Tire width concern on 2588 with 6-row corn head

[sp@rtxtr@cker68]

I got a good offer for a clean Case IH 2588 with duals and 520/85R38 tires on the front. I currently run a 6-row corn head on my older combine and I know it'll physically fit the 2588. except my big concern is the width. With those duals, are the tires going to be running down the corn rows? Will I have to swap for a combine with single tires, or am I better off upgrading to an 8-row head to avoid crop damage? Just wondering if anyone has run this exact setup and what their experience was. Thanks in advance!

 

[g0tham-cat]

I used a 6-row head on my 2006 Case IH 2588 with duals and 520/85R38 tires for two seasons. On 30" rows, the tires did run over the corn and bent some stalks, especially when the ground was soft. I switched to an 8 row head to match the tire width, and it worked much better. If your fields can take it, moving up to 8 rows is a good idea.

 

[ihserviceman]

If you're using 520/85R38 fronts with standard duals, you might find it a bit snug on 30" rows when operating with a 6-row head. The duals are probably going to track pretty close to the rows, especially if the ground isn't level.

Most people tend to switch to singles for 6-row work, or they upgrade to an 8-row setup to improve spacing. The 2588 has plenty of power to handle an 8-row head, assuming your fields can accommodate the wider width.

 

[85Ricky]

I got a good offer for a clean Case IH 2588 with duals and 520/85R38 tires on the front. I currently run a 6-row corn head on my older combine and I know it'll physically fit the 2588. except my big concern is the width. With those duals, are the tires going to be running down the corn rows? Will I have to swap for a combine with single tires, or am I better off upgrading to an 8-row head to avoid crop damage? Just wondering if anyone has run this exact setup and what their experience was. Thanks in advance!

If you're on standard 30" rows, the dual 520s are almost certainly going to clip the rows you're trying to save, especially on side hills or curves.
Could you run your 6 row head on an 8 row pattern? If your planter is 8 row wide or more, you could harvest rows 1-6, then rows 3-8, and so on. This puts the combine's centerline in a place that is already heavily tracked by the planter/sprayer, allowing the duals to potentially run in a safe path or a wide tramline. It’s a bit of a driving nightmare, but it saves the crop until you can afford the 8 row head or single tires.