New from John Deere: Combines and Headers

John Deere is expanding its 2021 harvesting lineup with two models of X Series combines — X9 1000 and X9 1100 — and new draper, corn and belt pickup headers.

The X9 1100 can harvest up to 30 acres of tough, high-yielding wheat per hour and 7,200 bu. per hour in high-yielding corn. “As conditions change, an X9 combine can make automatic adjustments for the operator so it consistently operates at peak levels,” says Matt Badding, harvesting product manager for John Deere. “For example, in the morning, straw can be damp and make threshing and separating tough. By midday, the moisture evaporates and harvesting conditions improve. In the past, these changes required operators to adjust combine settings to help the machine compensate. Now, the adjustments are made automatically.”

X Series combines feature a wide feederhouse, dual separator and the industry’s largest cleaning shoe to improve crop flow and increase harvesting capacity. “At the heart of the new combine is the X Series dual separator (XDS) with the largest threshing and separation areas Deere has ever offered. Crop in the XDS is threshed and separated during nine revolutions, resulting in less grain loss and increased harvesting capacity,” Badding explains.

The 75-sq.-ft. Dyna-Flo XL cleaning shoe has 36% more cleaning area than the John Deere S790.

During harvest, the X Series combines can run up to 14 hours without refueling. An all-new John Deere PowerTech 13.6-liter engine works with a belt-drive system and updated ProDrive XL transmission to improve fuel efficiency. “Compared to the S790, the X9 1100 uses up to 20% less fuel per bushel harvested to help keep harvesting costs low,” Badding says.  

X Series combines are available with integrated precision ag technologies and the StarFire 6000 receiver, which doesn’t require calibrating the Terrain Compensation. Coupled with guidance system enhancements, the new receiver boots up and acquires the GPS signal quicker.

Three technology packages are available for the X Series:

• Select includes the StarFire 6000 integrated receiver, Generation 4 4600 display, Harvest Smart, Interactive Combine Adjustment and Connect Mobile ready.
• Premium builds on the Select package and include Active Terrain Adjustment and the Premium 3.0 Activation with AutoTrac RowSense, Section Control and In-Field Data Sharing.
• Ultimate includes everything in the Select and Premium packages along with Automation 3.0 Activation with Generation 4 Machine Sync and the Combine Advisor Technology Package with ActiveVision camera technology and Auto Maintain.

All X Series combines can connect to the John Deere Operations Center. JDLink is standard and comes with five years of service.

Inside the restyled X Series cab is more storage space and USB ports and better connectivity than its predecessor. An optional touchscreen satellite radio can be added that’s smartphone ready.

Select, Premium or Ultimate comfort and convenience cab packages are available. The Ultimate includes a new heated, ventilated massaging seat that swivels 16 degrees right or left. A Signature Edition is also available and includes the highest levels of comfort, lighting and technology packages.

X Series combines are available on wheels or tracks. The X9 1000 grain tank can hold up to 420 bu., and the X9 1100 holds up to 460 bu. Folding unloading augers with adjustable spout are available in 26’, 28.5’ or 31’ lengths.

New Drapers, Corn and Belt Pickup Headers

John Deere has updated its entire header lineup 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, S Series and T Series combines.

The HDR rigid cutterbar drapers, available in 35’ to 50’ cutting widths, are ideal for small grains, oilseed or soybean growers. Features include a new hinged frame as well as a consistent distance between the reel fingers and cutterbar, improved reel range and increased reel-drive motor torque to recover more crop, says Matt Badding, harvesting product manager for John Deere.

The RDF HydraFlex drapers provide new features to reduce grain loss compared with the John Deere 700FD. 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.

Featuring the John Deere 4” double-cut, dual-drive shaft HydraFlex cutterbar, the knife system makes 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.

John Deere CR rigid corn heads feature a 19” cross auger and rolled auger floor to help improve grain handling, Badding says. “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,” he adds.

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. The factory-installed Stalk Deflectors, another new feature, presses standing corn stalks to the ground and fractures them at the base as the head passes over them. These deflectors reduce tire or track wear caused by standing corn stalks.

John Deere CF folding corn heads, available in 12-, 16- and 18-row configurations, include all the features of CR rigid corn heads but feature a low-profile folding frame. When the corn head is connected to John Deere S700 combines, it takes less than 60 seconds to fold; with John Deere X9 combines that number drops to approximately 40 seconds.

“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 says. “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.”

The BP15 belt pickup for small grains and oilseeds delivers a 20% faster feed rate than the John Deere 615P and features a wider feederhouse opening with adjustable feed auger flighting and tines, Badding says. “When used with an X9 combine, a BP15 can handle 30 acres of wheat or 23 acres of canola windrows per hour,” he explains

A factory-installed crop shield minimizes grain loss by ensuring more crop goes through the feederhouse. No tools are needed to adjust the height of the 20” gauge wheels for varying windrow conditions and crop types, Badding adds.

Each of the new drapers, corn heads and the belt pickup come with a header control unit (HCU) that communicates 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.

John Deere will start taking orders for X Series combines and the headers later this summer. For more details, visit your local dealer or JohnDeere.com.