Long hours in the combine are a part of fall harvest that many are accustomed to. Incorporating a daily walk-around routine is one sure way to stay ahead of any potential issues slowing you down. This simple approach can help avoid a breakdown or maintenance issue popping up that puts your combine out of service.
“Being proactive during harvest reduces the chance of breakdowns,” says Tim Starowitz, harvesting product specialist with Case IH. “And a simple walk-around before starting the day and at the end of the day can catch a small issue that can grow into a big issue.”
It only takes a few minutes, but those minutes can be invaluable in catching any potential problems that either need to be taken care of right away, noted for correction before the next startup, or scheduled with your local Case IH dealer.
Follow the flow
Starowitz recommends that your inspection sequence follow the crop flow through the combine. That’s the best way to ensure you are covering all the bases. “Harvest is stressful enough. A routine that follows a sequence is the best way to ensure you’re not skipping from one part of the combine to another and potentially overlooking something,” he says.
One item that Starowitz says can be missed is probably the most logical: emptying the rock trap. “From a daily operational perspective, the rock trap is something that can be easily overlooked,” he says. “So, whether you empty the rock trap at startup or at the end of the day, make it part of your daily routine.”
When following a daily crop flow routine, Starowitz recommends:
Daily debris cleanup
It’s easy to overlook debris cleanup, but Starowitz says a daily routine that includes cleaning debris buildup is imperative to ensure smooth combine operation.
And the visual buildup of debris isn’t the only area that needs attention.
“An onboard air system can make quick work of cleaning up debris, but another option is a portable leaf blower,” he says. “And if done daily, it can be a quick task.”
Pay attention to all areas, especially where sensors are located. “A sensor is located behind the chopper where debris can build up and the sensor won’t be relaying accurate data. Clean in and around fill caps to help keep contaminants out of the system, and clean around grease points. While grease intervals don’t happen daily, it’s a good idea to check and see if there are any issues and keeping that area as clean as possible helps you to see if there’s an issue.”
Data management
FieldOps is an incredible platform that helps ensure accurate collection of harvest data, and it can be done seamlessly through your connected machine. But Starowitz says it’s a good idea for a general review of your monitor to ensure there are no issues, or alerts that need to be addressed.
Start clean
It’s easy to breathe that sigh of relief once the last of the crop is harvested. But Starowitz says one final task on everyone’s list is to ensure your combine is put away clean. “Ensuring your combine is ready to go for the season shouldn’t start a few weeks before harvest,” he says. “I also farm, and operate my own 9230 combine, so I face the same challenges as my customers. And I know as soon as harvest is over we all breathe a sigh of relief. But before that relief happens, we can make sure the combine is put away clean, all routine maintenance is performed, and any issues are addressed. That keeps us from having to scramble those few weeks before harvest, which always comes up faster than you think.”
That’s where a preventative maintenance inspection can be invaluable. “That provides a dedicated time to catch issues, such as a questionable bearing, in plenty of time to address the issue. It’s just easier to do that right after harvest,” he says.
Daily inspection doesn’t mean daily maintenance. “You aren’t going to be adjusting feed chain tension every day. But daily inspection lets you know that everything is working at peak performance so you can avoid any potential issues,” Starowitz says. “A daily visual inspection takes only a few minutes, and then we can focus on the more important tasks.”
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