regular maintenance on your harvester is the best way to ensure that it runs smoothly and lasts for years to come. Read on for some simple maintenance tasks you can do! If you have any questions or you want to buy some new equipment, call Burrows Tractor today.
The Importance of Maintenance
A harvester is an advanced piece of agricultural equipment that is crucial to your farming operation.
Proper harvester maintenance can:
- Minimize harvest loss.
- Generate high-quality crops.
- Ensure a consistent flow of crop material through the machine.
- Extend the equipment’s lifespan.
- Reduce the frequency of repairs.
- Reduce lost work time.
Preventative Measures
A big part of maintenance is taking some preventative measures. The goal is to keep any major issues from happening at all.
The Header
The header is one component that you should focus on, since it can be the biggest cause of grain loss.
Make sure to:
- Set stripping-roll spacing based on stalk thickness.
- Set deck plates as wide as you can.
- Match the grain-head gathering speed and feeder house to the harvester drive speed.
The Feeder House
Another part of your harvester you should do some maintenance on is the feeder house. This is where the grain first enters the machine. You should focus on keeping the feed accelerator at a low enough speed so that the grain is less likely to break.
Threshing and Separating Parts
When it comes to these harvester parts, you should aim to strike a balance with the rotor speed. Shoot for the slowest speed that still shells the grain. Going too fast can damage the grain and going too slow won’t accomplish the task.
Grain Cleaning Parts
You’ll want to ensure that the settings on the chaffer, shoe sieves, and cleaning fan are optimized. These components work to separate the grain from non-grain material following threshing. They play a large role in determining the quality of your final result.
Pre-Harvest Inspection
Before you start using your harvester, you can perform some basic maintenance. This includes a routine inspection.
The maintenance check should include:
- Checking the roller chains or the knives depending on the type of head.
- Inspecting the rotor and concave.
- Checking the sieves.
- Looking for sharp edges on augers.
We hope these tips help you keep your harvester in good working order! If you still have questions or you need to buy some new equipment, reach out to our team at Burrows Tractor. We are located in Yakima, Wenatchee, and Sunnyside, Washington, and North Plains, Oregon, too. We look forward to helping you with all of your agricultural needs!