Proper maintenance is the backbone of any productive operation. Without it, parts can fail faster and lead to much higher costs than a few minutes a day with your trusty grease gun. Some of our first machines are still in the field thanks to the simple maintenance practices outlined in our included manuals. But since this is the 21st century, Magnum is sharing the basics of harvester maintenance with helpful videos made with our lead technician, Scott!
Don’t worry, you won’t have to break out the pen and paper either. All the details are right here in this helpful read!
Increaser Oil
The increasers on our machines are positioned apart from the machine. To check the oil levels on your increaser, we feature a sight glass on the face. There is a convenient filler hole on the side of the increaser for oil fillings, whereas you’ll find a drain plug on the bottom for oil changes.
We recommend an oil change every 250 hours of use using 1 half quart or 1 pint of 75w140 synthetic gear oil. 2 bolts on the surrounding brackets make it easy to slide the pump off the increaser. The spline shaft coupler needs a healthy dose of Moly EP grease for every oil change. Additionally, we recommend removing the spline shaft and heavily greasing the shaft before reinserting it back into the increaser.
You can see all the basics of a Magnum harvester in our BR-focused video.
Undercarriage Greasing
Proper greasing is one of the most important parts of sod harvester maintenance. In the undercarriage, 6 spherical bearings need to be flushed out daily. Ground roller bearings also need to be flushed out daily. On the rest of the machine, pillow block and flange block bearings need 2-3 pumps daily on the heads and twice a week for the remainder of the machine. We also recommend repacking the wheel bearings once a year.
Hydraulic System
To keep your hydraulic system running properly, there are a few features to remember. The spin on filter will initially need to be changed at 250 hours, then every 500 hours or once yearly after that. The hydraulic tank on each harvester holds 35 gallons of Mobil 424 oil. We recommend changing this oil once a year. In the case of a hydraulic failure, the strainer screen will protect the system from damaging debris. Our systems also feature a quarter turn ball valve to shut off the hydraulic oil when making repairs.
Here’s a look at the differences you’ll see on our SR line.
Maintain Your Bottom Line Better
With proper harvester maintenance, machines stay in the field, and money stays in farmers’ pockets! Magnum is proud to partner with the world’s top sod producers to bring the highest-quality yield with the efficiency that makes our machines famous.
From regular maintenance and parts to upgrades and reordering netting, one call or click is all it takes. Get transparent pricing online, or give our team a ring to keep rolling with confidence!
