What wears out on combines?

[Paul Atmajian]

Seeing that new harvesters are huge and expensive, I bought an old IH915 from a neighbor who used it well for many years. He says it has problems with the discharge auger. I plan to go through it this next winter and use it next spring (I'm in California).
I'm asking what wears out? Why does a combine harvester depreciate so quickly, while a tractor with as many hours doesn't seem to depreciate as much? Are the combines too expensive to repair or is it that no one wants to deal with breakdowns at harvest? Or???

 

[jogl]

Wow! Those are some big questions. Not as difficult to answer as the question of life, the universe and everything, but up there. I will give my opinions briefly.

[color=green:1b3ed69ac9]what wears out?[/color:1b3ed69ac9]

Just about everything.

[color=green:1b3ed69ac9]Why does a combine harvester depreciate so quickly, while a tractor with as many hours doesn't seem to depreciate as much?[/color:1b3ed69ac9]

A lot more to wear out. Most people don't like doing PM so older machines end up always broke down and totally wore out.

[color=green:1b3ed69ac9]Are the combines too expensive to repair or is it that no one wants to deal with breakdowns at harvest?[/color:1b3ed69ac9]

Not many want to do the repairs. Parts are expensive and dealership labour even more so. Big operations need the big new machines to get done fast. So older wore out machines go cheap. Great for tinkerers like me (and you?). If only there were more time.

JP.

 

[Kansas4010]

Combines run full throttle through the field tractors don't. They also sit in a shed for so long then get brought out and abused for a few days then back in the shed to sit.

 

[Charlie M]

I know on old machines and probably on newer ones also if you leave chafe in auger areas and other parts and it picks up moisture it will rust through the metal. Lots of older machines with holds covered with duct tape.

 

[Howard H.]

You can run older combines - they just need a lot more "care and feeding".

For one thing, most moving parts on a combine tend to be lighter sheet metal that wears thin. Check all the augers - I'd be surprised if many of them aren't sharp on the edges.

Also, they tend to have a lot more bearings that get water & dirt in them and lock down over time.

A neighbor still uses 105 & 95 John Deeres for their wheat crop, so it can be done... But messing around with older combines to get the wheat crop out during hail season out here can cost you a good part of the crop if you are unlucky, too...

Howard

 

[brian(MN)]

Combines wear out, it is their nature. Their engines could last decades, it is the rest of the machine that has the short life. Along with the crop, they swallow; loads of dust, dirt, rocks, branches, and mud. When the crop is ready, those machines have to roll, day after day, until it rains or it gets too damp to continue, maybe then they get some maintenace. Farmers will put larger heads on them to push more acres through, they travels as fast as possible too,this will tax the rest of the combine. Any type of machine is expensive to repair, there is just more to wear out on a combine. A tractor is mostly enclosed.
A lot of guys will spend time and a lot of money in preventive maintenace before harvest. Like replacing a belt that has a small crack in it that "might" break next season. That is a whole lot quiker than a break down in the field. A broken belt will stop you right there, you will have to drive to the end of the field and get in you pick-up go to town, hope they have a belt on hand, go home find the tools you need, install it, un plug the combine, and then get going, unless it got damp ect.
Brian(MN)

 

[paul]

Yea, nothing like an easy question.

Bearing & belts wear out the most. Belts are spendy, bearings take some effort to repace typically.

Augers get thin & wear out, sheet metal also in specific wear areas.

Mice & critters are always attracted to a combine, and will age it quite a bit with rusting p, and chewing on wires.

The header typically works close to the dirt, and will wear out on any part that moves.

Face it, the combine is a tractor - and wears out as a tractor does.

On top of that is all those 100's of bearings, shafts, chains, sprockets, and 100s of 1000s of bu of grain flow through it, along with all that straw, and much dirt, and a few rock.

There are so many things that can wear out.

A combine is a money pit, really is.

--->Paul

 

[Bradley K]

Theoretically a combine could be rebuilt and go on being used for many years. As they age the parts get to be non-existent or prohibitively expensive.

I would say the biggest thing with combines is they become obsolete before being totally worn out.

An old tractor always has a use for an odd job around the farm, not so with a combine. The biggest driver is that American companies are real good at producing things, such as combines. The new ones keep getting more productive, are under warranty, and have the latest technology.

The big operators and custom cutters need to keep their machines fairly new, and this leads to a constant supply of good used machines; and the cycle continues.

This is good news for us that like to farm on a small scale or just enjoy the old stuff, as there is a ready supply of old iron for a fairly reasonable price.

 

[Anonymous-0]

probably be easier to ask what doesn't wear out!

 

[cadet trooper]

I second everyone's comments plus it keeps dealers in business tractors don't.

 

[Paul Atmajian]

Thanks to everyone! I guess I"ll have to learn the hard way. Any suggestions for headers for grain, beans, and corn for an IH915?

 

[Brendon-KS]

In addition to what the others have said, there is a big difference in what the machine does. In addition to everything a tractor has (frame, engine, drivetrain, hydraulic system, cab, etc) a combine has everything else that is associated with the "combine" part. It is basically like a tractor and large, complicated implement in one package. There are few, if any, even simple implements out there that last anywhere near as long (measured in working hours) as the tractor pulling them.

 

[Too Far Gone]

Start at feederhouse chain,cylinder bars,grain pan augers and drive gears,clean grain elevator chains and augers,tailings elevator chain and auger,straw walkers,straw chopper (if it has one).Unload augers in bottom of hopper and the big one on the outside.Now lets move on to belts,bearings and drive chains,and thats assuming the engine and tranny are good