John Deere 1085 winter barley settings

[Vintage Steve]

Can anyone help me with the correct settings for my John Deere 1085 combine for winter barley please? Let's hope there's enough barley to cover my diesel costs!

 

[Matthew Britton]

I am no expert, but, if it is anything like my 1177 I would have the fan flat out, the sieves wide open, then depending on the crop the concave at about 25 and the drum at around 950 rpm. The experts will be along shortly to tell you how it should really be done. Best to make a start and tweak one thing at a time.

 

[Timbo]

I am no expert, but, if it is anything like my 1177 I would have the fan flat out, the sieves wide open, then depending on the crop the concave at about 25 and the drum at around 950 rpm. The experts will be along shortly to tell you how it should really be done. Best to make a start and tweak one thing at a time.

The above ! From my previous 1177, about 11-1200 rpm on fan so not quite flat out, and push her fairly hard. If youre not confident at pushing her, youll need less fan and close lower sieve up abit.

Dont worry about the losses spiking high on your ins and outs.

 

[Matthew Britton]

You won’t blow a lot out the back worth saving with a high fan speed! Least not with one of those combines.

 

[mixed breed]

Had to run the concave on 15 to get the awns off, 1000 rpm drum speed, wind four turns back from flat out and both director plates in the middle slot. Bottom sieve half open top sieve wide open.

 

[Flat 10]

@DrWazzock . Personally I vote concave 8/10 fan 1100, drum 1100.

 

[DrWazzock]

Concave, tight closed (first position on handle) which is probably 8 mm at front on my concave, 3mm at back. Drum 1100 (full speed), Fan 750, Top sieve 11 mm, bottom sieve 9 mm, sieve extensions 12 mm down, catcher trays rear lower position.
Drive fairly slowly, and check losses in the straw (over walkers).

I check the fan with a rev counter as they are bad for consistent speed. Every year they lose a bit of speed for the same setting on the handle due to the pulley sheaves fingers wearing steps in them, so what people think is full speed on the handle is probably only about 750 rpm.

I find too much wind blows my crap barley over the back or blows too much over the sieves and over loads the return back to drum leading to bigger walker losses and cracked grain. Open the flap at the top of the returns elevator while driving and see how much good grain is being returned. Don't stick your hand in! Or listen to it. If you can really hear the grain in it like maracas either slow down your forward speed or open the sieves a bit.

Its a compromise. I lost the agitator out of the walkers the other year so maybe my settings are a bit over cautious. I go tight concave, high drum speed and steady forward speed to avoid losses in the straw over the walkers. And I don't bother with the de awning plates.

Good luck.

 

[DrWazzock]

PS I check the sieve openings with a tyre depth gauge and read the mm off it.

 

[DrWazzock]

PPS I never have got on well with big sieve openings and high fan speeds probably because I grow sh!t drought ravaged crops!

 

[robbie]

Our 1188, drum fairly wide, fan flat out, top sieves a good half inch or more so you can slide your finger down between them, bottom sieve a little less, drum speed 950-1100 but normally at the higher end and push the old girl along a bit. Get the drum full and it will thrash better because of all the material going through.

 

[grass man]

In a convention walker combine can more grain be "forced" through the concave with more aggressive threshing or does that just create a mat of finer material on the walkers increasing losses. I've never seen much sieve losses but walkers all ways been limiting factor for me. I'm not worried about cracked grain and no matter how hard I thrash the straw all ways seems to be acceptable for baling

 

[DrWazzock]

In a convention walker combine can more grain be "forced" through the concave with more aggressive threshing or does that just create a mat of finer material on the walkers increasing losses. I've never seen much sieve losses but walkers all ways been limiting factor for me. I'm not worried about cracked grain and no matter how hard I thrash the straw all ways seems to be acceptable for baling

I think I agree though I’m no expert. Having lost my straw agitator, my reasoning for tight concave and high drum speed is to force more grain through the concave. I’ve tried opening the concave but my walker losses became unacceptable. I really need to replace the agitator .....or the combine as she is showing her age but will hopefully do one more season.

 

[Vintage Steve]

Thanks for all your replies, I'll go and see how I get on. Had our 1085 Hydro 28 years and unbelievably never felt the need to grow winter barley. Give it wheat, OSR and peas and it goes very well, especially peas, when the modern combines around me are telling their drivers that they don't want to go low and fast, mine is hovering them up!
Interesting comment on the fan vario sheaves, that was this years maintenance job, the dog had warn down preventing the two halves nipping up tight enough to get a fast wind speed. A bit rash, but local JD did me a good deal on new ones!