Rebuilt Combine Now Better Than New

Rebuilt Combine Now Better Than New COMBINES Modifications 20-2-40 When the Perkins V-8 250 hp diesel engine in his 1979 White 9700 combine wore out, Wayne Moore, York, Ontario, replaced it with a used Cummins 400 hp, 855 cu. in. diesel. He also converted most of the combine's mechanical drive systems - including the rotor, thresher, straw chopper, clean grain elevator, unloading auger, and fan - to hydraulic drive. "I spent about $25,000 but now have a combine that runs like new and is much more reliable," says Moore, who made the conversion 1 1/2 years ago. "I used it last year to harvest wheat and soybeans and it worked beautifully, although at first I had a few problems with hydraulic oil leaks." Moore paid $1,500 for the engine which he bought from a trucking company. It was longer than the original engine so he had to mount it crosswise. He used 7-in. sq. steel tubing to build a new subframe for the engine that also serves as an two-part oil reservoir. He lifted the engine onto the combine and bolted it on, mounting engine and frame on 4-in. dia., 2-in. thick rubber pads. He installed a hydraulic pump-drive on each end of the engine. The pump on front is direct-driven by a short coupler while the pump on back is driven from a clutch-equipped gearbox . The pump on front powers the ground drive while the pump on back powers the rotor, thresher, and straw chop-per. Steel lines run from both pumps to the hydraulic motors that drive the various components. He also mounted an extra oil cooler off an old White 9700 combine to handle the additional oil. He kept the original radiator and fan. "I bought the combine new, but from the very first day I used it I constantly had problems with belts breaking, idler pulleys seizing up, and springs breaking," says Moore. "With so many belts originating from one drive, when one breaks down others do too. Another problem was that the Perkins engine was underpowered. Now with the Cummins 400 hp engine I don't have to slow down on hills or soft ground. "Making the conversion was a big job. It took a lot of time to get all the parts together and to get the right speeds for each component. The combine had between 4,000 and 5,000 hours on it. The total cost of about $25,000 is much less than the price of a comparable new combine. My combine is up to date because even the biggest new models today don't have much more capacity. It worked so well that I also repowered my White 9520 with a used Cummins L10 300 hp diesel." The original ladder that led up to the engine was located over the left rear wheel where it was difficult to use. Moore made a new fold-up ladder and mounted it on the opposite side of the combine. He also lengthened the tinwork on the combine by a few inches and repainted the combine its original red and black colors, putting his own name on the side - the "Moore Harvest Master". Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Wayne Moore, Rt. 1, York, Ontario, Canada N0A 1R0 (ph 905 772-5187).

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