Vogelsang macerator

[newhollandkid]

Having a few problems towards end of last season with stuff getting in behind knives and blocking. So I guess its time to tighten the springs? I haven't touched it in 3 seasons and never had to open it before. So has anyone a fairly comprehensive guide on doing this job or any tips? Im told its simple enough but be nice to have seen it done once

 

[grass man]

I've tried increasing spring pressure when I came across problems like this and it's a waste of time. Best advice is buy new knives and shear plates and hopefully u'll be ok for another 3 years and have no bother trying to unblock it in the field

 

[grass man]

It's all very simple the only thing is to make sure u have the cams/springs wound back and clipped back before you tighten up the removable side of the housing then release the cams and away u go

 

[Mike Richards]

Blades and shear plates worn out. There is no manual adjustment on the springs as they are self tensioning.

 

[newhollandkid]

I've tried increasing spring pressure when I came across problems like this and it's a waste of time. Best advice is buy new knives and shear plates and hopefully u'll be ok for another 3 years and have no bother trying to unblock it in the field

Hmm maybe the best option what kind of money are they? I do reverse chopper and the like most days to keep it sharp as they talk about. We do a fair bit but I wouldn't have thought the knives were done just yet. All the same though another 3 seasons without looking in would be good so maybe just stick them in

 

[newhollandkid]

"grass man, post: 3372464, member: 53004"]It's all very simple the only thing is to make sure u have the cams/springs wound back and clipped back before you tighten up the removable side of the housing then release the cams and away u go

How do you wind them up? Maybe a stupid question but never seen ot done before or even looked much at it to see how it goes. Does that cure the issues with stuff getting in behind?

 

[Mike Richards]

Think the last lot of blades i got were around the £400 quid mark. Undo the two bolts holding the spring assembly into the rotating part of the macerator, put the spring assembly in a vice and turn back with a mole grips/pliers and insert the r clips that were supplied with the machine to lock springs. Put new blades and plates in reattach the spring assembly then remove the r clips to tension the blades.

 

[Car115]

There's eye nuts on the back of ours, if you undo those four, and remove the inspection plate you can see the blades and shear plates. If the shear plates are scored then they are worn out. When new, they're smooth. And the blades are about 20mm thick. Ours don't last a year, so, workload and type of liquid pending, I'd be surprised if they're not worn out.

 

[newhollandkid]

Blades and shear plates worn out. There is no manual adjustment on the springs as they are self tensioning.

You sure on that the vogelsang rep told me when we bought it you can retention or wind them up again?

Think the last lot of blades i got were around the £400 quid mark. Undo the two bolts holding the spring assembly into the rotating part of the macerator, put the spring assembly in a vice and turn back with a mole grips/pliers and insert the r clips that were supplied with the machine to lock springs. Put new blades and plates in reattach the spring assembly then remove the r clips to tension the blades.

I opened mine today simple if youve done it once the only problem is removing the plates as they haven't left enough room between the outlets to get a spanner on some of the nuts. The plates arnt scored but there is a groove right round it where the knife has run on the inside and outside. Are you telling me those 2 plates and 2 knives are 400? Seems extortionate for all they are

 

[Mike Richards]

They will be up around that mark depending on number of outlets on the macerator. Made of some pretty tough stuff

 

[grass man]

I had to grind a spanner to get them undone, a very poor design. I think the knives and plates cost me £600. its ridiculous the running costs to complicate spreading that could be done with a simple splashplate

 

[sjt01]

With the simple splashplate it won't be long before you have chucked £600 worth of Nitrogen up into the air rather than incorporate it in the soil.
That's not to justify the pricing at all, but it does put it into perspective a bit.
Stephen

 

[remra]

You should be able to wear chopping ring down to maybe 5mm thick if there is more than that just take spring packs out and clean out behind blades. You can only reset springs not make them stronger. You can get stronger springs from volgesang. I have never bothered. I always carry a set of tentioned springs and if it gets wrapped up just pull springs out clean out and put pre tentioned springs in and away again

 

[newhollandkid]

You should be able to wear chopping ring down to maybe 5mm thick if there is more than that just take spring packs out and clean out behind blades. You can only reset springs not make them stronger. You can get stronger springs from volgesang. I have never bothered. I always carry a set of tentioned springs and if it gets wrapped up just pull springs out clean out and put pre tentioned springs in and away again

Id say iv close on 10mm left. The knives are about 15mm id image they are still ok then? Would you remove springs and clean out behind through the inspection plates or go in though the side? I never had much bother 1st 2 seasons with silage and plastic in behind but last season alot worse hopefully retentiong should cure it then

 

[remra]

Just take the 4 spring packs out then flick blades into middle and clean out. I would blow air up your vent pipes while it is stripped down to make sure they are clear. Clean your spring packs up and check no springs are broken then clamp in vice re tention I put a R clip through to hold in place then re build when you have all spring packs in pull r clips out. Do you slow your oil flow right down on tractor when working I run masserator as slow as I can as long as it feeds slurry out ok. A lot less wear!!!!

 

[newhollandkid]

Just take the 4 spring packs out then flick blades into middle and clean out. I would blow air up your vent pipes while it is stripped down to make sure they are clear. Clean your spring packs up and check no springs are broken then clamp in vice re tention I put a R clip through to hold in place then re build when you have all spring packs in pull r clips out. Do you slow your oil flow right down on tractor when working I run masserator as slow as I can as long as it feeds slurry out ok. A lot less wear!!!!

I took side out this time but good to know for future problems. How do you know when theres enough tention on springs? I usually do when I remember in thin stuff but we do work in a lot of thickish stuff have to keep it running fairly thick. The price of them plates is crazy theyd want to be made of gold anything over a 100!

 

[remra]

You will only get one turn on the springs. We pump anything from water to box muck! Tend to have to run it faster on water to get it to feed right. Only speed it up on thick stuff if it keeps blocking up. I think last blades I got where £600+. I get about 9 months out of a set
We get a lot of slurry through it in a year though!

 

[newhollandkid]

You will only get one turn on the springs. We pump anything from water to box muck! Tend to have to run it faster on water to get it to feed right. Only speed it up on thick stuff if it keeps blocking up. I think last blades I got where £600+. I get about 9 months out of a set
We get a lot of slurry through it in a year though!

Ah I see im sure all will make sense when im at it just nice to have an idea wat your trying to do. Iv done 2 seasons on my originals but are in ireland and wouldn't be pumping the same quantity of stuff as across the water. We do as much as anyone round here but it tends to be a burst in feb/March a few days here and there in summer and a couple weeks in October. Do you change the knife along with the blade always?

 

[remra]

Yes always change as a set. When you order make sure you order right blades there is at least two sizes of rotor in them for different flow. There should be a serial number plate on it.

 

[grass man]

good idea to carry a spare set of wound up spring packs cause they r not easy worked with in the field but I think they are a small fortune also. mine really needs the rotor pulled of motor to clean behind the knives . the way I c it is that the springs only apply slight pressure on the cams that keep adjusting to take up wear on the knife and shear plate. the cams/knives cannot spring back. ive tried all sorts to try and extend the life of the blades/plates but after a few times unblocking I'm afraid its time to replace with new. they work surprisingly well when you consider the garbage they have to deal with