Home Built, Self Propelled Combine Stakhand

Home built, self propelled combine stakhand COMBINES Corn Pickers(13) 11-2-36 "We combined a 1976 International 815 combine with a 1968 60A Hesston Stakhand to build a self-propelled Stakhand that frees up a tractor for other work on the farm," says Lee Bose, Orleans, Neb. Working with his brother Craig, Bose stripped the combine of everything except the engine, axles, cab and drive train, and then joined it to the Stakhand. "It works better than a regular tractor hook-up because of the hydrostatic drive and the much improved ride. The hydrostatic drive makes it easy to stop and start in the field when compressing bales and when unloading. It's also easier to back into the stack yard since we can now see down the side of the wagon. Also, because of the higher position of the cab we can watch the wagon fill, which reduces the chance of plugging the flail when the wagon gets full. It also helps determine the number of compressions needed while forming the stack. Now the top of the stack always clears the top rear of the wagon. When we pulled it with a tractor, it was always a guess," explains Lee. The Bose brothers changed the mechanical unload system on the Stakhand to hydraulics with an orbit motor to drive the unload chain. "Hesston had a problem with the electric clutch that engaged the unload drive system on this model. The changed orbit motor drive is mounted on the rear which eliminates pulling the web over rear idler sprockets. We moved the web shaft to the rear, and put the rear idlers at the front," says Bose. The system has eliminated dirty radiator problems due to the combine cleaning screen as well as the wear and tear on tractor clutches. Bose says they feel the conversion cost less than the purchase of another 100 plus horsepower tractor. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Lee and Craig Bose, Box 111, Orleans, Neb. 68966 (ph 308 473-8411 or 4727).

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