Main Drive Sprockets

[nh8260]

I was just wondering what the difference is between the two main drive sprockets (that connects the combine with the corn head) on a Gleaner K2 with the 238 black corn head? The outside sprocket is one size larger than the inner one, does one speed up the gathering chains over the other?? The main drive chain is currently on the smaller sprocket and i have always wondered what it would do on the larger sprocket.
 

[Bob Bancroft]

A larger drive sprocket will speed up the header. A larger driven sprocket will slow it down.
 

[paul]

Ive always run them in the slow position. The less you slam the ears around into the header the less shelling. And using these 40+ year old combines in modern corn yields you likely dont need the speed.....

Paul
 

[55 50 Ron]

Bob B. has it correct. Are the two main drive sprockets on the combine or on the corn head? Apply what Bob said. Drive is on the combine. Driven is on the corn head.
 

[Bob Bancroft]

My F2 had variable speed header drive. I never used it. It was always way slow. The limiting factor in heavy corn was the elevator, just like on the old E. The K2 and F2 had the same elevator. On the F3 they speeded it up.

When I sold the F2 and got a CaseIH 1660 axial flow, I was surprised that the only way to change corn head speeds was to change sprockets. I actually ended up slowing it beyond minimum by switching sprockets. It will still take corn at a faster ground speed than I want to travel!
 

[nh8260]

The two are on the corn head, the sprocket on the combine is smaller than on the corn head, I could use a little more speed on the gathering chains, if i get in really good corn the ears are piling up on the gathering chains and I have to stop and let it put them into the machine, I moved the reel lever forward to speed them up but they are not near as quick as the ones that was on the K i sold.

Also, you guys might could help with this, I had to put the seal kit in my stacked valves on the back of the machine, well dummy me put different color ties on the hoses going into the valves but forgot to put the same color ties on the other end of the hose, so now i don't remember which hose goes to which line, does anyone have a diagram that would show it??? So far the head goes up and down ok but the variable speed won't work and the gathering chains won't speed up or slow down so that tells me i have something hooked back up wrong.
 

[paul]

Forgot about that, I think I had hyd speed up also on one or two of them, like you never did anything but slow for the header. Filling the sieve and the clean grain was the bottleneck.

Paul
 

[paul]

I will say, the combine side sprockets there were different sizes, for the orange or black heads, you wouldnt have mixed them up. Its been a while for me I cant remember how it goes now, but when I had an orange and a black head, I had to remember to keep the right sprockets with the right heads....

Paul
 

[nh8260]

No, i've not moved or removed any of the sprockets, the machine and corn head is still like it was when i bought the machine.
 

[55 50 Ron]

Since they are on the corn head and you say the chain is on the smaller one, that says they are already running at their max speed.
 

[Skyhighballoon(MO)]

Bob - the late F2's got the factory speed up of the clean grain elevator in 1981 (I have one). It is driven off the right side of the fan using a #50 chain instead of the shoe eccentric drive. Also in 1981, the cab interior colors switched to brown to match the 8000/6000 series tractors.
 

[Bob Bancroft]

Thanks. I saw that different drive on an F3, and assumed that's when they switched it. Back when these machines were new, I was
working at a Gleaner dealer up until 1984 or so. I don't remember selling an F3, by then it was mostly M2/3 and L2/3's.