Comparing poly kits

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member
Going to order all the materials I need to bring the IH 863 corn head back up to speed. A good solid head but some of the parts are tired. One of the things it needs is a poly kit in the auger trough/bed. I have looked at three, based on advice from forum members. Most expensive is May Wes at $394 and it is listed as being made of 1/8" poly. Next is Polytech and the only info available is the price...$283. Not much detail. Last is Sloan and they list at $270 making them the lowest priced and also the poly is twice as heavy at 1/4". I honestly don't know if heavier is better but it seems like it should be. None of the kits tell me if these are cut to fit exactly or if there is some trimming to be done or???

Need to order tomorrow as the weather is going down hill fast and this is an outdoor job. Looking for opinions on what would be the best product to buy. I'm thinking Sloan based on the material but would appreciate the comments of those with more experience.
 
Go with May Wes. I just ordered an auger liner from them for my mixer grinder. I had a question about installation, I called, and A REAL PERSON answered the phone and talked to me about it. Their product works slick as a whistle, but the plastic is probably the same for all of them. Do it quick - that plastic comes rolled up and needs to warm in the sun to be workable.
 
Some plastic wears better than others... I usually buy it in bulk from Osseo plastics, and cut what I need. I've used it for forage wagon bottoms, blower hoods, feed bunk liners, etc. Scraps always seem to get used somewhere.
 
I needed to curl it into a U shape - it was the trough loading auger. Yours won't be such a big curve so it may not matter. I know that in the case of a cross auger like yours they send stainless steel strips for both edges so nothing can get under it. I was shocked at how well my auger worked after I installed their product. It was the pictures of their product on a Deere combine in the grain bin that sold me - under the cross unloading augers. A very classy and thought out system. They will send it curled up (as I'm sure all companies do). You are up north. I think I would put it inside near the wood stove for a while.

I don't know what you have for storage space but I sure wouldn't line it with poly if it is going to sit out. You will have moisture trapped in there and it will rot out quick. Not that it matters once it is lined.
 
Well, everything is supposed to be inside. Township is fighting us on putting in the pole barn. Waiting right now to see if they want to take it to the court level or come to an agreement out of court. Imagine...you buy a large acreage zoned for agriculture and the zoning lists the primary use of the property as "farming AND farm buildings". You go to get your permit and are refused.
 
Well, not to be a contrary sort and go against advice BUT, I was looking at the very concise instructions provided by Polytech and the very brief instructions provided by May Wes and decided I would call the latter and get some clarity on a few points. Yes, I did get a real live person. I won't go into details. Just going to say I ended the call abruptly after a couple minutes. I think they would prefer I buy from Sloan. I know that my preference is not to have to deal with them. Bad phone PR.
 

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