Before you start harvest, you MUST first level your concaves—this step is imperative because without properly leveled concaves, your combine will not thresh effectively, and no combine settings will work as intended. Proper concave settings are crucial for optimal combine performance and the success of your harvest. Whether you’re harvesting different crop varieties or dealing with fluctuating conditions like humidity or crop moisture, adjusting your combine settings ensures efficient threshing, minimal grain loss, and better overall yield. Considering all variables, from crop type to field conditions, is essential to fine-tuning your machine for the best results.
One of the most overlooked factors in setting your combine is harvest conditions, particularly air humidity or the presence of dew. These conditions can significantly affect how well your combine separates grain from chaff, as moisture causes chaff and MOG to stick together, making it harder for the concaves to function properly. Crop conditions like moisture content and yield are equally important—higher moisture levels make threshing more difficult and require careful adjustments to prevent grain damage during separation. Crop health also plays a major role. If you’re dealing with diseased crops, such as tar spot in corn or rot in soybeans, the threshing process will be more challenging, and your combine settings must be adjusted accordingly. Damaged cobs or pods can affect how the crop moves through the machine, making it crucial to assess these variables before you begin harvesting. Understanding how these factors interact is key to optimizing your combine’s performance and achieving a successful harvest.
Another important consideration is the time of day when you harvest. Early morning or late evening can have higher moisture levels due to dew, which can cause issues with threshing and separation, similar to high humidity. Additionally, wind and temperature fluctuations during harvest can affect how materials other than grain (MOG) move through the combine, influencing the overall performance of the machine. Crop variety is another factor that should not be overlooked—some varieties are naturally harder to thresh or more susceptible to damage, requiring finer adjustments to your combine settings. Soil conditions, especially in wet or compacted fields, can also affect how smoothly the crop feeds into the machine, further influencing combine performance. Taking these additional factors into account will help ensure a smoother, more efficient harvest, maximizing your yield and minimizing losses.
Setting your combine based on its class—whether it’s a Class 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11—is crucial because each class comes with varying horsepower, threshing and separating area, and overall capacity. These differences directly impact how much crop your machine can handle efficiently. Additionally, you must consider the size of the header you’re using. For example, a 16-row corn head will bring in twice the crop volume as an 8-row corn head, meaning you’ll need to adjust your concave clearance and the amount of material allowed into the rotor accordingly. Ground speed will also need to be adapted to prevent overwhelming the system. The same principle applies to draper headers—running a 50ft draper header will require different settings compared to a 30ft one, particularly in managing crop flow and ensuring proper separation. If you’re using an auger head, which doesn’t feed as smoothly and consumes more horsepower, your settings must account for the additional strain on the machine. Tailoring your combine settings to its class, header size, and type is essential for maximizing efficiency and optimizing performance in the field.
It’s important to consider the concaves you are using when setting up your combine. If you’re using all-crop concaves like the Estes XPR3 concaves, you don’t need to switch between crops, but it’s essential to follow their specific settings for optimal performance. On the other hand, if you’re using John Deere roundbar, small wire concaves, or Case IH concaves, you will need to switch out your concaves based on the crop you’re harvesting and adjust them according to the OEM’s recommended settings. Each type of concave has specific requirements to ensure proper threshing and separation, so it’s crucial to set them correctly for each crop to maximize efficiency and reduce losses.
If you’re using automation tools like John Deere Combine Advisor, Case IH Harvest Command, or Fendt Automation, it’s essential to consider the same factors—such as crop type, moisture, harvest conditions, and header size—and ensure your settings are adjusted appropriately. While automation can help optimize combine performance, you still need to fine-tune the system for the best results. If you’re using Estes Concaves, we can assist you in setting them up to work seamlessly with your automation system, ensuring optimal performance and maximizing your harvest efficiency.
