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Replacement Concave Reduces Deere Rotor Loss
A new concave grate from CM Welding replaces the rear concave in Deere STS rotors. The grate is fitted with "disrupter" add-ons, which have been available for Case IH combines for years.
"There are two reasons for rotor loss with Deere STS rotors," says Don Estes, who designed the grate and disrupter for CM Welding. "One is overloaded separation sections or grate sections. The other is corn shucks with kernels still on them and beans hidden in green stems and leaves passing through the rotor."
Estes believes he has solved the first problem with a replacement grate for the rear concave. He explains that the problem with high yielding varieties is the large quantity of material that has to be processed. While corn and beans get threshed out in the first half of the concave, they travel to the separation section before separation can start. This can overload the separation section, resulting in grain passing out with the trash.
"The problem with the round bar concave in the Deere STS rotor is that there isn't enough space between the round bars to let grain out," says Estes. "The new grate has 1/2-in. square keys installed instead of the round bars, with a 1 1/2-in. space between them for 68 percent greater openings."
With his replacement for the rear concave, the grain begins separating sooner, reducing the load on the separation section. Estes says the replacement concave has been designed for foolproof placement.
To solve the second problem, Estes has redesigned his disrupter lugs, previously used in more than 20,000 Case IH rotors. The new design was used in Deere STS rotors for the first time this fall. Estes has now fine-tuned the lugs to be even more effective at breaking up and threshing out corn and beans.
"The 14 disrupter lug spikes are installed in the separation section of the rotor at a 90 degree angle to crop movement," explains Estes. "The crop material is pulverized by the disrupter lugs as it passes through."
Estes has priced the new grate at $747. The 2011 Disrupter set for Deere STS combines has 14 cutting edges with a new locking bolt design and a provision for easier tine location. The STS Disrupter set sells for $417. Estes is offering a combination price of $1,050.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, CM Welding Inc., 4496 N. County Rd. 0 E-W, Frankfort, Ind. 46041 (ph 765 258-4024; don@cmweldinginc.com; www.cmweldinginc.com).


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2010 - Volume #34, Issue #6