[bmoody]

I've had a 08' 7010 this year. It did a good job in wheat....literally tore the corn up and made short work of what early soybeans I've had. I'm running a Geringhoff corn head with front duals with rear wheel assist tires tracking inbetween....which means a corn row hits the middle of the rear tire. After 400 acres, the corn has literally tore the rear tires up nearly pealing the lugs off. They are Firestone tires...dealer is making it good and in a couple of days I'm putting stalk stompers on the head.

This a common problem? Past combines have straddled rows.

Any thoughts on Geringhoff corn heads while I've got the floor?

Thx all...safe harvest to the whole bunch of ya.

 

[mx270a]

After 400 acres of driving on a row I would expect the tire to show where the stalk hits it, but you make it sound much worse than that.

Back when we had 1660s with 6 row corn heads, the front tires would drive on a row. They would get chewed up, but they still lasted several seasons.

I suppose green stalks are stronger, and thus harder on the tires. If you have a roto-disk header, I wonder if the short stalk that is left is any worse than a normal height stalk? They might be stronger because they are shorter.

-Lance

 

[bmoody]

The Geringhoff is a North Star. The stalk is about 8 inches to a foot and it catches the lung square on. You can actually insert a coin into the lung where it would appear to peel off the tire in due coarse. I doubt if they will last another season. New tires after this harvest and stalk stompers I hope will curb the drastic wear. I'm not the only one in the area having troubles. Wonder if it was a bad batch of tires? All machines came in together.

 

[okpanhandle]

400ac is a short lifespan, but I wouldn't be quick to say bad tires, just tough corn stubble. Strip-till in my area has been murder on tractor tires. Guys have started working at an angle to the old rows instead of driving on top of them and that has helped. You can always tell the tractors that run in strip-till; the tires all pock-marked and sometimes there are cracks along the treads like you mentioned. The front tires on our MX270 are like that. They're Goodyears, by the way. Maybe you can find a tire with a harder compound that can take more of a beating.

 

[bmoody]

You know I ought to scrounge up a picture. I just finished this year's corn crop (it nearly finished me..lol) and the tires are literally trashed. You can see the fodder dug into the lugs as it turns. The dealer is installing stalk stompers as I type this. I wished I had more corn to pick to try them (wished I had more bushels as well). The dealer is exceptional and I've enjoyed doing business with them over the years.

I know that some damage can be expected over a given period....but one year's corn harvest? They would never hold for another half of a corn harvest.

While you're reading this...what do you think of a Geringhoff North Star corn head? Had a Case IH 3400 series ordered but apparently orders are slow and this one was given to me to use...of coarse they want to sell it.

Thx all

 

[beh]

I am not out to point fingers, but to point fingers:

I would say you are being too easy on the whoever manufactured the tires, 400 acres is poor tire life no matter what your running conditions. Never dealt with a chopping corn head but if you have a tire dealer you work with, I would mention it to them. They might have had a batch that had bad compound, they might admit it, they might not, but it is worth a try. It could be just wear and if it is it is, but I would at least mention it to them...

 

[bent]

You are driving on the top of tree stumps. The amount of improvement the genetic companies have put into stalk quality is tremendous. No one likes to pick up lodged corn. Tire damage is the downside.

I think if you were to have someone drive the combine slowly so you could watch the behavior of the stalks you will see the tires are trying to compress the stalk lengthwise. The stompers only have to lean the stalks over so the tire can push them down.