massey 515 combine

[John 1594]

I was not quite on about that @John 1594 , I remember seeing a 400 or 500 style combine cutting near us, and it seemed to push the uncut stuff over, as if the blades were blunt, I was told that "this is how they are"

May have been a one off after seeing your pictures of cutting some laid stuff, above, though...

may have been, that pic of the flat stuff, she picked that up without any lifters on,

far easier to pick any laid crop up with a smaller table though, regardless of the brand of machine

that was a lovely field of barley, then a july thunderstorm put it to the floor like i had taken a set of rolls over it

 

[Red Fred]

Our 400 was never the greatest at picking up laid crops even though it was always being tinkered with. The other problem was that it used to block the elevator if you were cutting short over ripe stuff, where the grain ran back down to the header.

 

[Exfarmer]

The multi flow certainly could help to catch grain running out the back. The MF walkers were really to short. The biggest drawback was it was essential to back up quickly if you stopped for any reason as the. Straw would buildup behind the outlet and block the Multi flow . It was a real problem on the 515, they did improve the design on the 525 with the horrible gear change the Massey had before Hydros it was a constant battle in laid crops when cutting was not good a header blockage was often followed by a tail end one

 

[John 1594]

The multi flow certainly could help to catch grain running out the back. The MF walkers were really to short. The biggest drawback was it was essential to back up quickly if you stopped for any reason as the. Straw would buildup behind the outlet and block the Multi flow . It was a real problem on the 515, they did improve the design on the 525 with the horrible gear change the Massey had before Hydros it was a constant battle in laid crops when cutting was not good a header blockage was often followed by a tail end one

i must be lucky with ours then, never had any of the problems listed

biggest gripe was the gear cables, first reverse snapped the second year i owned it, the last week of the season was done with no reverse (a testament to my driving skills as a 21 year old )

MF wanted over 300 quid for the cable, so we altered the mounts and converted it to a size of cable we had hung up in the shed from a previous project

the next year, second /third went, so we did the same job with that one and the remaining spare cable

the original round hole bottom riddle we replaced with an adjustable cloz one from a breakers yard, and the ally rollers what control the tine angle on the reel are now made from nylon that doesnt squeak

its a contant battle to keep upgrading her, but doing a little bit each year we keep on top of it

 

[jakeboy]

Top photos, keep them coming!

I've never driven MF combines, but was told by several that their header (or table) left a bit to be desired, it would bulldoze and push the crop over rather than cut it... I've seen this myself actually, stubble springing up after the header has passed over it.

Was this operator error, or is this how they are...?

Thank u selectomatic, the term submarining does springs to mind,to be honest the automatic table height control was far more accurate than human hand eye coordination, nearly every combine we have came to us with this not working it could be a bit problematical,and many owners drove combine on manual not bothering to fix it,also very few bothered to replace skid shoes when they got damaged bent or plainly worn out,also as part of the pre harvest service schedule tyre pressures should be checked they differed each side to compensate for weight issues,also another simple but overlooked issue knife condition I have seen many knackered knives on people's combines ,replacing blades in the workshop prior to harvest simple job, the workload on table and combine very noticeably easier.
Another issue among many is the position of the reel fore and aft position and height position above crop can all have a bearing on getting the crop successfully into machine, and not pushing it away!
It's quite hard to explain but when you have done many harvests on these now considered classic machines you just get a feel of everything flowing as it should the machine relies on the operator 100%.
Multi flow!! To be honest I would rather have this on the combine, it does the job but it does have limitations,many owners took there's off,to be honest once again maintenance rears its head again as always with combines,correct tension of belt was crucial and checked everyday,also the biggest problem was when stopping for any reason in crop ie table auger blockage,it was good practice to reverse several meters to allow straw out of rear as in heavy crop it would pile up under and around rotor and snatch around shaft and would take an age to cut off and free up also it was wise to periodically check warning horn as it gave you early warning of blockage but at this time it was normally to late to prevent the inevitable.
On the 515 it was even worse lower to the ground also in haste to back up the hasty operator would sometimes break the shear pin situated in the gear linkage through heavy handling!!and the skies clouding up !!oh joy.
Regarding driving position through there advertising Massey made a big thing of operator Sat aside of elevator and not on top, in there words protecting operator from all the harmful dust!! Believe me the dust doesn't discriminate my cousin died at 51 he cut 1000 acres every year part of the wills estate on cab less combines back in the 60s 70s I'm sure it sent many to an early grave I'm 56 and count myself lucky indeed, and I'm still using them!!.
Well I hope I haven't bored you I have more photos but I don't want to hog the site here regards jakeboy

I've never driven MF combines, but was told by several that their header (or table) left a bit to be desired, it would bulldoze and push the crop over rather than cut it... I've seen this myself actually, stubble springing up after the header has passed over it.

Was this operator error, or is this how they are...?[/quote]

 

[blackbob]

I remember s neighbour having a Ransomes (not sure age, 1970's) which had replaced a MF 500 series, he said that a Ransomes combine with a MF header would be the ideal combination..
In NE Scotland it was often nice to have the engine beside you, get a bit of warmth!
And the engine position seemed to make it good at hill climbing and in soft going, you could go forwards into a wet patch until you stuck and [nearly] always be sure you could reverse out again.. anyone else remember 1985/87?
Can't say I noticed any problem with side-to-side cutting height, always folded unloading auger in after emptying, and fill the right-hand tank first (never touched the lever)

@jakeboy please feel free to post more photos, it was you who started this thread after all!

I've posted this before, sorry about poor quality, it's from a long-lost negative I found in a drawer

 

[John 1594]

note the wheel weights on the back, on our 525 minus the multi flow she can be light on the tail when she is empty, harsh braking can often lead to the rear wheels becoming airborne!!!!

i soon learnt to leave the tank filling lever alone, got it set 3/4-1/4 now, so she fills the engine side slightly faster than the driver side, then when the engine side builds up to the auger, she pushes the rest over to the far end

only i tried to over fill it to make it through the field on an opening, resulting in a broken shear pin on the cog at the base of the tall conveyor what takes it up to the cross auger. Didnt do that again!!!

 

[blackbob]

Must have been damp grain then? Never had that happen, used to fill until it was overflowing down the steps ( although you could hold a bit more if you climbed in and 'stacked' it at the back of the tank)
I had a 525 after the 500 but didn't keep the MultiFlow on for long, although I should really have tried fixing the wiring to the warning flap at the back of the walkers.. only did peas once with that combine and choked the back end solid

 

[John 1594]

Must have been damp grain then? Never had that happen, used to fill until it was overflowing down the steps ( although you could hold a bit more if you climbed in and 'stacked' it at the back of the tank)
I had a 525 after the 500 but didn't keep the MultiFlow on for long, although I should really have tried fixing the wiring to the warning flap at the back of the walkers.. only did peas once with that combine and choked the back end solid

no, once it backs up in that auger, then fills the paddle conveyor up, it will bust the shearbolt, as its got nowhere to push the grain. What i do now is when it gets up to the auger, brake hard for a split second, that normally levels it out enough to make it to the headland

 

[Lincsman]

Blimey!!, only driven NH's, (M133... onwards though the ranges) didnt know combining could be this bad?!

 

[John 1594]

Blimey!!, only driven NH's, (M133... onwards though the ranges) didnt know combining could be this bad?!

place where i work at every harvest, the bosses son is getting to the age where he wants to have a go on the combine, as they all do. The normal driver of the combine is reluctant to show him, having seen his previous antics, turned round and said to me one day "what they ought to do is let him have a go on yours first, teach him how to drive and set one properly and not rely on the info from the computer screen, he might just make a combine driver then!!!!"

 

[Red Fred]

I found some rather grainy pics of our old Masseys at work, the 410 in '76 from our DB996.

 

[chaffcutter]

Is that a lend-lease Massey 29 with the bat reel, or a later 726 Fred?

 

[Red Fred]

Is that a lend-lease Massey 29 with the bat reel, or a later 726 Fred?

I think it's a wartime one, taken in '46 or '47. Some more of Uncle's pics from the series show the binder at work, Standard Fordson with wire-tie baler, and working on the newly relinquished airfield, which I think was ploughed again in '47.

 

[blackbob]

Blimey!!, only driven NH's, (M133... onwards though the ranges) didnt know combining could be this bad?!

I only did one harvest on a 133, 1980 when I was 20, remember the heavy manual steering (boss's M103 seemed better balanced and hence lighter steering) and being up in the cold wind! (on a 103 you're more sheltered, though dustier)
No folding-in your spout to go round poles either!

 

[MF-ANDY]

Is that a lend-lease Massey 29 with the bat reel, or a later 726 Fred?

job to see in that photo but if the grain tank is round it will be a MF21

 

[Exfarmer]

job to see in that photo but if the grain tank is round it will be a MF21

Definitely a 21

 

[Exfarmer]

I remember s neighbour having a Ransomes (not sure age, 1970's) which had replaced a MF 500 series, he said that a Ransomes combine with a MF header would be the ideal combination..
In NE Scotland it was often nice to have the engine beside you, get a bit of warmth!
And the engine position seemed to make it good at hill climbing and in soft going, you could go forwards into a wet patch until you stuck and [nearly] always be sure you could reverse out again.. anyone else remember 1985/87?
Can't say I noticed any problem with side-to-side cutting height, always folded unloading auger in after emptying, and fill the right-hand tank first (never touched the lever)

@jakeboy please feel free to post more photos, it was you who started this thread after all!

I've posted this before, sorry about poor quality, it's from a long-lost negative I found in a drawer
View attachment 45025

Wheel weights on a ten foot cut there was a 500 near us with a 16 foot head, same farmer had 2 fourteens as well. Operators were told just go faster

 

[Phill Crutcher]

@jakeboy

great pictures!
and very interesting

were you the chap who wanted to buy my old senator a few years back?

 

[jakeboy]

@jakeboy

great pictures!
and very interesting

were you the chap who wanted to buy my old senator a few years back?

Hello phill I think perhaps I am ,I couldn't access internet on phone during that day of auction, I think it went to Poland!!? She looked very good. Regards Colin