Tried adjusting my cutterhead clearance by feel instead of using the gauge

Thought I had it dialed in after running a few buckets through, but ended up chewing through a bearing in under 40 minutes on a job near Baton Rouge. Has anyone else learned this lesson the hard way or am I the only one skipping the manual?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_david1mo agoMost Upvoted

Forty minutes? That's insane, I've never seen one go that fast.

lisa_murray1mo ago

Man, a buddy of mine did the same thing with his combine header last fall. He was in a hurry, skipped the feeler gauge and just went by ear. Thought he had it perfect until the whole thing started smoking about 20 minutes into a soybean field near Alexandria. That bearing was shot, cost him a full day of downtime and a tow bill to get it back to the shop. He still brings it up anytime someone mentions eyeballing clearances, lol