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Regular and thorough maintenance of your silage header is fundamental to ensuring consistent performance, maximizing its working life, minimizing costly downtime during critical harvest periods, and safeguarding the quality of your harvested forage. This guide outlines key maintenance practices.
Daily Maintenance (Before & After Use):
Visual Inspection: Check for obvious damage to knives, guards, augers/flights, gathering belts, chains, and structural components. Look for loose bolts, nuts, or hydraulic fittings.
Knife Condition: Inspect cutter knives for sharpness, nicks, bends, or cracks. Dull or damaged knives lead to ragged cuts, increased power requirements, and poor crop flow. Replace damaged knives immediately and sharpen dull ones according to manufacturer specifications. Always disconnect the power source and engage safety locks before handling knives.
Debris Removal: Thoroughly remove all crop residue, mud, and debris from the cutter bar, feed augers/chains, gathering belts, rollers, and the underside of the header. Buildup impedes movement, causes corrosion, and attracts pests.
Lubrication: Apply grease to all zerks (grease fittings) as specified in the operator's manual. Pay close attention to pivot points, roller bearings, chain guides, and drive components. Wipe away excess grease.
Belt & Chain Tension: Check the tension of gathering belts and drive chains. Adjust if necessary according to the manual. Loose belts slip; overtightened belts and chains wear prematurely.
Hydraulic System: Check hydraulic hoses for leaks, abrasions, or kinks. Inspect cylinder rods for scoring. Ensure fluid levels are correct. Address leaks promptly.
Safety Systems: Verify that all safety shields and guards are securely in place. Test safety stop mechanisms.
Periodic Maintenance (During Season / Every 50-100 Hours):
Knife Alignment & Bedbar Adjustment: Check the alignment of the cutter knives relative to the guard fingers (bedbar). Proper knife-to-bedbar clearance is critical for a clean cut. Adjust if worn or out of specification. Replace worn guard fingers.
Wear Parts Inspection: Closely inspect high-wear items like skid plates, wear plates on augers, gathering belt slats, and roller surfaces. Replace components showing significant wear.
Drive System Check: Inspect gearboxes for leaks and unusual noises. Check sprockets and pulleys for wear. Ensure all drive shafts are secure and u-joints are lubricated.
Bolt Torque: Systematically check and retorque critical bolts and fasteners according to the manufacturer's torque specifications, especially on the cutter bar, drive components, and structural mounts. Vibration can loosen them.
End-of-Season & Pre-Season Maintenance:
Deep Cleaning: Perform an exceptionally thorough cleaning inside and out. Remove all crop material, grease, and dirt. Consider pressure washing (avoiding bearings and electrical components) and letting it dry completely.
Comprehensive Inspection: Examine the entire header structure for cracks or welds needing repair. Check gearbox oil levels and condition (change if necessary). Inspect bearings for play or roughness.
Knife & Wear Part Replacement: Replace all worn or damaged knives and guard fingers. Assess other wear parts (skids, auger flighting edges, belt slats) and replace as needed. Starting the season with sharp knives and sound components is crucial.
Rust Prevention: Touch up any chipped paint with suitable primer and paint. Apply a light coat of oil or rust preventative to unpainted metal surfaces, especially the cutter bar and augers.
Lubrication: Fully grease all fittings. Consider applying a heavier grease to exposed components for longer storage periods.
Storage: Store the header indoors or under a waterproof cover in a dry, well-ventilated area. Ideally, support it level on blocks to take weight off tires and components. Release tension on gathering belts if possible. Protect hydraulic couplers.
Safety First: Always follow lock-out/tag-out procedures before performing any maintenance. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and safety glasses. Never work underneath a raised header without proper safety stands.