Combine John Deere 9660 STS: specifications

Any technique should be chosen based on the budget and needs. If funds are not constrained, and the highest quality of work is needed, it is worth contacting the world's best manufacturers. It is they who have long-term traditions, scientific and technical base, as well as high-quality engineers. John Deere produces combines that are among the finest in the world.

Scope and features of the device

Long-term consistently high demand for John Deere combine harvesters, despite the high cost of these agricultural machines, is determined by their high reliability and productivity, economical consumption of diesel fuel and lubricants, high threshing quality and minimal grain losses during harvesting. The line of combine equipment of this manufacturer is regularly updated and expanded, due to the modernization of proven models and the introduction of advanced design solutions.

The main and main function of this combine is harvesting grain crops, with threshing and grain cleaning. Additional units allow you to expand the scope of the model. Their connection makes it possible to harvest sunflower, soybeans, corn and other agricultural crops.

John Deere 9660 STS is made according to the generally accepted modern layout: the cab is in the center, the bunker is behind the cab. However, it has some important features in its design. In particular, a successful threshing scheme in all respects was used, which does not create significant loads on the power unit and machine kinematics. Also among them is a feeder house with a high-performance floating conveyor for efficient harvesting of high-yielding crops. The reinforced drive ensures a stable supply of grain mass under significant loads and under severe operating conditions.

The specially extended feeder house improves visibility to the work area of ​​the header. Unlike other similar rotary agricultural machines, the 9660 STS also has an additional device that controls the header lock. There is a powerful reversal mechanism. In reverse operation, it rotates the reel in the opposite direction.

The high productivity of this model is also ensured by a high rate of automation and computerization of all systems, comfortable working conditions for the machine operator, excluding the occurrence of fatigue. The capacity of the fuel tank increased to 960 liters has a positive effect on the autonomy of the combine in remote fields, reduces downtime and costs. The performance of the high-speed screw conveyor also reduces the downtime required to unload the finished grain product from the bulk storage bin.

8500Forage harvester

ProStream pass path

ProStream Path
A key concept behind the 8000 Series Self Propelled Forage Harvester range was to position all of the path components to eliminate any obstruction and create a path where material kinetic friction is kept to a minimum.

The flow path starts at the pick-up pins or row indicator. Then follow the feed rollers. John Deere implemented a pattern that worked well on the 7000 Series.

The main feature of the front feed rolls is that the front top feed roll is extended forward approximately 60mm from the bottom roll, allowing crop to be picked up from the header and fed into the gap between the front rolls. This feature is key when installing corn headers without feed augers and ensures that the crop is fed evenly, resulting in a uniform length of cut (LOC).

Further along the mass flow path, in front of the chopping drum, the upper rear roller pre-compresses the supplied mass, moving to a radial arc, which ensures the highest possible cutting quality. The crop layer is optimally pressed down to the very last second before being fed to the knives.

From the moment the knife pockets start to unload, the compacted crop is fed to the front chute, which helps to smoothly transfer the crop to the grass tray.

The crop flow follows a constant curve between the chopping drum and the accelerator. The plant mass accelerator, throughput path and silo line form the material unloading unit. All components that contribute to the acceleration of crop mass are integrated along this curve, which creates a completely free channel for the passage of crop mass flow.

With a speed of 1800 rpm, the accelerator generates enough momentum to reliably deliver crop flow on the largest headers without wasting energy. Instead of being carried by the accelerator rotor, the crop flows over the accelerator chute before being transferred through the transfer chute directly to the base of the unloading arm and from there to the silo duct circuit.

Crop hits intermediate front pads directly under the silo line at a slight angle, minimizing component wear and loss of momentum. This curve, this curve from the flow path to the silo line, has been worked out with the utmost care so that the components of the path create minimal friction when the mass passes.

One of the main challenges was to ensure that there was enough room for the operator's legs in the cab while maintaining the overall compact dimensions of the machine.

As a result, the 8000 Series Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters provide highly efficient crop flow and maximum productivity in their respective power classes with reduced fuel consumption (liters of diesel fuel per tonne of crop harvested). Combined with Dura Line technology, the 8000 Series Self Propelled Forage Harvester requires minimal maintenance and minimal operating costs.

Plant material unloading on the 8000 series machine

plant mass accelerator

When moving to a trailer, the plant mass must be lifted to a height of more than 4 m in the section between the outlet of the accelerator and the end of the silo pipeline. It is necessary to overcome a certain friction that occurs when moving and passing through the adjustments of the silo duct, before the mass exits the silo duct. When working in corn fields, growers should take into account that crop mass can be airborne up to 15 to 20 m when loaded onto a trailer following behind.

The job of the crop accelerator is to generate the right amount of pulse power to ensure that crops are unloaded reliably under all circumstances. A precision engineered air intake in the accelerator body ensures optimal crop flow in the silo line when the grain processor interferes with the natural air flow from the chopping drum to the crop accelerator.

Movement of plant mass

Special high-quality wear plates are installed throughout the transfer chute, which can be easily checked and replaced from the service compartment of the machine through the feed accelerator window. The unique manufacturing process ensures that the wear plates are uniformly and precisely reinforced to effectively eliminate any individual wear in the transfer chute. The movement of the silo pipeline is carried out by a massive turning mechanism, which is driven by a high-strength pinion gear.

The 8000 Series Self Propelled Forage Harvester's slewing mechanism is equipped with a special cam safety clutch. This provides excellent protection for the silo duct in the event of a collision with an obstacle. However, uncontrolled rotation and collision of the silo line with the cab is not possible under any circumstances. The rotation sensor of the silo line accurately tracks its position even in the event of a protective clutch, and mechanical rotation stops provide additional protection for the system.

Setting up the header and following the ground

Header Installation

The 8000 Series uses a side-slope frame to attach front attachments. The design of the front plate and the modified mounting arrangement of John Deere headers are due to various factors, including the following.

• The need to increase the degree of opening of the rollers and the diameter of the front roller due to the increase in the productivity of new machines.
• The desire to integrate a cross tilt device into the combine, since the machine's oversized feed rollers would limit the angle of the header, blocking the material supply window.
• The possibility of passive adaptation to the surface relief is provided by a set of springs that return the frame to a neutral position; Optionally, there is the possibility of active adaptation by means of a hydraulic cylinder that positions the header based on signals received from the advanced header control sensors on the respective header.

This change eliminates the use of various cross tilt devices on the headers. An additional benefit is the self-centering feature when attaching the cones to the frame (required to engage the automatic header drive shaft clutch). Header center lock is a standard feature that comes with the hydraulic quick coupler.

Silo line with components of various lengths

silo pipeline

The silo duct on the 8000 Series combines features a modular design. On the base module, the wear pads are a structural part of the component. This module is characterized by the presence of a box-shaped design, closed with a wear-resistant lining. Too late detection of lining wear does not lead to damage to the structure of the silo line, and after replacement it will function like new.

The pad of the base module is segmented, which allows you to eliminate wear in its individual parts. In the standard configuration, all four pads of the base module are made of Hardox steel; however, for heavy duty use, a Dura Line version for the first and second sections can be ordered.

If the HarvestLab 3000 kit is ordered, the second section is equipped with a near infrared (NIR) sensor. In this case, the wear pad is always supplied in the Dura Line version and is equipped with quick-change clamps to simplify maintenance of the HarvestLab 3000 transducer.

Installation of the HarvestLab 3000 sensor is greatly simplified: the sensor is installed in a special bracket that is attached to the body of the silo duct. Because of this, the NIR sensor is centered on the silo duct once, and when performing maintenance, the entire assembly is first removed from the unloading arm, then simply attached back, without the need to re-adjust the position of the sensor.

High arc silo duct with accessible extension

A range of silage center sections is available in various lengths to accommodate the header width of the SPFH. In order to maintain weight characteristics and mass distribution, the silo line extensions are made of aluminum alloy with a thin steel lining inside. The silo flap module is bolted to the center section.

The model, in its standard factory configuration, is designed for picking up grass with a pick-up or for harvesting corn using 6-meter headers.

On request, the harvester can be supplied with center silage line segments of different lengths for use with headers with a width of 7.5 or 9 m.

Hardox is a trademark of SSAB Technology AB.

Harvesting

Stock feed rollers

mechanical spring

Both series of self-propelled forage harvesters use four feed rollers to feed the crop. The upper rollers are spring-loaded with four springs. Their tension can be set manually. All four drums are driven by a variable speed transmission. They have synchronous speed in order to ensure smooth and uninterrupted supply of crop from the cutter bar.

feed rollers

The front feed rollers responsible for feeding the crop from the header have been modified to increase the ability to adapt to a wide variety of working conditions.

The front top feed roller is now equipped with a replaceable and reversible tooth bar. Combs in the form of triangular teeth are part of the roller segments. Behind the slats are cone-shaped composite pads attached to the roller. These wear pads are also triangular-toothed on one side and smooth on the other, allowing the drum to be perfectly adapted to different harvesting conditions, from dry conditions to wet and sticky alfalfa.

The front lower feed roll is similar in design, however replaceable toothed bars with identical serrations are optional. Inside the front bottom feed roller is a rectangular tube that supports the metal detector coils and houses the optional stone detection sensor to provide complete machine and crop protection.

IVLOC

Infinitely variable cutting length IVLOC

The entire feeder assembly is driven by the main transmission of the feedrolls, which is located on the right side of the combine, on the gearbox housing of the drive of the lower rolls. The drive is carried out from the hydrostatic motor. Stationary lower rolls are directly driven by a gearbox. The upper moving rollers are driven by a cardan shaft from the gearbox of the lower rollers. This arrangement is designed to create wider crop channels in a narrower machine body equipped with some of the largest tires in the industry.

Protecting the machine from foreign objects

Sensors

A - stone detector sensor

B - metal detector sensor

This multi-section sensor coil electromagnetic metal detection system is standard on all John Deere self-propelled forage harvesters. When triggered, indicators in the cab show the location of the metal object in the crop layer.

Optionally, this safety device can be supplemented with a stone detection function; in this case the sensor is mounted in a rectangular tube inside the front bottom feed roller. This sensor is linked to the second sensor on the right side of the front top feed roller; The sensors together detect the shocks to which the roller is subjected, as well as sudden movements of the feed roller. Both sensors are redundant, and as a result, the procedure for checking for the presence of solid foreign objects is greatly optimized, and the risk of false alarms of the stone detector is minimized.

When triggered, the metal detector and stone detector actuate the selective control valve (SCM) 1 on the self-propelled forage harvester to automatically raise the roller or net on the grass pick-up. Re-activation of the feed rollers lowers the rollers or the net to the working position.

Header controls and drive

The 8000 Series Self Propelled Forage Harvesters feed the crop to the chopper components.

Improvements include automatic header detection, variable and efficient hydrostatic header and feeder (pick-up pin) design, improved ground following, state-of-the-art machine protection technologies, and a new feedroll design.

Automatic Header Detection

The 8000 Series machines are equipped with a quick coupler to connect all hydraulic and electrical connections to the header. Shorting certain connectors in the quick coupler when connecting the header is a kind of code. This ensures that the header is clearly identified, allowing automatic access to the header settings stored on the appropriate controllers on the SPForage Harvester. And also calibrate the harvester only once at the first connection. This allows the operator to instantly restore all settings made during the last harvesting job. All calibrations required for proper header operation are automatically restored when the header is attached.

Hydrostatic header drive

Header driveline

Location of header drive clutch

On 8000 Series machines, the headers are driven by a hydrostatic mechanism. A hydrostatic pump on the main gearbox supplies power to a hydraulic motor located on the left side of the machine near the front axle. Further, the cardan shaft transmits torque to the header drive clutch.

Optional dual header drive distributes power to feed components: pins and auger. In this case, hydrostatic work would drive the pick-up auger and secondary hydraulic work would additionally supply power to the pick-up reel tines.

Infinitely variable drive power makes it easy to synchronize drive speeds with the speed of the appropriate components on the combine. The operator can drive the entire header at a constant speed setting, or the header main drive can rotate at the desired gear ratio, synchronized with the speed of the combine's feedrolls.

Dual drive provides independent synchronization of the header feed auger with the feed rollers and the header pick-up fingers with the forward speed of the machine when harvesting.

Engine

John Deere 9660 STS harvesters are equipped with a four-stroke in-line liquid-cooled diesel engine of our own production. This powerful and high-torque six-cylinder engine is equipped with a turbocharger and a special Posi-Trok system, which is designed to reduce power losses during operation in a variety of conditions; prolong the life of the power unit. The working volume of the diesel is 8.1 liters; rated power is 234 kW (320 hp); rated speed - 2200 rpm.

Harvest part

The harvester is equipped with floating and rigid auger and canvas headers, swath pick-ups and corn adapters. A 9.15 m wide auger header is standard. The feeder house is equipped with a floating conveyor. Combine John Deere 9660 STS is equipped with a reinforced drive, which ensures the stability and uniformity of the crop, regardless of the degree of load.

The feeder house is equipped with six adjustments in the transverse and longitudinal directions, for optimal consideration of the characteristics of crops and surface topography. In addition, for John Deere 9660 STS combines, the angle of attack of the header is adjusted, which is necessary for harvesting lodged and undersized crops.

The harvester uses the Hedertrak relief copying system, with automatic selection of operating parameters, depending on the surface and soil quality. Information about the characteristics of the system and the current terrain are transmitted to the monitor in the cabin of the combine. The electric wires and hydraulic lines of the reaping part are arranged into a single bursting coupling. This greatly simplifies the process of mounting and dismounting the header, without the need for additional tools. There is a special device for controlling the lock of the reaping unit.

John Deere W Series Combine Harvester: W540, W550, W650 and W660

-Keyboard technology of the W threshing system -Various design of headers: auger, with a flexible cutter bar, conveyor with a working width of up to 11 m, corn rows -System for following the field relief -Possibility of unloading grain in any position of the unloading auger -Straw chopper with integrated chaff spreader -Finger "Power Separator" Separator - Automatic control and process control GreenStar Parallel Tracking and AutoTrac - a system of parallel and automatic driving Combine W-Series Combine Harvester Benefits: - 600R Series headers with a working width of 5.5 m to 9 m provide a quality cut and uniform feed grain mass into the feeder house -Auger with a diameter of 660 mm has fingers along the entire length for uniform feeding of a large amount of material -Segments of the cutterbar are mounted on bolts, and not on rivets, as in other manufacturers, which makes them easy to replace in the field in case of breakage -Stainless steel infeed table for uniform feeding and long service life -Field contour following system automatically maintains the set cutting height and makes the combine much easier to control, allowing the combiner to focus on monitoring operating parameters -2m long feeder house gives a good view of the header from the workplace of the combine and the supply of grain mass at a less acute angle, which, in turn, reduces the interruption of straw and the load on the cleaning system - Reverse feeder house with a power of 80 hp allows you to easily release the working bodies in case of clogging with plant mass - A threshing drum with a diameter of 660 mm and a width of 1670 mm and its dual-range drive enables high-quality threshing of both grain crops and corn or sunflower - The 6-key straw walker has an additional finger separator that allows you to avoid losses of threshed, but separated grain from the heap -Quadra-Flo cleaning system has a pre-cleaning system to ensure high-quality separation of grain from impurities and obtain clean grain in the bunker -The bunker is equipped with fully closing covers with electric drive and control from the operator's workplace and has a volume of 8000 liters , or 9000 l, or 11,000 l depending on the model. This makes it possible to optimize the logistics process and combine productivity - The use of a straw chopper causes an even distribution of the chopped non-grain part of the crop across the entire width of the mowed strip to create a mulching layer or subsequent incorporation into the soil, depending on the farming technology used

Threshing and separation mechanism

John Deere 9660 STS combines have a proprietary STS threshing system, which includes three sections. On the first of them, the distribution and movement of the mowed mass to the threshing system is carried out, on the second - it is threshed, on the third - grain is selected, which is still preserved in the straw. A three-stage rotor jacket, of an asymmetric type, was also used. Such a system ensures the release of the grain mass during the tedding process. This helps to avoid excessive grinding of straw and reduce diesel fuel consumption. The drum of this combine is five-blade.

Three types of concave are provided for the combine: bar concave (for harvesting corn and peas for grain, for soybeans), fine-mesh wire concave (for threshing cereals, sunflower, rapeseed, rye and rice) and coarse-mesh wire concave (for harvesting soybeans and corn).

Device and operating features

The undercarriage of the John Deere 9660 STS has a classic layout. Thanks to a well-thought-out design, the harvester, with a sufficiently large mass, is characterized by low specific ground pressure and compactness. The control of working devices and the stroke is carried out using hydraulics. The speed control is stepless.

The main working elements of the combine:

• harvest part. The machine is equipped with floating and rigid auger and draper headers, windrowers and corn adapters. Standard is an auger header with a width of 9150 mm. The feeder house is complemented by a floating conveyor. The John Deere 9660 CTC is equipped with a heavy-duty drive that ensures stable crop flow regardless of the degree of load. The feeder house has 6 adjustments in the transverse and longitudinal direction for optimal consideration of the characteristics of the crop and terrain. Again, for the John Deere 9660 STS model, the header attack angle can be adjusted, which is important when harvesting light and undersized crops. The harvester uses the Hedertrak relief copying mechanism with automatic selection of work parameters depending on the soil. The wires of the electrics and the hydraulic lines of the reaping part are located in a single breakable coupling, which facilitates the process of mounting / dismounting the header (the operator does not need an additional tool for this). The model again has a specialized device for controlling the lock of the reaping unit;
• threshing and separation mechanism. The John Deere 9660 STS has a proprietary STS threshing system that includes 3 sections. On the first one, the distribution and movement of the mowed mass to the threshing system is carried out, on the second - the threshing itself, on the third - the selection of grain preserved in the straw. For all STS modifications, a 3-stage asymmetric rotor jacket is used, which ensures the release of the grain mass during the tedding process. Due to this, it is possible to avoid excessive grinding of the straw and reduce fuel consumption. The drum has 5 blades. 3 types of concave are available for the model: bar concave (harvesting corn and peas for grain, soybeans), fine-mesh wire concave (harvesting cereals, corn, sunflower, rapeseed, rye and rice) and coarse wire concave (harvesting soybeans and corn);
• cleaning system. The cleaning mechanism consists of fine and coarse screens, a pre-cleaner, a rotary fan and transport augers. High quality cleaning is ensured by a powerful fan that supplies a uniform air flow to the entire area. After preliminary cleaning, no more than 60% of the chaff remains, which unloads the sieves. The John Deere 9660 STS model has a servomotor that allows you to control the gaps of the sieves from the operator's cab;
• capacious grain hopper with a double-leaf lid that prevents moisture from entering. The control panel in the cabin allows the operator to open the lid. The emptying of the bunker is carried out regardless of the position of the unloading auger;
• straw chopper for laying straw in swaths or spreading over the field. The use of regular or fixed blades allows for coarse grinding, while the use of serrated blades for fine grinding.

The John Deere 9660 model is equipped with an operator's cabin with automatic temperature control inside. Panoramic glazing of a large area allows the operator to observe the process of work and movement. In the cabin there are 4 separate screens with control buttons mounted on a vertical rack on the right side. The operator's seat has several adjustments and allows you to choose the optimal position. The machine is easy to operate and does not require specialized training.

Cleaning system

The cleaning mechanism includes fine and coarse screens, pre-cleaner, rotary fan and transport augers. High cleaning quality is achieved, in particular, by a powerful rotary fan, which supplies a uniform air flow to the entire area. After preliminary cleaning, no more than sixty percent of the chaff remains, and this unloads the main sieves. Powerful conveyor augers transfer the grain mass to the sieve pan. The John Deere 9660 STS combine has a servomotor that allows you to control the sieve gaps from the operator's cab.

Cabin overview

Outside the cab, eight full-sized light elements are installed, as well as a pair of overall orange flashing beacons that allow you to control the dimensions of the vehicle. The cab has two seats, fabric upholstery with decent vibration isolation to reduce the noise level in the cab during operation. The main technical information is displayed on the electronic instrument panel, as well as several additional monitors: the navigation system, auxiliary systems control post, etc.

Bunker and straw chopper

Finished grain products are collected in a bunker with a volume of 8800 liters, from where they are cyclically removed by an auger loader. The unloading speed is 77.5 liters per second. The unloading mechanism is presented in several dimensional options; grain is fed to a height of up to 4.4 meters.

The capacious grain bunker is equipped with a bifold cover which reliably protects grain from moisture. The cover can be opened from the control panel in the operator's cab. The hopper can be emptied regardless of the position of the unloading auger. A serious power reserve of the diesel engine allows you to combine the direct working process of harvesting with the parallel unloading of the grain product into the body of the vehicle.

The straw chopper is used for laying straw in windrows or for spreading it over the surface of the field. Several rotation speed ranges allow you to choose the optimal operating mode. The use of conventional or fixed knives provides coarse grinding, while the use of serrated knives is intended for fine grinding. The 9660 STS can lay the straw in a thin layer in a 10 meter strip or form it into compact swaths.

Operating parameters

The crop is fed by a 1.397 m wide conveyor at a speed of 520 rpm. Threshing is carried out using a ball rotor with a diameter of 750 mm and a length of 3.13 m, which operates in the speed range from 210 to 1000 rpm.

Separation of grain from straw is carried out in a rotary separator with an area of ​​1.5 m2, cleaning from chaff and impurities is carried out by a dense air flow, which is supplied by a fan with an operating speed of 500-1200 per second. The total cleaning area is within 4.6 m2.

Combine cab

The John Deere 9660 STS harvester is equipped with a cabin with an automatic temperature control function in the cabin. Panoramic glazing of a large area (5.2 square meters) makes it easier for the machine operator to monitor the process of work and movement. The operator's seat has several adjustments that allow you to choose the most optimal position. In the cabin, on a vertical rack on the right side of the driver's seat, there are four separate screens with control buttons. In general, this harvester is extremely easy to operate and does not require serious special training for operation.

Specifications in numbers

• Overall dimensions of the combine (without header) - length 8.98 m x width 3.77 m x height 3.94 m.
• Weight - 13.523 tons (without attachments).
• Header width - from 4.3 to 9.15 meters.
• Rotor diameter - 750 mm.
• Rotor length - 3.13 m.
• Low rotor speed - 210 rpm.
• High rotor speed - 1000 rpm.
• The area of ​​the concave area is 1.1 m2.
• The total cleaning area is 4.6 m2.
• Cleaning fan low speed - 500 rpm.
• High speed cleaning fan - 1200 rpm.
• The area of ​​the separation zone is 1.5 m2.
• The area of ​​the unloading grate is 0.36 m2.
• Conveyor width - 1.397 m.
• Conveyor length - 1.727 m.
• Conveyor speed - 520 rpm.
• Grain tank capacity - 8800 liters.
• The capacity of the loader is 77.5 liters per second.
• The length of the unloading screw conveyor is 6.5 meters.
• Ejection / unloading height - 4.4 meters.
• The transport speed of the combine is up to 31 km/h, its working speed is 10 km/h.
• Fuel tank capacity - 960 liters of diesel fuel.

Technical characteristics of the John Deere 7350 combine

• Max. engine power for cleaning, kW (hp) 352 (479)
• Rated engine power, kW (hp) 330 (449)
• Specific fuel consumption, g/kWh 206
• Fuel tank capacity standard / option, l 700/1100
• Feeder: number of rollers 4
• width, mm 660

Owner reviews and service features

Among the advantages of the John Deere 9660 STS harvesters are the reliability and durability of all the main units and components; unification of many spare parts and components with other combines manufactured by the company - wherever possible; ease of management and automation of most of the work operations, with control of key parameters directly from the cab; consistently high quality factory assembly; excellent fuel economy.

The combine has few drawbacks. The most important of them is, of course, its high price, and, accordingly, the high cost of spare parts, consumables and service maintenance. The instruction manual supplied with the equipment is not very informative. It does not contain any effective recommendations for self-maintenance of the combine, elimination of emerging failures and malfunctions. It is assumed that the owner does not have to repair and maintain anything at all, but for every reason he must contact the service department of an authorized dealer.

The intervals for regular maintenance of the combine are displayed on the monitor of the on-board computer. When the next service interval comes, the corresponding information appears on the display. The modular design of such components as the rotor feeder, straw chopper and fan provides easy access to the required components and assemblies. All harvester belts and chains are conveniently located, and service lamps highlight the required items, allowing you to perform maintenance even in low light conditions.

All this is in reserve for saving working time - both reducing the volume and reducing the complexity of service and maintenance work, and free access to adjusting units, and increasing the interval between shift maintenance to fifty hours.

With its serious dead weight, almost fourteen tons, and compact dimensions, the John Deere 9660 STS combine does not overcompact the soil and retains its natural properties. This grain harvesting equipment fully meets the urgent needs of modern large agricultural companies; progressive agrotechnical and agronomic technologies.

All owners note the invariably excellent quality of the John Deere 9660 STS harvester factory assembly, the interchangeability of consumable components, wide functionality, the successful arrangement of all working units and assemblies, low specific consumption of diesel fuel by the engine, including those operated under high loads. All this is easily confirmed by the very type of combines of this model, which, even after multi-season operation, continue to be in excellent technical condition.

According to the specific experience of the owners, the John Deere 9660 STS combine with an operating time of more than six thousand engine hours is not inferior to the new models in terms of performance and reliability. At the same time, even in conditions of a complex microrelief, the directional stability of the equipment remains at the proper level, so satellite driving systems, etc. computer assistants with this harvester are not particularly required. Even a far from new machine is rebuilt literally on the go, at a fairly high speed it mows and threshes sunflowers of various sizes, with virtually no loss.

Modifications and features

John Deere 9660 STS introduces the STS series (9000 line) which includes the following models:

• John Deere 9560 STS;
• John Deere 9660 STS;
• John Deere 9760 STS;
• John Deere 9860 STS;
• John Deere 9880 STS.

Features of John Deere 9660 STS:

• an extensive range of settings for the reaping part with the ability to select a given angle of attack;
• extended drive;
• modernized 3-loop threshing scheme STS;
• enlarged feeder;
• 100-strong reel reverse;
• highest reliability. With proper maintenance, the harvester can last a very long time;
• reduction of labor intensity and volume of work associated with routine maintenance. Intervals between shift maintenance have been increased to 50 hours, access to adjustment nodes has become more convenient.

The John Deere 9660 STS is an almost benchmark combine harvester. However, it also has disadvantages. The main disadvantage of technology is a significant cost. Few Russian consumers can afford this model. Other disadvantages include:

• poor information content of the instruction manual and the lack of reference materials in the public domain;
• high cost of service, consumables and spare parts.

The cost of harvesters John Deere 9660 STS

The production of combines of this model is currently discontinued, it was replaced by even more modern and advanced John Deere equipment. There are relatively few used combines of this model on the market. For equipment manufactured in 2003-2004, they ask about 4,500,000 - 5,300,000 rubles, for combines manufactured in 2006-2007 - in the region of 7,000,000 - 7,800,000 rubles.

It is clear that the wide distribution of this grain harvesting equipment is hindered by its high price range. It often happens that the John Deere 9660 STS combine offered for sale was already initially purchased second-hand - imported from Germany. These powerful and productive machines are aimed at large farms, for use in large-scale production of grain crops, like their counterparts - rotary harvesters of European brands Case and New Holland.