Best crop lifter??

[riders2010]

Have been using solid dutch industries type,but I wonder if there is anything new out that follows the contour of the land? The Schumacher were ok but put too many through the combine, and the newer flex seem to break too many.

[SASKFARMER3]

We like flex fingers and use to use honeybees. Lifter

[TOM4CWB]

We have ended up with the lifter fingers with Plastic main lifting bodies with the steel part being a round holder attached to the cutter bar.

Flexxifinger is the brand name... have used for 3 years and no rotor damage yet with thousands of acres harvested.
We often had problems yearly before. Use these on our D****r headers on wheat all the time... as virtually the risk of problems has been reduced so much.

DESIGN

The Flexxifinger™ QD™ Pulse Crop Lifter was originally designed for straight combining in desiccated crops like peas, lentils, and edible beans, where cutting close to the ground is required. The lifter rail hugs the guard, and the replaceable nylon finger is held in an infinitely adjustable receptor, allowing the combine operator to fine-tune the location of the forward lifting point for his specific conditions. The finger extends through the finger receptor, and becomes a tail that guides the plant material over the knife.


BENEFITS

Infinitely Adjustable
Without the ability to adjust the angle of the forward lifting point, there are many situations where it would be difficult to get the cutter bar underneath damaged or low-lying crop canopies. The Flexxifinger™ QD™ Pulse Crop Lifter however allows the user to individually fine-tune the angle of the nylon finger, making it possible for one, uniform lifting point across even the most "experienced" headers (where not all guards are pointing the same direction).
Gentle on the Crop
The Flexxifinger™ QD™ Pulse Crop Lifter is designed close to the guard with minimal distance between plant contact and the knife. This allows the nylon finger to lift plant material over the cutter bar with little disturbance, reducing the chances of shatter loss.
Gentle on the Combine
Considered by many to be the safest lifter on the market, the Flexxifinger™ QD™ Pulse Crop Lifter incorporates a replaceable nylon finger that is designed to act as the weakest point of the attachment. This minimizes the probability of steel components becoming dislodged from the header and entering the combine.
Easy to Maintain
The primary wear portion of the Pulse Crop Lifter is the replaceable nylon finger, held in the receptor by a quick-change quarter-turn mechanism. Most users find that they can replace a damaged finger in less than a minute, limiting downtime in the field.
QD™ Compatible
No matter how good a crop lifter is, there are times when you don't want it on the header. Using the patented Flexxifinger™ QD™ installation system, users are able to attach or remove a set of lifters in minutes, no tools required.

http://www.flexxifinger.com/pcl.php

[Hopperbin]

I am looking for a new set of lifters this year been using the honeybee schoemaker on honeybee guards for quite a long time. Not sure tom if those lifters can stand upin our area of drainage ditches and hills

[TOM4CWB]

Hopper,

It is easy to try a few of them and see how you like them.

We use them on Flex headers and D****rs both.

Not perfect but have done good job. Easy to change or fix.

[Hopperbin]

Been a while since growing peas now have 7 quarters. Plan to swath with 36 foot honeybee header. One half section half the field basically is non excistent for pea life. Weeds coming but hills still good crop. All peas one month away from har est. 3 quaters just got some hail and 100 k plus wind damage. 2 quarters with some damage but not as bad. Pods very damaged on the worse stuff not sure what to expect Peas inside dont look healthy. Still flowering today. Or should I spend a hundred grand on a 45 foot flex d****r for the 9120 ih. Dont really want to do that.

[farmaholic]

We also use FlexiFingers on a "true" flex header. Work pretty good but if you have them set fairly close to the ground, they can kick up small rocks. Another benefit of these is their easy removal. Rear mounting "spool" stays on permanently and the lifter fits over the front of the guard and the rear snaps onto the spool. The replaceable finger tip can also bend if you set it too close to the ground but can be bent back (only so many times though). Also sprayer ruts can be a problem. And as with any lifter, driving in straight lines and avoiding sharp corners will help them from breaking or bending (common sense). Good luck with your search. Flexi fingers aren't cheap.

[TOM4CWB]

Hopper,

We use JD, and the true flex headers end up being my first choice year after year. Most times going in the right direction... these machines can pick the peas WITHOUT pickup fingers... which always gives best quality with least dirt. Getting rid of the dirt in the peas... is a really important part of good harvest... so much easier on the combine... and nice to arrive at the cleaning plant or elevator without dusting everyone out at dumping time!

Have fun!

[blackpowder]

Well I'm not a dealer for Flexi. I only have experience with them and the old steel schumacher.
Putting Flexis body and all thru the combine is painless. I nstallation support 2 years ago was excellent. Followup with problems after nonexistent.

[Klause]

Hopper I have a full set of almost new QD Flexxfingers.... ya want them?


We used them last year... they hold up well... but with the 722 we got better results with angling the header downwards more without the lifters... just header geometry.

[TOM4CWB]

Klause,

The best crop lifter job... is when we can leave them in the storage box!

But they really do help in wheat to catch the broken over heads that are down low.

[farmaholic]

These things can be application/header specific. Make sure they're the ones that fit your guards....

[bucket]

A macdon header. No lifters used for a few years now.

Bought a new set of black shoemacher/westward lifters for the 30 foot. Still haven't put them on.

Hopefully I don't have too. You can't make back the damage done to the header or combine trying to squeeze everything off the field anyway.

[farmaholic]

Bucket, I agree, sometimes you have to leave some behind. Whether it is not being picked up or chucked out the back of the combine, I call it tithing to Mother Nature. It especially hurts when She's already taken some on her own....

[Hopperbin]

Am 99 percent likely to use the schumacher ,plus is holding up the cutter bar off the ground. Not digging through ruts but floating over. Klause your peas are standing but remember 2 things. This year yours are not rolled and also its not all as high as your balls. 3rd is ground is likely to stay wet. 1plus 2 plus 3 equals earth tag And dirt in combine. Blendable but. The way I see my crop conditions I will be able to get my greens off in better condition and best grade and faster if I swath. Klause still has one of the better pea crops around. Standing till harvest straight cutting still is yet to be seen.