Method of remotely configuring a residue system of an agricultural harvester

1. A shifting method for an inline shaft system of a chopper system for cutting separated non-grain material within a residue system of an agricultural harvester, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a failure to properly engage a shift collar with a splined component;

temporarily rotating the inline shaft system; and

engaging said shift collar with said splined component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of returning said shift collar to a previous position, said returning step taking place after said detecting step.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of monitoring a speed of the inline shaft system after said temporarily rotating step is executed to ensure that said speed is approximately zero.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting step comprises determining a position of the shift collar.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting step includes the sub step of detecting said shift collar in an uncommanded position, with said returning step taking place thereafter.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining a value of how many sequential times said detecting step has detected the failure.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of alerting an operator when said value exceeds a predetermined number.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said predetermined number is three.

9. The method of claim 1 , repeating said detecting step and said temporarily rotating step until said engaging step can be carried out.

10. A shifting method for an inline shaft system of a chopper system, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a failure to properly engage a shift collar with a splined component;

returning said shift collar to a previous position after said detecting step;

temporarily rotating the inline shaft system; and

engaging said shift collar with said splined component.

11. The method of claim 10 , said controller is further configured as part of the detecting step to receive a position signal from a shift sensor associated with the clutch system, the clutch system comprising at least the shift collar and the splined component.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of monitoring a speed of the inline shaft system after said temporarily rotating step is executed to ensure that said speed is approximately zero.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said engaging step is not carried out until said monitoring step has ensured that said speed is approximately zero.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein said detecting step includes the sub step of detecting said shift collar in an uncommanded position, with said returning step taking place thereafter.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of determining a value of how may sequential times said detecting step has detected the failure.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of alerting an operator when said value exceeds a predetermined number.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said predetermined number is three.

18. The method of claim 10 , repeating said detecting step and said temporarily rotating step until said engaging step can be carried out.

19. An agricultural harvester having a chopper system, comprising:

a chopper having at least one blade positioned to receive non-grain material;

a clutch system comprising a shift collar configured to engage splines of the chopper system for driving the chopper and an actuator shiftingly coupled to said shift collar; and

a controller operatively coupled to said actuator, said controller being programmed to carry out the steps of:

detecting a failure to properly engage said shift collar with a splined component;

temporarily rotating a shaft system changing the orientation of the shift collar and the splined component; and

engaging said shift collar with said splined component.

20. The agricultural harvester of claim 19 , wherein said controller is further configured as part of the detecting step to receive a position signal from a shift sensor associated with the clutch system.