Common Cotton-Picking Tools Customers Require
For many years, cotton picking has been done by using hands due to the lack of appropriate equipment to do the harvesting. But since the world has evolved, cotton harvesting has also evolved, and harvesting has now become more comfortable and faster.
Cotton farmers have now embraced the cotton picker machine to maximize their production. The farmers are, however, experiencing mechanical problems with the picker while harvesting. Therefore, they are left wondering where they can purchase the cotton picker parts to repair their picker.
Luckily, you will get these replacement parts when you visit Certi-Pik, one of the aftermarket manufacturers. They always have your best interest in mind. They have many of the parts that a farmer needs for his or her cotton picker. Here are some of the most common harvester parts that customers frequently require:
- Spindles
- Doffers
- Cam Rollers
- Cam Tracks
- Belts
How do Cotton-Picking Parts Fail?
Cotton picker machines are also prone to fail, just like any other machine. Since the device is made up of different components, failure is expected to happen. Here are various reasons as to how the cotton-picking parts may fail:
Taking Too Long Before Servicing and Maintaining Them
The service intervals between lubrication and maintenance are too far between. The picker must be serviced and maintained regularly. This will ensure they work efficiently throughout the picking season while eliminating any premature wear and breakage.
Inexperienced Manufacturing of Parts
Cotton picker components are in a very stressful environment, and therefore, they must be manufactured of high quality and with the highest amount of precision as possible. If this is not done, then the components are prone to fail within a short period of time.
Misusing the Cotton-Picker Parts
This can be using parts from other machines that were not designed for your Cotton Harvester or were substandard quality to begin with. If you utilize components from other harvesters in your picker, you may be making the machine fail since the components may not have been produced for that application, or model.
To avoid all these cotton picker parts’ failures, you should ensure that you regularly clean, maintain, and service your harvester so it continues to work efficiently. You can also hire professionals to ensure that your picker parts work at their peak capacity by lubricating the moistener pads and spindles. The professionals can also inspect your machine to let you know when your picker parts require replacement.
Which Parts Need to be Replaced More Often?
1. Spindles and Spindle Bushings
These are the most frequently replaced picker components that farmers and rebuilders need to replace. This is because during operation they are rotating at high speeds. Spindles will be required to be replaced if they are rusted, dull, or broke.
2. Doffers and Moistener pads
These parts come into contact with the spindles while they are rotating at high-speeds, and as a result, they wear and decrease in thickness, thus requiring replacement at the correct service intervals.
3. Cam Rollers
They are required to be maintained and replaced regularly to ensure that they run without any vibration and correctly guide the spindles in the bar assembly, which run at close tolerances, to prevent picker bar breakage.
4. Cam Track
This part is responsible for ensuring that the spindles, drums, doffers, and the moistener pads work together optimally in the picking system by maintaining the speed and running angle. They should therefore be replaced at the appropriate intervals to avoid unnecessary fires erupting in the picker.
5. Belts
Some responsibilities of the Belts are: turning the engine fans, water pumps, A/C compressor, and the fan rotor. Therefore, they should be regularly checked or replaced to ensure the cotton picker machine does not fail.
What Standard Tools are Required to Replace Parts?
A Cotton picker is a crucial machine, and its parts are not just replaced anyhow using all types of tools. The parts or components are usually replaced using specific professional tools that may come with the machine itself.
The professional tools are each specific to every part of the cotton picker. For example, the spindle has its specific tool which you can use to replace it.
Which Specialty Tools are Needed & Why?
The professional tools that are used are designed for each application, as each part has its replacement tool. Some of the unique tools needed for the repair are Bar Leveling Gauges, Cam track timing Gauges, and Spindle Nut Sockets. These tools are specifically designed to enhance the overall performance of the picker. The picker cannot work without these tools as they help maintain the various components in the picker.
A cotton harvester is a complex mechanical machine that every Cotton farmer must possess as it maximizes the yield potential, and the time it takes to harvest, unlike when you are using hands to pick the cotton. A farmer should not be worried if the parts fail as Certi-Pik, USA has a large variety of the required components that you will need for your repair.