just saw in the local rural newspaper here in south aussie that the new 9870 in australia will have the option to have the new 50ft midwest fabrications front. not sure if you all know about its the first iv heard about it
There must be a fair amount of twisting stress on the feederhouse assembly with that width of a head. The Canadian Gleaner that was fitted with a 50' Honeybee head several years ago had two vee braces that mounted behind the head about 5' in from the dividers and came back to the combine frame to reduce lateral movement.
I'd be more worried about the STS cleaning system being challenged when trying to handle that much chaff/dry matter flowing onto its cleaning system from a 50 ft. head.
Exactly, I think I would try and put it on a machine that will handle it in every way, and the 9870 STS is not what I would put it on, my neighbor has a hard time keeping his rear end on the ground with a 42' HB, I think as of now the only smart choice would be the 590r...
Nice pic.
If that's normal operating set-up and guard angle suggests it is, that's quite a steep draper angle.
Same color as Skriroule snowmobiles from the early 70's. Back when Coleman built more then camp stoves.
As well as 130 others. Now theres what 4 or 5 snowmobile manufacturers? But I digress.
I believe, and I'd like to hear you're opinion on this, that headers are going to plateau in this 40 to 50 ft/ 12 to 15 m zone due to straw and chaff spreading considerations.
The flotation system on the Midwest fronts allow the cutterbar to be up to 12 inches closer to the feederhouse than the HoneyBees and other belt fronts so this reduces the weight effect a fair amount. The factory is on the way to the farm and I often see fairly large fronts sitting there waiting for delivery. There are grain sorghum crops yielding over 3 tonnes to the acre at this time in the Dalby area where the Midwest fronts are made so I think that 50 footer would make any machine work.That and the fact that there has been heaps of rain on ripe crops the last couple of weeks mud pluging around is the order of the day as crops are starting to go over.
Plateau's like rules are meant to be broken, I think there will need to be some re engineering with regards to weight and flex but I have little doubt it will happen.
As far as going larger then 50 foot. You are nearing the length of a semi trailer. Im sure they will come up with ways to fold drapers....Of course they will have to flex to allow for terrain but in my opinion if you can make it fold you should be able to make it flex....I do believe there will be a point where machines get too big and it will be more efficient to run 2 smaller machines. Haha, by that point the smaller machines very well could be the big dogs out today....something to think about...
It will be interesting. I can think of a few problems with folding a draper...cutterbar, the huge amount of space the reel takes up, just to name a few....My idea is to make the whole thing tilt vertical and fold at the feederhouse and be pulled down the road with the belts standing straight up and down with the two sections of reel side by side on top....
Thats why they are only selling it in australia where the yeilds are so low that you need 50 feet to really up the productivity. It will pick it up, how much does a 12 row chopping corn head weigh? Granted its alot shorter but theres alot more crap crammed in that shorter area....I think the idea of 50 foot heads isnt going anywhere...give it time, they'll make it to the states. Here's a pic...not sure if its the 50 footer (actually only 46) but it looks identical to this...
In regard to the draper angle yes it is quite steep I don't like it I run a 33' front and that is the recommende angle with the flat portion under the knife drive parralell to the floor if you lay it back it will push mud underneath and in to the front before you know it. I had a lot of trouble in the last wheat harvest after having 2'' of rain before harvest. Is it just me or do other makes do it too?
Quote:In regard to the draper angle yes it is quite steep I don't like it I run a 33' front and that is the recommende angle with the flat portion under the knife drive parralell to the floor if you lay it back it will push mud underneath and in to the front before you know it. I had a lot of trouble in the last wheat harvest after having 2'' of rain before harvest. Is it just me or do other makes do it too?
O mud the great header tester.
The things I would look for and keep in mind I know nothing about MidWest,
I'm a MacDon man but these points still apply.
1. Flotation. You want it to be as light and floatable as possible when cutting on the ground.
2. Attack angle of the cutterbar and skid shoes. You already touched on this, the flatter and smoother the better.
3. Cutterbar poly (plastic). All of The cutterbar including skid shoes. Get as many skid shoes as you can.
4. And finally sometimes it's just to muddy too harvest a down crop.
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