Any Chisholm Ryder Grape Harvester owners?

[Kaliburz]

Well, I just had a chance to take a better look at the pictures on this old thread. That picking head is VERY different compared to the ones I have seen here. Is all of the mechanicals that run the beaters on the top? I noticed the hydraulic motor on the front....

The oil tank setup, pump & filters and secondary elevators all look the same as other machines I have seen. Mine is an old, old one....it runs the older 12" belts through out. And had the Ford 3000 tractor on top vs the Ford 4000 later ones had.

PS- thanks for the info on the pump. I have a friend w/ one that the fans can't clean squat. I think someone may have switched the hydraulic hoses for the fan...so it's getting the low flow vs the higher center flow.

 

[kenmanmfg]

contact me any time for all parts needed have some in stock can build most others thanks Scott Neff

 

[allenr]

Man, another Chisholm Ryder post! =D

I haven't been around for a while, busy, busy. I have an old CR. I posted about it some time ago. Actually just doing some repairs to get back to harvesting- still have grapes on the vine.

I'll have to venture to Vine Tech....since we're both in the same area.

How has your season been? Have the weather and customers been kind.

 

[allenr]

Well, I just had a chance to take a better look at the pictures on this old thread. That picking head is VERY different compared to the ones I have seen here. Is all of the mechanicals that run the beaters on the top? I noticed the hydraulic motor on the front....

The oil tank setup, pump & filters and secondary elevators all look the same as other machines I have seen. Mine is an old, old one....it runs the older 12" belts through out. And had the Ford 3000 tractor on top vs the Ford 4000 later ones had.

PS- thanks for the info on the pump. I have a friend w/ one that the fans can't clean squat. I think someone may have switched the hydraulic hoses for the fan...so it's getting the low flow vs the higher center flow.

Yes the eccentrics are all mounted on a single shaft at the top. We fitted a Nairn modular head in 2002. This is a fairly close copy of the old Mecca Brothers picking head - ie in phase (front and rear) and offset (right beaters about a foot ahead of left beaters.

We made the original CRCO head in phase a few years prior (by milling new keyways in the eccentric shafts) but this caused the shafts to snap.
Made new shafts and mounted a third bearing between the top and bottom bearings but eventually the entire head started cracking.

Anyway, we now run Nairn mini bows (quad rods) at about 460 rpm and move along perhaps 50% faster and do a lot less damage. I gather full bow rods may be better yet but I haven't tried them.

The failing of the mini bows (and probably full bows too) are the holders - the heavy wall pipe into which the bows are bolted wears out regularly. Pity they don't have a clamping mechanism like the CRCO fibreglass rods used.

My machine uses the 12" belts except for the No3 elevator belts which are 14".

I think this thread started following my concerns about fan performance - I haven't replaced the pump, sometimes the fans do an excellent job and sometimes not.

I think a lot has to do with the vines, often an excellent job early can become a terrible job two weeks later - in the same vines!

 

[kenmanmfg]

weather was good for most of the season. Tonnage and sugar solids were above average for this area

 

[Hudson in NY]

Hi,
I'm a new member here and a new owner of an old 1970 OW Chisholm Ryder, with the original spring pivot collectors, that I just purchased from a neighbor.

Your Chisholm Ryder looks well maintained, and a bit different from mine. Did you change the collector system? Could you post a photo of the pivot collector and the beaters?
Thank you.

Best regards,
Tony

 

[kenmanmfg]

hi Tony,
I dont own a Chisholm Ryder machine. I make and repair parts for them. From the pics that you posted you have the original closers on your collectors. The newest version are solid rubber blocks, bolted to the mounting rail and to the collector leaf. the springs are no longer made for the old units most have converted to the block closers. I can supply you with all the parts needed if you want to change them, you will need new rails also. if you dont want to DIY I can supply a complete new catching set up and install it also.

Your beater sys is origanal also it looks to be the one with aluminum arms like the collector sys it has gone thru a few updates. If its not broke dont fix it. I have built new pickingheads for your style machine but they are costly. your machine looks to very well maintained and depending on the acreage you are picking it could last for years. I will gladly help with anything you need, parts or information. I live in North East, PA, up by Lake Erie call me any time @ 814-572-9210 Thanks Scott Neff

 

[allenr]

Hi,
I'm a new member here and a new owner of an old 1970 OW Chisholm Ryder, with the original spring pivot collectors, that I just purchased from a neighbor.

Your Chisholm Ryder looks well maintained, and a bit different from mine. Did you change the collector system? Could you post a photo of the pivot collector and the beaters?
Thank you.

Best regards,
Tony

Congratulations on your purchase - hope it works well for you. Yours looks very good too, it must have been shedded (like mine) for most of its ~40 years.

Sorry for the delay getting some pics - took some this morning before breakfast. Thought you were after catchers & head - I'll get some pics of the beaters soon.

Also took some pics of the No 1 conveyors, fabricated these myself from stainless steel. Neglected to get a pic of the front/bottom sealing trapdoor.

Catcher pivots run in Ertalyte bushes and the springs (made to my specs) also run on Ertalyte. In the 4th pic you can see the stopper pins which provide a definite stop but also provide good preload tension.

Catcher plates are cut from 10mm (3/8") polypropylene sheet. Not sure whether the poly is not ideal or too much spring tension but the catchers do seem to cause some damage to the vine trunks.

R/hand 19 plates, L/hand 18 plates @ 5.7" spacings provide a better closure than the original 13 & 12 plates (going from memory here).

 

[jasjr73]

Selling our 1968 chisholm ryder grape harvester. Beater arms,gathering leaves,conveyors,fans,etc. have all been updated. My uncle bought it brand new and my father bought it off him in the late 80s. We are leasing are grapes to another farmer with his own harvester. We have it for sale on Craigslist in kalamazoo,Michigan. Asking $15000 for the harvester & 18 welchs wooden boxes.

 

[grapehungary]

Hi All,

I've got an International Harvester 844SB grape harvester. It's just for parts for an another. If somebody intrested in please write pm for me to the makkoska@citromail.hu.