New Waratahs built from old heads
CONTRACTORS WHO DON’T WANT TO SPLASH OUT ON A brand new processing or harvesting head can now get their old one rebuilt by Waratah.
The company has been quietly refurbishing heads for some time, but has now decided to actively promote the service to customers.
“Waratah has always done rebuilds, it’s just that we didn’t have the staff and resources to do as many as we would have liked in the past,” says Nelson Iliev, Division Manager for Waratah in New Zealand.
“We’ve been building up those capabilities and we are now at the stage where we have the manpower and can take on more rebuilds.”
Mr Iliev says contractors may want to opt for a rebuild, rather than a brand new head, for all sorts of reasons, but it mostly happens when work is patchy or there are uncertainties over future harvesting jobs and crew bosses want to reign in their outgoings whilst still ensuring equipment is up to scratch.
With those scenarios in mind, Waratah will tailor the rebuild to suit the budget and requirements of the customer.
“We offer a range of options to try and fit in with their needs and what they want to spend – it’s totally customer-driven,” adds Mr Iliev.
In most cases, the harvester/processor chassis is still in pretty good condition, since they are built tough to withstand years of harsh treatment. If there are any cracks or other damage, these can be welded and fixed to enable the frame to continue being used, but it is the moving parts and components that suffer from constant use and either need refreshing or replacing.
When it arrives at their Rotorua retail facility, an old head is stripped back and sand-blasted down to the base metal, where its condition can be fully assessed.
Typical jobs will involve replacing pins and bushings, line boring and re-shimming all arms and the tilt frame, replacing various seals and hoses, as well as sharpening or replacing de-limb knives. Valve banks and cylinders often require re-sealing and occasionally the motors will need to be rebuilt.
The work usually takes from four to eight weeks, depending on what is required and the refurbished head emerges from their service department repainted to look like new.
Mr Iliev says that while a major rebuild of a head is not a cheap exercise it can still provide worthwhile savings and extend the working life of the harvester/processor for many years.
Crucially, the work is carried out by trained technicians equipped with the right tools for the job and using genuine Waratah parts, which enables the rebuild and all new parts fitted to the head to be provided with a 3-month warranty.