JD 216 header repair

Plus is there a trick to keep it from holding water. My cart holds it in such a way that it can't drain out (won't once done anyway). I was thinking of putting a couple 1/2 holes in each end and parking it on a hill so it could drain out. Sound ok???

Place head on cart to relieve stress on the feed pan. Remove feed pan. Once the feed pan is out of the way, put the head back on the combine. Raise it up and block it.

Move cart (or back up combine) From underneath cut welds along the arms (both sides) that support the cutter bar. Three in total, one towards the rear of the curved piece, one at the front of the curved piece, and one on the flat attached to the curve piece.

Using a pry bar, cut the welds along front from up top (prying up the tin as you move down the head). The ones by the flat (bar supports) can't really be accessed to from underneath. Then there will be three (under auger and forward) at the ends. Cut those from the top as well as you can't get to them at all from underneath. Now you should have everything from the tube forward loose.

Put the head back on the cart and get the combine out of the way. Remove the angled brackets behind the auger on both sides. Measure the distance from the end to the opening and the height (tin to be replaced). There are a series of welds across the opening cut them loose. You should be able to pry up the back and get an idea where the weld is on the round tube. I cut around them leaving a dime sized piece of tin on the tube. There are a bunch (every 4-6 inches).

Now you should have everything but the two rear corners loose. There will be a spot weld on top of the tube (very end) and a inch (or so) weld to the side pannel. Cut both loose and she should be ready to come out.

I started out thinking I would remove the panels and go back to clean up the supports (not! lot-o-cutting) so I had already cut it out. Once it is loose just cut it in half to make it easier to lift out and slide over to clear the reel bracket. The angle will not pass the auger pulling forward, so pull it up and out via the back side.

Next take an angle grinder and clean up all the cut areas on the head (each place you cut and the dime sized remaining pieces. Some of the harder to reach spots on the tube I went back with the torch and cleaned off the bulk before finishing with the grinder.

Took me about 5 hours to complete the removal.

A couple side notes;
Block reel up and watch working under it. Those things hurt if you raise up or back into them. Watch draging hoses and such accross the knifes.

I am in the process of making the new pieces and will post more later.

Making the new pan. I made mine in two parts as that is how my steel came and fitting a single piece didn’t appear possible (you can and if I should do another will). Both parts were a mirror image of each other, 93” x 31”. One half of the rear (59” on a 216) of the pan is bent up about 4 1/4 inches at a 50 deg angle. The rest is cut out leaving 26 3/4 width. This should put the front edge right at the end of the support arms once fit. I did not drill any holes as I was concerned that they wouldn’t match up. I also left the second part a 1/2 inch long (93 1/2) at the splice, for marking, to fit later.

Frame ready and pieces made, I inserted the first half piece. I was able to insert it from the front as it was not rolled to match the frame. First thing I did was to line it up and drill two of the holes (each end) that the angle in back bolts to. This would help hold the piece in place while fitting to the frame. We tried several different things to get the new metal to conform to the frame but ended up using wood blocks. I used about 6 blocks per side, wedged under the auger. This pushed it firmly into the egg shape the frame had in it. Once in place I repeated the process for the other side doubled check the corners, frame fit, and marked the middle splice. Pulled out the second piece and cut it for the middle splice. Reinstall the second piece and lined it back up checking fit and the splice in the middle.

Once I was happy with the fit I tacked the splice first to make it one piece. Then I drilled the holes in the rear for the angled brackets behind the auger and put in all the bolts. The next step was to weld the rear opening so that the entire rear of the new pan was firmly held in place. Moving on to the support arms and front edge. Once welded, I pulled the blocks.

Not having room for a standard drill I used a torch to cut the holes for the SS feed pan (angle head drill would work). Reinstalled the SS and the runner support arms loosened for the SS pan. All back together now, all I have to do is put the two end snouts back on.

Tips
Remove the auger chain to help it move freely.
There is a bracket that rides above the runner support arms under the head that the larger SS bolt goes though, remember to put it back in place so you don’t have extra pieces laying about.
Between welding and using the torch I opted to paint after the fact.
If like me you don’t have a metal break, the metal can be bent by hand. I placed it on our flat bed with the 4” hanging over the back, laid a 3 inch channel on it and had my boy stand on it. Worked my way across (several times) pushing it down by hand unit it was where it needed to be. (this may not be possible with heaver gage)