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: 610

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

Need to be Actively Engaged in Communicating With the Public Recognised

The Executive Director of Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan says there is growing recognition among those involved in agriculture of the need to be actively engaged in communicating with the public. Formed in 2014 to engage with consumers and ensure those interested in how their food is produced have a truthful verifiable way to get that information, Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan has seen a doubling of its support over the past eight years. Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says in the past there was typically a connection between those in urban centers through a relative or friend to agriculture but those links no longer exist. Quote-Clinton Monchuk-Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan: There's only 1.6 percent of the population now that's actively engaged in primary production. What that means is, when people have questions about the use of herbicides or antibiotics, they'll go onto social media or go onto a google search and not always that first respo

Nominations open for Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Award of Merit

Nominations are now open for the annual Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Award of Merit.

Regenerative agriculture 101: Is it right for your operation?

Regenerative agriculture is a term we often hear, but what exactly it means and how it applies to our farm can be subjective. There are, however, core characteristics that cut across individual interpretations of regenerative agriculture.

Labour market trends in food and beverage manufacturing

While the labour market eased somewhat in 2024, that’s not to say the food and beverage manufacturing sector’s labour challenge has diminished.

SHIC Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Expanded and Extended

The Swine Health Information Center has added E. coli monitoring to its monthly Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report and extended its commitment to the report through September 2025.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service