Timely tips for trouble

Dec 15, 2023

Having a pre-harvest maintenance plan for your grain storage system and doing the work well before the combines roll is a good risk management strategy.

The last thing you need during the frenzied days and nights of harvest is a bearing failing on one of your grain bin augers. That’s why now is the time to tackle the pre-season inspection and maintenance of your grain handling system.

Taking time today to inspect your bins, conveyors and dryer systems can help prevent costly in-season breakdowns, repairs and heartburn.

Farmers should inspect any equipment they use to fill the bin, such as conveyors, grain augers, swing augers or double-run loop systems to ensure they are in good working order.

Here are a few tips from grain systems insiders — advice that can ensure your grain handling system hums like a well-oiled machine throughout harvest.

“The problem with a lot of grain systems is that producers use them hard for a couple months during harvest, then walk away from them,” said Joe Holschlag, president of Holschlag Bin Sales, located in New Hampton, Iowa. “It’s human nature, but ignoring the grain system during the off-season invites two major issues — corrosion and vermin.”

That’s why it pays to start with a thorough cleaning of your bins. Sweep or vacuum out any old product that may be lingering inside which will attract mice and other vermin. And remember to clean under the floors.

Inspect the bins for holes which can provide entryways for rodents. Be sure to patch these holes. There are a number of patch kits on the market, including Patchworx, an easy-to-use UV-activated kit from LCDM Corp.

“Best thing a farmer can do is to walk around everything,” said Holschlag.

Check all belts for proper tension and replace any belt that looks questionable. Inspect chains and drives for tension and lubricate.

“And lubricate all greaseable bearings on unloading chain drive, belt drives, power sweeps, gear boxes and speed reducers,” said Holschlag.

If any components such as augers, bearings, belts or sensors show damage or are even nearing failure, replace them now. You’ll mitigate the risk of expensive repairs if these components would fail during an extended harvest season.

Additionally, electrical components like control boxes can also attract rodents. Check these areas for nests or damaged wires and replace any broken equipment as needed. And remember to shut off all power before working on any electrical component.

Be aware of the area outside your bins. Clear out vegetation to create a clear perimeter around your bins to deter critters. And take a minute to ensure there’s adequate grade around your bins that diverts water away, rather than letting it pool up.

Check the roof caps on the tops of bins, ensuring they open and close properly and that remote openers for these systems also work. Check bin vents to ensure they don’t have a bird’s nest in them, or chaff or any obstruction from the previous year.

Once inside the bin, inspect the stirring or the Shivvers auger. Look for cracked belts, rough sounds in the motor and any divots in the track. If you have a Shivvers auger, be sure to grease the gear boxes — below as well as above the floor. Give each zerk a couple pumps, but don’t over-grease.

When turning on the machine, the down augers should run true with no wobble. A wobble can make the machine lock up and/or burn the belts when the bin is full. Check the tapered sweep to make sure the flighting hasn’t become too sharp and the wheel is not worn.

Before you close the slide-gate doors, inspect the underfloor flighting for excessive wear. This can be anything from sharp areas to excessive corrosion. Once this is done, it is important to inspect your side wall sheets for cracks, holes and excessive rust and fix any issues.

Moving to the outside of the bin, make sure the door is sealing properly with no visible gaps. Inspect your ladders and steps for loose bolts and broken rungs and clear all obstructions like volunteer saplings.

Next, inspect the fan and heater. Clean out any vegetation — not only will this help with rodent control, but it will also make life easier if repairs are needed. When inspecting the fan, ensure all the blades are intact and there are no broken or frayed wires.

Finally, inspect the heater for any wiring issues. And if you see bare wires, replace them. And check the spark plugs and burner ring to ensure the holes are open and not rusted shut.

“One of the biggest problems we see are damaged drain valves in the dryer,” according to Todd Faust, business manager at C-S Ag Services of Calumet, Iowa, which performs pre-season inspection and maintenance of both farmer and elevator grain handling systems in northwest Iowa. “Producers forget to drain the valves in the dryer at the end of the season, causing the valves to freeze over the winter. It’s a big problem.”

C-S Ag Services pre-season service includes “checking all the bearings, greasing everything, checking belts and auger flighting,” said Faust. The cost for the pre-season service varies according to the size and complexity of the grain handling system.

On a positive note, getting parts should be easier this harvest, according to Faust.

“We stock a lot of parts, and we are slowly getting back to normal as far as availability. It’s still not ‘next day’ — and some parts may take a week or more,” he cautioned.

Whether you contract your pre-season grain handling inspections or do-it-yourself, the time and money you spend now will help keep grain flowing on those frigid November nights.

Rick Haun has more than 35 years’ experience writing about ag and industrial equipment, much of that time with John Deere. He resides in Shawnee, Kansas.

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Just as combines have gotten bigger, so too has their front-end equipment.