Class Convio Flex header vs Macdon Flex Header

[Pilatus]

What are the pros and cons of the above.
If you were to buy a new combine with a Macdon Header rather than combine makers header,changed the combine after 5yrs minus header ,but the new combine would use the Macdon header you already have how would the economics of that work , as the dealer would have to find a header for the combine you have part exchanged, so would you get a poor deal on your part exchange combine.
Meanwhile your Macdon Header is proving a good investment due to its gathering extra crop advantages.
???????????????
I may be incorrect but in Canada/USA it is quite common that when farmers change their combine they only change the combine and keep the old header,please correct me if what I have said is incorrect.

 

[T Hectares]

Pro's - awesome ( apart from maybe in osr )

Con's - cost

 

[Spencer]

As above....

Quick thread!

 

[T Hectares]

As above....

Quick thread!

Turn the lights off on your way out please

 

[Shutesy]

What are the pros and cons of the above.
If you were to buy a new combine with a Macdon Header rather than combine makers header,changed the combine after 5yrs minus header ,but the new combine would use the Macdon header you already have how would the economics of that work , as the dealer would have to find a header for the combine you have part exchanged, so would you get a poor deal on your part exchange combine.
Meanwhile your Macdon Header is proving a good investment due to its gathering extra crop advantages.
???????????????
I may be incorrect but in Canada/USA it is quite common that when farmers change their combine they only change the combine and keep the old header,please correct me if what I have said is incorrect.

As more folks switch to MacDon or 3rd party headers there will be more Claas/NH/JD etc headers on the market to match with other combines being sold on. They also tend to be 9m+ headers, don't think I have yet seen anyone with a 4, 5 or 6m MacDon header. Pretty sure if you went to a local Claas dealer tomorrow and said 'I've bought a 2nd hand combine with no header, can you source me a 2nd hand 9m/10m/12m header for it' they would find one within a day, there will be more lying round then you might think.

 

[glasshouse]

As more folks switch to MacDon or 3rd party headers there will be more Claas/NH/JD etc headers on the market to match with other combines being sold on. They also tend to be 9m+ headers, don't think I have yet seen anyone with a 4, 5 or 6m MacDon header. Pretty sure if you went to a local Claas dealer tomorrow and said 'I've bought a 2nd hand combine with no header, can you source me a 2nd hand 9m/10m/12m header for it' they would find one within a day, there will be more lying round then you might think.

Plenty off burnt ones

 

[Shutesy]

Plenty off burnt ones

I did think that but I'm not sure how many headers even survive in a complete burnout combine situation. Suppose a bit of new paint and some new wiring and hydraulic lines might sort some of those that aren't written off.

 

[deleted user 837354]

I read an article where the guy reckoned it was actually better in OSR than conventional?? Maybe the latest models.

I believe Macdon now make a 60 foot version, too? Probably never to be seen in the UK market.

 

[glasshouse]

I did think that but I'm not sure how many headers even survive in a complete burnout combine situation. Suppose a bit of new paint and some new wiring and hydraulic lines might sort some of those that aren't written off.

Most do survive a fire , sometimes with a little scorch
most combind fires starr at the engine bay at the back

 

[Pilatus]

Turn the lights off on your way out please

Will do

 

[warksfarmer]

What are the pros and cons of the above.
If you were to buy a new combine with a Macdon Header rather than combine makers header,changed the combine after 5yrs minus header ,but the new combine would use the Macdon header you already have how would the economics of that work , as the dealer would have to find a header for the combine you have part exchanged, so would you get a poor deal on your part exchange combine.
Meanwhile your Macdon Header is proving a good investment due to its gathering extra crop advantages.
???????????????
I may be incorrect but in Canada/USA it is quite common that when farmers change their combine they only change the combine and keep the old header,please correct me if what I have said is incorrect.

Not sure about the economics of these headers but they are without doubt far superior to standard headers.

My issue is that headers always wear out before combines. Every single combine we’ve ever used has header issues before major combine issues. The header on our last lexion was quite frankly knackered, where as the combine itself after 7 years was immaculate with very few issues.

So unless these aftermarket headers are built 3 times stronger than a standard header then it’s false economy, even though cropflow is so much better. I thought the idea is you invest in something like a Macdon or Honeybee at £100,000 and you keep it when you change the combine?

So are they saying if you change your combine every 6-7 years one of these will see 3 combines out? So 18 years before you change the header?

As I said above it’ll have to be built like a bricks**t house to do that.

 

[ben.williams151]

Another disadvantage of a macdon/honeybee is you have to have it retro fitted to the combine, running wires/pipes/control box which all takes time and money. Whereas the the claas convio plugs straight into front of combine using conventional plug and works through screen and easier to adjust your settings.
Yes I know this only works for claas at the moment but if/when other manufacturers bring out their own design this may be relevant across the board.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Another disadvantage of a macdon/honeybee is you have to have it retro fitted to the combine, running wires/pipes/control box which all takes time and money. Whereas the the claas convio plugs straight into front of combine using conventional plug and works through screen and easier to adjust your settings.
Yes I know this only works for claas at the moment but if/when other manufacturers bring out their own design this may be relevant across the board.

They will sort this, it can't be rocket science. These headers are used a lot around the world.

 

[Richard Smyth]

Another disadvantage of a macdon/honeybee is you have to have it retro fitted to the combine, running wires/pipes/control box which all takes time and money. Whereas the the claas convio plugs straight into front of combine using conventional plug and works through screen and easier to adjust your settings.
Yes I know this only works for claas at the moment but if/when other manufacturers bring out their own design this may be relevant across the board.

Macdon and honeybee both do full combine specific kits so as far as I’m know they are pretty much plug and play with most combines

 

[Spencer]

Another disadvantage of a macdon/honeybee is you have to have it retro fitted to the combine, running wires/pipes/control box which all takes time and money. Whereas the the claas convio plugs straight into front of combine using conventional plug and works through screen and easier to adjust your settings.
Yes I know this only works for claas at the moment but if/when other manufacturers bring out their own design this may be relevant across the board.

They come with kits for each combine.. no messing just plug and play

 

[Richard Smyth]

I read an article where the guy reckoned it was actually better in OSR than conventional?? Maybe the latest models.

I believe Macdon now make a 60 foot version, too? Probably never to be seen in the UK market.

i have a honey bee and find it brilliant in canola. I’ve put a cross auger on it and it feeds brilliant. Much better than the previous Claas flex head I had.

honey bee do a 50 ft with a 60 ft coming soon.

macdon at the moment only go to 45 ft

 

[deleted user 837354]

i have a honey bee and find it brilliant in canola. I’ve put a cross auger on it and it feeds brilliant. Much better than the previous Claas flex head I had.

honey bee do a 50 ft with a 60 ft coming soon.

macdon at the moment only go to 45 ft

Could you explain to the uninitiated why they are so much better? I presume it is to do with the way it feeds the elevator?

 

[Richard Smyth]

Could you explain to the uninitiated why they are so much better? I presume it is to do with the way it feeds the elevator?

crop is always fed into the machine exactly the same way head first Which seems to help with threshing.
Wider widths are possible without haveing a big wide heavy auger which have been know to break in half.
In lighter crops they actually feed the crop in unlike an auger head which will grab and feed in lumps.
in canola I get much better loses as the knife is further forward so pull the reel back and barely touch the crop.
I am sure there are other reasons but I’ve not used any of the more modern units, mine is 23 years old this year

 

[Northdowns Martin]

Disadvantage I discovered was MacDon doesn't fit a Claas Montana, why not I never I was never told, whether that included JD Hillmasters or other levelling machines again I don't know.

 

[Gav]

The Honey Bee has the advantage that other than the reel and cross auger all the other major components are mechanically driven by belts and shafts so there’s no expensive valve blocks or pumps to go wrong nor is there the extra weight associated with them or the oil they need to carry.