AS THIS season's harvest approaches, it's important to remember that a little pre-season maintenance can go a long way.

The last thing grain growers want is a breakdown at harvest, especially when grain prices are looking favourable.

According to Case IH brand manager Geoff Rendell, just because a combine has been well stored since last harvest, it does not mean you can fire it up and get going straight away.

"To get the best performance from your combine, you need to give it a full pre-season examination," Geoff said.

"You can do this yourself - it takes about three hours.

"Ideally, though, you should book it in with your local Case IH dealer, because the staff there know exactly what to look for and how to fix it.

"The service team relies on a detailed inspection checklist specific to your combine harvester model to ensure nothing is missed."

Geoff said this pre-season harvester check-up would involve replacing all filters and fluids and could require more serious repairs in case of damage from a particularly heavy or light harvest the previous season.

There may also be rodent or other damage during storage.

"It's a good idea to book in your pre-season check as early as possible, even a few months before harvest," Geoff said.

"That way, you can be sure you'll get a slot and have more than enough time to get any parts you might need to make sure your combine is ready to go when your crops are.

"By being proactive, you can get out in front of any maintenance issues and keep your combine working smoothly.

"Some dealers offer special prices or other deals on early-bird servicing, so talk to your local dealer about that."

Pre-season servicing and daily maintenance are easier on Case IH Axial-Flow combines because they have fewer moving parts than other combines, so there's less to go wrong, according to Geoff.

"If anything does need to be replaced, your Case IH dealer will recommend genuine parts and lubricants," he said.

"It may seem the dealer has a vested interest in encouraging you to buy genuine, but these have been designed specifically for your machine."

Geoff's suggested harvester inspection checklist runs as follows:

  • The combine front, including knife sections, guards, belts and chains.
  • The feeder house, especially chains, slats, sprockets and bearings.
  • The rotor assembly, rasp bars and concaves.
  • The cleaning system with its bushings, sieves and grain elevator.
  • The condition and levels of lubricants, coolant and cooling systems, filters, drive belts and chains.