New John Deere 8R Tractors, CommandPro Joystick, & N500C Air Seeder

Sloan Implement has been sending groups of employees from the sales and product support departments to John Deere’s annual Large Ag Integrated Solutions Training in Florida in order to better serve our customers. We covered everything from soil prep to harvest again this year. The top ride and drive portions included the new CommandPro Joystick, N500C Air Drill, and the 8RX four-track row crop tractor.

John Deere CommandPro Joystick

The CommandPro joystick is very similar to the joystick found in the current sprayer and combine cabs. It fits your hand really well and allows for a lot of functions right at your fingertips with programmable buttons. The CommandPro was first released in the 6R tractors, but it is now available in both the 7R and 8R tractors as well. John Deere has a simulator here if you would like to try it for yourself.

The new John Deere N500C CCS Air Drill was impressive in person. It will replace the 1990 air drills. John Deere made a ton of improvements to this drill that include: better cleanout (pro boxes fit below the tanks now), electric drive (same motor as ExactEmerge planters), 4 section, turn compensation, TruSet downforce from the display, relative flow blockage, easy calibrating and Industry Exclusive ActiveCal that will let you re-calibrate on the go after the initial seed calibration!

New John Deere N530C on the lot in Assumption, IL

New John Deere N530C on the lot in Assumption, IL

New John Deere N530C on the lot in Assumption, IL

New John Deere N530C on the lot in Assumption, IL

John Deere N500C CCS Air Seeder Cleanout into Pro Box

The new 8RX tractor was impressive. The visibility was great. It had a smooth ride with very little berming even when using the same path every day at this training. The 8RX will have up to 39% more ground contact vs an 8R wheeled tractor.

The new 2020 8R tractors will feature 2 times the light output, a new fan drive (chain drive), better steps on both sides of the cab, integrated Starfire 6000 receivers, a massaging seat, touchscreen radio, front and rear cameras, updated Active Seat or cab suspension, even more seat swivel and footpegs.

Visibility from the new John Deere 8RX Tractor

John Deere 8R250 Tractor

We also got a sneak peek look at one new Precision AG product and some other software updates that are coming soon. Stay tuned for more details on their official release!

Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com

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How to Winterize your Final Tier 4 Engines and DEF Tanks

In Memory of Austin Shellhause

by Lucas Veale, Assumption, IL

Canadian air has definitely arrived in central Illinois. With this cooler air, attention is needed for the storage and care of any DEF fluid. DEF fluid should be stored inside and at a temperature that will remain fairly constant, preferably above 40 degrees. If you have John Deere machines that will be stored in cold storage for the winter, make sure you allow the DEF pump to stop running before you turn off the battery switch. This allows the pump to evacuate the lines of any DEF fluid and bring it back into the tank. DEF freezes at 12 degrees. The tank has a coolant line running through it that will thaw the DEF out if the vehicle is needed to be operated during cold weather. There is no provision, however, to warm the DEF lines that feed the exhaust treatment system. This is why the pump needs to be allowed to run and evacuate the lines. It evacuates the lines automatically when you turn the key off. You can hear the pump running for about 45-60 seconds after the key is turned off and the pump will then shut off. It is safe to turn off the battery switch once the pump stops running. It is ok to leave the DEF in the vehicle tank in cold weather. There is no need to drain it. The coolant lines will thaw the DEF if needed. With some basic common sense care, DEF has a good shelf life and should cause few problems. Contamination by foreign material is the most common issue. Failure to keep the cap on the bulk and vehicle tank and failure to maintain clean handling equipment are the most common occurrences.

4 Tips For Winterizing:

DEF freezes at 12° F. If your DEF is located outside move it to a warm, dry location if possible.
If your shop or garage does not have room to accommodate your totes, invest in a DEF shelter or heated tote blanket to prevent your DEF from freezing.
When DEF freezes it will expand approximately 7%. To avoid tote and drum ruptures, leave room for expansion.

Sloan Implement offers many different options to store and handle DEF fluid. See your local Sloan parts department for pricing and options available or you can find out more online at sloans.com.

John Deere engines in large tractors and combines will burn from 3-8 gallons of DEF per fuel tank fill on average depending on the application and horsepower of the machine. The John Deere vehicles equipped with a Cummins engine will burn substantially more DEF due to different methods used to deal with the emissions from the engine.

Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com

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John Deere 4640 Gen 4 Display vs JD 2630 GS3

This month, John Deere introduced the new 4640 universal display. The 4640 display incorporates the easy-to-use layout of the 4600 Command Center and the portability of the GreenStar 2630. With the release of the new 4640 display, John Deere has moved to a subscription based activation system which is different from the previous approach of a one-time activation purchase. Now activations for the 4640 are offered in four different configurations shown below:

1-year Autotrac Subscription $850

5-year Autotrac Subscription $4000

1-year Premium Subscription $1700 (Autotrac, Swath Control, Documentation)

5-year Premium Subscription $8000 (Autotrac, Swath Control, Documentation)

The 5-year subscription option is only available at the point of purchase of the new 4640 display. If you choose to go with a one-year subscription, you will not have the option to purchase the five-year subscription down the road.

This price comparison graphic illustrates a customer’s cost of entry for a 4640 Universal Display and a 1-year subscription compared to a similarly activated GS3 2630 display.

The entry price for the 4640 is approximately 1/2 of the GS3 2630. Over the course of 5 years, a customer who purchased a 4640 display and a 5-year subscription will spend less money than the customer who purchased a GS3 2630 with activations. Also, in 5 years, there’s certain to be updated technology that will be better suited for the 4640 than the legacy 2630 display.

Why the change to subscription-based activations? Subscription-based precision ag offerings provide the following benefits:

Lower cost of entry to get started with display and subscriptions
Ability to try new applications for a year without having to commit to a permanent software license
Ability to match the cost of use with the revenue generated in the same fiscal year
Flexibility in selecting the level and duration of subscription that best fits the needs of the business without the expense of a one-time software license purchase

As previously mentioned, the 4640 display is portable, much like the GreenStar 3 2630 display. One of the things that the 4640 display is capable of over the 2630 display is that the 4640 can be used in conjunction with a Gen 4 extend monitor. This allows you to run the 4640 display with double the screen space.

Gen 4 extend monitor

The 4640 display also has enhanced data capturing abilities making section control and coverage maps more accurate. Setting on/off times is made much easier with the 4640 display. Simply select skip or overlap and enter the distance and speed. The new operating system on the 4640 functions like a smart phone with swipe and touch integration.

At this time the 4640 display has a few limitations, but John Deere will correct these with upcoming software updates that wwill make the 4640 display even more versatile. Some of the current limitations of the 4640 display are: RowSense in combines, Vision and RowSense in sprayers, Coverage map and A/B line sharing, and Machine sync. Also, the 4640 display is also not fully compatible with the John Deere Rate Controller 2000 at this time.

Here’s a video from Deere on the features of the new 4640 display.

by Conrad Meyer, Cuba City, WI

Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com

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Deactivate Implement Detection and ExactEmerge Planter Video

by Lucas Veale, Assumption, IL

Software update 15-1 (spring 2015) has finally given users the ability to shut off implement detection. Implement detection auto-populates the offset dimensions of the planter and tractor for the purpose of swath control and does so at each key cycle. The system is supposed to save any changes made by the operator. However, sometimes these dimensions are incorrect or different than those entered by the operator when auto-populated causing unexpected skips or overlaps in the field. Many times this is not recognized until the crop emerges and many acres have been done incorrectly. To disable this feature, go the Menu, Display, Diagnostics, Multiple Displays, Change Settings, and then uncheck the Auto Implement Detection checkbox and hit the save button. At this point, verify that the dimensions that are loaded in the display are correct for both the tractor and the planter. This should prevent the system for changing them and will eliminate the implement detection warning screen at start up.

The ExactEmerge high speed planters have been rolling for the past two weeks with great success. Here’s a video of one screaming across the field in excess of 10+ mph being pulled by a JD 8370R.

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ExactEmerge Autotrac Settings

by Lucas Veale, Assumption, IL

ExactEmerge planters, with their increased speed, create a new challenge for Autotrac, especially in soft or mellow soils. Make sure that you are using your MFWD and Differential lock. Secondly, if the tractor is getting off the line very far, go to the advanced settings and raise the steering response rate and the line tracking sensitivity. This will make the tractor more aggressive with staying on the set A/B line.

ExactEmerge Row Unit on Display in Assumption, IL

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2014 Harvest Photos October-November

S670

Harvest ’14 is pretty much a wrap in IL and WI. Here are some more pictures from the past month taken by Sloan Implement Product Support Specialists.

S680 with peak fall colors near Muscoda, WI

JD 608C with intermeshing knife rolls

Tractor and MoCo Demo to Biddick Farms

Knocking Down Oats with a 6170R and 946 MoCo

Harvesting behind the Cuba City, WI location

Trying to fit 1100 bu in a 700 bu cart

Rate Controller on a 9520

I think I’m full

Schweigert Family Farms harvesting future tortilla chips (food-grade white corn) near the Illinois/Wisconsin Border

Night Ripper 9650R with a 2720 11 Shank

Wiota, WI RTK tower

Joe and Philip setting up the Wiota, WI RTK Tower

S690 with a Virginia Sunrise

Equipment Ag Innovation Days, DeForest, WI

Ag Innovation Days. Seminar on Conservation Tillage

Quadtrac 600 pulling Case 875 vs 9510RT pulling 2730. Milledgeville, IL

John Deere 2730 next to Case 875

Dave Hach, Muscoda, WI harvesting with 9650 along the Wisconsin River Bluffs

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2014 Harvest Photos Sept 30-Oct 10

Here are some more pictures taken from Sept 30-Oct 10. It’s still early October with plenty of nice autumn days ahead. There should be several more photos posted in the next few weeks courtesy of our product support team in the fields with our customers.

Philip Loduha Starting Wurms Farns 9570 and 630F

Wurms 9570 and 630F in Soybeans

9570 Chopper in Action

Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow

Schuldt Farms Harvesting Soybeans

Floaters on a WI 9770

Eclipsed Harvest Moon over Ludwig Family Farms

S670 & 635FD Flex Draper Demo to Wills

Harvesting at K&J Farms

Climbing the Hills in WI

Big Yields on this Hillside

Cutting Beans under a Harvest Moon

Fence Post Through a Combine

Harvest Moon

Vance Farms Harvesting Green Beans near Havana, IL

Green Bean Harvest

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2014 Harvest Photos Sept 19-26

White corn from White County , IL

Harvest is rolling along in IL and WI and the excellent weather should keep it going for the foreseeable future. Here are some nice pictures from this past week taken by our Product Support Specialists.

Central IL sunrise

White corn from White County , IL

Corn Eclipse

Rock Falls, IL

New 8370R Tractor

Picking 25% corn in Northern, IL on Sept 22

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John Deere/Stine Seed Twin Row Planters & W235 Windrowers

by Bill Kletecka, Cuba City, WI

Wheat and oats are finally being combined around the Cuba City area. Yields have been good, and moisture seems to finally be dry. Straw quality has also been good, due mostly to our dry stretch that we are going through. Corn and bean crops both look good considering we haven’t had a significant rain event in three weeks. Some of the lighter soil fields are starting to fire up the stalk from a lack of moisture. This week shows a few chances of precipitation that hopefully makes it to us. Stine Seed Company and John Deere have announced that they will be working together to build a planter that is capable of planting ultra-narrow rows. The planters are DB60 72 row and also a DB40 48 row that is set up on 20” twin rows with 12” in-between pairs and 8” within the pair. The partners decided to the use the twin 20” method to utilize factory available equipment and get away from expensive customized planters and corn heads. Stine Seed Company is only requiring a small amount of seed to be purchased, along with a small upfront amount of money for the first year’s use of the planter. If the producer feels that the ultra-narrow rows are not worth the investment they can walk away from the program. If the producers opt to stay in the program for the second year they can purchase the planter for only a little more money. It is clear that Stine Seed Company is confident that their seed along with John Deere’s planter is the key to higher yields. With this arrangement, it is very exciting to be involved on the cutting edge of this technology.

JD DB Twin Row Planter

Along with a few of the other stores, Cuba City and Bloomington have been actively demonstrating the W235 windrower. Customers have been very impressed with the power and speed of the mower. The new W235 has 235 H.P. with up to 255 H.P. during the power bulge. It also has a huge 44% torque increase. Usually higher horsepower engines seem to be less fuel efficient, but this hasn’t been the case with the W235. During our demo’s we had two customers ask if the fuel gauge was broken! They couldn’t believe that it was cutting hay at a faster speed and using less fuel than their current windrower. Crop dry down has also been compared to the customer’s current windrowers, and for the most part the W235 with a 995 and Tri-lobe rolls seems to be very similar. Customers have also commented on finally having a true centered cab that is both quiet and spacious. In addition to the better cab, the W235 has integrated auto-trac that works great at a high rate of speed especially when utilizing the new Sloan Implement RTK network in Southwest Wisconsin.

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New 4600 Displays on the 8R Tractor

by Bill Kletecka, Cuba City, WI

This past week in Southwestern Wisconsin has been filled with rain almost on a daily occasion. Some spots have received almost 10” in a week, with very little of it being severe storms. Once the weather straightens out a lot of our dairy customers will be making second crop hay. Second cutting is looking very good with plenty of length and very little insect pressure to inhibit it.

One of the issues that we ran into this past week was on the new 4600 displays in a new 8R tractor. The customer was going to use the tractor and three point mounted sprayer for touching up around grass waterways, and wanted to set up home pages on his new display. The trouble he ran into was that he couldn’t find where his John Deere Rate Controller was listed.

In the new display currently they are listed under the ISOBUS VT tab.

Here you can select from your receiver, rate controller, planter, or whatever else you have on the system. This part is very similar to the “main menu” screen that shows all of the active ISOBUS implements that the tractor has running

Once you select in this case Planter it will show up in ¾ screen on the display. At this moment it is unable to have any of the ISO tasks placed on an actual home page.

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