[pureel]

I have ordered our new 7088 and have had field tracker on our previous combines but always had auger heads. Now we will be having a FD-70 MacDon drapder header for the combine. I have had my salesman tell me you don't really need field tracker with the MacDon head also had Case IH reps tell me the same thing. So my question is does anyone here have field tracker and run a MacDon head and if so does it help much?
TIA

 

[midwest]

They are correct, you don't need the field tracker option with the draper head.
That said, sometimes I do run the field tracker manually when I am harvesting soybeans. Usually it's along a waterway or a ridge that lays funny.
I don't know if I would order a new combine without it, it might really hurt the trade in value.

 

[wrangler]

midwest makes a good point! i run 7010 with draper and use the field tracker quite abit. like midwest said around waterways uneven fields,plus use it on cornhead!

 

[casefarmer]

Fieldtracker has nothing to do with a fd70. But like the other guy said get it for the cornhead

 

[midwest]

One more thing I forgot. To avoid changing the head to road transport to get from field to field, I've used it to tilt the platform to get over fence posts and road banks.

 

[hickup1]

traded a 1666 one time because it was cheaper than trying to install the tracker setup on it. A combine now without tracker is only good for a 6 row corn head

 

[snakebit]

People who say that you don't need a field tracker are usually the ones who don't operate their own machines.

 

[casefarmer]

No just 5 years of experience.... I should add... if you have a972 or i think a 2052 then yes you need fieldtracker.....

If you are talking about a 2062 or 974 or FD70 then no....... it don't have a d**n thing to do with fieldtracker.....

If you would think about it how will the header tilt on a 974??? no sensors so therefore wouldn't do you much good..... how would a header tilting do any good... you tilt the adapter and the head will well......not tilt...

 

[325mag]

Well I am going to agree and disagree. For flat or rolling ground field tracker is not needed.

When you go to fields with ditches in them that all changes.
The flex on the flex draper can only do so much. The operator has to know the limitations of the header used to cut the crop. If the ditches are steeper than the what the wing can flex the field tracker comes in to play.
There is a little set back though, (remember I said little).

If you are cutting out the ditch and you tilt the field tracker to get the bottom of the ditch, it can and will bring up the other side of the header off the ground. Easy fix cut along the ditch first pass then go back and clean up the ditch itself next pass. All the crop in combine field looks better with clean cut.

 

[casefarmer]

Don't u get feederhouse tilt regardless? Again the fd70/974 has no fieldtracker sensors...

 

[325mag]

I dont get where your first statement is coming from. Sorry.

Yes, I know that the Macdons don't have sensors for the fieldtracker only height via the float optimizer.

I guess I need to take some pictures next time I am doing these kind of ditches. The ditches take anywhere from the whole wing and then some or only part of the wing. That is why tilting the feederhouse "manually" is necessary to get all the beans off of the field and into the header.

Oh and the fieldtracker is nice for doing terraces too in wheat.

 

[casefarmer]

Okay see I took it as the guy was wanted to know if he needed it to run the head which is no if u have a fd70 or 974. If he ordered it without which I doubt is possible I would still think he could still tilt the feederhouse

 

[jmark71]

Perhaps my memory is wrong, but I thought a machine without field tracker meant a fixed feeder house with no manual tilt control as well.

A MD - FD70 will not need the auto function of field tracker, but the manual override will definitely help in ditches or uneven ground as 325mag has described.

If you can order header tilt without field tracker, I was unaware of it. I would add that the field tracker is sweet to run with the corn head and I would want it for that alone.

 

[casefarmer]

I guess I'd be shocked if u can order without. Next season ill try tilting the feederhouse and see if it does anything. Guess I never seen why I would.

 

[jmark71]

After batting this back and forth, I decided to look it up. For 2010 models there are 3 order codes listed:

LC -- Without Stone Trap, lateral header tilt, auto level function -- $3388 List
LJ -- With Stone Trap, standard feeder face, no lateral tilt control -- $1674 List
LK -- With Stone Trap, lateral header tilt, auto level function -- $4456 List

These order codes were for a 7120. I'm not sure if the codes are the same for other models.

 

[casefarmer]

Interesting.......im shocked you can buy one without lateral tilt control....... would suck on resale..... so im sure nobody does it...