High-acreage corn heads and grain platforms often develop holes in the trough below their cross auger. Since crop material is “forced” across those holes by the cross auger, grain loss can be significant. The best and most permanent fix is to replace the sheet metal of the trough, which is expensive and time-consuming. There are other options, some good, some merely stopgap.
Line the auger trough with Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) plastic. The key is to get the plastic as tight against the curve of original auger trough as possible. If there are high spots or ripples, the auger’s flighting will eventually rub a hole.
Weld a patch over the hole. Plan on fabricating a patch twice, maybe three times the size of the hole, because the metal adjacent to the hole will be worn thin and nearly impossible to weld without burning through. The raised edge of the weld/patch will also end up catching crop material, and another hole may develop due to that “turbulence.”
Pop rivet a sheet metal patch over the hole. Two possible issues: if the patch is placed on the backside of the sheet metal, debris will wedge between the edge of the original hole and the patch, and peel up that edge, creating an even bigger hole. If the patch is riveted over the face of the hole, the edges of the patch can snag debris and peel off the patch. And—either way, the pop rivet heads are prone to wear off.
An emergency fix is to attach fiberglass cloth, or tack weld a metal patch, across the back of the hole and then smear the hole smooth with JB Weld. JB Weld resists wear from material sliding across its surface, with a smooth face that doesn’t snag crop material. It’s not a permanent fix, but I know a mechanic who helped a customer finish harvest with a patch made of JB Weld.
