John Deere, 8R range enhanced
The John Deere tractor range becomes broader with the launch of the new 8R series (the official debut was last November in Hanover) thanks to which the US company has raised the bar of performance and comfort even further.
Low maintenance engines. There is no radical change in the propulsion system, which still relies on the 9-litre John Deere PowerTech™ PVS and PSS engines, albeit with significant innovations. The first concerns the repositioning of the auxiliary systems on the front side; this repositioning, together with the Visco radiator fan, has allowed the US team to reduce heat exposure and, consequently, wear and maintenance costs of the engine. Also worthy of note, the top of the range - the 8R 410 - underwent an increase in power, with 40 additional horsepower to benefit the more demanding processes.
e23 transmission with Efficiency Manager for the whole range. All 13 models of the 8R series (280, 310, 340, 370 and 410, the last four offered also in the RT and RX versions) are equipped with the innovative e23 transmission with Efficiency Manager, while the AutoPwr technology with continuous variation is provided on all tractors except the 8R 410. The 8R 280, 310 and 340 models are instead offered with PowerShif 16/5 (it is not offered in the RT and RX versions) and with the e23 Efficiency Manager technology. Another restyling involved the rear brakes, which are even more robust. As the manufacturer specifies with a technical note, this makes the use of front brakes superfluous, although it is still possible to mount them on all models in the range. By request, the 8R tractors can be supplied with the standard 1500 front axle for specialist applications.
Heated seat and Active Seat technology for the cabin. John Deere has also paid great attention to the redesign of the cabin, with many features that improve its comfort and ergonomics. The seat is new, heated and with active air circulation, which, in addition to the two-zone massage function, provides several other features adjustable electrically or pneumatically. The Active Seat II suspension, on the other hand, has been improved to further reduce vertical oscillations. The air conditioner has been repositioned under the cabin, increasing the headroom with less acoustic impact and with an almost doubled cooling and heating capacity. Furthermore - the manufacturer says - it is possible to include (on request) a wider entrance for the driver's seat and lower handles on the doors. There is also the option to equip the cabin with direction indicators with automatic disconnection.
Technologies for precision agriculture. The AutoTrac system (already the point of pride of John Deere tractors) and the StarFir 6000 receiver have been optimized with the wireless data transfer to the Operations Center, offered free of charge for five years. Field boundaries, guidance system lines and configuration data, as well as planning and documentation of crop operations, can be managed quickly and safely through this platform, while AutoSetup (soon also available in Europe) allows you to download to the tractor all the field data, the machine settings and the tools required to carry out the individual operations.
New 8RX, the John Deere catalogue has a four-wheel-drive and track tractor. Next to the two-track versions (the 8RT), the American team launches one with four tracks, developed to reduce soil compaction without affecting the machine's performance (the transport width is less than three metres for a speed of road travel of 40 kilometres per hour). Compared to the classic two-track design - says the American company - the 8RX offers even more stability on slopes and is valued for its performance on difficult terrain thanks to its self-cleaning capabilities. The tracks are available in widths from 41 to 76 cm and offer a total area of contact with the ground of over 4.5 m2.
