In 2016, John Deere introduced a host of new agricultural products, which ranged from new tractors to windrowers. One of the headlines of that product release was the announcement of the 8000 Series Self-Propelled Forage Harvester lineup, with models ranging from 375 to 832 hp. The most powerful of these models, the 8800, is worth taking a closer look at.
What is the John Deere 8800 Forage Harvester?
John Deere Forage Harvesters are specifically designed to help operators boost efficiency without compromising on the quality of their harvest. The John Deere 8800 Forage Harvester is specifically designed to provide season-long reliability and excellent cutting performance. Here are some of its key features and benefits:
Optimized Machine Layout
The unique machine layout of the 8800 Forage Harvester leads to a coordinated crop path which helps to avoid any sudden changes of flow direction in the channel. Automatic header detection activates any and all calibrations and pre-settings memorized on the machine’s controllers and a driveline that’s synchronized with the crop feeder leads to maximized harvest quality.
Additionally, this harvester’s driveline concept has been designed to make the most of flexibility in setting component speeds and synchronizing other machine functions. Extremely durable technology has been applied to all crop-flow elements to ensure the machine runs all season long and reduces service costs.
ProDrive™
When it comes to forage harvesting, the window of opportunity is already quite small in many parts of the world without the twists and turns that the weather can bring. As a result, forage harvesting equipment needs to be able to work under wet and soft soil conditions. With this in mind, John Deere has equipped the 8800 Forage Harvester with the ground-drive-propulsion ProDrive and some of the largest tires in the industry (42 in. diameter and 35.4 in. width). This pairing helps the machine achieve a 34 percent larger footprint than the 7000 Series.
Comfort and Serviceability
John Deere 8800 Forage Harvester operators will notice that the whole cooling package can be accessed through the service compartment located in the middle of the machine. As a result, all critical areas that need daily servicing can be easily reached when needed. No tools are needed for servicing the air filters and they can be reached when the operator is standing on the left side of the machine in the service room.
Dura-Drum™ Cutterhead
The Dura-Drum cutterhead design, paired with the various cutterhead configurations, allows 8800 Forage Harvester owners to set their harvesters to meet any demands they may face. The DuraDrum cutterhead also features reverse sharpening and other technologies to improve forage processing and overall nutrient quality.
ProStream Crop Flow
This key feature is in place to help position all crop-flow components in a manner that helps avoid any restrictions and place as little kinetic friction on particles as possible. The upper-front feedroll extends out about 2.4 inches over the crop in front of the lower set, grabbing the mat from the header and pulling it into the gap. On its path to the cutterhead, the radial-arc-feed roll setup places pressure on the crop for top-notch cut quality.
Final Thoughts
“Our goal was to deliver an efficient, high-performing self-propelled forage harvester that producers could rely on year-in and year-out,” said Tim Meister, division manager, marketing with John Deere the time of the release. “The new 8000 Series models do just that, and provide innovative technology to help producers run more efficiently in the field.”
If you have any questions about the John Deere 8800 Forage Harvester, you can contact your local John Deere dealer.
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