[younggun]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

On the later 2388 model's remove the air filter and inside of the air filter housing you'll see i believe 8 small holes on the right side, make sure there clean. They fill up easily with fodder and other material and the machine will run crappy. If need be remove whole assembly and clean. Tip use drainage tile cap to plug intake tube then u can just use compressed air to blow out holes w/o fear of blowing dust into motor. This applies to the newer machines (2003+) that have the silver air screen on the right side. This may also apply to earlier machines, but that is unknown.

Purchase small round blind spot mirror and fasten to right side railing outside door on the right side of the cab. Then u can see the window in the extensions to see when full instead of trusting that stupid warning light.

 

[unit2]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

On the 03 and later check the yellow wear strip below the rotary air screen seal. If that strip wears away the seal will start wearing into the rotary screen drum and you will have to replace the whole drum. If you have over 500 hours on your machine it is probably time to replace it.

 

[unit2]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

On the 03 machines there is a free update you can get from your dealer that changes the speed the separator engages when you flip on the separator switch. This engages the belt tightener a little slower and makes it so much nicer to operate and I would think it has to be easier on the machine also. It is just a smaller orifice that you but in by the cylinder that tightens the belt.

 

[unit2]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

You should have received a notice from CIH about this but just in case you didn't, this is very important update on the 03 and 04 machines. The stationary half of the rotor variable speed pulley that is on the rotor gear box can break and fly all over the place. Could be a very dangerous situation. A friend of mine had it break on one of his 04 machines. I replaced it on both of my 03 machines myself, but if you take your machine to your dealer they will replace it free of charge.

 

[saskman]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

Be sure to check/ adjust your engines high idle, along with the spring tension on the throttle cable. If either are low it will make a big differnce on performance.

 

[saskman]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

For sep drive.....with the clutch system, be sure to change to filter, I cant count how many i've seen rusted through. For the cyl engagement type be sure it is adjusted properly, as this will slip before the rotor belt if not adjusted properly.

 

[north1]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

Give both thrust bearings on seperator drive a couple shots of grease everyday. Seen alot of them fail due to lack of lubrication.

Lightly step on rotor drive belt to seperate sheaves before greasing. Helps lubricate drive system. Also blow out rotor drive system periodically to remove dirt and debris.

When replacing rotor drive belt with a new one, strap old belt (if in reasonably good shape) up against back wall of grain tank around rotor ajustment mechanism. Allows a person to replace belt without taking off the rotor adjustment mechanism and rotor drive coupling, and will get a person by for a few days quickly. Also when installing a new rotor belt save three cogs from an old rotor drive belt and work it inbetween the rotor drive sheaves instead of using the crappy tool sent with machine. Once new belt is installed and properly adjusted it simply falls out when pulley is rotated a bit.

 

[mx270a]

I'm copying a good idea from the Gleaner guys with this thread. Lets try to save eachother some frustration this season and list off things to check before the season or every day when running. Anything to prevent downtime. This is mainly targeted at the 2100 and 2300 series machines.

Note: Let's keep this thread all tips. If you have a question or comment about a tip, once that gets answered, the info will get integrated in the original post, and the other useless posts will get removed. I'd like to keep this thread all business, since it will probably last for a very long time. Thanks.





TIP: Don't forget to grease the splines on the half-shafts that go out to the front drive wheels. Without grease they will wear, eventually causing one of them to strip out, and then the combine won't move. Extra grease here won't hurt, since there is no seal. There are 4 of these total, two on each half-shaft.


TIP: Clean your cab air filter. I know it is a pain to get at, but keep it clean.


TIP: In the right side access door, next to the cab air filter, is a grease zerk for the idiler on the belt that drives the header. Don't forget about this zerk.


TIP: Don't cover up the return air filter located behind and blow the seat. If this gets blocked, the automatic air conditioning and heat won't work correctly.


TIP: Don't over-grease the bearing at the front of the rotor. You don't want to blow the seal out and have to fix it, since that is a lot of work on this particular bearing.


TIP: A lot of WD-40 in the tops of the couplers that attach the spinning spreaders will help to keep the couplers from getting sticky.



Everyone, feel free to add more tips to the list.

 

[mx270a]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

North1, I'm not sure what tool you've used when swapping rotor belts, or how the heck you can wedge a chunk of the old rotor belt in there. The tool I've used, which consists of a circle piece of flat steel and two long bolts, works absolutely fine. I blew apart several rotor belts in 2004, and we used this tool every time to put a new one on. Does this sound like the same tool you used, or something different?

-Lance

 

[brandonswia]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

Carry a "California duster" and wipe down the windows at night while the machine is cooling down. It only takes a minute and keeps you from having to wash the windows every morning.

Brandon

Question: What is a california duster?
Answer: http://tinyurl.com/f29hg

 

[farmertony]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

TIP: If you seem to go through rotor belts very often, keep a spare right in the machines. Stick an extra belt around the drive shaft when you put your next new rotor belt on. If that one breaks, the next one is a piece of cake to install. Also, to keep the things from getting sticky, run your rotor speed down and up once a day.


Edit: For reference, here is what this looks likehttp://lefebure.com/farming/2004harvest/11/images/rotorbelt1.jpg:
http://lefebure.com/farming/2004lance/11/090701.jpg
You'll see a blown rotor belt, and the spare that is already around the drive side. This way you don't have to take that chain off to install the second belt. While not in use, use some zip ties to hold it in place away from any moving parts.

 

[mx270a]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

Quote:Lance,
Yes that is the tool. Seems so much quicker to use large wrench located in rotor compartment and carefully seperating sheaves apart and piece of belt works its way inbetween sheaves and holds them apart. Was given this advice by a custom harvestor and long time axial flow user.

North, I'm remembering a little more about this now. I can see how you would dislike that tool. It takes for freaking ever to tighten (and then loosen) those one-foot-long bolts with a regular wrench. I believe the size is 15/16s. What you need is a ratcheting wrench. Not a socket wrench, but it looks like a box-end wrench, except that end has a built in ratchet. That really helps to speed up that process.

As for wedging a belt in there, I can see how that would work. It makes sense to me. However, I think they increased the spring pressure in the later model machines, maybe starting in 2003 or 2004. That might make prying it open with the rotor wrench more difficult. Also, I know I've seen a blown rotor belt get itself so wedged in there that the tool wouldn't release it enough to get it out. I think we ended up putting a chain on the other end of the remaining part of the belt, then attaching that to a pickup truck and pulling in out of the rotor pulley.

Note: Once this conversation is complete, I'll combine it all into one post and delete the other posts pertaining to this.

-Lance

 

[mx270a]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

TIP: If you slug the rotor so badly that your break the rotor belt, put the rotor gear box between gears so it is in neutral. This helps a bit for putting a new rotor belt on. Plus once the new belt is on, engage the threshing for a bit so the rotor pulley spins and the belt seats all the way. If you have a really tough slug, you could also slow the rotor down as much as possible, even though it isn't really spinning yet. This gets you more leverage going into the rotor gearbox when you do put it back in gear and engage the threshing again. It make is less likely to blow a second belt, however, it is a higher chance of overloading the rotor gearbox and blowing something up inside there. If the machine is under warranty, why not. If it is out of warranty, I wouold use the big rotor wrench to back the rotor up a bit to unslug it some. I'd hate to buy a new rotor gearbox out of warranty.

TIP: If you spin over the threshing part of the machine without the rotor in gear, once you shut it off, it will take a while to slow down again. Don't put the rotor in get until things are almost completely stopped. The rotor gearbox doesn't like being slammed in gear with other things moving.

TIP: On late model machines, you can change the rotor gearbox gear from inside the access door right outside the cab door. You don't have to go up into the engine compartment. On machines earlier than that, you can do it from the access door just to the right of the cab. On machines earlier than that, you just have to do it from the rotor gearbox directly. I tell you this because I've discovered that not everyone is aware of this cheater way to change the rotor gear selection. Just don't change it with stuff spinning.

-Lance

 

[north1]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

Lance,
Yes that is the tool. Seems so much quicker to use large wrench located in rotor compartment and carefully seperating sheaves apart and piece of belt works its way inbetween sheaves and holds them apart. Was given this advice by a custom harvestor and long time axial flow user.

 

[casefarmer]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

TIP: Don't grease the Zerk on the Clean Grain Elevator Clutch


TIP: Halfway in 2004 they changed to a different style oil filter...

Make sure you look before you just say yeah...thats probably it..

 

[mx270a]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

TIP: We carry a hand-pump grease gun on our combines. We put the grease gun hose through any one of the holes up on the catwalk as you go into the cab. It's easy to get to when you get out of the cab if you grease things through out the day. It isn't all covered in dust as it would be in a tool box. With the hose going down through a hole, we've never had a grease gun fall off the cat walk yet.

-Lance

 

[sparky]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

TIP: If your tired of grabbing a handful of oily dust when you have to drop a spreader, go to the nearest bicycle repair shop and get a bottle of wax lube by Finish Line or White Lightning. Disassemble and clean up the spreader connectors to remove all oil-based lube. Coat everything with the wax lube and reassemble. This stuff dries to just a slippery wax coating and will not gather dust, or wear off. I did mine 4 years ago on my '98 2388 and haven't had any more problems with the connectors (I don't let them get rained on either!). This will work on anything that you need lubricated, buy want to stay dust free, like PTO connectors

 

[greedyguts]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

We put cable ties on the spreader shafts, they flick alot of the chaff away from the shafts, preventing heat. Also I welded half washers onto the bolts on the guard over the chopper drive, this makes them like wingnuts for quicker removal! Also I always remove the concaves in one piece, it is much quicker. Always grease the tailings auger, three points on the rotor drive and the unloading tube every day!!! Do it while its filling with diesel!!!
Also when removing the tank unloader belt instead of moving the pulley like it says in the book, undo the chain and the plate holding the unloader chain sprocket, I think there are 6 bolts, 4 on a channel stay. Its much quicker and easier this way!!!
One other thing, slide the pulley on your hydro drive shaft and grease the splines once a year, I had to replace my shaft last winter, grease is much cheaper.
Now I'm going to buy some waxlube.

 

[mayo]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

2 things, yeah the door thing is a good point, gets hard on the handle.

Also I wouldn't recommend leaving a new rotor belt on the shaft, the heat generated in the compartment will dry out and deteriorate the spare a lot. And they are so quick to change anyway. Just my opinion.

 

[cowgirlchaser]

Re: Axial-flow Repair/Maintenance Tips thread

I use a anti-seize compound on the header shafts and spreader shafts. Works great, no sticking. Grease the 2 bearings on your rotor drive daily(On either side of the rotor speed adjustment chain) along with your auger and rotor belt tensioner. On the 21s and maybe early 23s if the pump is turned up make sure you keep your radiator and a/c condenser blown out and your engine air filter blown out. ( more so when its hot outside like in wheat harvest) Also remove the last to engine shields on the back to let out more heat. If you have a electric reverser junk it and swap in the hydraulic one, you won't regret it. Its worth every penny. On 21s and Early 23s switch the spring in the rotor belt tensioner to the 500' one. Use the serrated sections in the chopper for stationary knives, along with the beveled chopper blades. (It will chop up the stuff alot better)Also use the 3 curved bats and the high speed pulley for the spreaders.(It will spread 36ft) On the beater in the rock trap switch to the serrated tips.(It feeds alot better). One last thing if you plug it take the rotor out of gear and run the machine to clean it out first, then open the concaves all the way put the rotor in low gear, in the middle of the speed adjustment, and back it up as far as you can go with that big wrench before trying it. Just remember after backing it up to re tighten the clutch.(go the other way with the wrench till it contacts), and have the engine wide open before putting the separator in gear.(That way the clutches get full pressure.)Just be ready to cut it off if it doesn't go.