MacDon FD75 - Cutting Action and Knife Components

214323 492 Revision A
7.2 Cutting Action and Knife Components
Symptom
Problem
Solution Refer to
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Knife hold-downs not
adjusted properly
Adjust hold-downs
Checking and Adjusting
Knife Hold-Downs, page
386
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Knife sections or guards
are worn or broken
Replace all worn and
broken cutting parts
5.9 Knife Drive, page 393
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Knife is not operating at
recommended speed
Check engine speed
of combine
Refer to the combine
operator’s manual
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Ground speed too fast for
reel speed
Reduce ground speed or
increase reel speed
• 3.7.5 Reel Speed, page
79
• 3.7.6 Ground Speed,
page 80
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Reel fingers not lifting crop
properly ahead of knife
Adjust reel position/
finger pitch
• 3.7.10 Reel Fore-Aft
Position, page 84
• 3.7.11 Reel Tine Pitch,
page 91
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Cutterbar too high
Lower cutting height
3.7.1 Cutting Height, page
53
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Header angle too flat Steepen header angle
3.7.4 Header Angle, page
76
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Bent knife causing binding
of cutting parts
Straighten bent knife and
align guards
5.8.7 Knife Guards, page
380
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Cutting edge of guards not
close enough or parallel to
knife sections
Align guards
5.8.7 Knife Guards, page
380
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Tangled/tough-to-cut crop
Install stub guards
• See your MacDon
Dealer
• Checking and Adjusting
Knife Hold-Downs, page
386
• 6.3.3 Stub Guard
Conversion Kit, page 482
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Reel too far back Move reel forward
3.7.10 Reel Fore-Aft
Position, page 84
Ragged or uneven
cutting of crop
Loose knife drive belt
Adjust drive belt tension
5.9.2 Knife Drive Belts,
page 400
Knife plugging
Reel too high or too
far forward
Lower reel or move
reel rearward
• 3.7.9 Reel Height, page
84
• 3.7.10 Reel Fore-Aft
Position, page 84
TROUBLESHOOTING