A harvest innovation that provides savings, with a high return on investment
gained through an increase in harvest efficiency and higher output.
What is a Turbodrum?
Turbodrum is a heavy duty, high-capacity, retrofit feed drum for draper headers to replace the existing, standard feeder drum on draper heads.
It comes complete with all internal components fully welded and assembled, ready to go. Just pull out your existing feed drum, then slip-in and install a Turbodrum - it’s that easy.
If you already know the frustration of slow harvest speeds in bulky crops, like canola, and even worse, the blockages and breakdowns caused by the standard feed drum and as a result, the loss of crop value, are well understood.
Turbodrum is an instant fix to these problems that allows you to go faster and get the crop off in less time at less cost. It feeds better and it’s reliable.
Fitting the Turbodrum is quicker than fixing your original. Increase performance and efficiency and reduce loss of crop value.
How does it work?
There is no one feature of Turbodrum that makes it work so well. The huge capacity and reliability farmers are getting out of the Turbodrum is a combination of a lot of hard-learned farmer experiences and innovation in design.
The key difference of the Turbodrum to the original feeder drum can be summed up simply as: it feeds better and it’s reliable.
The Turbodrum is a classic Australian made Phillbourne Manufacturing item: bullet-proof engineering for performance and efficiency.
Key Features
24 solid retractable fingers with a far more aggressive pattern than OEM drums. Retractable fingers work together to grab the crop and pull the product through in a constant and steady flow so the load to the rotor/drum can be optimal.
A smaller barrel with taller flighting creates a huge gap for pulling through bulky crops: ideal to help eliminate blockages and plugging
Turbodrums’ unique paddle flighting system prevents repeating by eliminating the usual “dead zone” under the drum.
Extends the life of the rest of your expensive machine by reducing shock loading and plugging
A large diameter, fully welded crankshaft: extra strength
where you need it
Infinitely adjustable finger timing to suit any condition for crop flexibility
Less flighting and more fingers, so the full width of the drum is used
Eliminates the problematic and unnecessary reverse clutch by not blocking
Field-fitted, clamp-on retractable finger holders
Easy installation with clear
instructions provided
These features all contribute to the primary goal of harvesting:
to achieve optimal efficiency and productivity by getting the crop off
as fast and efficiently as possible with high uptime and throughput.
Common issues caused by the original feed drum include:​
Internal reverse clutch jams in reverse position, falls apart, and very expensive and time-consuming to repair, causing fires if not installed correctly
Having to remove the whole drum
and crankshaft just to replace retractable finger supports
Wearing out the adaptor slip clutch from constant blockages
Incredibly expensive to repair or replace, not to mention lost valuable harvest time
Cracking end plates and bending stub shafts from lump feeding and regular reversing
Blocking and jamming in canola, pulse and heavy cereal crops
Crank shaft bends resulting in fingers going inside the drum
then pounding it from the inside
Restricting harvest speeds to less than half header capacity in canola
Every day lost at harvest can cost up to 1% loss in value (SEPWA, 2007).
Even one day lost with breakdowns or bad feeding
in a 5000t program equals 25t of lost yield.
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That’s more than the cost of a Turbodrum.
What Real Farmers Say
“It loves the big canola. Not even a stutter at the feeder.”
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“Pretty exciting how much it is pumping through. Like it should be from the start. Massive Stuff.”
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“Actually driving machine to engine capacity now for the first time in canola.”
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“In heavy barley it just loads the header up good, no fluffing and no noise.”
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“All good, works like a dream, cheers!”
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“Before we were driving on the edge of the seat with the feeder slip clutch constantly going off in big lupins. We’re actually loading the engine up now, and the slip clutch hasn’t gone off once!”
“In she went and away it went. Awesome so far. In some 7 ft canola, smashing it in!”
Development
Turbodrum is a collaborative effort by farmers and Phillbourne Manufacturing’s Laurie Phillips.
Built in Merredin, Western Australia, the first Turbodrum rolled onto farms in October 2016.
A number of other Turbodrums were also fully field tested and proven
across a variety of crop types and conditions in the 2016 harvest.
Feeds Better & More Reliable
Applications
CASE: 2142, 2152, 2162 • IH3152, IH3162
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JOHN DEERE: 625D, 635D, 640D, 936D, 630FD, 635FD, 640FD, 645FD
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HONEYBEE: 94C
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MACDON: D60, D65, FD70, FD75, FD1
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NEW HOLLAND: 840CD, 880CF
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