MachineryLink

Farm show season is usually the kickoff for many farm equipment manufacturers to introduce new products. For some reason, this year they started early. So while the Farm Progress Show has been the scene of plenty of debuts this week, a lot of new iron already was unveiled. Over the next week, I'll give you a look at some of what I saw both at Farm Progress and previously. Earlier this week, I wrote about the new Gleaner. Let's continue with John Deere.

Big Green offered a lot of new iron to dealers recently at its annual dealer meetings in Columbus, Ohio. At the heart of much of it were new Final Tier 4 engines, which will use a combination of technologies to meet EPA emissions standards that take effect in 2014.

They may be technological marvels, but there is nothing sexy about engines that produce less pollution. So Deere and other manufacturers who introduced new products this summer offered their dealers upgrades and improvements to entice customers onto dealers' lots. For Deere, that meant a new line of its workhorse 7R and 8R tractors, additions to the S Series combines, two new self-propelled sprayers, some FarmSight telematic innovations and more.

TRACTORS

Five models of the new 7R tractors will range from 210-290 engine hp in regular 20 hp intervals. Each will offer as an option Deere's new e23 Power Shift transmissions with 23 equally spaced forward gears and 11 reverse gears, which the company said, "enable the efficiency advantages of an infinitely variable-speed transmission with the smoothness and simplicity of a powershift." Customers also can opt to order an IVT.

The captain's helm of the 7R is the CommandARM, which puts controls within easy reach of the driver. Deere designed a new 4100 or 4600 CommandCenter Display with 7- or 10-inch screens respectively to have an appearance and functionality similar to smart phones. It has touch screen commands, swiping capabilities, pages and icons. It is also customizable to be familiar and usable so, "John can do it; John's son can do it and John's dad can do it too," said Holli Brokaw, product manager with the John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group.

The spacious CommandView III cab has plenty of creature comforts and functionality features, which include a seat that swivels 40-degrees to the right for a better view out the rear without neck strain, a laminated glass front windshield to dampen engine sounds and an optional in-cab refrigerator.

Nine models of the R8 Series tractors range in engine horsepower from 245 to 370; three are available with tracks. The R8s share many of the R7 features including cab and command configurations. Options include an ActiveSeat or Active Hyro-pneumatic Cab Suspension Plus to sense and soften bumps.

Transmission options include a 16-speed Power Shift or IVT. An Intelligent Power Management system increases power and torque when needed and can boost maximum horsepower to 405 on the largest models, the 8370R and 8370RT.

COMBINES

John Deere introduced its S Series combines in 2011 and has added some features for the 2014 line up. The ones you notice first are tracks. Customers' compaction concerns convinced Deere to offer optional 36-inch tracks on the front of some models. Customers wary of limited resale opportunities can order both tracks and wheels. Tracks arrive from the factory on the combine or are field installed in six to seven hours.

A new Interactive Combine Adjustment feature automatically changes combine settings on the go to optimize performance in a variety of crop and field conditions.

Leather seats and leather wrapped steering wheels are new operator comfort options.

Deere added a 30-foot Flex Draper to its line for customers who found the 36-foot version more than they needed.

SPRAYERS

Final Tier 4 engines were one reason to re-design Deere's sprayer line. That means the new 800-gallon R4030 and 1,000-gallon R4038 come with new 280- and 310-hp engines. Challenges of an evolving application scene were equally as important in the redesign.

This was the first major renovation for this part of Deere's sprayer line in 15 years, said Brea Harms, product line manager for application equipment. Besides incorporating the new Final Tier 4 engines, Deere wanted to address customer concerns about glyphosate resistant weeds. Growers no longer can rely on one crop protection product and likely will have to more than one chemical on board a sprayer, even for a single field trip. With that in mind, Deere engineers "redesigned the solutions system from tank to tip," Harms said.

The new sprayers carry four tanks. Two 50-gal. tanks for raw chemicals, one 35-gal. tank for a separate formulation and the stainless steel solutions tank. An integrated direct injection system (first pioneered on Deere equipment by the 4940 sprayer) allows the operator to mix chemicals independently in a mixing chamber, thus reducing contamination risks and cleaning times. Deere partnered with Raven on the system, which can be monitored real time on the CommandCenter display.

The R4030 and R4038 sprayers are designed for quick clean out. Besides the direct injection system, end cap aspirators and a boom air purge system speed the cleanout process when alternating chemicals.

The four-wheel hydrostatic drive R4030 is rated for 20 mph in the field, 30 mph on the road. The R4038 goes five miles faster.

WIRELESS DATA TRANSFER

Deere upgraded its telematics system. Customers can now send data wirelessly to and from vehicles via their MyJohnDeere.com accounts. The system allows off-site collection of data, so someone in the office can now send, for example, a spraying prescription to a unit in the field.

Computers, smart phones and tablets can access the system.

© Copyright 2013 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.