Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

I almost made my first round with my R52 Gleaner, but didn't quite make it.
It started out well, ran a moisture test from the front headland at under 14%. Then I started adjusting the concave to get a better sample. Stopping every 100 ft to check to see how much grain I was throwing over. Opened up the fan damper, tightened up the concave again, adjusted the sieve. Still a bit of chaff and heads in the bin, but Beacher Wheat is hard to harvest. Now starting to put some material through this machine, running about 3.8MPH, rebuilt header feeding well. Starting to fiddle with the monitors to learn how they work.
Then all of a sudden the auger in the header is at a standstill. The drive chain has come off the sproket.

There is always cause and effect, I was a bit rash in thinking the chain was the cause, no such luck. It was the effect.
In rebuilding the header, i missed replacing a single washer over a simple eyelette that adjusts the auger position. As a result the eyelet opened up, the auger moved back and was jamming into the stripper bar. No big damage, but not something that gets fixed by putting the chain back on.
I flipped through the manual a few times before I realized what was the source of my angst. Drive to the front of the field and unload, I have some repair work to do.

Started to unload, then had to shut off the unloader to position myself a bit further from the wagon. This R52 is a lot bigger than my old MF540 and its going to take a few rounds to get used to the length of this unload auger. But it wouldn't start again. Damn electronics! Now I am tracing the wiring diagrams, why won't this auger engage?
Drive to the yard. Now I have more to fix.

First I need this auger emptied, and I don't want to drain it through the clean out, there must be 100 bushels in the bin. All the wires look good, but the clutch will not engage. Problem is, with the grain loaded auger the metal dog that goes in front of the sensor for detedting the auger position, has moved just far enough the sensor is not made. Sollution, place a piece of metal over the sensor and everything works. Of course it took and hour and a half to figure this out.

Now I can move my attention to the plugged header. I love my Gleaner. Within 20 min all the damaged parts are off, and repaired. 20 more minutes back on and modified to prevent such a future failure (needed washer now installed). The reverser works! Hard to justify calling it a plug when it is so easy to undo. BUT the little metal cover at the center to access the fingers has gone missing. That would have plugged up my old combine, i didn't ever hear it go through this one. Back out to the field to run this straw through and see if the other repairs are good. The auger slips as I pull in to the field, lilekly need to re-adjust the slip clutch.  That ends my night.  It was getting dark, my combine needs work, and I am getting a bit tired, nothing good will come of doing any more.

Thanks to a 1/2" rain today, well timed for the tassling corn, I can take my time to make the needed replacement and repairs tonight.

 

So the wheat harvest is at a stop, the field barely touched.   But that's ok the rain is very needed.  So far today, more rain than all of June.  But surprisingly, the crops have been hanging on and are lookig good despite the drought.  I credit fall plowing.

Head high by the 4th of July!  Just need rain to take advantage of a good start.

Views: 617

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by OntAG Admin on July 5, 2012 at 10:48am

Thanks Gus,

Let us know how the wheat runs...glad you got some rain.

Take care.

Comment by Mitch Lang on July 4, 2012 at 2:53am

Your corn looks nice Gus... Must be that fertilizer you used... :)

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Your Essential Ag & Country Directories are Here – Online and Ready!

The annual Ag & Country directories for Prairies and Ontario are now live online - these directories are your go-to resource for maximizing productivity and supporting rural living.

PigLEARN Expands Training Library with New Modules Focused on Handling, Health, and Safety

The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) is preparing to release a new set of training modules as part of its PigLEARN platform, continuing its push to provide practical, accessible education for workers entering the swine industry. Launched earlier this year, PigLEARN is an online learning platform designed to give new barn workers a strong foundation before stepping into day-to-day production tasks. The system was showcased this month at the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 2025. A Growing Library of Practical Swine Training Mark Fynn, Training Resources Coordinator with the CPC, says the platform has quickly grown to become a comprehensive resource. PigLEARN currently includes 86 training modules covering topics such as: Group sow housing Pig handling and movement Transport preparation Euthanasia protocols Farrowing unit procedures General barn workflows Each module includes built-in knowledge checks and is available in multiple languages—including English, French, Tagalog, Spa

Countdown to Christmas -- Farms.com Holiday Calendar Brings Fun for the Whole Family

Farms.com is helping farm families celebrate the season with its Holiday Countdown Calendar! Starting December 1, click each day to reveal festive surprises.

Stronger Together: How Collaboration Is Transforming Swine Disease Preparedness in Western Canada

The Saskatchewan pork sector is entering a new era of disease preparedness as producers, veterinarians, and government partners work more closely than ever to guard against both endemic and foreign animal diseases. At the recent Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 2025 in Saskatoon, provincial leaders highlighted how coordination and communication across the industry have strengthened dramatically over the past decade. The message was clear: no single group can tackle swine disease alone. A Shift Toward Shared Responsibility According to Saskatchewan’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Stephanie Smith, one of the biggest changes in modern animal health management is the move toward industry-wide integration. Collaboration isn’t just encouraged — it’s becoming the standard. Canada’s evolving structures, including national and provincial surveillance networks and the development of Animal Health Canada, are enabling faster information flow, better detection of disease trends, and more c

Ontario Hog Market Trends: Prices Continue to Ease as 2025 Wraps Up

Ontario hog markets continued their late-fall softening trend in the week ending November 28, with formula prices, cutouts, and feeder pig values all posting declines. Here are the key developments producers need to know. Ontario Market Prices Slide Again The 100% Base Formula Price dropped to $209.29/ckg, down from $218.13 the previous week — its lowest level in several weeks. Average dressed hog pricing settled at $259.22/ckg, with highs of $288.87 and lows of $226.11. Weekly dressed weight averaged 108.54 kg, and total hog marketings reached 118,407 head, a strong figure relative to this time last year. Weaned and feeder pig prices softened alongside formula declines: Weaned pigs: $54.42 Feeder pigs: $86.33 Canadian Slaughter Strong; Provincial Prices Ease Canadian hog slaughter remained robust at 456,721 head, well above year-ago levels. Provincial prices reflected the broader softness: Quebec Pool: $205.10/ckg Manitoba Hog Value: $229.20/ckg The Canadian dollar strengt

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service