[cnd]

Our 9650 Walker never had the beater grate curtain installed. This is the curtain that attaches to the bottom of the beater grate, then there are two more curtains further back above the walkers. How many of you run this curtain in small grains? To me it looks like it would really help keep more of the grain down on the sieve. It looks like a close fit in there, have any of you ever had issues with the curtain mounting bracket getting caught on the walker? There are holes in the bottom of the grate but I am not sure if they are the the right ones for the bracket, I know the hole size is too small for the bolts that came with the kit. If I have to mount the brackets and drill holes in the bottom of the grate it would probably be best just to take the whole grate out and do it outside the combine......right? Thanks for any advice.

 

[bent]

The beater grate curtain is a monumental PITA. I'm the littlest, so I'm the guy that gets to crawl in.

The bolts just go into clip nuts, and they like to come loose. Then they will catch on the front of the walkers. The solid strap that is full length likes to break from vibration also. I solved that problem by making a new one from 10 gage sheet metal. I wouldn't put the factory thinner part in.

 

[greentech]

I feel that the beater grate curtain is Deere's patch for an inadequate threshing system. If you have the right components (prethresher feed plate, aggressive beater, 60% beater speed up) you don't need the curtain.