A successful winter wheat harvest is dependent on a number of factors including conditions of the wheat, weather during the harvest, farmer efficiency and the availability of proper equipment. In this post, we will focus on the equipment ingredient within the successful winter wheat harvest mix, specifically, how harvesting winter wheat can be made easy with the John Deere S550 combine.
Let’s turn the spotlight to the S550, and take a look at three unique features that assist in the harvesting process:
r4d015214 S550 642x462 Harvesting Winter Wheat Made Easy with the John Deere S550
Push-Button Shift Transmission
This feature of the S550 is an upgrade from the manual-shift three-speed transmission. With the PBST, the traditional shift lever is replaced by three push-buttons that allow the operator to shift between gears with the simple press of a button. By eliminating the shift lever, additional cab space is provided and operation is simplified.
The PBST also offers 10% greater ground-drive torque at the front-drive wheels compared to the traditional three-speed mechanical shift transmission, which allows for increased power for harvesting in hills or muddy conditions.
TriStream Rotor
The John Deere S550’s unique TriStream rotor design features a coned front which allows for high volumes of crop material to be fed from the feed section to the threshing and separating area. The grooved threshing elements rotate around the rotor to control and move material through the threshing and separating area to achieve maximum combine capacity.
The TriStream rotor includes fifteen cast-constructed threshing elements to provide top of the line material handling while realizing superior grain quality. These elements spiral around the rotor to index and control the material.
Grain Tank
After the material has been handled by the TriStream rotor, it’s time to transport it into the grain tank. The S550 is equipped with a 250-bu (8,900-L) grain tank to meet the high demands of producers. This tank comes with two grain-tank-level sensors so the operator can determine when grain levels in the tank are at three-fourths and completely full capacity. Taking a grain sample is made easy as a hinged door panel makes for easy access to the grain trough which delivers grain right to the sampling area.