EFFECTIVE FOR EQUIPMENT RETAILED AND DELIVERED AFTER JUNE 1, 2020 WHAT IS WARRANTED Amity Technology warrants its new equipment to be free of defects in material and workmanship at time of delivery to the first retail pur- chaser, renter, or lessee. Amity Technology warrants any new or unused part which is manufactured by Amity Technology for use in an Amity Technolo- gy machine, jointly referred to as “Products”, whether such Product is purchased through an authorized Amity Technology dealer or directly from...
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TABLE OF CONTENTS WARRANTY............... ii 6.0 OPERATING THE DEFOLIATOR.........6‐1 TABLE OF CONTENTS……..........iv‐v 6.1 Start Up…..............6‐1 6.2 Flail Height……………….…..........6‐2 1.0 INTRODUCTION…………..........1‐1 6.3 Field Opera ng Speed..........6‐2 1.1 General Informa on……………........1‐1 6.4 Turning Radius............6‐3 1.2 Serial Number………..........1‐1 6.5 Break‐in Period............6‐3 6.6 Field Cleaning............6‐3 2.0 SAFETY……………............2‐1 6.7 Flail Tubes……………..........6‐3 2.1 Recognizing Safety Informa on in Manual…..2‐1 6.7.1 Adjustable 2nd & 3 Drum (50 Series)....6‐4 2.2 General Defoliator Safety……….......2‐1 6.8 Leveling…..............6‐4 2.3 Maintenance and Opera ng Safety………....2‐2 6.8.1 Machine Setup …………………………………………………6‐4 2.4 Hydraulic Safety............2‐3 6.8.2 Field Condi ons………………………………………………..6‐4 2.5 Transport Safety............2‐3 ...
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 General Informa on Read this manual carefully to learn how to operate and service your machine correctly. Failure to read this manual can result in personal injury or equipment damage. This manual is a permanent part of your machine and should remain with the machine when you sell it. Measurements in this manual are given in both customary U.S. units and metric equivalents. Use only correct replacement parts and fasteners. Metric and inch fasteners require appropriate tools to install. NOTE: Right‐ and le ‐hand sides are determined by facing in the direc on the implement will travel when moving forward. 1.2 Serial Number Record the serial number, model number, and model year of your machine to help trace the machine in the event that it is stolen. Your dealer also needs these numbers for all warranty claims and for when you order parts. ...
2.0 SAFETY 2.1 Recognizing Safety Informa on in Manual Figure 2‐1 is the safety‐alert symbol. When you see this symbol on your machine or in this manual, be alert to the poten al for personal injury. Follow recommended precau ons and safe opera ng prac ces. 2.2 General Safety Figure 2‐1: Safety‐Alert Symbol You are responsible for the safe opera on and maintenance of your Amity implement. You and anyone else who will operate, maintain, or work around the machine should be familiar with the opera ng and maintenance procedures and safety informa on in this manual. ...
7. Annually review safety guidelines with all operators. 8. Wear suitable ear protec on for prolonged exposure to excessive noise. Think SAFETY! Work SAFELY! 2.3 Maintenance and Opera ng Safety 1. Read and understand all informa on contained in the Operator’s Manual regarding maintenance, adjustment, and opera on of the machine. 2. Shi to park, disengage PTO, lower machine to ground, relieve hydraulic pressure, stop engine, remove igni on key, and wait for all moving parts to stop before servicing, adjus ng, repairing, or disconnec ng the machine. 3. Keep hands, feet, clothing, and hair away from all moving and/or rota ng parts. 4. ...
2.4 Hydraulic Safety 1. Always place all tractor hydraulic controls in neutral before dismoun ng. 2. Make sure that all components in the hydraulic system are kept in good condi on and are clean and ght. 3. Replace any worn, cut, abraded, fla ened or crimped hoses and metal lines. 4. Do not a empt any makeshi repairs to the hydraulic lines, fi ngs, or hoses by using tape, clamps, or cements. The hydraulic system operates under extremely high pressure. Such repairs may fail suddenly, crea ng a hazardous and unsafe condi on. 5. Wear proper hand and eye protec on when searching for a high‐pressure hydraulic leak. Use a piece of wood or cardboard as a backstop instead of hands to isolate and iden fy a leak. ...
2.6 Safety Decals The types of decals on the equipment are shown in the illustra on below. Proper safety requires that you familiarize yourself with the various safety decals, the type of warning, and the area, or par cular func on related to that area, that requires your safety awareness. REMEMBER: If safety decals have been damaged or removed, become illegible, or parts are replaced without decals, then new decals must be applied. New decals are available from your authorized dealer. PN: 9971021 PN: 9971013 Hazard: Electrical Shock Hazard: Moving Parts Avoidance: Keep shields and doors in place at ...
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PN: 9971015 PN: 997859 Hazard: Falling off Machine Hazard: General Safety Alert Avoidance: Do not climb on the machine. Avoidance: Shut off engine and remove key before performing maintenance or repair work. PN: 303277 ...
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PN: 303268 PN: 997863 Hazard: Rota ng Part Hazard: Electrical Shock Avoidance: Keep clothing, yourself, and Avoidance: Keep the machine clear of others clear. overhead electrical power lines. PN: 9971025 PN: 311206 Hazard: Crushing from Above Hazard: Whole Body Entanglement ...
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PN: 311207 PN: 997841 Hazard: Pinch Point Hazard: Crushing from Moving Parts Avoidance: Keep hands clear of any moving Avoidance: Stay clear of this area while parts around the pinch point. engine and machine are opera ng. PN: 997853 PN: 997857 Hazard: Nega ve Tongue Weight ...
37.9 L/m Scalper Li / RF Li 7.5 gpm 28.4 L/m Front Stabilizer Struts 5 gpm 18.9 L/m 17 gpm 64.4 L/m NOTE: Values listed are a good star ng point; however, flow rates should be fine‐tuned to allow the 3.4 Tractor Specifica ons Table 3‐4: Tractor Specifica ons Model: 3750 3550 3450 3700 3500 3300 3200 Minimum recommended 290 hp 160 hp 130 hp 160 hp ...
4.0 PREPARATION 4.1 Tractor Prepara on 4.1.1 Adjus ng the Drawbar: It is recommended that the tractor drawbar be set to the shortest posi on and be within the given range (in accordance with ANSI/ASABE AD6489‐3) to maintain the integrity of the drive system. Dimensions are shown in Figure 4‐1. Figure 4‐1: Drawbar Range PTO PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION MINIMUM DISTANCE MAXIMUM DISTANCE ...
4.2 Defoliator Prepara on 4.2.1 Flail Spacing: Verify the spacing matches the spacing of the planted crop as shown in Figure 11. A=B/2 Center of frame to center of flail basket B=Row spacing Figure 4‐4: Flail Spacing 4.2.2 Scalpers: In addi on to flail baskets, scalpers also need to be correctly posi oned for row spacing and should be adjusted to match if they are not already. For addi onal adjustment refer to ...
5.0 ATTACHING AND DETACHING 5.1 A aching Hydraulic and Electrical Systems Defoliators are available with ISO couplers or metric adapters. If the hydraulic a achments on your defoliator do not fit the tractor, contact your Amity dealer. CAUTION: To avoid injury from escaping fluid under pressure, relieve the pressure in the system before disconnec ng or connec ng hydraulic or other lines. Tighten all connec ons before applying pressure. ...
5.3 A aching PTO Driveline CAUTION: To avoid bodily injury or death, shut off the tractor and lower the machine to the ground before a aching the PTO driveline. IMPORTANT: Keep the driveline and powersha splines clean of dirt, paint, and debris. 1. Shi to park, disengage the PTO, lower the machine to the ground, relieve hydraulic pressure, stop the engine, and remove the igni on key. Figure 5‐3: A ached PTO Driveline 2. ...
6.0 OPERATING THE DEFOLIATOR 6.1 Startup 1. Lubricate the machine per the schedule outlined in the maintenance sec on. 2. Perform pre‐opera on check of the defoliator. 3. Ensure that you, bystanders, and all objects are clear of the defoliator before star ng. 4. Align the tractor and defoliator with the first set of rows to be defoliated. 5. Lower the defoliator to working posi on against the cylinder stops and check that flail height from drums #2 and #3 is above of the ground and approximate ½” (1.2cm) below the crown of your average beet height for a star ng posi on. 6. ...
6.2 Flail Height The single biggest factor in quality defoliator is properly se ng the flail height of drums #2 and #3 of your Amity defoliator. Flail height will vary with soil and crop condi ons. One inch (2.54 cm) below the crown of the average beet is a good star ng point. Actual flail height is best determined by checking the defolia on results in several areas a er defolia ng for 50 feet (15 meters). To maintain even cleaning it is important for the flail height of the 2 and 3 drum to be the same; ...
6.4 Turning Radius Turning at the end of the field while pulling the defoliator requires a wide area. One way to accommodate the large turning radius is to plant headland rows. Amity recommends a minimum of 48 headland rows (22” [56 cm] spacing) on each end of the field. Defoliators equipped with a CV PTO drivesha should remain under power while turning in the headlands. Defoliators equipped with a Standard PTO drivesha need to disengage the PTO before turning to prevent driveline damage. IMPORTANT: Failure to provide a sufficient turning radius for the tractor and defoliator may lead to damage of the drivesha , row finder assembly, scalpers, stabilizer struts and/or tractor res. 6.5 Break‐in Period ...
6.7.1 Adjustable 2 & 3 Drum (50 series): The purpose of the adjustable 3 flail tube in the 50 series defoliator is to be able to run the 1 drum higher specifically designed for crops with poor emergence where the highest beet and lowest beet vary greatly in height. In such a situa on running ...
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6.9.1 Tire Toe‐In and Hitch First, it is crucial that the hitch is square. Using the ratchet jack, first adjust the hitch un l it makes a right angle with the crossbar as seen on the right. Note the use of the square along the hitch. Next, adjust the toe‐in angle. When adjus ng the toe‐in angle on the rear struts, first measure the distance between the mid‐ dles of the outside res as seen in the image below. Repeat measurement for the front of the same res. This measure‐ ment should be at least one inch less than that of the rear. The first step is to adjust the cylinder eyebolt as pictured so that the wheel set is toed in one half inch. Use the square to do this as shown. Next, adjust the rear e rod to turn the other wheel set inward. Once again, use the square to visually judge this. A er doing so, assure the one inch difference between the front and rear of the outside res. 6‐5 ...
6.10 Scalpers (op on): Scalpers are an op on on Amity defoliators that remove the very top of the beet helping to ensure complete pe ole removal. Scalper are designed to ride on the crown of the beet to follow its changing height. Because of this they need to be raised in addi on to the row finder at the field end just as the beets are ending. They should only be lowered again once the defoliator is turned around and as it starts to defoliate the next set of rows. Not raising or lowering the scalpers at the appropriate me in addi on to possibly damaging Figure 6‐3: Scalpers the scalpers can cause the knives to plug with mud and not func on ...
6.11 Machine Shutdown To ensure maximum life of the machine, follow this procedure when stopping: Raise the defoliator off the beets with the PTO s ll engaged. (If equipped with AHC, ac vate end 1. row mode) While PTO is running at full speed or high idle, disengage tractor PTO. The corner gearbox on all 2. Amity defoliators has an over‐running clutch built in and will allow the defoliator to slowly come to a stop well a er the PTO drive on the tractor has stopped. Do not exit the tractor un l flails have come to a complete stop. 3. CAUTION: When shu ng down or reducing ground speed, the PTO must remain turning at full RPM un l PTO is disengaged. Lowering RPM with PTO s ll engaged can cause the overrunning clutch to disengage and reengage and can result is failed driveline shear bolts.
7.0 ADJUSTMENTS Before performing any adjustments first shi to park, disengage PTO, lower machine to ground, relieve hydraulic pressure, stop engine, remove igni on key, and wait for all moving parts to stop before adjus ng. 7.1 Leveling To obtain op mal performance of the defoliator, the machine must be level from le to right while defolia ng. Cri cal to maintaining machine level is rear strut style and loca on. Selec ng ...
7.1.2 Hydraulic Strut Li (op on): (Rear struts equipped with rephasing cylinders.) 1. Move the defoliator on to a flat and level floor for accurate measurements. 2. Lower the defoliator front hitch cylinders to approximate opera ng height. 3. Check re pressure to ensure both sides are correctly inflated. 4. Measure the distance between the drum #3 flails ...
7.2.2 Field Height adjustment and AHC adjustments 1. With defoliator set to ini al height es mate follow sec on 6.1 Start Up for beginning a new field. 2. Run the defoliator for 25‐50 feet (7.5‐15 m) at a slow speed. 3. Following adjustment safety procedures, stop and raise the defoliator. 4. Once all moving parts have stopped, exit the cab and assess the defolia on performance. 5. Make height adjustments as needed by adding spacers or adjus ng the ratchet jacks depending on op ons equipped. For AHC, adjust heights by using the screen to change the rear height and/or hitch height values on the home screen, or the le /right offset on the advanced op ons screen. Use the following guidelines: a. Flails hi ng dirt – raise rear struts/increase rear height value b. Front flails cu ng top off beets – raise front hitch/increase hitch height value c. Beet crown not clean – lower rear struts/decrease rear height value ...
7.2.3 Flail Size Drum 1 height as shown in Figure 24 above is designed to run higher than the rear drums 2&3. This is based on its func on which is to remove the majority of the beet leaves leaving only a few pe oles or leaf stems for the 2 and 3 drums to remove from the crown of the beet. The rear two drums which are designed to be run level with each other, counter rotate so the flails hit from different direc ons to clean the front and back of the beet crown as illustrated in Figure 25 below. This is where the 50 series and 00 series differ significantly and described in the following sec ons. DRUM #1 DRUM #2 DRUM #3 Figure 7‐4: Defolia on Process 7.2.4 (50) Series The design feature that enables the 50 series defoliator to do more work faster is the shrouded front steel drum 1. The shrouded drum 1 is able to remove the majority of foliage leaving ...
7.2.6 Loose Beets In some condi ons beets may be knocked loose from the ground which prevents them from being harvested. The best way to minimize this is to raise the flail height as high as possible while s ll removing the pe oles. This will provide less aggressive impacts to the beet. Adjus ng travel speed doesn’t help much and in some cases will be worse for this condi on as the ...
12. Tighten the 4 5/8” bolts locking the hanger plate into place. 13. Repeat steps 9‐12 for the outer plate shown in Figure 28. 14. Run the defoliator with the updated drum 3 height and recheck that bolts are ght a er 1 hour of opera on. 7.3 Row Finder Figure 7‐7: Outer 3 Drum Adjustment When defolia ng, the row finder wands should be adjusted like Figure 7‐...
7.4 Row spacing Row Spacing: Normally row spacing is set once from the factory and will not need to be changed unless the customer changes crop spacing. A=B/2 Center of frame to center of flail basket B=Row Spacing Figure 7‐10: Row Spacing 7.4.1 Flail spacing Steel Flail adjustment: Amity Steel flails are used on the front drum only and spin at 1045 RPM and are balanced from the factory. All steel flails are either full width (L‐knife and Cup knife) and do not need to be adjusted when changing row spacing or they are welded at a specific row spacing and are not adjustable (50 series and over the row cup flails). Please refer to your Amity parts manual for the appropriate replacement if required. ...
7.4.2 Wheel Spacing The rear struts spacing are set at the factory and are designed to be adjustable to fit 18 to 44 inch (45 to 112 cm) row spacing depending on the strut style equipped. Minimum row and crop damage will be done if the res are set to track in the center of the rows. Wheel spacing adjustments are made by moving the spindle in or out u lizing different cross‐holes in the rear strut, or by reversing the switch the res which changes the offset in or out. Any wheel adjustments need to be made in conjunc on with the strut assembly as a whole from the machine center. Always space the res first as some spacing widths will end up offset from the center of the strut. Set up wheel spacing as follows: 1. Measure the current wheel spacing and determine how far in or out the wheels need to be adjusted. 2. Jack up the corner of the frame to remove the load from the strut assembly and the res. 3. ...
7.4.3 Strut Spacing Strut spacing is set at the factory but can be adjusted to avoid planter or sprayer tracks in your fields, or if your opera on changes row widths. Rear struts should be spaced to avoid running in planter tracks when possible. O en it is not possible to avoid planter or sprayer tracks in which case ...
7.6 Scalpers Scalpers are designed to remove the last of the pe oles from the beet and a small por on of the crown reducing impuri es in beet piles. Properly se ng up scalpers is cri cal in their performance. Baskets should be set so that they do not hit either the top or bo om limit of their opera onal range while defolia ng. The stop ...
7.6.1 Knives Scalper knives should be set so that they remove a slice off the crown on the beet that is 1.5‐2 inch (4‐5 cm) in diameter. Excess of this amount will result in lower tons per acre yields. Properly se ng scalpers is cri cal in op mizing your defolia on job. Set up scalper knives as follows: 1. Start with the defoliator at level opera ng height on a flat and level surface and lower the scalper bar to the ground. 2. Loosen scalper knife bolts so the knife can be moved. 3. A good star ng point is with the knives ½ inch (1.2cm) below the trailing edge of the scalper basket. To set this consistently use a ½ inch (1.2 m) shim under the trailing edge of the scalper ...
7.6.2 Bar height The Amity scalper bar has two standard moun ng posi ons as shown in the figures below. The bar height should be set to ensure the scalper baskets cannot reach the maximum or minimum stops and instead operate smoothly in the range between them. The scalper bar is set in the central posi on from factory. Adjust the bar height so it is correct for your condi ons according to the diagrams ...
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Figure 7‐17: Corresponding Bol ng Loca ons to Keep Scalpers Level 7‐13 ...
8.0 ACTIVE HEIGHT CONTROL ISOBUS (AHC) Ac ve Height Control (AHC) is an electric over hydraulic control system that levels and maintains the defoliator at a constant height while defolia ng based on a variety of field condi ons. Using hydraulic oil supplied from the tractor, a valve bank on the defoliator sends oil to hydraulic cylinders on the hitch and rear struts to raise and lower the defoliator which allows it follow the tops of the beets evenly. To determine what is level with the tops of the beets the defoliator uses two of the scalper baskets or two frame mounted baskets without knifes at the back of the machine that ride on the top of the beets. Using sensors on these baskets, the electronic control unit (ECU) controls the valve bank to level the defoliator. This system is an ISOBUS (ISO 11783) pla orm. ISOBUS is an interna onal communica on that standardizes communica ons between tractors and implements. To control this system, the operator will interface with it using any 8.1 Terminology For clarifica on purposes the following are some terminology descrip ons that are used in this manual. ‐ Select/Selec ng: There are many different VTs in the industry which come with different ways of preforming ac ons. Most new VTs are touch screen so “Selec ng” on a touch screen simply means to touch. Some VTs have physical bu ons that correspond to things on the screen. “Selec ng” would be pushing those physical bu ons. Other VTs have a scrolling knob that allows the user to scroll the knob to highlight icons on the screen which can then be selected by a physical bu on or pressing on the ...
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8.2 Safety As the operator you are responsible for the safe opera on and maintenance of on the Ac ve Height Control on your Amity sugar beet defoliator. You and anyone else, who will operate, maintain, or work around the defoliator while in use should be familiar with the opera on, maintenance, and safety informa on in this manual. The most important safety device on this equipment is a safe operator. Any person who has not read and understood all the opera on and safety instruc on of not only the AHC system but the en re defoliator is not qualified to operate this system. NOTE!!!! It is very important to understand that as an automated system they system will move the defoliator with out direct input for the operator. Any me there is hydraulic oil supplied to the defoliator AHC ‘s valve bank the defoliator has the poten al to move. For the safe opera on and maintenance of the AHC system follow these rules: 1. Read and understand this operator manual on how the system works, and what all the controls are and do. 2. Only supply hydraulic oil to the AHC valve when you are ready and intend to use the system. Make sure all persons and objects are outside the danger zone of the defoliator before supplying oil. Shut of the oil supply any me the system will not be in use. 3. Note that any me oil is supplied to the valve, any control used on the VT may cause the defoliator to move. 4. Be on high alert whenever the system is in AUTO LEVEL state. The defoliator will automa cally move based on feedback from the depth wands, not by the operator. 5. Deac vate the joys ck any me it is not in use to prevent any chance of uninten onal opera on by accidentally bumping it.
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8.3 So key Defini on Below are short defini ons of all the different so keys used in the system. Begin Row: Se ngs Screen: Enters the system’s BEGIN ROW state Opens the se ngs screen. . End Row: Home Screen: Enters the system’s END ROW state. Opens the main screen. Increase Hitch Target: Diagnos c Screen: Increases the hitch’s target height by 1. Opens a diagnos c screen. Ac ve Alarm Screen: Decrease Hitch Target: Opens a screen that will display ...
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Figure 8‐2: Main Page—Auto Mode Figure 8‐3: Main Page—Manual Mode 8.4 Main Page Figure 8‐2 and 8‐3 shows the main pages of the AHC system. These are the page that display all the necessary informa on while defolia ng. The following are short descrip ons of what each part of the page means or represents. 6‐5 ...
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‐ System Readiness Chart: The system readiness chart is a pie chart that is made up of three sec ons that represent criteria that must be met before the system can enter AUTO LEVEL state. Below are the descrip ons of each sec on of the pie. System Calibrated: The top slice of the pie will be filled in if the baskets have been calibrated. System Error/Alarm Status: The right slice of the pie will be filled in if there are no ac ve alarms. PTO Status: The le slice of the pie will be filled in if the PTO is running. System Ready: Once all the pies are filled in the pie will change to a green circle with a check. This check means that all the requirements for entering into AUTO LEVEL state have been met. ‐ Work Switch Status: The work switch status displays whether the work switch is enabled or disabled. The work switch is a proximity sensor that is use to determine loca on of the scalper bar or frame mounted baskets. The work switch will only be enabled once the scalper bar or frame mounted baskets are lowered as far as possible, i.e. full cylinder extension. When enabled, the icon on the screen will turn green and have a downward arrow (Figure 8‐4). When disabled, the icon will be gray with an upward arrow (Figure 8‐5). Figure 8‐4: Enabled Work Switch Figure 8‐5: Disabled Work Switch ‐ Joys ck Ac ve/Inac ve Icon: In order for the joys ck to be used it must first be ac vated. To ac vate the joys ck there is a so key to toggle it on and ...
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‐ System State: In the upper right Corner of the main page there is a current state box that displays what state (or task) the system is currently in. Below is a descrip on of the states. “Blank”: This is the steady state of the system. The system will not preform any ac on at this me un l input is received from the operator. The box will just be empty with no words displayed. Begin Row: BEGIN ROW is the state where the hitch will move to it’s set point and the rear struts will move to there last posi on while in AUTO LEVEL. If in manual mode the rear struts will move to there set point set by the user. Standby: Standby state is the state between BEGIN ROW and AUTO LEVEL. Once the BEGIN ROW state is complete it will transi on to STANDBY un l both the System Readiness chart is complete (Green Check) and the work switch is enabled. The system will stay in STANDBY un l all condi ons are met and will not make any movement un l then. Auto Level: While in AUTO LEVEL state the defoliator will move the rear struts up and down automa cally to keep the rear level and the correct height off the top of the beet. Any change to the hitch’s set point will also automa cally be done while in this state. Manual: While in the MANUAL state the defoliator will move to the hitch, the right strut, and the le strut to their operator defined set points. Any change to the any set point will automa cally be done while in this state. ...
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‐ Hitch Height Set Point and Current Posi on Above the picture of the defoliator and next to a picture if the side of a hitch is a yellow bar graph, a box with a number, and a plus and minus above and below. These display the current posi on and set point of the hitch. The bar graph represents the stroke of the hitch cylinder. 0 represents fully retracted and 100 represents fully extended. The bar graph fills up with yellow to show where the cylinder is at in its’ stroke. The number in the box next to the bar graph is the hitch's set point. Enac ng a BEGIN ROW will cause the hitch to move to whatever this se ng is. This se ng ranges from 0 to 100 in increments of 1. A red line on the bar graph corresponds and moves with the set point. Selec ng the plus or minus symbols above and below the set point number will change the set point in increments of 1. Selec ng the set point box prompts a number pad to type in the desired set point. Figure 8‐9: Hitch Height Figure 8‐10: Pop Up Key Pad ‐ Mode There are two modes that can be used, Auto and Manual. Below the System State box it will show which mode the system is currently in. Figure 8‐11: Auto Mode Figure 8‐12: Manual Mode ‐ Rear Strut Current Posi on—Auto Mode In auto mode, on either side of the picture of the defoliator is a yellow bar graph that displays the rear strut cylinder posi ons. The bar graph on the le side displays le strut’s cylinder posi on. The bar graph on the right side displays the ...
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‐ Hold Bu on Selec ng the Hold bu on will toggle the system in and out of the HOLD state. The system must be in AUTO LEVEL state before entering the HOLD state. Figure 8‐14: Hold Bu on ‐ End Row Bu on Selec ng the End Row bu on will enter the system into END ROW state. Figure 8‐15: End Row Bu on ‐ Rear Height Set Point and Current Posi on Below the picture of the defoliator are two blue bar graphs, a box with a number, and a plus and minus above and below. These display the current posi ons and set point of the rear height of the defoliator. The bar graphs represent the posi on of the baskets that ride on the tops of the beets. 100 represents when the baskets are raised off the ground and res ng on their stops. 0 represents when the baskets reach their upward limit. The higher the number the higher the machine is off the ground. The bar graph fills up with blue to show where the baskets are within there allowable movement. The bar graph on the le side of the screen corresponds to the basket on the le side of the machine and the bar graph on the right side of the screen corresponds to the basket on the right side of the machine. The number in the ...
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‐ Rear Strut Current Posi on—Manual Mode In Manual Mode, on either side of the picture of the defoliator is a yellow bar graph that displays the rear strut cylinder posi ons. The bar graph on the le side displays le strut’s cylinder posi on. The bar graph on the right side displays the right strut’s cylinder posi on. 0 represents fully retracted and 100 represents fully extended. Next to each bar graph is the corresponding cylinders set point. The se ng ranges from 0 to 100 in increments of 1. A red line on the bar graph corre‐ sponds and moves with the set point. Selec ng the plus or minus symbols above and below the set point number will change the set point in increments of 1. Selec ng the set point box prompts a number pad to type in the desired set point. Figure 8‐19: Rear Strut Posi on—Manual Mode Figure 8‐20: Pop Up Key Pad 6‐5 ...
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Figure 8‐21: Diagnos cs Page 8.4 Diagnos cs Page Figure 8‐21 shows the Diagnos c page, which is a helpful tool if troubleshoo ng the system is required. This screen shows live data from the ECU that can be used to determine if or where an issue might be. The following are descrip ons of each of the items displayed. ‐ System Voltage: The system voltage is the voltage being received from the tractor. This is a 12 volt system. ‐ Hitch Sensor Voltage: The hitch sensor voltage is the reading of the internal sensor in the right side hitch cylinder on the front of the machine. The voltage should be between 0.5 and 4.0 volts. As the hitch is moved up and down the voltage should move between this range accordingly. The sensor should read 4 volts when full extended. ‐ Hitch Height: The hitch height is the current stroke distance of the hitch cylinders. The reading should be between 0 and 100% and should match the physical cylinder stroke distances. 100% is the cylinder fully extended. ‐ Le Basket Sensor Voltage: The le basket voltage is the reading of the poten ometer sensor on the le hand basket at the rear of the ...
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‐ Right Basket Sensor Voltage: The right basket voltage is the reading of the poten ometer sensor on the right hand basket at the rear of the machine. The voltage must be between 0.5 and 4.5 volts throughout the basket’s full travel. As the basket is moved up and down the voltage should move between this range accordingly. The sensor will read towards the 0.5 volt end of the range with the basket li ed off the ground and res ng on there stops. ‐ Right Basket Height: The right basket height is the current posi on of the right basket/scalper. The reading should be between 0 and 100% and should match the physical basket posi on. 100% is with the scalper bar/frame mount raised so that the baskets/scalpers are off the ground and against their stops. This height is calibrated so if it reads something other then 100% while against the stops, a calibra on will need to be performed. ‐ Le Strut Sensor Voltage: The le strut sensor voltage is the reading of the internal sensor in the le hand strut cylinder at the back of the machine. The voltage should be between 0.5 and 4.0 volts. As the strut is moved up and down the voltage should ...
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‐ VT Info: VT Info, displays info about the physical screen’s hardware and so ware for troubleshoo ng and informa onal purposes. ‐ Current Mode: Current mode displays what state the system is in at that me. ‐ Drum #1 Bearing Temperature: This displays the temperature of the center bearing on the front drum of the machine. Note, if the reading always reads 32°F the sensor may be disconnected or broken. ‐ So ware Config ID: This is used for development purposes only. It should always say “Default”. 6‐5 ...
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Figure 8‐22: Se ngs Page 8.5 Se ngs Page Figure 8‐22 shows the Se ng Page, which displays and allows for changes to some se ngs for the system and are as follows: ‐ Joys ck Layout: The joys ck has 2 different layout op ons. The joys ck can perform 4 different func ons by pushing it North, East, South, or West. North is designated by an arrow on the physical joys ck and is considered the top func on on this screen. To select a configura on select one of the op ons shown on the screen. The configura on will be boarded in green once selected to show which op on is currently being used. The possible func ons that the joys ck can perform are as follows: 1. “Begin Row” ‐ Enters the system into BEGIN ROW state. 2. “END ROW” ‐ Enters the system in to END ROW state. 3. “+” ‐ Increases the hitch height target for the defoliator. Increases the height in increments of 1. 4. ...
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‐ Override PTO Sensor: This is used to override the PTO sensor on the defoliator to allow the user to enter AUTO LEVEL with out the PTO sha spinning. By enabling the PTO override it mimics turning on the PTO on the tractor. This should only be used for diagnos c purposes. You will always want this disabled when defolia ng. Red is disabled, green is enabled. ‐ Offset: To make up for manufacturing tolerances the system has an adjustable offset to level the machine. If the baskets are not perfectly level to the frame of the machine, the offset is used to adjust the rear strut cylinder targets to overcome this difference. By se ng the offset to anything other then 0, the defoliator will target numbers to lt the defoliator side to side based on this se ng. To change this se ng touch the pictures to the le and right of the se ng. The le picture will raise the le and lower the right of the machine. The right picture will lower the le and raise the right of the machine. A nega ve number means the le will be raised higher then the right. A posi ve number means the right will be raised higher then the le . By selec ng the se ng itself, a pop up window will appear to manual enter a number. Figure 8‐26: Target Depth Se ng and Adjustment Figure 8‐27: Pop Up Key Pad ‐ Sound No fica ons: If your VT is compa ble with sound there is the op on of having the screen beep when entering and exi ng AUTO LEVEL ...
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Figure 8‐24: Ac ve Alarms Page 8.6 Ac ve Alarms Page Figure 8‐24 show the Ac ve Alarm page. This page displays a list of any currently ac ve alarms within the system. AUTO LEVEL state can not be entered while any alarms are ac ve. This page can be accessed using the alarm page so key from any other page (Figure 8‐25). Below are descrip ons of the specific parts of the page. Figure 8‐25: Alarm Page So key ‐ —Alarm ID: Each possible alarm has a specific alarm ID that allows for easy look up in the next couple of pages of this manual. ‐ —Alarm Title: The alarm tle is the name given to the alarm. ‐ —Informa on Icon: By selec on the Informa on Icon more informa on on the highlighted alarm is displayed. This pop up gives a brief descrip on of the alarm and possible causes. Figure 8‐26 is an example of this pop up. To return to the list ,select the ar‐ row in the bo om le corner. ...
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‐ —Scrolling Arrows: The scrolling arrows allow you to scroll through the alarm list for selec on. The alarm highlighted in red is the alarm that will be selected for more informa on. Figure 8‐27: Error Pop Up An alarm will prompt an error message (Figure 8‐27) to appear and remain un l it is acknowledged. Figure 8‐28 is the so ‐ key used to acknowledge the error. The alarm will then be added to the alarm list page. Once the cause of the alarm is addressed the alarm will be removed automa cally. Figure 8‐28: Error Acknowledgement So key 6‐5 ...
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8.7 Using AHC Calibra on: Before defolia ng the rear baskets need to be calibrated so that the system knows when they are against their stops. To calibrate the baskets, raise the scalper bar or frame mounted baskets all the way up in the air, fully retract the cylinders, to make sure the baskets/scalpers are off the ground and res ng on their stops. Now using the tractor’s VT find the calibra on so key and select the calibra on so key. Once selected the so key will change to a green check mark for 3 seconds to signify that the calibra on was successful. The calibra on is now complete. It is good prac ce to calibrate the baskets/scalpers every me the system is restarted or if there is ever any reading other than 100% for the basket height while the sensors are off the ground. Set Up: There are a few items that should be set up before defolia ng. Upon ini al set up, start high and work your way down to find the correct se ng. Se ng will change based on field condi ons, beet variety, etc. Hitch Height Set Point – This is the height of the front of the defoliator while defolia ng. Rear Height Set Point (Auto Mode Only) – This is the height of the rear of the defoliator while defolia ng. While in auto leveling the defoliator will automa cally adjust to accomplish this height. ...
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8.8 Alarm Informa on The following is a list and descrip ons of the possible errors for the system. Alarm ID Title Info Possible Solu on Number 1 Hitch Solenoid Too high an output current has been detected ‐Check wiring harness, harness Overcurrent Fault on the controller output driving the hitch connectors, and solenoid for damage. solenoid. This fault can be caused by either: Replace any damaged parts. ‐Swap the raise and lower coils on the Faulty wire harness between controller and solenoid OR solenoid to determine if the problem follows a certain coil. Faulty solenoid ‐Supplying the coils with 12 volts from a stand alone system will cause the solenoid to open one way or another. If the solenoid doesn’t open, the coil is bad or the spool could be blocked. 2 Le Strut Solenoid Too high an output current has been detected ...
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4 Hitch Solenoid Open Too low an output current has been detected ‐Check wiring harness, harness Fault on the controller output driving the hitch connectors, and solenoid for damage. solenoids. This fault can be caused by either: Replace any damaged parts. ‐Swap the raise and lower coils on the Faulty wire harness between controller and solenoid OR solenoid to determine if the problem follows a certain coil. Faulty solenoid ‐Supplying the coils with 12 volts from a stand alone system will cause the solenoid to open one way or another. If the solenoid doesn’t open the coil is bad or the spool could be blocked. 5 Le Strut Solenoid Too low an output current has been detected ‐Check wiring harness, harness Open Fault on the controller output driving the le strut connectors, and solenoid for damage. solenoid. This fault can be caused by either: Replace any damaged parts. Faulty wire harness between controller ‐Swap the raise and lower coils on the solenoid to determine if the problem and solenoid OR follows a certain coil. ...
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8 Le Strut Movement The AHC system is experiencing problems ‐Check to make sure the SCV is Timeout Fault moving the le strut at an adequate speed. suppling oil to the AHC valve This fault can be caused by either: ‐Check wiring harness, harness connectors, and solenoid for damage. Faulty wire harness between controller and solenoid OR Replace any damaged parts ‐Check for any obstruc ons Faulty solenoid OR ‐Check for power at the solenoid Faulty cylinder OR 9 Right Strut Movement The AHC system is experiencing problems ‐Check to make sure the SCV is Timeout Fault moving the right strut at an adequate speed. suppling oil to the AHC valve This fault can be caused by either: ‐Check wiring harness, harness connectors, and solenoid for damage. Faulty wire harness between controller and solenoid OR Replace any damaged parts ‐Check for any obstruc ons Faulty solenoid OR ...
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12 Le Strut Cylinder The le strut cylinder posi on sensor readings ‐Check for disconnected or loose Posi on Sensor Error are in error. This fault can be caused by either: connec on on the electrical connector Faulty wire harness between controller ‐Check wiring harness, harness connectors, the sensor, and controller and cylinder OR for damage. Replace any damaged Faulty cylinder parts ‐Check for power being supplied to the sensors. Must be around 12 volts ‐Check for a signal volts from the sen‐ sor. Must be between 0.5 and 4.5 volts through out its fully range of 13 Right Strut Cylinder The right strut cylinder posi on sensor ‐Check for disconnected or loose Posi on Sensor Error readings are in error. This fault can be caused connec on on the electrical connector by either: ‐Check wiring harness, harness con‐ Faulty wire harness between controller ...
9.0 TRANSPORTATION 9.1 Warning Lights CAUTION: Prevent collisions between other road users, slow moving tractors with a achments or towed equipment, and self‐propelled machines on public roads. Frequently check for traffic from the rear, especially in turns, and use turn signal lights or hand signals. Use headlights, flashing warning lights, and turn signals day and night. Follow local regula ons for equipment and marking. Keep ligh ng and marking visible and in good working order. Replace or repair ligh ng and marking that has been damaged or lost. ...
10.0 CLEANING Cleaning is an important part of defoliator maintenance. This sec on illustrates a few loca ons where mud will rou nely build up and need to be cleaned. 10.1 Row Finder Row finder wands (A) and springs (B) must be cleaned rou nely in order for the row finder to correctly locate beets. Also, clean the area around the hydraulic valve spool and all other moving components to prevent seal failure. ...
10.4 Gearbox Enclosure The gearbox enclosure should be cleared of dirt and debris whenever driveline maintenance or inspec on is performed. This will keep material clear of driveline seals and gearbox breather vents prolonging component life. Figure 10‐4: Gearbox Enclosure 9‐2 ...
11.0 STORAGE 11.1 End of Season 1. Thoroughly clean the defoliator inside and out. Debris and dirt will draw moisture and cause rust. 2. Inspect the defoliator for any damaged or worn components; repair or replace as needed. 3. Lubricate all grease fi ngs and run machine for five minutes to distribute lubricant. 4. Touch up paint on all parts from which paint has been worn to prevent rus ng. 5. Move the defoliator to a level, dry, and clean area. 6. Put blocking material under the front support stands to prevent sinking and under the rear struts to take load off the res. 7. Use dielectric grease for M12 connec on points. 11.2 Beginning of Season 1. A ach the defoliator to the tractor (see sec on 5.0). 2. Remove all support blocks from the front support stands and rear struts. 3. Lubricate the en re machine (see sec on 11.0, Lubrica on and Maintenance). This will force any collected moisture out of the bearings. Replace the gearbox oil (see sec on 11.0, Lubrica on and ...
12.0 LUBRICATION AND MAINTENANCE 12.1 General Maintenance Informa on Perform each lubrica on and service illustrated in this sec on at the beginning and end of each season. IMPORTANT: The period for recommended lubrica on and maintenance is based on normal condi ons. Severe or unusual condi ons may require more frequent lubrica on or oil changes. ...
12.3 Gearbox Oil Level Gearbox oil levels should be checked rou nely and filled to line (A) shown in Figure 11‐2. Side plugs (B) can be found on all gearboxes and the lower side plug is used to measure the correct fill level. When gearboxes are filled with the proper amount of oil, the level should be just below the threads of side plug (A). Excess oil can be drained from the gearbox using side plug (B). Figure 12‐2: Gearbox Oil Level Under filling the gearbox will cause a buildup of heat which when it ...
12.5 Breather Cleaning The breather must be able to vent atmospheric condi ons during hea ng and cooling cycles of opera on. If it cannot vent, oil will seep out seals and run low. Prolonged opera on with low oil levels will damage the internal components. To clean the breather: Figure 12‐3: Gearbox Breather 1. Clean Gearbox surface around breather to prevent contamina on. ...
12.7 Flails The posi on and condi on of the rota on flails is crucial to the quality of the defoliator job done by the machine. The flails must be posi oned exactly over the rows to op mally clean the foliage and tailing from the beets. All flails must be in good condi on. Any missing flails could affect the balance of the rotor and lead to severe vibra on. 12.7.1 Steel Flails: Row spacing: Steel flails row spacing is not adjustable. If row spacing must be changed a genuine pre ‐balanced replacement drum(s) is available for your Amity defoliator. Please see your parts manual for the appropriate part number(s). Flail replacement: 1. Open defoliator top doors for access to flails 2. Inspect all flail and determine which ones need to be replaced. 3. Cup – Remove flail rod bolt, L‐Knife – Remove Figure 12‐4: Steel Flail moun ng bolt ...
12.7.2 Rubber Flails:. Row Spacing: Normally row spacing is set once from the factory and will not need to be changed unless the customer changes crop spacing. To set spacing: 1. Open defoliator top doors for access to flails. 2. Determine the required flail posi on by measuring from the center of the machine. 3. Mark the center posi on required for each flail basket. 4. Loosen the flail basket bolts clamping the rings onto the drum. 5. Slide the assemblies to the desired posi on on the drum. 6. Re ghten flail ring bolts securing the basket to the drum. Flail Replacement: 1. Open defoliator top doors for access to flails. 2. Inspect all flails and determine which ones need to be replaced. ...
12.8 Servicing Intervals Before 1 Use: 1. Grease hitch, row finder, scalper baskets, U joints, and PTO driveline. 2. Check all gearbox oil levels. 2 Hours: 1. Inspect Defoliator and clean mud if necessary. 12 Hours: 1. Grease front hitch pivot, row finder and li , steerable struts, drive couplers, hanger bearings. 2. Inspect all drums for missing or damaged flails. 3. Check Scalper knives and sharpen if needed. 50 Hours: Check oil level in gearboxes. Fill to proper level if low. Check more o en if leaks are no ced. 1. Grease all U joints and drivesha , scalper pivot points, front hitch rear pivot, ratchet jacks and 2. stabilizer wheels. 250 Hours or Annually: 1. Clean defoliator and inspect all wear components. 2. Change oil in gearboxes 80W90 EP (ISO VG 150 EP). 3. ...
12.9 Lubrica on Chart # Descrip on Lubrica on Type Frequency Quan ty Number of Instances 1 Front Hitch Pivot Mul ‐Purpose Grease 12 Hours 3‐5 pumps 1 2 Rowfinder & RF Li Mul ‐Purpose Grease 12 Hours 1‐2 pumps 3 to 5 3 Rear Struts Mul ‐Purpose Grease 12 Hours 2‐3 pumps 2 to 4 Moly EP Grease NLGI 4 ...
12.10 PTO Driveline Servicing The first lubrica on interval should be 16 to 24 hours of opera on a er ini al start‐up. Then follow the schedule outlined in Table 8. NOTE: Lubricate all fi ngs with a good quality lithium soap compa ble E.P. grease mee ng the NLGI #2 specifica ons and containing no more than 1% molybdenum disulfide NOTE: CV joint needs to be angled a er greasing to properly distribute grease. 11‐9 ...
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NOTE: Replacement parts are not lubricated. They must be lubricated at the me of assembly. Use amounts listed above per loca on. Then, follow the above recommenda ons. Table 12‐2: PTO Driveline Servicing Descrip on Frequency Quan ty Cross and Bearings 50 hours 5 pumps Telescoping Members 50 hours 8‐10 pumps CV Ball and Socket 50 hours 5 pumps CV Center Housing 50 hours 30 pumps Non Rota ng Guard Bushings 50 hours 5 pumps 11‐10 ...
13.0 TROUBLESHOOTING PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION Beet tops not clean Defoliator height not properly Verify defoliator height is correctly set; see set sec on 7.0. This should be done every me a field, variety, or condi ons change. Traveling too quickly Reduce travel speed un l beets are sa sfac‐ torily clean. Worn/broken flails Replace flails. Engine RPM not fast RPM is too slow Increase RPM enough Beet tops damaged Defoliator height not properly Verify defoliator height is correctly set; see set sec on 7.0. This should be done every me a field, variety, or condi ons change. Traveling too slowly Increase travel speed un l damage is re‐ duced and beet tops are s ll clean. ...
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PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION Scalper does not Knives dull Sharpen knives or replace if worn. properly top beets Knife not properly set Adjust knife height and cut angle to have the cor‐ rect depth and cut flat. Basket not properly set Adjust scalper bar height so basket has proper travel range for defoliator height. Excessive pe ole le before Excessive pe ole can hold the scalper up away scalpers from the beet resul ng in inconsistent and poor scalper performance. Reset defoliator height or reduce travel speed, depending on cause. Row Finder not working Hydraulics not properly set‐ Ensure correct hoses are hooked up for both the up constant and override func ons. Also, check that the tractor hydraulic se ng for the row finder constant func on are on con nuous and do not me out. Hydraulic flow rates not ...
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PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION Row finder leaking Fi ngs loose Tighten any loose fi ngs. Spool seals worn Rebuild or replace row finder valve. Rear li cylinders leaking down External oil leak Find the source of the leak and repair or re‐ place leaking equipment. Strut li ed to row Strut li cylinders connected to the row finder finder circuit circuit will leak down if the row finder valve has an oil leak; either separate the strut li from the row finder circuit or rebuild/replace the row finder valve. Defoliator not running level Running in planter/ Evaluate if it is possible to move rear struts in le /right sprayer tracks or out on the defoliator frame so they are not opera ng in wheel tracks. Low/uneven re pres‐ Check to make sure all ...
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Ensure hitch cylinder stops are correctly set and/or slow down and li front while traveling in deep ditches or ruts. Engaging too quickly For tractors equipped with an automa c PTO clutch, set to lowest engagement se ng. Shear pin too small A er checking the en re drivetrain and determining that there are not issues, the shear bolt may be upgraded to a 7/16" GR 8 bolt to replace the 7/16" GR 5 that is standard (3750 only). PTO sha lubrica on Grease PTO Mud build‐up under top Opera ng condi ons Tough condi ons will require addi onal doors cleaning. Poor defolia on from low Not running drums at designed ...
14.0 Appendices 14.1 Conversions 1 acre = 0.404 hectares 1 mph = 1.609 kph 1 acre = 43,560 square feet 1 mile = 1.609 km 1 inch = 2.54 cm 1 psi = 6.895 kPa 1 foot = 0.3048 m 1 GPM = 3.785 LPM 1 lb = 0.45359 kg 1 hp = 0.746 kw 1 lb = 16 oz 1 ‐lb = 1.356 N·m 14.2 Trantorque Installa on Procedures Sha and bore diameters along with surface finishes are cri cal for the proper installa on of a Trantorque ...
14.3 Tools Amity has the following tools available: Trantorque sockets (#59107, #59108, #64820) Trantorque wrench (#64320) 14.4 PTO Drivesha Fric on Clutch Se ng To set the fric on clutch to the correct se ng a er rebuilding simple torque the clutch plate down evenly in a star pa ern un l the spacer collar is just able to move, but not loose. The collar holds a set distance which sets the clutch level. There are no torque spec for the bolts. 14.5 Easy Lock Assembly and Removal Removal: ® 1. Remove the EASY LOCK tab with a screwdriver Figure 13‐2. ...
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14.6 Torque Chart Table 7‐1: Bolt Torque Chart Torque values listed are for coarse thread Size (A) Grade 5 Grade 8 bolts, in general use only. Do not use these Stand Metric lb‐ lb‐ ...
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14.7 Flail Tube to Gearbox Assembly and Removal Flail tubes include a rubber spacer to properly align gear depth when using the drive coupler. This rubber spacer ensures the flail tube is aligned properly on the ma ng gears of the gearbox sha , drive coupler, and drive sleeve. During assembly, make sure all parts are included as shown in the Parts Manual, and then slide the drive coupler to all the way back to press on the rubber spacer. This centers the ma ng gears as shown ...
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