If you’ve just upgraded to a set of Razors Edge Concaves, you’re already on the path to better threshing and reduced rotor loss. But if you’re still seeing grain hit the ground behind your combine, you’re not alone—and it doesn’t mean the concaves aren’t working. It usually means a few key settings need to be adjusted to match the new hardware.
Let’s break it down.
Why is Grain Still Coming Out the Back?
There are a few common reasons why you might still be seeing grain loss:
- Ground speed: It’s easy to assume that slower means safer, but in many cases, running too slow can actually lead to increased losses. When crop flow is too light or uneven, threshing and separation aren’t happening efficiently. You may be under-feeding the rotor, especially with low-volume crops or after heavy lodging. The combine works best when the system is full and flowing steadily.
- Separation overload: If your concave is doing a better job threshing (which it likely is), but you haven’t adjusted rotor speed or fan speed to keep up with the cleaner sample, your separator might be overloaded. That’s when grain starts getting flung out the back with the chaff.
- Uncalibrated loss monitor: Relying on an uncalibrated monitor can give you a false sense of security. If you haven’t dropped a pan to check your actual loss in a while, it’s worth doing—especially after a concave upgrade.
What Needs to Change When Running Razors Edge Concaves?
Razors Edge Concaves are designed to thresh more aggressively and efficiently than OEM concaves. To get the best performance, a few combine settings may need to be fine-tuned. Here’s what to check:
- Rotor speed: In many crops, you’ll be able to lower rotor speed compared to your previous settings. The goal is to avoid over-threshing or cracking while still keeping throughput strong.
- Concave clearance: Start slightly wider than OEM specs suggest, especially in dry conditions. Let the aggressive threshing design do the work without grinding the crop.
- Fan speed and sieve settings: Cleaner threshing often means more material headed to the cleaning system. You may need to bump up your fan speed to keep grain from riding out with the chaff, and check sieve clearance to avoid bottlenecks.
- Monitor and adjust: Even small changes in crop conditions, moisture, or header height can affect how these settings perform. Don’t be afraid to make incremental tweaks between fields or even between passes.
One More Thing: Know What You’re Losing
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to get a drop pan under the machine and check your actual loss. Tools like the ScherGain Drop Pan System give you clear data on how many bushels per acre you’re leaving behind. You might be surprised what one or two kernels in a small pan actually add up to across the field.
The goal isn’t to overhaul everything—it’s to make small, smart adjustments that help your upgraded concaves perform at their full potential.
You already made a smart move with the Razors Edge upgrade. Now it’s about dialing it in to make sure every bushel you grow ends up where it should: in the tank.
Call us at 1-855-612-7006 to learn more. Or reach out to our team with questions—we’re always happy to help you harvest smarter.