With fodder shortages earmarked at an early stage, many farmers throughout the country are seriously considering purchasing diet feeders to mix alternative feeds in an attempt to stretch fodder supplies.
As a result, many manufacturers of diet feeders throughout the country are inundated with enquiries and orders and are reporting huge waiting times for particular models of new diet feeders.
These waiting times have prompted an increase in the demand for secondhand machines. We visited Abbey Retail in Nenagh to get the lowdown on servicing a 2015 VF1500 twin-auger tub feeder, a popular machine on farms throughout the country.
Gearbox
Ideally, the oil should be changed in the main gearbox once per season. The first thing to do when changing the oil is to drain the existing oil by opening the hydraulic hose under the gearbox which is positioned underneath the front auger. This waste oil should be collected and properly disposed of. The hose should then be reattached to the gearbox.
The oil should be replaced by pumping it into the bottom of the reservoir at the front of the machine. This will take approximately 90% of the oil with the final 10% being topped up at the top of the reservoir. Different gearboxes will require different amounts of oil. This particular gearbox requires 13 litres of 85 W140 oil.
Joe informed us that many farmers make the mistake of trying to fill up the gearbox with oil from the same point that they drained it from.
Some diet feeders will have a two-speed gearbox to the front of the machine. The oil should be changed in this gearbox after every two seasons, or 1,000 hours of work.
All gearbox oils levels should be monitored through the site glass.
Blunt knives will make the machine harder to drive, slower to mix and will result in burning excess diesel.
Knives
The condition of the knives should be checked and either sharpened or replaced as necessary. Blunt knives will make the machine harder to drive, slower to mix and will result in burning excess diesel.
If replacing knives, new bolts should also be fitted. New knives have an extremely sharp edge and should be handled with caution.
The price of a new knife will vary depending on whether it is spurious or if it has a hardened surface. Buyers can expect to pay anywhere from €32.50 to €48.50 plus VAT per knife.
The torque on the sweeper arm bolts should be inspected. The sweeper arm should be running at around 5mm above the floor of the machine.
The hydraulic ram on the door, along with the hydraulic hoses, should be inspected for any corrosion or damage.
Doors
Depending on the specification of the diet feeder, it may have up to five doors. The hydraulic ram on the door, along with the hydraulic hoses, should be inspected for any corrosion or damage.
The sliding profiles for the door should be greased. The bottom tray rubber between the body of the feeder and the feeding tray should be checked to see if it’s damaged. If so, it will lead to a loss of feed through the gap of a few inches. Needless to say, it should be replaced if damaged.
In addition, the rubber mat that runs in line with the door should be functional. This mat stops any loose dry material such as hay or straw blowing away.
Similarly, the top retaining ring that runs along the diameter of the machine should be intact. Sometimes farmers can catch it with a bucket or a grab when loading the machine. Its function is to stop any loose material being thrown out of the machine.
Tyres, axle and brakes
Single-axle machines usually rest on a static axle. A checkover can be as simple as checking the torque on the bolts.
However, a tandem-axle machine is completely different. The boggie axle will have many moving parts which should be greased on a regular basis. The tension of the springs should be inspected along with the torque of the U-bolts.
Tyre condition and tyre pressure should be assessed. Tyre pressure should be based on manufacturer recommendations.
The hubs should be opened up and the adjustment should be checked on the wheel bearings. It may need greasing but generally they should be ok.
The adjustment of the brakes should be inspected. Two people are required to this. The ram should be closed when there is no force being applied. When force is applied, there should be approximately three to four inches of travel on the ram. If there is any more travel on the ram, then the slack adjusters should be tightened.
Clock
The clock should occasionally be checked to ensure that it is giving an accurate weight reading. The easiest way to check for any weight imbalances is to individually hang a tractor weight on each of the four corners of the machine. Each corner should provide an accurate reading.
A common problem is that the outer weight cell mounting bolt may be tightened too much. If this isn’t the problem then there could be a wiring issue in the junction box.
Towing eye
The condition of the towing eye should be inspected for wear. Many diet feeders will have a split drawbar, with a series of bolts keeping it intact.
If the towing eye needs to be replaced you have two options.
Firstly, cut off the eye and weld on a new one.
Secondly, a new section of the drawbar can be bolted on. Either way, the torque of the bolts on the drawbar should be inspected.
General
Farmers should take a walk around the machine and ensure that all lights are functional.
A lighting issue can often be caused by a corroded seven pin plug. All hydraulic hoses and couplings should be intact and not leaking.
The handbrake and breakaway cable should be tested to make sure that it is working.
When the breakaway cable is pulled, the wheels should lock up.
PTO
All PTO shafts should be removed from the feeder. The sliding profiles should be taken apart and checked for any bends. The sliding profile, the head and the crosses should be all greased. The lock pin should be inspected for wear.
It is essential that all PTO covers and guards are fully functional. Covers can be expensive to replace and it may be more cost-effective to replace the entire shaft.
If the machine does not have a two-speed gearbox, it will be fitted with two block bearings. These bearings should be checked to see if there is any play. It’s vital that they are also greased as this will determine their lifespan.
Price
A new VF1500 twin-auger machine would cost somewhere in the region of €34,000, including VAT, depending on the specification.
With fodder shortages earmarked at an early stage, many farmers throughout the country are seriously considering purchasing diet feeders to mix alternative feeds in an attempt to stretch fodder supplies.
As a result, many manufacturers of diet feeders throughout the country are inundated with enquiries and orders and are reporting huge waiting times for particular models of new diet feeders.
These waiting times have prompted an increase in the demand for secondhand machines. We visited Abbey Retail in Nenagh to get the lowdown on servicing a 2015 VF1500 twin-auger tub feeder, a popular machine on farms throughout the country.
Gearbox
Ideally, the oil should be changed in the main gearbox once per season. The first thing to do when changing the oil is to drain the existing oil by opening the hydraulic hose under the gearbox which is positioned underneath the front auger. This waste oil should be collected and properly disposed of. The hose should then be reattached to the gearbox.
The oil should be replaced by pumping it into the bottom of the reservoir at the front of the machine. This will take approximately 90% of the oil with the final 10% being topped up at the top of the reservoir. Different gearboxes will require different amounts of oil. This particular gearbox requires 13 litres of 85 W140 oil.
Joe informed us that many farmers make the mistake of trying to fill up the gearbox with oil from the same point that they drained it from.
Some diet feeders will have a two-speed gearbox to the front of the machine. The oil should be changed in this gearbox after every two seasons, or 1,000 hours of work.
All gearbox oils levels should be monitored through the site glass.
Blunt knives will make the machine harder to drive, slower to mix and will result in burning excess diesel.
Knives
The condition of the knives should be checked and either sharpened or replaced as necessary. Blunt knives will make the machine harder to drive, slower to mix and will result in burning excess diesel.
If replacing knives, new bolts should also be fitted. New knives have an extremely sharp edge and should be handled with caution.
The price of a new knife will vary depending on whether it is spurious or if it has a hardened surface. Buyers can expect to pay anywhere from €32.50 to €48.50 plus VAT per knife.
The torque on the sweeper arm bolts should be inspected. The sweeper arm should be running at around 5mm above the floor of the machine.
The hydraulic ram on the door, along with the hydraulic hoses, should be inspected for any corrosion or damage.
Doors
Depending on the specification of the diet feeder, it may have up to five doors. The hydraulic ram on the door, along with the hydraulic hoses, should be inspected for any corrosion or damage.
The sliding profiles for the door should be greased. The bottom tray rubber between the body of the feeder and the feeding tray should be checked to see if it’s damaged. If so, it will lead to a loss of feed through the gap of a few inches. Needless to say, it should be replaced if damaged.
In addition, the rubber mat that runs in line with the door should be functional. This mat stops any loose dry material such as hay or straw blowing away.
Similarly, the top retaining ring that runs along the diameter of the machine should be intact. Sometimes farmers can catch it with a bucket or a grab when loading the machine. Its function is to stop any loose material being thrown out of the machine.
Tyres, axle and brakes
Single-axle machines usually rest on a static axle. A checkover can be as simple as checking the torque on the bolts.
However, a tandem-axle machine is completely different. The boggie axle will have many moving parts which should be greased on a regular basis. The tension of the springs should be inspected along with the torque of the U-bolts.
Tyre condition and tyre pressure should be assessed. Tyre pressure should be based on manufacturer recommendations.
The hubs should be opened up and the adjustment should be checked on the wheel bearings. It may need greasing but generally they should be ok.
The adjustment of the brakes should be inspected. Two people are required to this. The ram should be closed when there is no force being applied. When force is applied, there should be approximately three to four inches of travel on the ram. If there is any more travel on the ram, then the slack adjusters should be tightened.
Clock
The clock should occasionally be checked to ensure that it is giving an accurate weight reading. The easiest way to check for any weight imbalances is to individually hang a tractor weight on each of the four corners of the machine. Each corner should provide an accurate reading.
A common problem is that the outer weight cell mounting bolt may be tightened too much. If this isn’t the problem then there could be a wiring issue in the junction box.
Towing eye
The condition of the towing eye should be inspected for wear. Many diet feeders will have a split drawbar, with a series of bolts keeping it intact.
If the towing eye needs to be replaced you have two options.
Firstly, cut off the eye and weld on a new one.
Secondly, a new section of the drawbar can be bolted on. Either way, the torque of the bolts on the drawbar should be inspected.
General
Farmers should take a walk around the machine and ensure that all lights are functional.
A lighting issue can often be caused by a corroded seven pin plug. All hydraulic hoses and couplings should be intact and not leaking.
The handbrake and breakaway cable should be tested to make sure that it is working.
When the breakaway cable is pulled, the wheels should lock up.
PTO
All PTO shafts should be removed from the feeder. The sliding profiles should be taken apart and checked for any bends. The sliding profile, the head and the crosses should be all greased. The lock pin should be inspected for wear.
It is essential that all PTO covers and guards are fully functional. Covers can be expensive to replace and it may be more cost-effective to replace the entire shaft.
If the machine does not have a two-speed gearbox, it will be fitted with two block bearings. These bearings should be checked to see if there is any play. It’s vital that they are also greased as this will determine their lifespan.
Price
A new VF1500 twin-auger machine would cost somewhere in the region of €34,000, including VAT, depending on the specification.
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