On-The-Go Tilt Control For Swather Header

On-The-Go Tilt Control For Swather Header SWATHERS Swathers 20-6-10 "The trouble with our 1982 IH 4000 swather was that we couldn't adjust cutting height on-the-go and still make use of the gauge wheels," says Harold Bjornson who in-stalled a hydraulic adjust system that lets him tilt the header forward or backward on the swather's gauge wheels to adjust hay-cutting height on-the-go. "We cut about 500 acres of timothy a year," says the Riverton, Manitoba, farmer. "Now I can adjust cutterbar height from 0 to 10 in. on-the-go and still have use of the gauge wheels. We find it allows us to cut hay with much less effort, and it's especially helpful for inexperienced operators who haven't yet learned how to judge proper cutterbar height." Bjornson simply replaced the top link on the header lift arms with a 2 1/2 by 8-in. hydraulic cylinder. He had to plumb in a 12 gpm hydraulic valve between the swather's existing pump and valves. The cylinder was fitted in place with a 5-in. extension made of flat iron that flexes so the header can tilt forward and back and from side to side. A height gauge marked in 1-in. increments attaches to the side of the cylinder. It allows operators to tell at a glance how high they're cutting to within an inch, Bjornson says. Out-of-pocket expense was about $300 (Canadian). Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Harold Bjornson, Box 388, Riverton, Manitoba, Canada ROC 2RO (ph 204 378-2473).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.