Hesston 1120 mower height

[arl242]

I have an 1120 and think it is mowing too high. Any idea what height a mower conditioner should be set to? Right now it's at 4" but it seems to be leaving a lot of crop still on the ground. I have adjusted the skid shoes and am looking to adjust the floatation springs and guard angle. Thanks in advance.

 

[Phillip w]

Few quick questions. How long have you had the swather? Have you cut with it before? I am not familair with that particular swather, but historically hesston made good hating equipment. You should be able to cut close to the ground, maybe 2" or so. I got a John Deere 1209. Most swathers are pretty similar. My 1209 has a feature to lock it for road travel. With this lock out feature there is no way the weather will come down should a cylinder or something fail while pulling down the road. If you try to cut hay with the lock out feature set, it is going to cut 4-6 inches tall. This lockout feature on the 1209 in nothing more than two tube telescoping inside each other with holes drilled in the tubes. A pin slips through the holes to prevent it from somehow accidentally falling during travel. If this is you trouble, use your hydraulics to raise swather and take pressure off the pin. Pull your pin and swather will be ready to set down and go.

 

[arl242]

This is my 2nd year cutting with it. After my first cutting this year I had a shop replace the drive chains and belts and when I got it back is when I noticed the difference in cutting. I don't know that anything he touched would have changed the cutting. When I lock my machine up for transport it is up as high the cylinder will allow, so it isn't that. Thanks though, keep the ideas coming!

 

[Phillip w]

You might try adjousting the springs ( the shop may have tinkered with them). If I was going to try that I would be very conservative about it. Make sure what ever you do to one side you do to the other. Example if you turn one side two full turns, make sure you turn the other side two turn to keep the sickle level. If this seems to help, you can also add a couple more turns to get the sickle to the level you want. (Important) keep track of the number of turns you give it over all so that if that does not solve your problem, you can get back to where you are now and figure out the next step in trying to solve the problem.

 

[Phillip w]

Ps. One more thing you might do is look the machine over really really good, undear inspection panels and everything. You mechanic may have accidently left a tool or something (hammer, crescent wrench, etc) and it has shimmied down somehow and is blocking/ preventing swather from coming down. I would definitely do this before tinkering with the springs.

 

[leeave96]

I have an 1120 and think it is mowing too high. Any idea what height a mower conditioner should be set to? Right now it's at 4" but it seems to be leaving a lot of crop still on the ground. I have adjusted the skid shoes and am looking to adjust the floatation springs and guard angle. Thanks in advance.

5 inches is the max height. Cutting height is ultimately driven by the skid shoes. Springs only change the float.

You can download the CaseIH 8330/8320 manual in PDF with credit card for this mower - which is the same machine. The 1110/1120 were and are some of the best, most simple to work-on, rugged, well engineered mower conditioners ever built.

Here is a link to my Hesston 1110 mowing.

Cutting Hay 2017 First Cut Hession 1110 and John Deere 5055d - YouTube

Good luck,
Bill

 

[arl242]

leeave96, what ground speed are you running on the tractor when you mow? Thanks for the input guys. I will make sure my skid shoes are all the way up and then see about adjusting the springs. Fingers crossed!

 

[Phillip w]

I all way run my swather and baler in 2nd gear if hay is heavy, and 3rd gear if hay is heavy. I have run baler in 1st if hay is super heavy. I kind of go by how the machine is handling the hay. I pull my equipment with an allis Chalmers 185. Hope this helps.

 

[Phillip w]

I all way run my swather and baler in 2nd gear if hay is heavy, and 3rd gear if hay is heavy. I have run baler in 1st if hay is super heavy. I kind of go by how the machine is handling the hay. I pull my equipment with an allis Chalmers 185. Hope this helps.

That should be 3rd geat if hay is light.

leeave96, what ground speed are you running on the tractor when you mow? Thanks for the input guys. I will make sure my skid shoes are all the way up and then see about adjusting the springs. Fingers crossed!

 

[leeave96]

leeave96, what ground speed are you running on the tractor when you mow? Thanks for the input guys. I will make sure my skid shoes are all the way up and then see about adjusting the springs. Fingers crossed!

3.6 mph

 

[leeave96]

You might try adjousting the springs ( the shop may have tinkered with them). If I was going to try that I would be very conservative about it. Make sure what ever you do to one side you do to the other. Example if you turn one side two full turns, make sure you turn the other side two turn to keep the sickle level. If this seems to help, you can also add a couple more turns to get the sickle to the level you want. (Important) keep track of the number of turns you give it over all so that if that does not solve your problem, you can get back to where you are now and figure out the next step in trying to solve the problem.

On the Hesston, the cutterbar/reel assy are not equal weight side to side and the springs are adjusted differently from each other. The amount of tension on the springs is governed by the cutterbar/reel assy weight, 75 lbs per side. It is a very easy adjustment. Also, if you vary the skid shoe height, it will impact the float too. The Hesston (CaseIH) manual is one of the best I've ever seen, very well done. I highly recommend buying this one.

 

[Phillip w]

On the Hesston, the cutterbar/reel assy are not equal weight side to side and the springs are adjusted differently from each other. The amount of tension on the springs is governed by the cutterbar/reel assy weight, 75 lbs per side. It is a very easy adjustment. Also, if you vary the skid shoe height, it will impact the float too. The Hesston (CaseIH) manual is one of the best I've ever seen, very well done. I highly recommend buying this one.

I'm learning things, this is good stuff. I wonder how much difference between this Heston and my John Deere 1209. Thanks for the info.