Paddle Wheels For Swathers, Combines

Paddle wheels for swathers, combines COMBINES Traction Devices 10-4-2 "They save my grain crop in two of the past four years," says Edwin Litke, Leduc, Alb., who built and added "paddle wheels" to the outside of his 15 ft. CCIL 550 swather's two drive wheels. He notes that area farmers are also putting similar home-built paddle wheels on their combines. "In a wet year, the paddles provide extra grip to move machines through mud. We're able to go in and get the crop cut and lying on the ground. This makes the wet soil dry out faster, allowing us to get our combine rolling much earlier than would normally be possible," notes Litke. To make the paddle wheels, he started with 9.00 by 20 truck rims. To each rim, he welded 6 paddles made of 1/8-in. steel plate cut into 8 by 16-in. sections. The paddles are spaced equi-distant around the rim and are far enough apart so mud doesn't build up between the paddles, says Litke. Steel rod (1 in. dia.) runs through the outside edge of the paddles for reinforcement. The truck wheel, with the paddles, fits inside the swather wheel rim. It bolts to four angle iron sections welded to the swather wheel rim and drilled for holes. The paddles themselves don't touch the tires. Litke notes that the paddles ride about 2-in. off the ground so they don't dig in when swathing grain on dry ground, or when moving down the road. Litke built the paddle wheels using scrap parts found around his farm. He didn't have to reinforce the swather wheels even though the paddle wheels weigh about 100 lbs. each. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Edwin Litke, Box 1245, Leduc, Alb. T9E 2Y7 (ph 403 986-2424).

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