Combines 600 Series Hydraflex Problems

[kip]

Although I don't have a 600 series head, I see some of your same problems. And your right to blame the four inch sickle system somewhat. If I remember right from the farm shows, your guards have a short guard between each long guard similar to a Crary guard. This is part of the problem. That short quard doesn't allow the sickle to take a "big bite" each time. I don't know if you can change your guards to the old style to fix this. So your kind of screwed for this year. One thing I have found that really helps is to get the old corn stalks as flat as you can in the spring. Do you run a harrow behind your drillIJ A two bar harrow doesn't do a very good job in the tough stalks we have. Some in my area have gone to a roller harrow similar to the one run on the back of a field cultivator. Try to find a flat bar version as they are more aggressive at chopping up the stalks and leaving them flat. Hope my two cents helps. Have a safe harvest.

 

[kip]

Although I don't have a 600 series head, I see some of your same problems. And your right to blame the four inch sickle system somewhat. If I remember right from the farm shows, your guards have a short guard between each long guard similar to a Crary guard. This is part of the problem. That short quard doesn't allow the sickle to take a "big bite" each time. I don't know if you can change your guards to the old style to fix this. So your kind of screwed for this year. One thing I have found that really helps is to get the old corn stalks as flat as you can in the spring. Do you run a harrow behind your drillIJ A two bar harrow doesn't do a very good job in the tough stalks we have. Some in my area have gone to a roller harrow similar to the one run on the back of a field cultivator. Try to find a flat bar version as they are more aggressive at chopping up the stalks and leaving them flat. Hope my two cents helps. Have a safe harvest.

 

[snipe]

the knife in the 600 header doesn't cut or last worth a hoot. I am going to a SCH knife like in my Honey Bee head.

 

[Bart]

Had the exact same problem as you are describing. In are area guys were also complaining about the job in edible beans paticularly oteboes (real low bushy type bean). They tried changing guards to 900 series,taking wedge kit out,taking poly off,speeding head up.Nothing seemed to work to make it cut as good as the old 900 series (in edibles that is).I guess we'll all have to just grow 3 foot conventional soysbeans from now on.

 

[magnum_man]

That is one reason we like 15 inch row beans. They cut better. Have more air circulation in summer reducing chances of white mold. Saves wear and tear on a J.D. no-till drill also. We had the same problem with cutting no-tilled drilled beans. When they are in a row they help push in and cut better. Our 630 haqs cut them okay so far but will not cut thru grass or fine foxtail. It also seems to be high maintenance.

 

[Grassguru]

Go to agriculture.com and go into machinery talk - there is a post with more discussion on this post there. Maybe will help you some more. Gg

 

[Hibred]

We don't run a Deere head but do run an SCH knife on our 800 series Gleaner 20' head and find alot of the same thing you talk about, i don't know if there is any knife out there that does a perfect job in no till conditions with lots of stalk. We tried a 9560 with a 625 flex head and loved it although it was in tall clean beans and almost perfect conditions weather wise. The Deere head is far superior to our 800 series flex head, actually Gleaner makes about the poorest head on the market, too bad Gleaner wouldn't buy its heads from Deere, i know i would be alot happier about it.

 

[dakota]

Just got done cutting a circle of drilled beans with a 963 MacDon - no problems. The corn stalks from the year before were chopped.

 

[body]

Why not buy a MacDon FlexDraper and so you only need one headerIJ

 

[hop_a_l]

Did you do anything special to your macdon to cut beansIJ This is our first year with Macdon heads and its been to wet to try any beans yet, cut about 80 acres of milo but thats about it. And loved it so far.