LINER Four-Rotor Center-Delivery Rakes

Three new four-rotor center-delivery rakes have joined the LINER family, adding more working widths and options.

LINER 4900 BUSINESS RAKE has a working width of 33’1” to 49’2” and a rotor diameter of 12’6”. Operators can easily adjust the swath width hydraulically with ISOBUS and can easily save time by storing several swath widths in the terminal. The transport lock engages automatically when the telescopic arms are folded for transport and then unlocks hydraulically when unfolding the arms.

LINER 4800 TREND RAKE has a working width of 30’6” to 44’7” with a rotor diameter of 11’6”

LINER 4700 TREND RAKE has a working width of 30’6” to 41’8” and a rotor diameter of 10’10”.

The LINER TREND models allow operators to adjust swath widths in transport without tools, using a spring-loaded lever and hold matrix. All four rotors are mechanically driven, increasing the raking force by up to 50% compared to hydraulic drives. Individual friction clutches on the rotors lower the risk of overload, while the reduced shaft speed protects the drivetrain.

Traveling from field to field is simplified by the telescopic arms on all new LINER rakes. The arms can retract and fold 90 degrees to the main frame and have a travel height of 13 feet. Operators can fold and unfold the arms in a matter of seconds without stepping down from the tractor.

LINER Two-Rotor Center-Delivery Rakes

Dual-rotor rakes offer excellent ground-contour following for clean raking and low ash contamination. The GRASS CARE rotor guidance system ensures the rotors are actively suspended during operation. The LINER 3100, 2900 and 2800 adjust working width and swath width hydraulically and synchronously using the telescopic arms. The LINER 2700 and 2600 models, on the other hand, are adjusted mechanically.

LINER TREND rakes are available in five different sizes. Like their predecessors, the latest generation LINER TREND dual-rotor rakes provide high forage quality, robustness, and productivity in a simple-to-use package. Straight drivelines ensure minimal maintenance is required while allowing PTO speed to be reduced to retain high value crop nutrients. No electrical connection is needed to power a terminal or operate the rake’s full capabilities with simple rope actuated transport locks and manual rotor lift-off control.

LINER 2900 BUSINESS comes equipped with standard individual rotor lift. The position of each rotor can be controlled separately by using the preselection function on the ergonomic CEMIS 10 control unit, and then actuating the tractor spool valve. ACTIVE FLOAT hydraulic rotor suspension is exclusively available for the LINER 2900 BUSINESS as well. It works similarly to the ACTIVE FLOAT on current DISCO CONTOUR mowers. ACTIVE FLOAT makes it easy to precisely adjust the ground pressure of the rotor to the forage quantity and ground conditions by adapting the suspension pressure. This ensures faster operating speeds and less ash contamination in the forage.

Rear DISCO 4400 CONTOUR Mower

The all-new rear mower was developed based on customer demand. With a total working width of 13’9”, the rear DISCO 4400 CONTOUR can be used alone or in combination with DISCO 4400 front mowers as an alternative to triple combinations. When used with the DISCO 3200 F model front mower, the total working width is 21’8”, and it increases to 23 feet with the DISCO 3600 F model.

The innovative 120° vector folding capability provides safe, vertical road transport with a height of less than 13 feet. The hydraulic break-back ram allows the mower to lean slightly backwards at a diagonal, reducing the transport height. This also reduces stress on the tractor’s front axle by shifting the center of gravity.

Learn more about the latest in LINER rakes and DISCO mowers and see your CLAAS dealer today.

All major manufacturers ran their combines side-by-side in the same field:

• Class 8 LEXION 8600TT with a 12-30c corn head
  
• Class 9 Fendt Ideal 9T from Agco with a 16 row corn head
  
• Class 11 John Deere X9 1100 with a 16 row corn head
  

Jeff Gray, CLAAS Region Product Supervisor, Central Region, demonstrated the CLAAS APS SYNFLOW HYBRID threshing and separation system during the challenge.

“We can achieve a high-level of efficiency and throughput without the added horsepower of a larger class size, due largely to the design of our combines,” Gray explains. “That starts by pre-separating the crop up front. We can actually separate up to 30% of the crop prior to the crop hitting the threshing cylinders.”

What Does That Mean in Real Numbers?

The LEXION saved nearly twice as much grain as the John Deere X9 1100, which adds up to $1,125 per 1,000 acres at a $5 cash corn price. The LEXION saved more than eight times compared to the Fendt Ideal 9T combine – $8,425 per 1,000 acres.

The Methodology

Representatives from each manufacturer set and operated their respective combines, each making three separate passes per day and windrowing all crop residue. Losses were calculated from the first two days of demos with the John Deere GoHarvest app using whole kernel counts only. CLAAS representatives checked a six-square-foot area at the midpoint of the field, collecting three separate passes per combine each day, and then averaging the results from each day. The manufacturers had the opportunity to assess the crop prior to the demonstrations, so the CLAAS LEXION 8800TT and corn header were set to account for the varied crop conditions. This reduced crop loss in the header while avoiding over threshing the wetter, spongier cobs.

LEXION Settings Provide Advantages

In comparison, the John Deere X9 maintained just under 0.5 bu/acre loss, however the amount of broken kernels found in the windrow showed the aggressive nature of the X9 threshing, leading to more damaged kernels than the CLAAS LEXION. In turn, the Fendt Ideal 9T losses were high in comparison. With a considerable amount of grain left on the ground behind the combine throughout the demonstration runs, the combine was unable to match the excellent grain handling of the CLAAS LEXION and suffered over eight times the total grain loss.

Gray attributes the impressive outcomes to the CLAAS APS SYNFLOW HYBRID system, which allowed Gray, the operator, to maintain a slower threshing speed to gently thresh the wetter corn without breaking cobs or grain. It also prevented overloading the cleaning shoe while increasing rotor speed for higher centrifugal force in the separation process to fully separate the corn from the cob.

To learn more about this side-by-side comparison, read our competitive comparison.

To watch Jeff Gray's in-cab interview with RFD TV at the Farm Progress Show demo, click here.

“Succession planning has been a priority of mine for quite some time,” explained Magnusson. “We’ve made significant progress in people and structure at our operations in the Americas. I think we have come up with a winning combination of talent to continue the growth for CLAAS in the region.”

Magnusson further explains that this is the right time to pass on the leadership to Eric Raby, who joined CLAAS of America in 2015. Raby will maintain his current responsibilities, and in addition will assume leadership of CLAAS sales companies in Brazil, Argentina, and importer markets throughout South America.

“There are certainly big shoes to fill in this new role,” stated Raby, “but Leif has equipped me and the entire team with the confidence and drive to continue the positive trajectory that has been established for CLAAS in North and South America under his watch.”

Raby’s extensive knowledge of agriculture and the needs of growers will help CLAAS continue to deliver leading industry innovation.

Christian Radons, member of the Group Executive Board for CLAAS KgaA said, “We would like to thank Leif for his many years of dedication, positive business results, and personal commitment. The Americas region has definitely contributed to the growth of CLAAS.”

Leif Magnusson has played an instrumental role in the company’s expansion, and CLAAS is grateful for his contributions.

• Making technology and the data it provides easy-to-use
  
• The importance of precision technology
• Supply chain disruptions
• The labor shortage and how CLAAS is helping in education

Hear the entire segment of the Noon Show with Max Armstrong right here.

A structured maintenance plan allows for more precise planning and execution of the required service and inspections for your machine. Machines that have been regularly maintained by trained CLAAS technicians with CLAAS ORIGINAL parts typically can achieve a higher resale value - and thanks to regular maintenance, they provide greater uptime.

The advantages at a glance:

• Improved reliability of your machine through regular professional maintenance
  
• CLAAS ORIGINAL spare parts and supplies
  
• Level your cost of maintenance, calculable, and transparently maintained in one easy way to access location
  
• Maximize the resale value of your CLAAS machine and transferability of coverage.