Helpful Harvest Tips

May is coming to an end and that means that harvest is right around the corner. With that being said, I've taken the time to interview some of our seasoned employees and have put together a list of their best tips for a successful harvest. We want to help you minimize your downtime, increase your efficiency, and have a successful harvest season. Let's get started. 

Inspect Your Combine Before Harvest Begins

Taking the time to inspect and run your machine before harvest begins is important. It allows you to identify any needed repairs and perform them before the start of the season. Doing so will minimize unnecessary downtime in the field leading to a smoother and less stressful harvest.

During your inspection, there are a few key areas you'll want to focus on. Here's a brief overview of the inspection process.

1. Before you start, take the time to walk around and inspect your machine. Look for any loose, broken, or cracked belts. Ensure that there aren't any rodents or small animals hiding away in the radiator. Check the engine and hydraulic oil. 
2. Start the machine. Engage the separator and feeder house. Check the air conditioner because it may need to be charged after sitting for the winter. Let your machine run for 10-15 minutes. Listen for any unusual sounds that may need to be diagnosed.
3. Shut off the machine, shut down the engine, and engage the parking brake.
4. Check for any hot bearings by touch. Don't forget to check your idler bearings as well. 
5. Lube your chains while they are still warm. 
6. Look over your belts again to ensure that nothing was hidden behind or under pulleys. 
7. Check belt tensions for the feeder chain and elevator chain. 
8. Perform any necessary repairs that you discovered during your inspection.
9. Repeat steps 2-8 until your machine is performing the way you'd like. 
10. Adjust your machine for the crop you will be harvesting. 
11. Close the grain bin, water drain, inspection covers, and elevator doors.
12. Dump and clean the rock trap. Then, shut the rock door.

Clean Your Machine Each Day

At the end of each day, take the time to clean off your machine. Be sure to use air instead of water. This makes it much easier to see if something goes wrong. It will also make it easier to work on in the event that something is wrong with your machine. Make sure you blow off your batteries as well each night. Wet straw that sits on batteries can discharge them.

Grease Your Bearings

Grease your bearings at the end of each day. Do this while your machine is still warm so that it will take the grease better. As it cools, it will draw in the grease into the bearings, chain, and bushings resulting in a more even lubrication. 

Remember, Safety First

A wise friend recently shared with me a great piece of advice. "You are never too busy or in too much of a hurry to forget about safety." With that in mind, here are a few safety tips to remember this harvest season. 

• Wear safety glasses during any type of work.
• Wear gloves if working on anything sharp. For example, the sickle bar on the header.
• Don't work on rotating equipment (shafts, pulleys, belts) when the machine is running - even if it is disengaged.
• Watch out for pinch points such as the feeder house and belts. 

Work Efficiently With Your Parts Department Team

The parts department is a great resource for you during harvest. They work hard to accurately and quickly get you the parts you need in order to minimize your downtime. Your goal is to have a successful and efficient harvest season. We want to help you reach that goal. Here are a few tips for effectively working with our parts department. 

• Try to have as much information as possible when you call in. Having your make, model, serial number, and part numbers available helps us to serve you much faster. 
  • Struggling to find your part numbers? We've uploaded links to many of our manufacturers' parts books right on our website. These can be a great resource and are found here. 
• Did you know there are multiple ways to get in touch with our parts team? Feel free to use each one depending on your needs. 
  • You can call into our mainline at 620-855-3567 and ask to speak with our parts team. If they are available, we will send you right through. If they are with other customers, we will take a message for them and have them get back to you ASAP. 
  • Our parts team now has a dedicated cell phone line. You can text in your requests at 620-855-0355. Please feel free to include photos for clarification. The more information the better. Messages will be responded to promptly in the order that they were received. 
  • Parts requests can also be submitted through our website. Simply click here to fill out a short form with your request. That form gets emailed directly to our parts department. Emails will be responded to in the order they were received.