As your planter goes through the field, the disc openers are turning. Your disc opener can contact the bottom of the seed tube. Sometimes there can be a small flap of plastic that curls inward and eventually wears the end of the seed tube off. This can cause spacing issues when a seed contacts that small piece of plastic at the bottom of the tube that’s worn. For good spacing in the field, inspect your seed tubes and make sure there’s no wear at the bottom of them.
The BullsEye seed tube has a tungsten carbide tip wear insert at the bottom that helps extend the life of the seed tube. If you do have wear on your seed tubes, there are BullsEye seed tubes available from your local Precision Planting Premier dealer to replace them.
While you’re inspecting the lower part of the row-unit you want to also take a look at the seed tube guards. The seed tube guards’ purpose is to protect your seed tube from wear of the disc openers and also hold the disc openers apart as they’re going through the field creating the furrow. If your seed tube guard gets worn you’re going to see the wear of your seed tube and poor furrow creation. We will also see inconsistent crop emergence due to this wear. The guard helps hold your disc openers apart and keeps that furrow the shape that it should be.
EXTRA PROTECTION. The seed tube guard is designed to protect your seed tube from the wear caused by disc openers. It also holds the openers apart as they're going through the field creating the furrow.
You’re going to want to get your tape measure and measure your guards. You want your guards to be at least ¾ of an inch wide at the start of a new season. If they’re less than that it’s time to replace that seed tube guard with a new one, which is 15/16 inches wide. You should always replace your seed tube guards when you’re putting a new set of opener discs on your planter.
ON GUARD. A simple measuring tape is all you need to determine if your seed tube guards need to be replaced. New guards are 15/16 inch wide. If your tube guards have worn down to less than 3/4 inch at the start of a new season, it's time to replace them.
For more, watch this video on how to inspect your seed tubes and seed tube guards.
A Premier Precision Planting Dealer is your partner to help you achieve a picket fence stand this spring and steer clear of the regret that comes from avoidable yield loss caused by lack of maintenance. Find your local Precision Planting Premier Dealer at PlanterExpert.com.
To watch videos of all recommended annual maintenance checks, visit PrecisionPlanting.com/Maintenance.
Download the free Planter Maintenance Guide. Included in this guide is a 1-sheet checklist, links directing you to the corresponding videos, and an overview of 15 key maintenance areas on your planter.
The Planter Maintenance series is brought to you by Precision Planting.
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