[Sharp308]

The more I read about these machines, and now with the parts warehouse and new dealer being in Regina, Claas is actually becoming an option.

Is the fuel usage, capacity and losses really that much better than the other brands? If you believe all the stuff you read, it sounds to good to be true.

We're running one S-680 in Canola, Durum, Canary, Barley, but need two machines now. Which Claas should I be looking at to replace two Deeres?

To the guys that have switched to Claas from Case, Deere etc, what are the big downfalls (if any) that you've come across? Higher maintenance? More daily service? inferior AMS systems? Low resale?

We've always liked Deere, but wow, the fuel consumption is getting insane, and amount they throw over in some conditions is disappointing.

 

[SouthernSK]

Sharp you will want to look at a 760 or 780. The fuel consumption and low grain loss are its strength. How far are you from White City (Regina dealer)? Resale has never been great with a Lexion but current the resale on Deere combines is terrible or even worse. They are more complicated and we are still learning how to service and maintain our 590r and have had it for 4 seasons. The 760 is the replacement of a 590r.

 

[Willy Nilly]

In the UK Claas must sell near to the same as everyone else combined. Resale here looks like Claas are the strongest sellers, but they are very expensive new, so maybe that is reflected in the used price.

I did a couple of harvests in the US on Case 2188 and 2388's and liked those. We have had 5 6 walker Claas Lexions since I have been working on this farm from new and they all have been very good. It seems if there is going to be a problem it happens in the first year. The service we get (Claas have the dealers on a very tight leash) has been outstanding. We had a problem with the CAT fuel system on the last 550 and towed it into the yard at 2:30pm. I left for home at 5:30pm and by the time I got back to work at 7:30 the following morning the fitter was just changing the oil having replaced much of the fuel system. We were going again at the normal time that day.

 

[Don Boles]

Which Claas should I be looking at to replace two Deeres

I always cringe whenever someone speaks of replacing two of anything with one of anything, it's just not generally realistic.

If you compare loss levels and want to operate at a very low level perhaps but the real world doesn't work that way, the higher loss level combine simply gets run faster whether it's known or not, losses simply get put up with to a point.

 

[SouthernSK]

Good point Don. To replace 2 S680s you will need 2 760s.

 

[johndeere95]

I switched from a sts to a lexion 760, we've been a green family forever but the lexion is that much better than the deere. I wouldn't have believed it until we did side by side checks with pans, the lexion is a easy 70% bigger than our 9860 at the same loss levels, we generally averaged about 13 acres per hour with loss levels that we thought were to high and with the lex I averaged 18 acres per hour with low loss leveles over the whole season. The lexion is a learning curve but very easy to catch onto.

 

[phantom970]

2 narrow body 760's would suit what you want to do.

A Cat tech could soon tweak the motor a bit if you find you need some more HP.



Just for comparisons sake our narrow 760's are equal to our S690 in the paddock. But we never need HP in OZ, just sieve area.

 

[farmac]

can you get demos of machine in your area or hire contractor with 1, you want fuel ecom get a sisu motor.

 

[Sharp308]

Sorry, should have rephrased that. I didn't mean I wanted to replace two combines with one. I was just wondering if you could get away with two smaller lexions to do the same work two S680's will do. Maybe that's a bad idea..

 

[johndeereboy]

i would say that the 480r are better in little losses than an s690, john deere gets its higher class combines with its horsepower, but that does not mean it can handle more crop.

 

[Sharp308]

2 narrow body 760's would suit what you want to do.

Narrow body?

 

[4x4ord]

Those of you who are running Lexion 760's on the prairies, how many bushels of wheat, barley and canola can you take off in a season.........200,000/combine?

 

[lexion74]

No problem. As long as you are organized and have a descent crop.

 

[johndeere95]

Sorry, should have rephrased that. I didn't mean I wanted to replace two combines with one. I was just wondering if you could get away with two smaller lexions to do the same work two S680's will do. Maybe that's a bad idea..

Neighbour runs 680's he was at 13 acres per hour in canola beside me, in the 760 I was around 20, both very similar crops combining at the same time, anymore than that he said he was losing to much, I was around 3/4bu loss.

 

[Don Boles]

Neighbour runs 680's he was at 13 acres per hour in canola beside me, in the 760 I was around 20 I was around 3/4bu loss.

I hate to harp but did you have any manual rotor covers in?

 

[johndeere95]

Yep had one section of manual covers in.

 

[Don Boles]

Loss monitor fairly balanced between shoe and rotor?

 

[johndeere95]

I would have had it setup with the smooth slotted grates about 600 cyl likely 750 on the rotor and the cleaning on cemos auto, rotor covers closed, usually try to balance the rotor/sieve loss.

 

[scottyheps]

The more I read about these machines, and now with the parts warehouse and new dealer being in Regina, Claas is actually becoming an option.

I am beginning to think the same. We already run macdon heads and they are what I seem to be chasing after parts for most often in the mornings. We have 3 md parts sources in town. And honestly anything one off or random breaks usually the parts to fix it come from Deeres warehouse in Regina anyways and that has never held up our operation to any great extent.

My question is can anyone speculate as to what Claas' future expansion plans in south sask might be? Even a parts delivery van making some rounds during harvest would a huge selling point to me.

I think I'm going to request a demo for next harvest and see how willing they are to provide that to me, being im 90 miles from Regina.

 

[SouthernSK]

I doubt they will offer a parts delivery van. They will provide a stocked parts box that can be returned at the end of the season.