Autosteering a combine

[General-Lee]

Right been thinking (often dangerous(and please don't shoot me down!)) combine is gonna be auto steered this year but the problem is it's a hillsider, by my reckoning it's gonna require shift tracking on every pass which isn't a problem if you go up and down on yourself as you can line up centre it and off you go.
But to cut in lands or miss every couple bouts it's not gonna leave me with a equal last cut.

Here's the crazy bit would mounting the receiver on the header work as that stays the same (little like implement steer)? I know raising and lowering would affect it, just bouncing the idea out there.

 

[Mad Farmer]

We have auto steer on a hillsider combine and it works perfectly. Receiver is on cab and we don't put any special settings into it . wouldnt do without it now

 

[General-Lee]

We have auto steer on a hillsider combine and it works perfectly. Receiver is on cab and we don't put any special settings into it . wouldnt do without it now

Good,but is yours plumbed in factory or retro fitted?

Am I not right in thinking unlike a level land or tractor the receiver and header will be different going up than down, iyswim, or am I just being stupid?

 

[Mad Farmer]

Plumbed in. But combine cab is always level so distances are the same either way. You may have to reduce the header width setting by about 5cm to compensate for the extra area of being on a slope

 

[Northdowns Martin]

Most top quality receivers will have a gyro in them so they compensate for slopes.

 

[Northern farmer]

Most top quality receivers will have a gyro in them so they compensate for slopes.

Yes but in this case the cabin is always levelled and the receiver on top of the cabin does not detect any slopes. It does not need to detect the slope in the sense that the machine works an equal distance to the left and to the right from the receiver, like Mad Farmer already explained. At steep hills the vertically projected working distance is just a bit less than the actual header width and the wayline distance needs to be adjusted accordingly (again, like Mad Farmer explained).

 

[Northdowns Martin]

Yes I understand what you are saying maybe you are right and the best position would be on the header. There are a few hillside machines locally if I get an opportunity I'll ask how they get on on steep slopes

 

[Mean Green]

We have a Trimble Ez steer on our hillside combine and as mentioned earlier the gyro works out where you need to be. I will admit we don't have horrific slopes but it works just fine for us.

Matt

 

[Fraserb]

We have the fully factory fitted system on our deere hillmaster combine, I have to run the header 10cm narrower than it actually is to get a full cut on steep slopes, first year with it thought I would put the header back up to full width on flatter fields but in reality have never bothered, even overlaping 10cm on the flat its way better than I can manage all day.

 

[Feldspar]

We have a Topcon system on our MF Autolevel combine. With the Autolevel on it won't steer straight and you have to cut the swath width down quite a bit. With it turned off the combine runs dead straight.

 

[Fraserb]

We have a Topcon system on our MF Autolevel combine. With the Autolevel on it won't steer straight and you have to cut the swath width down quite a bit. With it turned off the combine runs dead straight.

Mine still cuts dead straight, but being factory fitted probably helps.

 

[General-Lee]

We have a Topcon system on our MF Autolevel combine. With the Autolevel on it won't steer straight and you have to cut the swath width down quite a bit. With it turned off the combine runs dead straight.

That's what my ramblings were driving at.

Had a t550 3 years ago on demo which was awesome(can't remember bout width) but would take a full cut reliably all the way across the field as the contours changed, but boss could no way justify with the price and our acreage so got a older one.

Have you stuck with autosteer for it and what sort of width you running, allowing compensation?

 

[Wombat]

We have a Topcon system on our MF Autolevel combine. With the Autolevel on it won't steer straight and you have to cut the swath width down quite a bit. With it turned off the combine runs dead straight.

Have you tried reducing the antenna height when in auto level mode as the combine is doing the levelling and you could end up with the 2 systems fighting

 

[Robt]

@Feldspar I can make your combine perform perfectly! I did your neighbours combine last year even though I didn't simply system!

 

[Feldspar]

@Feldspar I can make your combine perform perfectly! I did your neighbours combine last year even though I didn't simply system!

Make the combine perfectly? Can you also stop it breaking down, improve the straw spreading, improve the cab layout and fix the air conditioning. If so you get a golden star!

Will call you to discuss.

 

[Feldspar]

That's what my ramblings were driving at.

Had a t550 3 years ago on demo which was awesome(can't remember bout width) but would take a full cut reliably all the way across the field as the contours changed, but boss could no way justify with the price and our acreage so got a older one.

Have you stuck with autosteer for it and what sort of width you running, allowing compensation?

Well hopefully @Robt will be able to sort the problem out.

However, in the first year we couldn't quite work out what the problem was and so cut the width down by quite a lot (like 40cms less than the full width even with RTK). Then for the next two years we have just turned the Autolevel off except on the odd field as all our ground is pretty flat.

 

[Feldspar]

Mine still cuts dead straight, but being factory fitted probably helps.

Combine was autosteer ready out of the factory. Don't think that makes any difference though.

 

[Brisel]

Plumbed in. But combine cab is always level so distances are the same either way. You may have to reduce the header width setting by about 5cm to compensate for the extra area of being on a slope

I'm the same. Factory fit auto steer with the display pre loaded for the combine but no mention of Hillside levelling in the options settings. I just reduce the working width by 5 cm to allow for a bit of drift & inaccuracy. JD combine with SF2 correction.

 

[Durris Dave]

I have 750 with ez pilot on tractor would like to use on 750 Montana. Anyone know of any second hand ez steer motors. I could fit to combine to save moving ez pilot?

 

[moretimeforgolf]

I have 750 with ez pilot on tractor would like to use on 750 Montana. Anyone know of any second hand ez steer motors. I could fit to combine to save moving ez pilot?

I have a Topcon AES25 electric steering wheel which I was considering fitting on my 750 but will probably sell.