Combines Draper headers good or bad MacDon

Todd, can't answer the durbility question until after next week. Will be working with a MacDon person on draper heads. As far as protecting the combine, if your 2188 doesn't have the float sensor in the hose block on top of the axle for the lift cylinders you can install one for about $80.00 for the sensor, hook up the wire, and reconfigure the combine header controller. The utilize the float position on the header controller. This will allow the controller to add oil to the lift cylinders when the weight selected to be carried on the combine changes. It will not react as fast as AHHC but will help. You might also consider going to the parts book and ordering enought parts to install 2 extra header lift cylinders. This will allow you to lift the head without setting high pressure standby on the PFC pump above specs. You may find you will have to adjust the header raise and lower rates under the right hand armrest to compensate for the extra volumn of oil, but it should work. This is also what needs to be done if you install a 12 row cornhead. PlEASE do trust the saftey stand when working under these headers. They are heavy enough to collapse the stand. I speak from experience here. let me know if you have any questions.

Todd, we have quite a few MacDons on our Axial-Flows around here. I'll be the first to say I was rather skeptical about them, but think I would prefer one to a 1010 header anymore. The smooth, even feeding of the draper head allows you to travel faster with a 36' draper head as compared to a 30' rigid head. The flotation system on them works well with the "bogie wheels" on the ends of the header which also double as a conveniant header trailer when roading. This allows the feeder house to not have to carry all of the weight of the head in the field. A few guys here even tried them in soybeans here this fall in the hopes of not having to buy a 1020 flexhead. Now here we have pretty flat ground around here, but most guys thought they did just as good with the draper head as they would have with a flex head. As far as durability, one guy had 20,000 acres on 2 of them and only had to replace the canvasses beside the knife assembly. Must be something to them, starting last year you could get them in red Case-IH paint and were called a 1042 header from Case. 1 thing we have found is that you cannot have a stone retarder drum with a MacDon header, they will not feed very well. Otherwise, they are a good product. the guys that have them would not go back to a rigid_auger header. Hope this helps some.

Todd we run a 2388 and 2188 here in central South dakota and bought 2 new 36' mac's last summer. We had the same doubt's as you, but all in all we are happy. First 2 days were not good the setup boys had some hoses turned around and had some other troubles but macdon sent a journeyman out to help get us going. We had one orbit motor seal go out, it was warranty of course but hope it's not a sign of things ot come. Also had to replace the center draper but that was also the setup crew. As far as going any faster then a 30' i did'nt think so it pushes them pretty hard in heavy wheat with lots of stubble but in spring wheat they were great you could roll right along in 40 bushel spring wheat. And yes the really do follow the ground good, and the transport on them makes it handy too. We was also worried about unloading on the go and had no problems they don't seem to be much wider then our 30' were. Well hope i did'nt confuse you but if we had to do it again we would probably buy the macdons. Another thing SDman said about getting the red ones we tried all over here and nobody knew anything about the red macdons, I'll have to ask SDman about that.

We run a 30' MacDon in wheat and other small grains in ND. Rented a second combine a few years ago that came with one. liked it so much that when it came time to buy again that was the straight head we wanted. We talked to several owners- most told us to stay away from the 962 and buy a good used 960. They said that the adapter on the 962 was changed and doesn't feed as well in our typical conditions (tougher, wet, etc.) Our only problem has been in durum, the longer straw will wrap under one of the side canvases and stop it occasionally. Most guys say that it will give you another mile per hour in good conditions- I think that is true. The floating provided by the gauge wheels is also very nice, especially at night. As SDMan says, Case IH now carries the MacDon head painted red. Most dealers up here in ND have at least one of them on the lot. They also have brochures on them (but I see the website doesn't list them!)

I'm selling a macdon (36ft 1042) after one wheat season. blew two hoses, a centre belt, rhs feeder belt, rh roller and the hydraulic motor started leaking.When the roller went it burn't holes in the rh belt and how it didn't burn the whole machine I'll never know. The centre belt, rhs belt and rh roller were all nil stock australia through case. After driving 400 kms to a macdon dealer I eventually got a roller, but then case didn't want to pay warranty because I used a Non Case part. For the centre belt I had to cut down some cheap imported belt to the right width. The knife drive bearing had enough play in it that I replaced it before It broke the knife. I have now well and truly passed the 500 hour recomended to change the 9 roller bearings but guess whatIJ. Six of the bearings are NIl STOCK AUSTRAlIA. I hope you read this before you buy anything . I'm swapping my 1042 for a 1010 because I know it will keep going at no expense for years to come and I won't have to be on edge all the time about the possibility of seeing a near new 2388 going up in smoke.