John Deere has updated its entire header lineup for combines to include new HDR Rigid Cutterbar Drapers, RDF HydraFlex Drapers, CR and CF Corn Heads, and a BP15 Belt Pickup. Each is compatible with John Deere X Series and most S Series and T Series Combines to help achieve maximum harvesting capacity while minimizing grain loss under a wide range of crops and conditions.
John Deere HDR Rigid Cutterbar Drapers are ideal for small grains, oilseed, or soybean growers who want to maximize their combine’s acres per hour across various crops, changing conditions and uneven or rolling terrain while capturing more grain. “The HDR has a new hinged frame that provides unmatched terrain-following capability with twice the wing range as a MacDon FD1 FlexDraper with uniform cut height when harvesting on curves or uneven terrain,” said Matt Badding, harvesting product manager for John Deere.
An HDR Draper will help unlock more of the combine’s harvesting capacity and capture more grain from the field, especially when harvesting down or lodged crops, according to Badding. “These easy-to-use drapers effectively pick up and sweep the down or lodged crop across the cutterbar to recover more crop thanks to a consistent distance between the reel fingers and cutterbar, improved reel range, and increased reel-drive motor torque,” Badding said. “HDR Drapers can be ordered with optional John Deere Grain Saver Draper Belts. These belts can save farmers up to $1,240 per year across 1,500 acres by reducing canola cutterbar loss up to 25% when compared with traditional, smooth draper belts.”
HDR Drapers are available in cutting widths from 35 feet to 50 feet to bring more crop into your combine with each pass, increasing the number of acres harvested per hour and per day. “Farmers can upgrade from our 45-foot-wide draper to the new 50-foot wide draper and can harvest up to 33 acres more per day,” Badding said.
John Deere RDF HydraFlex Drapers are built on the field-proven cutting technology of the existing John Deere 700FD while providing new features to reduce grain loss. These new drapers are compatible with new X Series, S Series, and T Series Combines dating back to model year 2012. All RDF HydraFlex Drapers feature a new Two-Speed Center Feed Section that lets operators slow down the feed drum and center feed belt by 20% compared with the 700FD. Badding said, “RDF HydraFlex Drapers reduce grain loss and let operators harvest at faster speeds without sacrificing cut quality.”
These drapers, carryover the field-proven John Deere 4-inch double-cut, dual-drive shaft HydraFlex Cutterbar. The knife system provides industry-exclusive cutting performance by making 1,980 cuts per minute to enable faster harvesting speeds. Two center feed belt options are available as standard equipment to optimize the RDF HydraFlex Draper for multiple crops and conditions. The standard belt minimizes pod tossing in easy-shelling crops such as soybeans. An optional cleated center belt is available to feed higher-volume crops like canola into the feed drum.
John Deere CR Rigid Corn Heads help farmers who use X Series, S Series, and T Series Combines to harvest more bushels per hour in high-yielding corn while minimizing grain loss and damage. “These heads feature a 19-inch cross auger and rolled auger floor to help improve grain handling,” Badding said. “The higher torque of the large auger ensures the corn head is not the limiting factor so farmers can realize the true bushels-per-hour potential of the combine. The space between the auger flighting and rolled auger floor minimize the opportunity for ears to pinch or grind, reducing grain damage during harvest.”
For harvesting leaning, down or flat crop, CR Rigid Corn Heads can be equipped from the factory with Active End Fenders that pull more stalks into the head as the combine moves through the field. Another new feature of these heads is the factory-installed Stalk Deflectors that press standing corn stalks to the ground and fracture them at the base as the head passes over them. These deflectors reduce tire or track wear caused by standing corn stalks and help preserve the trade-in value of the combine and other equipment moving in and out of fields.
John Deere CF Folding Corn Heads include all the features of CR Rigid Corn Heads but feature a low-profile folding frame. “These heads are ideal for farmers who demand high productivity in the field and easy transport between fields during tight harvest windows,” Badding said. There are 12-, 16- and 18-row CF Folding Corn Heads available for X Series Combines and 12-row heads for S Series Combines.
CF Folding Corn Heads feature an industry-leading fold cycle time of less than 60 seconds when the corn head is connected to Deere S700 Combines and approximately 40 seconds with Deere X9 Combines. When transporting between fields, operators will appreciate the 8-foot, 2-inch improvement in visibility over the 700FC and 14-foot, 4-inch visibility improvement over the Geringhoff Rota Disc.
“A John Deere CF Folding Corn Head reduces a farmer’s operating costs by eliminating the need to purchase a header trailer to transport between fields,” Badding said. “The folding corn head also eliminates the time needed to mount the header to a trailer and then reattach it to the combine at the next field. After harvest, the head requires less storage space in the shed.”
John Deere is also offering the BP15 Belt Pickup for small grains and oilseed growers who need to harvest more acres per hour with an X Series, S Series, or T Series Combine. “These new belt pickups deliver a 20% faster feed rate than the Deere 615P to easily handle high-volume crops in tough conditions,” Badding said. “Compared with the 615P, this new pickup has a wider feederhouse opening with adjustable feed auger flighting and tines that allow this belt-pickup platform to harvest more acres per hour. When used with an X9 Combine, a BP15 can handle 30 acres of wheat or 23 acres of canola windrows per hour.”
The BP15 features improved feed rate adjustability to handle large or bulky crops with a standard two-speed auger drive sprocket that delivers a 20% faster feed rate that’s ideal for harvesting canola. A slower speed feed rate can be used for less bulky crops like cereals and grass seed. A factory-installed crop shield minimizes grain loss by ensuring more crop goes through the feederhouse, preventing it from building up and laying on the feederhouse. “Operators will spend less time making adjustments and more time harvesting,” Badding said. “For example, no tools are needed to adjust the height of the large, 20-inch gauge wheels for varying windrow conditions and crop types.”
Each of the new drapers, corn heads and the belt pickup come with a header control unit (HCU) that communicates seamlessly with the combine. The HCU saves head-specific factory calibration settings and collects and sends header-width information to the combine for accurate yield mapping. “The HCU also detects and reports header-specific diagnostic codes, plus tracks hours of use and maintenance intervals,” Badding said.
John Deere dealers will start taking orders for the drapers, corn heads and belt pickup later this summer. For more details visit your local dealer or visit the John Deere website.
