Combines Shock kit need more info

To wit; Yes, maybe just a little more, and yes.Put it on. I'm sure you will get more before_after success stories here or I'll hang up the ol' keyboard. You're purpose is legit.- Trust but verify. Trust the guys on this one..tbran

Ken,First I'll tell you why we had to come up with a plan to stabilize tentioner drums. With the increased approach of straw to rotor on the R40-50 and R42 thru R72 we found a small problem in transition area between chains become a big one. We found we needed to lock rear chain up in highest position on R40-50 and drill a hole in height block on R42 thru R72 to lock it up higher than corn position to prevent front chain from plugging. After locking them up we found that material between the chains would stall when pulling out of the crop and then you had a hard time getting it to feed threw that area again. With the shocks installed we could leave drum low enough to keep floor clean and than it would float up as far as it wanted to for the amount of material coming threw. With shocks installed you nearly forget where reverser button is and the banging with failed parts is gone. Now even though you only raise corn and soybeans I think you would be better off with shocks on and rear block in grain rear position and front block in grain front position. With it like that the floor will be sweep clean when leaving crop and float up for what ever amount of material is coming in. We leave them like that for all crops including corn. If drum is locked in corn position on R42 thru R72 the drum may not be be able to go as high as it wants to which would be causing a unnesessary drag between floor and chain. Now a couple tips if you are installing the Gleaner kit. Install larger OD washers next to rubber on shock mount to prevent it from slipping off. I also cut about 1_4 inch off the top of rear stop block with it in grain rear position to give drum even a little more lift. You need to switch the large OD washers behind the block to normal OD if you cut blocks. Now if you ever have a feed chain plugging prematurely check that belt tentioners are able to pivot freely, washer and nut under right front feed belt tentioner spring anchor on single belt drive has at least 1_2 clearance, corn head varible has proper gap between front sheaves, and belt is in proper grooves for the crop you're in. If this is all OK you can install a 1_4 spacer under bottom drum stop for rear chain to get starting position off of floor a bit more. And to get even more room under rear chain you can replace 8 inch tention drum with a 7 inch drum. The 7 inch drum that was used for front drum will fit right in. All this will help but number one is to get shocks installed. Have a great day. Dan

I was just thinking maybe I should point out a couple more things when were talking feeders. There are some later R40 thru R70s and earlier R42 thru R72s out there that have arrow shaped stripers welded to bottom of square tube just in front of front feed chain drive sprockets. They should be in there for corn only and may cause feeding problems in other crops. I would cut them out of there and if you have corn get some new ones that are threaded so you can bolt them in for corn and then easily remove them for other crops. Also there may be a stripper fastened in front of rear feed drive sprockets and should be in for corn but removed for other crops if there is any sign of a feeder problem. Also on R60 and R70 the rear feed belt is a little shy on tention to prevent belt slipage in some conditions. If belt slips a bit the front feed will plug. We just raise the point where front of rear feed belt sping tentioner is up about 6 inches. One more thing if you have a R40-50 or a early R42-52. Remove the tention from rear feed belt and grab ahold of the rear drive pulley. You will more than likely find it quite loose. There is a bushing in slip clutch to keep it tight but will erode very fast if clutch has slipped. I would replace the bushing and get the washer, oring, grease zirks, and bolt that is used for that same location on some R60 and R70s. That set up will keep the pulley straight to shaft and the grease zirk will keep the spline lubed. If that pulley is allowed to get to loose the belt will climb pulley and snap as it gets on top of pulley groove for the belt tentioner will not give enough to just let belt come off. That's it for now. Dan

We have found that you don't need these strippers (the ones on the combine, the other shapely professional ones -uh- we find interesting) you talk about removing and replacing in corn IF you leave the feed chains on the fast speed. We recommend that unless you run your variable speed header drive over 50% faster than grain setting, keep it on the fast speed in corn. You don't need this kind of speed with a Hugger on most cases anyway. If the corn shucks are damp you can have feeding problems on slow speed that we have 100% solved by speeding the chain up. The only caution here is in white corn or popcorn where kernal damage might increase- but usually not unless you really get on the speed button. For these special applications there is a smooth bar available. The speed of the sprockets in fast speed keeps cobs from throwing feed chain off sprockets. It also adds capacity. Also you are right on on the rear feed belt. Unfortunately most have not greased this upper slip clutch and the splines are shot. There is a larger rear feed shaft and CHROME sprockets (someone ask about replacing worn sprockets in another posting) that everyone should be aware of also. Hey Dan keep up the good work. We could edit and print and condense all the proven good stuff posted and.............hmmm we've been there before .....tbran