Boekeman Machinery salesman Ben Boekeman (left) and MacDon product support supervisor Chris Couchi discuss the performance of the new MacDon D145 draper front mounted on a Case IH 8240 combine harvester being demonstrated last week on a Kondut farm.
We have been demonstrating the new MacDon D145 45’ Draper Front this year on our Case IH 8240 Demonstration Machine.
From Farm Weekly Below:
Boekeman Machinery Northam branch and sales manager Andrew Boekeman said harvest trials generated big interest in the models.
“A lot of guys have already spotted it on the internet and are impressed with its specifications,” Mr Boekemann said.
“It’s the type of draper we want over here to handle a range of cropping conditions.”
According to MacDon, the FlexDraper is designed with an ‘Active Float System’ that keeps the draper true-to-the-ground, instantly reacting to changing contour conditions.
Two sets of coil springs on the FM100 Float Module (the centre piece of the draper which attaches to the feeder house), support up to 97 per cent of the draper weight.
The instant float response provides 4.8 degrees of lateral float and 178 millimetres of vertical float independent of the feeder house.
MacDon’s ‘Flex-Float Technology’ has been developed from a fixed reel-to-cutterbar relationship, which maintains a small gap between the reel fingers and cutterbar, while the Active Float System allows for instant lateral and vertical float response.
Matched to the ‘Flex-Float Technology’ is a new FeedMacX system, designed to be custom-fit to match any header, to enhance feeding.
The heart of the FeedMacX crop feeding system is the RTD (Retractable Tine Drum), which MacDon claims achieves up to 20 per cent more capacity over the previous model.
In-feed speed is tailored to match that of your header’s feeder chain.
Bolt-on components make it possible to configure the auger flighting and number of finger tines to match the combine’s feeder house opening.
The finger tines are longer and more aggressive and feature adjustable timing to match the crop volume of any harvest condition.
MacDon has emphasised the strength and reliability of the FM100’s RTD, citing heavy-duty internal components, like the tine shaft being 25pc thicker than the previous model and a new reversing clutch that provides positive engagement in either direction.
Reconfigured and upgraded, the chain drive tension is externally adjustable and incorporates a positive stop to retain its setting and alignment.
MacDon’s new hydraulic system features individual fully filtered circuits for the knife drive, side drapers and feed draper.
These individual circuits provide increased side draper speed, along with greater capacity and reliability.
The 1 Series hydraulics make it possible for an optional in-cab side draper speed control, allowing on-the-go adjustment.
A reconfigured and upgraded chain drive tension system on the FM100 can be easily adjusted and it incorporates a positive stop to retain its alignment in either direction.
Other features are a new hydraulic system with individual fully filtered drives to increase overall capacity and reliability.
The FM100 is compatible with all major brands of headers with an easy-to-install completion package.
The D1 draper is available in five sizes from 7.6 metres to 13.7m with standard features including a patented pick-up reel with a unique shaped cam.
This allows the fingers to get underneath downed, tangled, or lodged crop before it is cut and gently place the crop onto the draper belt.
Operators can adjust the D1 in the cab.
The FDI Flex Draper fronts are available in four sizes from 9.1m to 13.7m.
It also features MacDon’s patented pick-up reel, which features new 13.2m nominal finger spacings for retaining fine or thin stemmed crops.
New in-cab adjustment and control options for the reel and draper give operators greater control and the three-section flexible header design with a split reel, allows a close clearance between the reel and the cutter bar.
Even at maximum flex this ensures smooth consistent heads first feeding to the drapers, and significantly boosts the productivity of the combine.
According to MacDon, it is simple to switch from flex to rigid frame with the quick flip of two levers, which makes the FD1 a true multi-crop header.
