Straw walkers blocking up.

fermerboy · Sep 13, 2020

We've got a Claas Dominator combine, 5 straw walkers.
Cutting spring barley yesterday and the walkers are clogging up with awns to the point that there is s mat 6" deep on them.

Sometimes had bits block up before but not to this level. It was quite possible to crawl about in there as the spikey bits were covered, and she was struggling to get the straw back when coming downhill slightly.

The inside of the walkers were blocked in bits too.

Any suggestions to cause, and any cures? Old man reckons they tied cables inside the walkers to keep them clear.
Pic taken in hatch at back.

KennyO · Sep 13, 2020

I feel for you. Our previous two new Hollands did it a bit. Normally discovered a totally blocked walker on a Sunday morning.
Tx had wire ropes down the inside of walkers but not sure it made much difference.
Only thing I did was try to keep an eye on them and pull awns out before they built up too much. Only had to do it every morning.

yellowbelly · Sep 13, 2020

Don't know how to stop it happening, but when it does, the best thing for for getting them out is a hoe.
A lot round here used to have a hoe tied on the combine somewhere.

Steevo · Sep 13, 2020

This is a new one on me...!

glasshouse · Sep 13, 2020

fermerboy said:
We've got a Claas Dominator combine, 5 straw walkers.
Cutting spring barley yesterday and the walkers are clogging up with awns to the point that there is s mat 6" deep on them.

Sometimes had bits block up before but not to this level. It was quite possible to crawl about in there as the spikey bits were covered, and she was struggling to get the straw back when coming downhill slightly.

The inside of the walkers were blocked in bits too.

Any suggestions to cause, and any cures? Old man reckons they tied cables inside the walkers to keep them clear.
Pic taken in hatch at back.
View attachment 907506

Have i tried more wind?
Is grain unripe?

YELROM · Sep 13, 2020

Steevo said:
This is a new one on me...!

Might check ours in the morning before we start, only normally check the sieves

JD6920s · Sep 13, 2020

Steevo said:
This is a new one on me...!

Me too!

glasshouse · Sep 13, 2020

Seen that before, but it was frost particles off linseed

MF 168 · Sep 13, 2020

Jesus I've never seen anything like that before. Blocked sieves and a blocked up concave alright but never walkers that look like they've been carpeted. I assume the belt is tight enough and your walkers aren't slowing and not turning vigourously enough?. I've cut some pretty horrendous stuff this year especially winter oats and apart from the concave getting filled between the wires I had no other issues.

Steevo · Sep 13, 2020

Might not be his area of expertise.....but I guess it's worth tagging @Combine Rescue just in case he's seen this before.

will_mck · Sep 13, 2020

My tx32 used to have problems with awns sticking in the straw walkers, it was only when the barley wasn't 100% ripe. It never got as bad as in the photo's there. I layed a fine rope (maybe 8mm or so) the full length inside each straw walker, i tied a knot on the start of the rope so it bounced about inside the straw walker tray and cable tied the end of the rope to the end of the walker. It worked ok although i think when i turned the fan speed up it was less of a problem also.

fermerboy · Sep 13, 2020

Thanks for replies.

I have seen walkers clogging a little but nothing like this, more of a few bits here and there.

This machine was cleaned out before we started as it cut some wet sh!te oats last year when we finished, was pretty spotless, and shes running like a sewing machine. did wonder if the wind was needing upped a bit but don't think its particularly low.

The barley was Planet, its ripe,(15.9% moisture yesterday) but it was undersown with grass which is making the straw damp to work.

That build up was discovered after about 18-20 acres when it bunged up inside because it couldn't get rid of the straw, not sure how long it was like that, joyus hour in the grain tank removing straw through the hatch.

The three centre walkers are by far the worst, and are packed full with awns, p!ssing rain here today and was at other stuff so got that job to do tomorrow, no way you can shove a brush shaft through the walker, they are solid.

Change of variety next and undersown all done so hopefully thats the end of it.

quattro · Sep 14, 2020

fermerboy said:
Thanks for replies.

I have seen walkers clogging a little but nothing like this, more of a few bits here and there.

This machine was cleaned out before we started as it cut some wet sh!te oats last year when we finished, was pretty spotless, and shes running like a sewing machine. did wonder if the wind was needing upped a bit but don't think its particularly low.

The barley was Planet, its ripe,(15.9% moisture yesterday) but it was undersown with grass which is making the straw damp to work.

That build up was discovered after about 18-20 acres when it bunged up inside because it couldn't get rid of the straw, not sure how long it was like that, joyus hour in the grain tank removing straw through the hatch.
The three centre walkers are by far the worst, and are packed full with awns, p!ssing rain here today and was at other stuff so got that job to do tomorrow, no way you can shove a brush shaft through the walker, they are solid.

Change of variety next and undersown all done so hopefully thats the end of it.

I used to have a problem in six row w barley,I used to cable tie light lengths of small chain in the trays
depends where yours are starting blocking in the tray or the walker

Boysground · Sep 14, 2020

Not seen that before. Only time I have had walkers block is when chopping. The worst time was on my college placement, drove a 108 for the summer. The farm manager was too tight to buy a new set of chopper blades, the ones in the machine were totally shafted. I regularly got blockages and the blockage sensor flap above the walkers didn’t work properly.

Bg

Combine Rescue · Sep 14, 2020

Thank you @Steevo for recommendation.
I can help only with electro problems.
I can refer only to Will from Cotswold Combines for mechanical problems, he is extremely expirence with NH combines

Dman2 · Sep 14, 2020

Get it a bit with the 2 outside walkers on our JD
Can tell because the loss meter stops moving, as thats where it blocks
Happens maybe once a season, blame dampness on an evening, but no idea really

will_mck · Sep 14, 2020

If i had problems with chaff build up on the straw walkers i used to clean it out every 5 or 10 acres when it was just a handful, it took about a minute to do but if you let it clog up it's a nightmare to clean out and wastes alot time.

Barleycorn · Sep 14, 2020

Wonder if you could rig up an air blast system like they have to keep the knotters clean on the big baler?

Straw walkers blocking up.

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