Combine Harvester Reel Assembly is also commonly called Combine Reel Assembly or Header Reel Assembly. Located at the front end of the combine harvester header, it consists of a long shaft, multiple crossbars with spring teeth, left and right spider plates, and bearing housings. Its main function is to pull the crop (rice, wheat, etc.) backward toward the cutter bar as the machine moves forward, and to support lodged crops, allowing the cutter bar to complete cutting and feeding smoothly.
Main Components of the Reel Assembly
The reel assembly can be divided into four major modules: shaft and spider plates, spring-tooth assembly, anti-wrapping components, and bearings/adjustment mechanism. These components work together to ensure smooth reel rotation and enable position adjustment through the eccentric mechanism.
Shaft and Spider Plates
- Reel Shaft Weldment: The central long shaft around which the entire reel rotates.
- Support Spider Plate Weldment: Left and right star-shaped spider plates that connect the shaft to the spring-tooth bars and keep the reel stable.
- Eccentric Spider Plate Weldment: Works with the eccentric adjustment mechanism to change reel position.
- Belt Pulley Weldment: Mounted at one end of the shaft; receives power through a belt.
- Shaft Sleeve: Used for positioning and spacing.
Spring-Tooth Assembly
- Spring-Tooth Shaft Assembly I: Quantity 2
- Spring-Tooth Shaft Assembly II: Quantity 3
- Each spring-tooth shaft assembly includes:
- Spring-Tooth Shaft Weldment: Main bar body
- Torsional Spring-Type Spring Tooth: Elastic teeth that contact the crop, 14 pieces per bar
- Reinforced Cup Head Square Neck Bolt: Secures the teeth
- Standard Spring Washer and Hexagon Nut, Style 1
Anti-Wrapping Components
- Anti-Wrapping Pipe 1: 2 pieces
- Anti-Wrapping Pipe 2: 3 pieces
- Plastic Tight Straps: 15 pieces, used for binding and securing
- Left Anti-Winding Plate: 2 pieces
- Right Anti-Winding Plate: 2 pieces
- Left Connecting Plate Weldment and Right Connecting Plate Weldment
Bearings and Adjustment Mechanism
- Left Bearing Block Weldment
- Right Bearing Block Weldment
- Deep Groove Ball Bearing
- Trolley Wheel Assembly and Contact Roller
- Eccentric Adjusting Plate Assembly and Eccentric Adjusting Disc Weldment
- Hinge Pin and Internal Circlips
How Does the Reel Assembly Work?
The working process of the reel assembly can be summarized as follows:
Engine power is transmitted to the belt pulley weldment through a belt.
The pulley drives the reel shaft weldment and the left/right support spider plate weldments to rotate together.
The multiple spring-tooth shaft assemblies mounted between the spider plates rotate with the plates.
The torsional spring-type spring teeth contact the crop at the correct angle and push the stalks backward toward the cutter bar.
After cutting, the teeth continue to push the crop backward to complete the feeding process.
Reel speed, height, and fore-aft position can usually be adjusted according to crop conditions. The eccentric adjusting disc mechanism is used to change the tooth trajectory and overall reel position.
Reel Assembly Wear Parts and Replacement Signals
Because the harvester reel assembly is constantly in contact with crops, straw, and soil, it is a high-wear area on the harvester header. When you notice visibly bent or missing spring teeth, abnormal noise or vibration during reel rotation, difficulty adjusting or securing reel position, missed cuts, crop accumulation or wrapping, or overheating or play in bearings — these are all signals to replace parts.
| Symptom | Possible Cause | Involved Components |
| Spring teeth broken, deformed, or loss of spring tension | Material fatigue, impact with hard objects | Reel Tine |
| Spring teeth falling off | Retaining clip failure, reversed rotation direction | Tine Clip / Tine Seat |
| Reel rotates unsmoothly, abnormal noise | Bearing wear, seal failure with water ingress | Bearing / Seal |
| Reel not turning or unstable speed | Drive belt slipping, hydraulic motor failure | Drive Belt / Hydraulic Motor |
| Reel unable to maintain height | Hydraulic line leakage, cylinder seal failure | Reel Lift Cylinder / Hose |
| Uneven height at both ends of reel | Cylinder phase out of sync, frame deformation | Lift Cylinder / Reel Arm |
| Crop wrapping around reel | Speed too low or improper tine spacing | Reel Speed / Tine Spacing |
| Increased grain breakage rate | Reel speed too high, tines too aggressive | Reel Speed / Tine Pitch |
How to Choose Reel Assembly Replacement Parts
Different brands and models of reel assemblies differ in mounting dimensions, number of spring teeth, shaft diameter, and other dimensions. If you are an agricultural machinery parts dealer or repair shop, before purchasing reel assembly parts for customers, be sure to purchase according to the specific machine model and part number.
Confirm Header / Model
The dimensions and mounting method of the reel assembly vary with header width and model. First confirm:
Harvester brand and model (e.g., Kubota DC70, Yanmar AW70V, Lovol RG50)
Header width (reel assembly width must match the header)
Reel diameter (different models have different diameters, e.g., Yanmar AW70 series reel diameter is 900mm)
Confirm Replacement Scope – Assembly or Parts?
| Replacement Scope | Contents | Applicable Scenario |
| Reel Tine | Single spring tooth | Tine worn, broken, or deformed; other parts intact |
| Bat Tube | Bat tube and mounting clips | Bat tube bent, clips worn |
| Spider Arm | Star bracket, spokes | Spokes deformed or cracked |
| Bearing / Seal | Bearing, oil seal | Abnormal rotation noise, oil leakage or water ingress |
| Complete Reel Assembly | Shaft, spokes, bat tubes, tines, bearings – full set | Severe assembly wear, refurbished machine, multiple parts failing simultaneously |
Confirm Tine Material
| Material | Features | Applicable Scenario | Service Life Reference |
| 65Mn Spring Steel | Good elasticity, fatigue-resistant, best cost-performance | Conventional rice and wheat harvesting | 1–2 harvest seasons |
| 70# High-Carbon Steel | High hardness, low cost | Dry regions, light-duty operations | Shorter |
| 201 Stainless Steel | Basic rust resistance, stable hardness | Humid paddy fields, rainy season operations | 1–2 seasons |
| 304 Stainless Steel | Superior corrosion resistance, longest life | Coastal salt fog, highly humid paddy fields | 2–3 seasons |
Confirm Tine Dimensions
| Parameter | Description |
| Wire diameter | Common 4.5mm / 5.0mm / 5.5mm / 6.0mm |
| Length | Common 210mm / 260mm / 300mm |
| Coil inner diameter | Usually 30mm (industry standard) |
| Bending angle | 40–45° standard crop-lifting angle |
| Rotation direction | RH right-hand / LH left-hand (not interchangeable) |
Confirm Bearings and Seals
Bearing specifications (model, inner diameter, outer diameter, width)
Seal type (lip seal / labyrinth seal)
Whether there is a lubrication point (grease nipple)
Confirm Drive Method and Mounting Dimensions
| Parameter | Description |
| Drive method | Belt drive / Hydraulic motor drive |
| Mounting hole positions | Hole spacing between reel arm and header frame |
| Center shaft diameter | Matches bearing and drive end |
| Bat tube spacing | Usually 150mm / 200mm, etc. |
Confirm Quantity and Packaging
Spring teeth are usually purchased by “piece” or “set”; a complete reel typically requires dozens of tines.
It is recommended to stock tines with a 10–20% margin, as tine breakage is a common loss during field operations.
Confirm whether the packaging is suitable for sea freight and stacking.
Choose Maikeyier for Reel Assembly Replacement Parts
Maikeyier is an agricultural parts supplier with forging manufacturing capability at its core. We have provided complete harvester parts services to customers in more than 25 countries worldwide. The header section is one of our best-selling product lines, and our product quality and delivery have been widely recognized by customers!
- In-house tine production: 65Mn spring steel tines are quenched and tempered in a continuous heat treatment furnace, with uniform hardness and consistent elasticity; each batch is sampled for fatigue testing.
- Complete materials: 65Mn, 70#, 201 stainless steel, and 304 stainless steel – full range available.
- Precise rotation direction: RH/LH dual rotation directions; each tine is marked with a rotation indicator and comes with Chinese/English installation instructions.
- Full category coverage: Tines, bat tubes, spokes, bearings, seals, reel arms, drive belts – one-stop supply.
- Compatible with mainstream brands: Kubota, Yanmar, Lovol, FMWorld and other full series harvesters.
- Mixed-lot procurement: Reel parts can be ordered together with cutter bars, knife guards, undercarriage parts, etc., consolidated into one container for shipment.
- MOQ 200 pieces: Flexible minimum order; sample orders supported for quality verification before bulk purchase.
The combine harvester reel assembly is a key working component at the front of the harvester header. It pushes crop toward the cutter bar and assists feeding. Understanding the reel’s composition and working principle helps with daily maintenance. If you have any questions about harvester parts, welcome to contact us!