Every mechanical machine wears and will eventually need repairs. With the release of every picker model there are typically areas of weakness that need to be addressed. These weaker areas usually go undetected until the machine has been in use for a period of time. As an overhauler, R.M. King Company is among the first to identify these weaknesses and work on a solution. This knowledge is then used to improve upon or fix certain wear points in the machine.
The first R.M. King overhaul on a unit takes longer than average because of the numerous improvements and updates that are installed in order to increase picking efficiency and reduce the likelihood of plug ups and breakdowns.
A few specific issues that we address with automatic improvements are as follows:
- Lack of grease reaching the bottom of the picker bar.
- Inspection door limits clearance; causing possible plug ups
- Plastic grease manifold cracks and breaks
- Sun gear dropping when the bolts shear and destroy cam arms & bars
- Bottom of the bar wears from pushing dirt away from the drum
- Difficulty greasing the entire unit while in the field
- Wear holes in the base plate
- Top plate cracking around the transmission
- Sub plate cracking around the lower idler gear housing
- Gearbox loses oil
- Gearbox being properly ventilated
- Moistener stand bends too easily
- Idler gear hex hole wallows out and spins on the shaft
- Bolts on aluminum hub bend and break
- Doffer drive shaft spacer rusts to the shaft
- Doffer drive spacer damages the bearing
- And more