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: 615

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

Upcoming Webinar: Understanding bovine tuberculosis

Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) is hosting a webinar on November 17 at 7:00 p.m., with participation from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The session will focus on bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and what it means for Alberta’s cattle industry. Presenters will provide background on the disease, share the latest information on the current bTB trace-in, and discuss what producers need to know moving forward. “This webinar is a great opportunity for producers to hear directly about how investigations like this work, what steps are taken by CFIA and industry, and how producers can stay informed,” says Karin Schmid, ABP’s Beef Production and Extension Lead. Titled “Bovine Tuberculosis: The Bacterial Ninja,” the session will focus on information relevant to primary producers, including an overview of the investigation process, common questions from producers, and resources for those seeking additional information or support.

Meeting Alberta's rising demand for water

Bill 7, the Water Amendment Act, would help farmers, ranchers, communities and businesses by streamlining regulatory requirements, increasing transparency and making it easier for Albertans to use and share water. The proposed changes keep the strong foundation of Alberta’s water management system in place while introducing common-sense updates that protect the environment while supporting a growing province and economy. “Water is one of Alberta’s most precious resources. Alberta is growing, and so is the demand for water. By listening to Albertans and updating the Water Act, we’re helping communities, businesses, and our economy grow and access the water they need to thrive.” Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas “By making these crucial changes, we’re taking an important step toward strengthening and growing our agriculture industry. These changes will help increase access to water, support the expansion of our irrigation districts and ensure farmers and ra

U.S. not ready to accept cattle from Mexico yet due to New World Screwworm

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says her country is not yet ready to reopen its border to Mexican cattle amid an outbreak of the flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite. However, she is pleased with Mexico’s efforts to contain the pest. Rollins, in Mexico City for meetings with officials including President Claudia Sheinbaum, said that President Donald Trump was “very focused” on reopening the border, which has been largely closed to Mexican livestock since May. Rollins, who declined to give a time frame for reopening the border, said she would speak to top U.S. officials about the issue on Wednesday and would have more conversations about screwworm with Trump. Mexico has been working to contain the outbreak, which has spread northward from Central America, rattling the livestock and beef industries of both the U.S. and Mexico. 

Canadians believe ag is a top priority for federal support

A Nanos poll showed Canadians ranked agriculture higher than the auto sector

Few DON Concerns with 2025 Ontario Corn Crop

There appears to be virtually no concern with elevated vomitoxin levels in this year’s Ontario corn crop. 

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service