John Deere combines - what to avoid and why ?

[SteveO]

Hi,

planing to switch from Deutz Fahr to John Deere combine. I know a lot about JD tractors but zero about combines.
I am looking something in range of WTS or rotor S, year 2005-2010.
I read that WTS is disaster because it has high waste. Then I read that newer WTS "i" version is ok ? Newer T is too expensive for my needs.
What is the situation with rotor, S ? CTS is too old I think.

It works in barley, wheat, little bit rapeseed, soybean and corn.

Thanks a lot

 

[devonshire farmer]

How many acres have you got to cut and transport width limit are big factors, if you can deal with a biggish combine you’ll probably get better value and most likely save some drying costs

 

[SteveO]

Not much, around 300 ha but I want to have bigger combine. Transport is not a problem, I think they are all 3,50m without header. Header on a trolley is transported with tractor, but 7-7,5m would be max because of the soybean.

I need only expenriences and opinions regarding JD combine series, I will buy whatever I find regarding the size but I dont want to be "stupid one" who bought early WTS which was on sale for 4 years. If you know what I mean.

 

[devonshire farmer]

We changed winter before last to a cts 9780 with a 625 header which is 25ft, very pleased with it, great combine

 

[SteveO]

CTS would be 2 rotors ? Does it have any flaws ? Do they have Autotrac ?

 

[devonshire farmer]

I’m pretty sure the wiring that was in it was for auto trac, we don’t use it, I would say it’s a perfect machine in wheat but if you cut barley fairly early to push on it does waste a bit but lots of small grain this year anyway

 

[Al R]

A CTS9780 / 9780i would be the kiddie!
You mention Soyabean, what country are you in?

 

[SteveO]

What does kiddie mean, is it good or bad ? What does i mean on them ?

CTS cannot work in rape I have heard ? And in any culture with bigger moisture.
What about WTS ?

 

[devonshire farmer]

What does kiddie mean, is it good or bad ? What does i mean on them ?

CTS cannot work in rape I have heard ? And in any culture with bigger moisture.
What about WTS ?

The i is a higher spec machine more computerised I think

 

[SteveO]

Thanks. Waiting for more input. Especially for WTS and early S.

 

[dirty harry]

Cts are very capable combines have had 2 and I’m running a s680 now which has been great aswell, probably 15-20% more output than cts, maybe a nice average in decent wheat of 45ton hr sometimes more? Cts was probably more like 35-40ton/hr? No problem in rape barley or beans but do go on the training courses jd do to get tips etc. Cheap to run service etc & ours has been v reliable, weak points on all jd is the header imo, we demoed a new one with the new 730x header which looks v strong now. Looking at various replacements at mo but think we going to keep it for now as it’s been good as gold.

 

[snipe]

I don’t think any wts will be on top of cutting 300ha, but you have not told us what country you are in , length of harvest window and crop type. How much did you want to spend.

 

[SteveO]

Harvest is long enough, basicaly I have most times 1 more DF combine but I would like to have one JD as main combine in the yard.
WTS is normal combine with straw walkers, does WTS really have those designer flaws ? Like sieves too flat etc ?

I dont ask for the size, I will decide that, I just want to know what series to avoid and what to look after. I just want ti learn which series are good and which ones are better to avoid, not that I need help with deciding which one I should buy for my needs. I will buy S, CTS, WTS, I dont care but I want to buy the model which showed no problems.

 

[Al R]

X9 1100 then

 

[Al R]

I don’t think any wts will be on top of cutting 300ha, but you have not told us what country you are in , length of harvest window and crop type. How much did you want to spend.

Croatia

 

[SteveO]

I am asking generally about JD combines people, if I have 50-60-70k in my hands what should I buy and not buy and what model is good without big problems. Thats it.
I was thinking WTS, then I read its sieves are too flat so that is design flaw, I am scratching that. What about WTS with "i" and newer year, are those better ?
Then CTS you say it is good, should I look then year 2001 or year 2005 has xy improvements over older ones etc.

 

[Al R]

Sorry I thought it did a double thumbs..
Personally I’d go for the newest CTS9780/i (Plastic panels) you could find, there’s some seriously nice ones in the UK in the 55-65k mark with 625R headers with far superior running gear and motors where as a first series CTS (99-01) (Metal panels) was the first they made of them and have the older 925 headers, there must be a good reason why their half the money of a 9780. I drove 1 in OSR and it handled it very well. The 9780’s also came with the hill master option if You needed it. 9780 will do 500-1500acre in the UK depending on variety of crops so a very capable machine that will just keep going.

STS’s might’ve had a hard life with the first owners as they were throughput Machines aimed at big acreages before the S690’s came out they were the range toppers, they never had the best reputation for losses but at the time when they came out they were good machines and I can never remember them going on stop with the people I know who had them.

WTS I have no knowledge of or ever seen 1 working so can’t comment on that sorry.

 

[SteveO]

Thanks for the infos. So you all drive mostly rotors ? Early S560 and S660 are also ok ? People here have only straw walker machines, maybe 1% rotors. But I would not run from them also of the only "problem" on them are broken straw.

My max header would be 7,50m so biggest machines I dont need. So mewer CTS you say. What about W650 or W660 if anyone know ? That should be succesor of WTS.

 

[snipe]

I am asking generally about JD combines people, if I have 50-60-70k in my hands what should I buy and not buy and what model is good without big problems. Thats it.
I was thinking WTS, then I read its sieves are too flat so that is design flaw, I am scratching that. What about WTS with "i" and newer year, are those better ?
Then CTS you say it is good, should I look then year 2001 or year 2005 has xy improvements over older ones etc.

Quite a few T 550/560 about under 70,000. A narrow T series will out perform a wide wts.

 

[SteveO]

And 550 vs 560 difference is year ? W has one drum and T is 3 drums ? T550 is 5 straw walkers and WTS is 6 and still T is better ?
What is the deal then with those WTS ?