John Deere launched its most powerful tractor ever at the Commodity Classic event in Houston at the end of February. The company unveiled three new models in its 9RX four-track tractor series, powered by JD18X engines that have been tuned to offer maximum outputs of 781hp (9RX 710), 847hp (9RX 770) and 913hp (9RX 830).
All three models meet Stage V emissions regulations without the need for AdBlue and provide torque levels of 3,622Nm, 3,928Nm and 4,234Nm respectively. Power is put to the ground through a new, fully mechanical e21 powershift transmission, with Efficiency Manager in place to automatically utilise power and torque from the engine. The 21 gears are closely spaced to enable operators to finetune the forward speed to the task at hand.
A completely new undercarriage has been designed to transfer the increased power, with the larger 1,200mm diameter drive sprockets ensuring 7.5-lug engagement with a wrapping angle of 110 degrees.
While everything might be – significantly – bigger on these tractors, John Deere has packaged them into a vehicle that is less than 3m wide, making it suitable for European customers. Despite the larger design and the maximum ballasting weight of 38,100kg, the company further states that the minimum ground pressure is just 0.58kg/cm2, making it comparable with the existing 9RX models.
To handle the most power-hungry implements, John Deere has integrated a more powerful hydraulic pump, with two optional upgrades depending on operator requirements. The base system provides 212 litres per minute, with a double-pump option offering 424 litres and a triple pump for a possible output of 626 litres.
The comfort zone
A new CommandView 4 Plus cabin has been fitted to the new models, providing increased floor space, comfort and visibility. It’s mounted on a new suspension system, which works with the isolated sub-frame to reduce noise and vibration.
Despite the massive size of these machines, John Deere also claims a certain level of manoeuvrability. The ActiveCommand Steering system adjusts the effort required to turn lock-to-lock based on the forward speed. In the field, lock-to-lock should only be 3.5 turns of the steering wheel, increasing to five turns on the road, with a maximum possible forward speed of 40kph.
There’s also the full suite of John Deere precision farming systems available, operated through the 12.8-inch, high definition G5Plus CommandCenter. Systems include variable rate and section control, as well as the company’s 1-Click-Go-AutoSetup. Standard features include JDLink connectivity and DataSync, accessible through the Operations Center.
When it comes to maintenance, daily checks can be done from the ground or on the new catwalk that surrounds the cabin. Hydraulic oil service intervals have also been extended to 4,000 hours. And if you’re worried about spending all day filling the fuel tank, John Deere states that the 1,952-litre tank can be filled in less than four minutes thanks to the Fast Fuel System.
High efficiency harvesting
Alongside the new 9RX tractors, John Deere also introduced the new S7 combine harvester. The four-model range is powered by the latest JDX engines, with a nine-litre JD9X mounted in the smallest S7 700 for 467hp, and 13.6-litre JD14X power units fitted into the S7 800, S7 850 and S7 900 for 547hp, 579hp and 625hp respectively. The larger engines feature HarvestMotion, achieving maximum power at just 2,000rpm.
Various automated functions have been integrated into the crop channels – notably Harvest Settings Automation. This system handles automatic adjustments of internal settings based on grain losses, foreign material ingress and broken grain limits. Also new to the range is the Predictive Ground Speed Automation, which senses the crop through biomass maps and live camera feedback. Crop height and downed crops are monitored, and the combine automatically adjusts the forward speed to maintain throughput.
Once the crop has been harvested, the unloading auger is fitted with an adjustable spout for easy operation from the cabin. Unloading rates across the range are said to 150 litres per second, with total capacities starting at 10,600 litres on the smallest model and increasing to 14,100 litres across the rest of the range. The residue management system has been brought down from the X9 range.
Also brought down from the flagship harvesting series is the cabin, which features the G5Plus CommandCenter, giving access to various smart farming systems such AutoTrac, AutoTrac Turn Automation, Documentation, and DataSync. A new corner display has been added to provide a clearer overview of the full operation, and there is an integrated StarFire receiver for 2.5cm pass-to-pass accuracy.
John Deere also announced a series of updates to the X9 series for the 2025 model year, with automated harvesting functions and grain sensing technology being offered across the flagship range.
5M gets new transmission options
Heading across the Atlantic to the company’s Mannheim factory and John Deere also announced a new 5M tractor series, with new gearbox options and integrated AutoTrac functionality. A new flagship 5M 130 has been added to the range as well, taking the maximum output up to 135hp.
The PowrQuad PLUS and Powr8 transmissions will be available, said to offer continuous pulling power and smooth gear shifts within the selected range. Both are offered with a joystick-mounted declutch button, enabling gear changes to be done without depressing the clutch pedal. With the introduction of EcoShift, the 5M will automatically reduce the engine rpm, maintaining the power output while also reducing fuel consumption.
AutoTrac has been integrated into the dashboard and can be upgraded at anytime to a G5 Universal Display at any time. Like the corner post display offered on the larger 6M, this can help improve accuracy on straight-line tasks.
Designed to work in confined yards as well as in the field, the 5M has a turning radius of just 4.1m and features a low hood and large roof window for improved visibility when working with a loader. The tractor is also offered with predictive analysis Expert Alerts, which will enable operators to proactively deal with maintenance needs.
For more information go to www.deere.co.uk