By Russ Quinn
DTN Staff Reporter
and
Greg D. Horstmeier
DTN Production Editor

Wear on machines this fall could lead to an uptick in year-end purchases, some equipment makers say. (Photo courtesy of Sheryl Larson)

COLUMBIA, Mo. (DTN) -- Mechanics say there isn't a lot growers can do to prevent breakdowns during this wet, muddy, drawn-out harvest season.

"We're seeing what you'd expect, hydrostatic system breakdowns, some transmissions torn completely out, especially after guys get stuck," said Ron Bellomy, general manager at Kirk Equipment Company, a Deere dealership in Paragould, Ark.

Bellomy and other mechanics contacted by DTN agree that proper general maintenance is helpful. "You want the filters and fluids to be as fresh as possible, anything you can do to keep the systems running as cool as possible. But these machines are under tremendous stress in these conditions. Things are going to break. There's really not much to do, but run them until they break, and then we fix them."

Adam Beardsley, service manager for Birkey's Farm Store in Galesburg, Ill., said the wet grain conditions put a lot of wear on auger systems. "Nothing a guy can do to prevent it, but be aware you're really putting wear on the flighting and other parts. We definitely need to go through those augers and other internal systems once the season is over."

Mark Hanna, Iowa State University Extension ag engineer, said growers have to balance putting heavy loads on equipment with the benefits of keeping threshing systems filled with material. "Try to get more crop-on-crop threshing, compared to crop-on-metal threshing. This will be easier on the internal components of combines," Hanna said.

ADDING CAPACITY

Dealerships have reported better-than-normal sales through harvest, as farmers pick up extra machines or trade for a higher-capacity machine. Bellomy said Kirk Equipment had 10 used combines on the lot as harvest began, not an usual amount for the heavy amount of trading that has gone on recently. But by early November, only one remained.

"There's a bit of a trend to more combine sales this harvest, but its tough to put a percentage on it, versus a typical harvest season," said Kevin Bien, AGCO product marketing manager for Massey Ferguson and Gleaner combines. "There's no doubt many dealers are getting those 'if you can get it here tomorrow, I'll buy it' phone calls. Guys are just frantic to get this crop out of the field, whatever it takes."

Bigger hasn't always meant better performance, given the conditions. "The complaint we're getting is combines not having enough power to run a wide corn head, while running through muddy field conditions," said Steve Kayton, owner of Nebraska Equipment Inc., a Case IH dealer in Seward, Neb. Threshing a heavy load of wet corn or soybeans, plus fodder, and slugging through mud taxes even the highest-horsepower engines. Keeping fluids topped off and the cooling system clean and functioning at peak capacity are the only defenses against the strain on engines and other powertrain components.

COMBINE SALES HIGH

Bien said he and other manufacturers are curious what the end-of-year sales season will be, given a compounding of factors this year. Combine sales overall were relatively high this summer, as manufacturers worked aggressive pricing and incentive programs to move excess machines originally planned for Europe and South America.

Conventional wisdom would say that would lead to a softer sales season through winter.

"But we're likely seeing the end of the big depreciation deductions, and you're seeing all the wear and tear being put on machines this fall. So we don't know how many farmers will be thinking about making that last-minute trade come December," said Bien.

To take advantage of the expanded Section 179 and 50-percent bonus depreciation, which are set to expire at year's end, farmers have to take delivery and have the machine on the farm by Dec. 31. "There could be some scrambling for machines," Bien said.

Russ Quinn can be reached at russ.quinn@dtn.com

Greg D. Horstmeier can be reached at greg.horstmeier@dtn.com

(ES/AG)

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