The Essential Guide to Cotton Picker Parts: A Comprehensive Overview

admin |
cotton harvester

Cotton picker parts, like every machine, will lose their prime and begin to wear and tear over the many years of use during the cotton harvesting seasons. One example is the cotton picker spindle, which is constantly in motion. Many components and parts are sold together as kits or separately.

After the manufacturer’s parts break, you want replacement parts that are made to be durable and of high quality to keep the cotton harvesting moving forward. Knowing the right parts and which ones to get maintained and choosing a trusted aftermarket parts manufacturer to work with you as a farmer or dealer is critical to the operation.

The Right Cotton Picker Machine

There are a few manufacturers of cotton-picking machines. The most prominent are John Deere and Case IH. No matter the brand, there are a few things to consider when purchasing a suitable cotton picker machine to meet your needs out in the field.

  • Hiring or DIY Maintenance and Repairs: As a farmer, you can hire workers to keep up with and repair breakdowns. Having this concept figured out first will help you determine which cotton picker machine will work best. Access to the machine’s parts and repair manuals, including diagrams of the machine and its characteristics, will also help.
  • Choosing a Familiar Machine: Knowing how to operate the cotton picker machine is critical to the user. If the user knows how to handle and maintain the machinery precisely, you know it is the right one to purchase. However, it could be a challenge with new equipment. The one hired to operate the equipment may require additional training if they are unfamiliar with the new style.
  • Choose Only the Best Parts: You can have the best piece of equipment, but if the parts are not of high quality, they will break sooner, or they can cause extensive damage to the machinery. Replace with the best parts when needed.

Knowing the Right Parts and Which Ones to Get

Case IH and John Deere utilize similar theories with their cotton harvesting machines, but that’s where the similarities stop: as parts for the one brand are not interchangeable with the other. Diagrams are available for Case IH and John Deere, and the good news is that parts that can be ordered in assemblies can also be ordered individually. When a part needs to be replaced you only need to purchase the piece or pieces that failed.

Farmers and dealers can find all the parts that fit these components of the cotton picker machine:

  • Belts
  • Miscellaneous Parts
  • Picking Unit System
  • Picking Unit Cabinet
  • Air System
  • Water System

There are hundreds of pieces that go with these components. Each has a part number and is found in the diagrams listed for Certi-Pik Replacement Parts for specific models of brands. Although there are parts with similar descriptions in the diagrams, the parts are sometimes model specific and are not interchangeable. It is, therefore, critical to be careful when ordering the correct part number and check the models listed in the descriptions for which ones will fit and which will not.

Keeping Up with the Maintenance

Every piece of equipment requires testing before, during, and after every harvest season. Machines break at unexpected moments and can shut down the entire harvesting operation for a day or more. One small part can stop the work process and cause extensive profit loss if maintenance is not done correctly.

Some things farmers can do during the maintenance checklists are as follows:

  • Keep oil and fluid levels up to par
  • Keep tires at the proper inflation
  • Clean the machine of all dust and debris each day
  • Check all belts and moving parts for unusual shaking or vibrations
  • Grease all required elements, anything with grease zerks or grease reservoirs.
  • Remove any debris from constantly moving parts
  • Ensure everything works up to par and is not slacking. If one part is wearing out, it may cause the operation to be less effective or may cause extensive damage to other parts of the cotton-picking machine

Maintenance is critical no matter who performs it. The farmer should have the updates at the end of each day to ensure all parts work correctly. The farmer may do their own maintenance or may have a mechanic or repair shop work on their equipment. It is critical to inform those working on the machines when the farmer or their dealer will supply the parts.

Choosing the Right Manufacturer for Aftermarket Parts

Communication is also important when dealing with the parts chosen. The farmer will have the final say in what needs to be done in the event of repairing or replacing parts and equipment.
All parts and accessories from the Certi-Pik, USA inventory are kept in stock and constantly monitored to ensure the best possible availability.

You must know and understand the primary cotton harvester parts to choose the correct aftermarket parts.

  • Picker Grid Bars: They are found in the row unit and are used to keep the plant stalk and branches in place while the spindle extracts the cotton fibers from the bolls. In so doing, they also help with keeping the cotton clean and lessen premature wearing of the moistener pad and doffers.
  • Plant lifters: They lift the plants while the row units pick them up. They are the lowest part of the machine, following the contour of the ground.
  • Spindles and Bushings: They keep spinning as they separate the cotton from the plant.
  • Picking Row Unit: These are made up of a multitude of moving parts while hanging on the front of the picker. They remove the cotton as the plant is funneled through them and hand it off to the air system.
  • Moistening System: Keeps the cotton sap from sticking and becoming gummed onto the spindles, moistener pads, and doffers.
  • Doffers: These components strip the cotton off of the spindles by rotating at a higher speed and in the opposite direction as the spindle barbs.

Ordering from Certi-Pik, USA

Farmers and dealers can get cotton harvesting parts through the Certi-Pik inventory under their choice of replacement parts. They can call in the part numbers and order by phone as well. The contact information is found on the website.

If ordered early, the shipment should go out the same day. However, the shipment will typically go out the following day if it is later. Contact Certi-Pik, USA through the website or by phone to order. To keep service moving quickly, please have the part number ready with a description off the website or our catalog to avoid confusion.

Please note: Dealers pay wholesale prices while farmers pay retail. For this reason, prices may vary.