IH 51 forage wagon unloading problems

[booch]

Hello, I picked up an IH 51 forage wagon and am having a heck of time getting it to unload. The load conveys fine, the beaters turn ok, but the load will bridge on teh conveyor, and the then the load jams up. I am cutting green chopped sorghum-sudangrass with an old Brady flail chopper. Tried only filling it half full but still no luck. Rubber belt conveyor is turning but will not feed the chop.
Thanks for any help.
Paul

 

[NY 986]

The belt was not one of IH's best ideas. They get juiced up from green material and slip. Most guys replaced the belt with chain and cross slats. I even think they left the existing rolls in each end of the cross unloading trough and ran without a problem. I don't know if you have a farm equipment used parts yard you go to and buy a chain and slat assembly from. Buy a replacement shaft for each end that could have or will have sprockets on them and eliminate the rolls long term.

 

[booch]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I can see how they would slip. In this case though the belt is moving, but the green chop has brideged into a big snot above it. Did they make a chain and slat that would retrofit or do I have to cob something together?
Paul

 

[NY 986]

No retro kit that I am aware of. The 51 and 61 wagons were discontinued somewheres around 1970. They were not popular although dad had two 61's which thinking about them makes me think back to being a kid and the carefree days I had then. Probably the big reason I would not mind picking a 61 up just as a nostalgia piece for me.

 

[Dave Sherburne NY]

I would try running the beaters and cross conveyor as fast as possible and run the apron chain as slow as possible. I think your Brady chopped the SSgrass long and it's just hanging together instead of breakin up.

 

[Don-Wi]

I'm not familiar with those wagons in particular, but wagons that old in general have narrow cross conveyors and that makes them prone to jamming with longer material, like that cut with a flail chopper. Newer wagons have cross conveyors atleast another 6" wider.

Obviously if it's got a belt instead of a chain, that'll be a whole other issue.

Does it only do it when you start unloading, or do it throughout the unload?

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[booch]

Hello Donavan, it starts up pretty good but then a
big chunk will slide underneath the low beater and
not break up. When it hits the front sheet metal
it bridges and the conveyour jams.

As others mentioned I tried going slower with teh
Brady chopper, and faster with the beaters (with
apron advance as slow as possible) and that helped
a lot. But it is still unacceptable. Another 6
inch wide conveyor would do it. I was thinking of
taking off the front panel, or perhaps bulging it
out.

Thanks to all for info,
Paul

 

[booch]

Hey there, if I can't get this thing to cooperate with green chop let me know if you are interested in buying it!
Paul

 

[INCase]

weren't some of the IH's made by Kasten? Just west of West Bend WI.