[matt708]

So we have a 2011 S77 and running a 36ft honybee front, we have had the front for 6 - 7 years. Going on what NDDan has been pointing out about fixing the feed in general on different fronts, i took some measurements and this is what i propose to do, wondering if i am on the right track or if there is other things to also consider.
To stop material from getting wrapped over the end of the slats, it looks like the opening needs to be around 800mm or 2.6 ft, which is measuring from center of each outside chain. Currently the opening is the full width of the feeder, which potentially means material can wrap around the ends of slats and repeat back around and cause slugs in the feeder. Am i reading this correct?
Experience has shown it works fine untill pushed or when conditions toughen than it will plug.
Remove 2 retractable fingers either end of feed auger because effectively they are pushing material back into gap between end of slats and feeder wall.
When i narrow down opening they would then be attempting to push material into blanked off spaces.
Also unbolt guides on the trough under the table auger and move them in to 800mm or 2.6 ft, and add material to fill in voids left.

Do i need to lift and hold the table auger up to its highest level or let it float?
Also do i need to add flighting to table auger towards the center of the auger?
Would it improve things to actually narrow the drapers down to the same width i am intending to make the opening, so 800mm or 2.6ft?
Thanks in advance for any feed back, would be much appreciated.

 

[flatfoot]

I am also run a 77 and 36' Honey Bee, so will throw out my 2cents hoping more will add.

Ist year with this combo was last year (yellow peas, barley and a few acres of durum) and I made opening to match feeder house to start - big mistake for all reasons you mentioned.
This year (yellow peas and Durum wheat) added 2" to each side (making it 36.5") and it seemed to make a very positive difference in Yellow peas. Last year had to dig table auger out often and never this year!
With that one small change, went from not liking the header to getting along quite well with it.
I would not consider moving rollers on table canvas's, but I would consider raising table auger 1/2-3/4" the next time doing YPeas.
Would I make opening smaller than 36.5"? yes maybe another inch or two.
Should add - had no feeding issues last year in barley and not a single issue this year in the durum

 

[matt708]

Thanks flatfoot, we got the guides on the grain pan trough thing shifted in today, we went with 34" gap there, now to blank of the horizontal sides like your photo showed. I see your retractable finger guides are placed inside the auger, we just did that to ours as well, they wear out too quick mounted around the outside.
Cheers

 

[nddan]

I like what you and flatfoot have done. There was something about I believe 18tooth sprocket that drives feeding ouger on these heads. A guy had a pair of these heads and one head worked well ant the other not. I had him count some teeth and do some compairing and he found a different count of teeth between the machines. He changed the sprocket on bad head and it went to working. Sorry have not been around these heads so can't tell you exact location. It is definitely a Honeybee part though

 

[flatfoot]

When discussing a few of my concerns with Honey Bee service, they did suggest checking that I had a 14 T drive sprocket, which I do. They do use an 18T in some applications - "some" red and green machines I think

 

[luxford8]

have done exactly what you are talking about, bought the belts in a bit, narrowed the feeder opening (- cant remember how much, but similar to what It was on a 5000 agco - and got rid of the outside retractable fingers - might have even been the outside two - id have to check.. either way it changed the whole machine - the front was the limiting factor prior to doing it. have the drum on head as far back as it can from memory - I was going to extend the flighting into the middle more on the front feed drum, but haven't got around to it - probably make a difference too, but not so necessary.

 

[matt708]

The feed is now narrowed down. I counted the driving sprocket we have the 18T one, so it looks as if that is wrong and needs a 14T sprocket. I kinda remember a discussion on here about the driving sprockets some time ago and checking ours and thinking it was the right one.
So it definitely needs a smaller sprocket to speed the feed auger up?
Also we have the double belt drive on ours, i notice yesterday the belt is on the larger of the two pulleys right at the front of feeder house on the right side sitting in the seat.
Does this need to be on the smaller one to make the chains turn quicker?

 

[whatswrong]

Matt ,page 133 of the 2007 parts book online calls for the 14 tooth but NOT to speed up the drum .
What combine was the header on before the S77 ? Maybe I should have said what combine was it originally built for new ?

 

[matt708]

It was on our 1999 R62. We got the front new, but good question what it was built for. The dealer we got it through was a case one so maybe setup for a 2388? What drum are you meaning not to speed up?

 

[Snipe]

The feed is now narrowed down. I counted the driving sprocket we have the 18T one, so it looks as if that is wrong and needs a 14T sprocket. I kinda remember a discussion on here about the driving sprockets some time ago and checking ours and thinking it was the right one.
So it definitely needs a smaller sprocket to speed the feed auger up?
Also we have the double belt drive on ours, i notice yesterday the belt is on the larger of the two pulleys right at the front of feeder house on the right side sitting in the seat.
Does this need to be on the smaller one to make the chains turn quicker?

Large pulley is high speed.

 

[whatswrong]

It was on our 1999 R62. We got the front new, but good question what it was built for. The dealer we got it through was a case one so maybe setup for a 2388? What drum are you meaning not to speed up?

The 14 tooth drives so it will slow it down ,from what the 18 tooth is doing ,over speeding really isn't recommended. (The Honeybee feed drum.)
So does your knife seem VERY fast as well ,the picture and the fact you said it was a few years old has got me wondering if it had been converted correctly because I'm quite sure an adaptor for a S77 from factory would have been that narrow but not 100% sure.

 

[matt708]

Okay I feel the feed auger (drum) is turning too fast fairly spits stuff around, not sure the knife is over fast though.
Snipe making sure we are talking the same pulley the one down near the front not the really large one on the hex shaft that has sprockets that drive the chains

 

[matt708]

It's all good Snipe got my head around the pulley thing thanks.
Got the 14 T sprocket on the way, I am thinking this thing should go real good now hopefully blocks are reduced significantly.