John Deere 55EB questions

I just bought this 55 combine and I am trying to get it ready to harvest soybeans. It hasn't been used for years and although it was stored inside, it has some rusty metal. The main problem is the floor under the cylinder. It is rusted up toward the front which couldn't really be seen until we took the feeder housing off. Its actually a double floor. It has one under the top conveyor chain and the other is the actual bottom of the combine. I got the top one out. It just unbolts but mine has 2 pieces. It has the outer frame and then it has an inner panel that can be removed and replaced with a screen which I don't have. Do most guys actually put this screen in for some grains? It looks like it would be real job to swap this screen in when the combine is all together. I was thinking of just having this new floor panel made all 1 piece. Will this be a problem harvesting soybeans, wheat and corn? That's probably all we will use this machine for.

Also there is a beater behind the rotor. This has 4 v shaped covers that bolt to the beater. I guess some crops you remove these v shaped covers and then there are spikes sticking out of the beater. My beater has 1 v shaped cover missing. Can I just remove all of them or do I need to find another one.

Also this machine has a stone trap right in front of the rotor. I don't have the stone trap cover so what will keep ears of corn from filling up the stone trap. Or isn't this a problem?

(reply to post at 20:54:01 08/02/17)

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Hey Jim
I've made a one piece panel and it worked fine
Left it in for all crops
On the beater you need to find another cover
If you take others out they tend to wrap in certain
Conditions
Good luck
Dugger

Thanks for the reply. Do I need a cover for
the stone trap when running corn?

No, don't cover the stone trap. It will be fine. As dugger said, just make a new door for below the raddle chain, no reason to use the screen, if you could find one. Or weld the old one solid.

The panel under this panel also has a hole it right at the front. I would think the grain would all be taken towards the back of combine by the conveyor chain and this hole wouldn't leek any grain. Am I wrong in my thinking?

Theoretically, you should be right. There is always the chance that a little grain could follow the elevator around and fall out the hole. I'd recommend if you are 90 percent of the way there, fix it now.

(reply to post at 14:45:06 08/03/17)

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Ok I'll fix that too. Thanks for the help. Do you know anyone that would have 1 of those v shaped covers for the beater that they would sell.

I probably have a new old stock grain pan and the bottom with the door for a 55

How much would you want for it