STORAGE WHEN NOT IN USE To guarantee the operating reliability of the combine, proper service and storage are of great importance. The service before winter storage can be divided into three parts, in order of performance: cleaning, checking and protection. A dry store or shed is ideal storage for the combine. Cleaning: Open the stone trap and all doors. Remove and wash all detachable guards, sieves, the bottom cassettes of the grain pan and straw walkers as well as the grain tank bottom augers. Dirt is efficiently removed from a dry combine by compressed air. A high-pressure washer may be used with caution. To reduce drying time use warm water and idle the threshing machinery. Do not direct water jets at the bearings, as the packing does not hold against a strong spray of water. In normal seasons, it is not necessary to wash the inner parts of the combine with water; the inside of the combine can be raked clean with a suitable tool. Apply suitable solvent on heavily greasy spots before washing. Start cleaning from the top. Clean the radiator cells by blowing air from the direction of the wings. Checking: Take a pen and paper and write down all the shortcomings and required service measures in the following order: Condition of the knives. Draw-in fingers and bearings. Slip damages and breaks in belts and the remaining tensioning margin. Condition of and basic settings for the cylinder and concave. Condition of the grain pan and shaker shoe packing. Bearing clearances and fastenings. Wear, corrosion and dents. Rotor knives and counter-knives of the chopper as well as rotor bearings. It is important to have the recorded defects repaired before storage to ensure the efficient functioning of the combine at the beginning of the following harvesting season. Protection: Use pure engine oil or special protective oil in a sprayer. Places to be protected: Knife (protective oil) Draw-in fingers (protective oil) Worn paint (paint) Electrical connections (special protective spray) Chains (oil); rotate the mechanism by hand to ensure even lubrication. Transmission chains (unloading and the reel) shall be disengaged, cleaned with a solvent and lubricated with molybdenic oil. Lubrication of the rotor knife joints of the chopper. After protection all the cleaning doors, the grain pan and straw walker bottoms and sieves are left open to produce a draught inside the combine. This will prevent rodents from nesting in the inner parts of the combine. Also leave the service door to the instrument panel open! Pre-storage Service of Cab Ventilation: Filters are cleaned. Air channels on the cab top and the ventilator unit with its cells are also cleaned. This may be done with a vacuum cleaner.
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