John Deere has unveiled details of its new range of variable chamber round balers being launched for the 2018 season.
The farm machinery giant said the new V400 Series will replace the existing 800 and 900 Series models.
It said the new high capacity balers had been designed to work more efficiently and productively in all crop conditions from wet grass to dry, brittle straw.
Key features include a durable, extra heavy duty welded frame, and a proven feeding system with a larger diameter pick-up and one-piece in-line auger rotor for improved intake and crop flow. Other new features include heavier duty components such as bigger drive chains, oversize roller bearings, a new bale density tension system and Hardox steel rotor tines.
John Deere said the V451G was a basic specification, entry level baler primarily for use in hay and straw, while the mid-specification V451M and V461M multi-crop balers are ideal for medium to high volume use where the focus is on producing uniform bales as quickly and consistently as possible.
The V451G model has a four tine bar pick-up with 5mm tines, while the two M model balers also offer the option of a heavier duty, higher capacity five tine bar pick-up with 6mm tines, which is standard on the R models.
John Deere said high volume, high quality and premium specifications were the key features of the V451R and V461R balers, which have been developed to meet the high output requirements of contractors and larger livestock farms.
As introduced on the 900 Series round balers, the Fast Release System (FRS), in combination with the high capacity intake rotor, is capable of producing more than 140 bales per hour.
The range’s new concept bale chamber combines six smooth pattern belts and three aggressive chamber rollers for true multi-crop capability and reliable bale starting in all conditions.
There is a choice of net only or net and twine wrapping options, and all models are compatible with John Deere’s weather resistant B-Wrap system.
A full width drop-floor unplugging system is standard on the M and R balers. This uses a unique parallelogram mechanism enabling the operator to remove blockages instantly, from the tractor cab.
Different BaleTrak monitors are available depending on the model, with the higher specification BaleTrak Plus unit controlling the bale density and size, drop-floor unplugging system, soft core pressure and diameter and knife selection from the tractor cab. R models are ISOBUS certified and can be controlled from a GreenStar display in the cab.
“The introduction of these new variable chamber models completes the replacement of the entire John Deere round baler range over the last two years,” said John Deere’s Philipp Ostermann.