Combine hero

[icanshootwell]

Got me thinking since @mountfarm posted new lexion price,apparently best part of half a mil.
How many of you out there like myself are running high hours combines. Not many seem to go beyond 5k before there scrapped but are still working ok, in tractor hours it,s low. Is it reliable issues ?

I run a MF 855 with 4 k hours, never really given to much bother, powerflow header belts need replacing and the AC could work better, but for a 30 year old machine still goes well.
Cutting last field of wheat today.

 

[7610 super q]

They all get exported, and presumably do another 5000 hours ?

 

[spin cycle]

i was thinking yesterday that a farm replacing a combine was quite an infrequent thing not so long ago

 

[David.]

Surely they are like Trigger's broom, and only need to get changed when they burn to a cinder...
Got a Dominator 98 here that was on 4000hrs when I bought it 8 yrs ago, clock stopped, so it is still a low hours machine.
In all seriousness, when they get to 2000hrs they will need a drum, concave, rear beater tins, all the big bearings done anyway, so might as well keep machine for another 2000 to get the money back.
Was in a local combine breakers yard other day and a gang of Romanians were flat packing the rustiest incomplete old 80 series NH I have ever seen, to go to Pakistan in a container, unbelievable; yet somebody out there is going to be The Man, when that lot is bolted back together and a few decorative hub caps have been hung all over it.
Actually, it is startling how things have moved on, 25 acres a day was good progress only 20 yrs ago, if you had a big TX or Axial Flow that would do 50, it was quite a thing.
Now they are combining at what were considered to ge goodish sprayer workrates not long ago.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

Surely they are like Trigger's broom, and only need to get changed when they burn to a cinder...
Got a Dominator 98 here that was on 4000hrs when I bought it 8 yrs ago, clock stopped, so it is still a low hours machine.
In all seriousness, when they get to 2000hrs they will need a drum, concave, rear beater tins, all the big bearings done anyway, so might as well keep machine for another 2000 to get the money back.
Was in a local combine breakers yard other day and a gang of Romanians were flat packing the rustiest incomplete old 80 series NH I have ever seen, to go to Pakistan in a container, unbelievable; yet somebody out there is going to be The Man, when that lot is bolted back together and a few decorative hub caps have been hung all over it.

Oh bugger

 

[kmo]

Oh bugger

Double bugger

 

[nick...]

I think combines die of metal fatigue long before the engines give up.
Nick...

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Double bugger
View attachment 829376

What’s the air con on it like?

 

[Tim G]

My one's that old it hasn't got an hour clock.

 

[Cowcorn]

Got me thinking since @mountfarm posted new lexion price,apparently best part of half a mil.
How many of you out there like myself are running high hours combines. Not many seem to go beyond 5k before there scrapped but are still working ok, in tractor hours it,s low. Is it reliable issues ?

I run a MF 855 with 4 k hours, never really given to much bother, powerflow header belts need replacing and the AC could work better, but for a 30 year old machine still goes well.
Cutting last field of wheat today.

A Massey 855 she would be a happy enough old girl cheap to keep running as their are plenty in breakers yards . Any chance ofa pic? Our 29xp dates from the late eighties and still can cut its 200 acre qouta without to much bother or expense. I think i spent about 700 euro on bits and pieces last year and so far only a change of oil and filters this year. Owning an older combine for a smallish acreage is a no brainer it keeps you in control and the added benefit of no contractors bill or finance repayment. Glad to hear you are nearly finished wheat im only starting cut the first field today 7 acres and 60 to go . Then s barley and 40 acres of land s wheat before finishing sometime before Christmas with spri ng rape . Cant see a contractor been intrested somehow !

 

[Drillman]

We’re going from contractor to owning on around 200 acre for next season. I’ve decided to go as big as I can find for my budget.

To be honest combines scare me to death having never owned one and seeing the repairs that the contractor has had to do over the years to his. However a change of circumstances has made buying our own seem the best option going forwards.

 

[nick...]

I use a contractor for just under 200 acres of rape,barley and wheat.can be a bit frustrating waiting but works in with the ground work i do.i don’t own a grain trailer and no help so it suits me fine and it’s not a long job with a 760 lexion either.
Nick...

 

[icanshootwell]

A Massey 855 she would be a happy enough old girl cheap to keep running as their are plenty in breakers yards . Any chance ofa pic? Our 29xp dates from the late eighties and still can cut its 200 acre qouta without to much bother or expense. I think i spent about 700 euro on bits and pieces last year and so far only a change of oil and filters this year. Owning an older combine for a smallish acreage is a no brainer it keeps you in control and the added benefit of no contractors bill or finance repayment. Glad to hear you are nearly finished wheat im only starting cut the first field today 7 acres and 60 to go . Then s barley and 40 acres of land s wheat before finishing sometime before Christmas with spri ng rape . Cant see a contractor been intrested somehow !

I will take a couple of pics when i go back outside. Combine has run ok but i do need a replacement belt on the header, i have patched it up over the years but its warn out, it,s generally ok when its running but sticks sometimes when you put into gear, I find none slip spray helps but for next year will have to do something. I combine by myself and tip my own trailers, I try to cut a field a day which on my farm is 12a average, I can then move the combine in the morning, takes longer than most when your on your own because of the header which i put behind the pick up. In big fields you could cut 25a a day no bother but mine are generally smaller and i don,t push her to hard, don,t like grain going on the deck. Also had some heating issues this year, this is down to rad not working at 100% but i did take out the inspection panel and spent 30 minutes washing it through, it did take some shifting, the sh!t was caked like concrete at the bottom of the rad, but she did run a lot cooler after.I have no beans this year as put more grass in so of to bale the straw i combined yesterday and might take the rest of the day off.

 

[icanshootwell]

I use a contractor for just under 200 acres of rape,barley and wheat.can be a bit frustrating waiting but works in with the ground work i do.i don’t own a grain trailer and no help so it suits me fine and it’s not a long job with a 760 lexion either.
Nick...

The problem with our summers, they are there normally crap, small windows of opportunity, can be frustrating waiting for a contractor to turn up when the sun does eventually beam down.

 

[jamesy]

We’re going from contractor to owning on around 200 acre for next season. I’ve decided to go as big as I can find for my budget.

To be honest combines scare me to death having never owned one and seeing the repairs that the contractor has had to do over the years to his. However a change of circumstances has made buying our own seem the best option going forwards.

I wouldn’t worry to hard, I’d sooner go after one that’s been really cared for rather than capacity at that acreage.

 

[spin cycle]

We’re going from contractor to owning on around 200 acre for next season. I’ve decided to go as big as I can find for my budget.

To be honest combines scare me to death having never owned one and seeing the repairs that the contractor has had to do over the years to his. However a change of circumstances has made buying our own seem the best option going forwards.

i'd go for the best condition i could find personally.......a 12 footer of a small farm in good nick being cheaper to run than a biggy thats had to really earn it's keep

 

[ploughman1963]

With 200 ac to combine and a very good, but very busy, contractor doing the combining, we took the plunge with a 1993 MF38 this year for not much more han the cost of what my contracting bill would have been. So far all going to plan

 

[icanshootwell]

Wanted to get a better pic of the belt

 

[Drillman]

I wouldn’t worry to hard, I’d sooner go after one that’s been really cared for rather than capacity at that acreage.

i'd go for the best condition i could find personally.......a 12 footer of a small farm in good nick being cheaper to run than a biggy thats had to really earn it's keep

Hmm events of the last day or so are tempting me to up the budget a bit further....

 

[Steevo]

My one's that old it hasn't got an hour clock.

“In a world before time began.....”