New John Deere W and T-Series combines harvest in record time

John Deere’s new W and T-Series combines have undergone a comprehensive redesign for the 2016 harvest.

Many components have been changed to achieve the best straw walker combine performance possible, industry wide. The combination of the largest active separation area on the market and an enlarged cleaning shoe area will enable operators to achieve an increase in output of up to 15 per cent.

Additional leading features in this class of combine include the fastest unloading rate and header conversion for different crops; exclusive 40kph top speed and track options; the latest FarmSight precision farming developments with ConnectedCombine and MyJohnDeere.com; and more power with Stage IV engines.

Active separation area

On the T-Series models, the main threshing drum diameter remains at 660mm but the concave wrapping angle has been increased by eight degrees, to expand the threshing area and machine throughput. To ensure straw quality, the overshot beater’s diameter has been increased to 500mm, so it maintains the same angles and tip speed in the crop flow.

The rear separator drum diameter is increased to 800mm, the largest in the industry. Together with a new separator grate which features more openings, this allows better separation even under tough and wet harvesting conditions. The active separation area has been increased by 41 per cent to 3.3 and 4m² respectively for the five and six walker combines.

The new W-Series straw walker combines keep the same large 660mm diameter single threshing drum with 10 rasp bars, which is now paired with redesigned walkers featuring a larger area and steeper steps for increased separation capacity. 

Cleaning shoe area

The cleaning shoe area on both ranges features a completely new design. The use of aluminium has enabled John Deere's engineers to increase the shoe size, while retaining the weight of the previous unit. With a sieve area of more than 6m², the cleaning shoe is now among the largest in its class.

To make the shoe easily adjustable, the fan has also been redesigned and all air inlets provide an even air intake and air distribution. Tests have shown that the combines can now operate at a high performance level with low losses across a wider range of fan settings. This makes it easier to get the maximum out of the combine with minimal losses, even for less experienced operators.

High unloading rate

With many farmers and contractors now unloading on the headland, reducing non-productive time is even more important. A faster unloading rate of up to 125 litres/min enables an 11,000-litre capacity grain tank to be emptied in less than 90 seconds.

Fast crop conversion

If machine adjustments are complicated or time-consuming, often they are simply not done, so reducing overall machine performance and grain quality. As a solution to this problem, John Deere has developed a quick-engage Booster Bar. This is a rasp bar that can be swung into the crop flow in less than three minutes in situations where more aggressive threshing is required, for example in barley.

The Booster Bar eliminates the use of deawning plates to close the concave, which reduces the overall active separation area. Additionally, as no filler plates are needed, the new 600X header can be converted from barley to rape harvesting in just three minutes. The rape knife also features a quick coupler for faster conversion.

Exclusive 40kph top speed and tracks

With top combine speeds of up to 40kph, greater distances are no longer an issue for contractors or farms with widespread fields. In addition, the significant advantages offered by tracks are that they enable an operator to act more independently of weather conditions and travel on ground unsuitable for wheeled machines.

With a footprint 1.7 times larger than that of an 800mm tyre, tracks will reduce compaction and contribute to higher yields. On tracks, the maximum width of the five and six walker combines stays below 3.3 and 3.5m respectively.

ConnectedCombine & MyJohnDeere.com

John Deere's ConnectedCombine package is designed to enable operators to get the maximum performance out of a machine, to adjust it properly and manage the recorded data with the support of GPS.

AutoTrac hands-free steering allows the driver to concentrate on combine adjustments. Interactive Combine Adjustment (ICA) helps with the optimisation of machine settings and, if needed, Remote Display Access (RDA) connects the operator to a dealer specialist on the go, giving access to 24/7 product support or training.

Machine data such as fuel consumption, yield maps and area harvested on multiple fields can be transmitted via wireless data transfer (WDT) to the safe online web portal MyJohnDeere.com. Here an operator can view or download data instantly as it is updated automatically on the go, so nothing is lost. Further data processing with agronomic software packages is also possible, and with JDLink the fleet management logistics chain can be optimised.

More power with Stage IV engines

The new W and T-Series combines also have Stage IV compliant John Deere PSS engines. The 9-litre units have increased power outputs, while the 6.8-litre versions feature an engine speed of 2200rpm, down by 200rpm, for better efficiency. The Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) consumption of only one to three per cent on both engine sizes also contributes to more efficient combine operation.

Other features & updates

A feeder house torque increase from 600 to 900Nm handles the larger combine headers of up to 10.7m needed to gently feed the new combines. An exclusive rear axle with optional 4WD and traction control allows tighter turns, and there is an air compressor option for easy cleaning.

The larger models in the John Deere combine range have also been updated for 2016. The S-Series will feature Stage IV engines with the same industry leading DEF consumption of only one to three per cent. In combination with ProDrive, these machines will additionally have the option of a 40kph transmission.

The smaller W330 combine can now be specified with the AutoTrac Universal automatic guidance system, as can the W440 and W440PTC models, which also have the option of electric sieve adjustment.