[doorknob]

Ok, I'm going to try this again over here on the CIH page. I had the question posted here too since many dont look at other color pages, but it got removed or lost and no-one has said it was for a reason, so I will assume it may have been a software glitch or something. ??

If you stick you combine in the mud, would it be of any benefit to unhook the header?

Looking beyond the "how will I get it back?" and all those logistical things, would unhooking the header benefit a stuck combine, or one that has'nt stopped moving yet, but if the header was off???................

Just curious, I was thinking of an idea to bring the header out with a tractor for re-hook. I've seen a few folks have built cool 3pt mounts to carry a head around the yard for repair and maintainence. An expansion on that idea and a few add on goodies to the header so it can be unhooked in the soft mud would be easy to do, but why?, unless it would benefit you.

Thanks for reading.

 

[mx270a]

Dropping the header would change the weight distribution of the combine. Less weight on the front wheels, more on the rears. In mud, less weight is always a good thing, assuming 4wd.

If you only have 2wd, then the rears are going to be more "drag" since they won't be pulling through the mud. However, in the right circumstance, the reduced weight on the fronts may be of more benefit than the extra drag on the rears.

Probably depends a lot on if the whole machine is burried, or just the front axle.

If a combine can't get out of a hole with the header on, why would a tractor with a 3pt do any better. The tractor would have to park in the combine ruts to get lined up to the header correctly.

I wouldn't be too thrilled about dragging a header across the ground to move it to solid ground. There would be so much mud crammed up under it something might break or bend. And on a flex head, you definitely don't want the table springs packed full of mud.

Try it some time, and don't forget the video camera.

-Lance

 

[tracks]

I have seen it done a couple of times and in general it does help for getting the combine out, but always by pulling it out. The added problem of header retrieval is a nightmare and always involves dragging and eventual damage. Without question the best thing to do if you ever think you are going to get stuck is to wrap heavy cable around the front axel on both sides and string under the machine and anchor on the back. You are then pulling where the weight is and things will usually come out without twisting/breaking. Hooking to the rear axel is not sufficient unless you are simply trying to anchor the back end and the machine is coming out on its own.

But in answer to your question, as far as I have seen it may help, but has never been worth it.

 

[doorknob]

Quote:Dropping the header would change the weight distribution of the combine. Less weight on the front wheels, more on the rears. In mud, less weight is always a good thing, assuming 4wd.

If you only have 2wd, then the rears are going to be more "drag" since they won't be pulling through the mud. However, in the right circumstance, the reduced weight on the fronts may be of more benefit than the extra drag on the rears.

Probably depends a lot on if the whole machine is burried, or just the front axle.

If a combine can't get out of a hole with the header on, why would a tractor with a 3pt do any better. The tractor would have to park in the combine ruts to get lined up to the header correctly.

I wouldn't be too thrilled about dragging a header across the ground to move it to solid ground. There would be so much mud crammed up under it something might break or bend. And on a flex head, you definitely don't want the table springs packed full of mud.

Try it some time, and don't forget the video camera.

-Lance

I saw your video, or one of them on youtube.

I guess it depends on the size of header and tractor. If you could backup to the header with the tractor offset from the combine ruts, the 3pt attachment can be offset on the 3pt and, if possible, a sideshift mechanism. Or, a hinging mechanism to go into retrieve at an angle?
Point being, it seems to depend on "how" you are stuck. Slipping on top, or buried deep. Just wondering what you think about your chances being better if the header could be dropped and retrieved otherwise.

 

[mx270a]

I think the situation you've described is a catch 22.

If you're stuck badly enough that you decide it is easier to take the header off and just pull the combine out, then it is really muddy. In mud that bad, you aren't going to get a tractor that close to the hole you just pulled the combine out of.

I'm thinking if it is bad enough to set the header off, then you probably already have some yellow machinery with steel tracks working on the project. Why not just bolt the necessary hardware to the header and lift it out with a big excavator?

-Lance

 

[casefarmer]

Im thinking if your that fubard then maybe it will be really hard to get the header off in the first place..

2nd..why are you out there???