For the last two years I have had the strangest urge to.........................

[flightsimmer]

I read some time back that there is a computer program, kind of like "Sim City" where you get to be Mayor of a city or something like that.

Anyway, this was a farming program where you bought farmland on a mortgage (if needed), purchased equipment, planted crops, and everything
needed to manage a farm. It even used real time weather for your area just like the flight sims do. So if it doesn't rain in your area, your crops suffer.

They said it was quite popular in Europe, sold well over a million copy's. AH! here it is, or one like it. Farming Simulator | Official Website
I may buy it and become a virtual farmer. Then I can drive my own Combine, LOL.

Well anyway, it's nice to know I'm not the only one that gets that urge to drive a Combine at harvest time.

 

[CountryBoy19]

They can be high maintenance if not pm'ed properly.

PM alone is HIGH on a combine. To do proper PM, it takes about 30 min to an hour before you even start the machine each day. Pre-season and post-season PM can be a few days to a few weeks.

Also, you seem to imply that proper PM will mean your machine isn't maintenance intensive and that just isn't the case. Even with regular PM there are lots of things that wear out or break without warning... PM doesn't prevent those things from happening.

 

[CHCRandy]

I see a day where combines run themselves. I think with GPS it could be done.

Excavating does it.....with GPS readings before work starts then the machines use GPS to remove proper amount of dirt.

Why can't a combine or tractor run itself ?

 

[GlockRock]

I see a day where combines run themselves. I think with GPS it could be done.

Excavating does it.....with GPS readings before work starts then the machines use GPS to remove proper amount of dirt.

Why can't a combine or tractor run itself ?

There are a few videos on YouTube of tractors operating without drivers.
I'd be pretty nervous not being in one while it works. There's a ton of things that can go wrong.

 

[jd4320t]

.

 

[jd4320t]

PM alone is HIGH on a combine. To do proper PM, it takes about 30 min to an hour before you even start the machine each day. Pre-season and post-season PM can be a few days to a few weeks.

Also, you seem to imply that proper PM will mean your machine isn't maintenance intensive and that just isn't the case. Even with regular PM there are lots of things that wear out or break without warning... PM doesn't prevent those things from happening.

Yep I've been through it all. Some guys fight their combines every day. Others don't. I prefer the later.

I'd never say a combine isn't maintenance intensive. What I would say is the daily maintenance of greasing, inspecting and blowing out a combine almost always ended with a successful breakdown free day.

I'm interested to know what machine you run and how often it breaks down. Even with the oldest combine I've ever been around the uptime had to be 95% or better.

 

[Bluejeeper]

So how many of you guys that want to drive a combine get upset when you get stuck behind one on the highway?

I've driven one to the field a couple times, but never got to harvest. That was usually because the boss had something he needed to do on the way out, so he'd take the truck. I always drove the truck/tractor when we got started.

That particular harvester was(I believe) a late 80's- early 90's model International. And there was almost zero PM'ing it. Just fix it when it breaks.