It’s almost a rite of passage for a combine operator to snag an unloading auger on a tree or power pole sometime during their career. It may be a novice driver who hasn’t learned how far out that auger protrudes; sometimes it’s a veteran driver who simply forgets the auger is out.
Either way, once the swearing is done it’s time to call the insurance agent to make a claim for “collision damage,” then fix the boo-boo.
Repairs to damaged unloading augers are straightforward. If an auger tube is merely dented and the auger flighting isn’t dragging on the dent, repairs can probably be put off until after harvest. However, a kinked auger tube usually means the auger inside the tube is also bent, requiring both tube and auger be replaced.
Secret Tip: Soak
The secret to replacing auger tubes is to soak—SOAK—the slip-tube area with penetrating oil before removing the damaged tube, and soak—SOAK—that same area before sliding the new tube into place.
When installing new, two-piece horizontal unloading augers inside an auger tube, the ends of the augers’ flighting must be timed. It’s counter-intuitive, but where the two augers meet, the end of the flighting on one auger should be 180-degrees offset from the flighting on the end of the other auger. “Matching” the flighting ends can lead to excessive wear and plugging.
