Jada: A view of the S670 cockpit

Yesterday, we had less time for family time because we were hauling long distances and were split up. I operated a combine to help catch up and finally got to put in some hours on the machine. I am enjoying the S670. At first, we were nervous to upgrade but decided to go ahead and do it.

Jonny in the S670

Jonny driving the S670.

One thing that really excited me is there is no longer a joy stick for shifting gears for the combine. There are buttons you push on the console now. The thing our guys were most excited about is the fridge located under the buddy seat. Apparently, it cools very well. Soon they’ll be cooking in their combines. My husband was going to call John Deere to see if there was an option that included a microwave. Who knows!? Maybe they will have one soon! They also like the storage space and that they have more room to stretch out their legs. The extra space in the width isn’t as noticeable as in our 9410R series tractor- you can see the extra cab space is utilized for more buttons on the console to the side of the driver’s seat. This must have enabled John Deere to get rid of the side panels/ buttons/ vents to the side of the windows. The vents are now on the ceiling of the cab. This allows a panoramic view without anything blocking the operator’s view.

A view of the controls in the S670

A view from the cockpit of the new S670 John Deere.

You can tell the machine has more power as you can run the crop through more quickly. At first the ground speed made me feel like I wasn’t doing a good job but an inspection of my work made me realize the machine can really do a good job at a higher speed. The gearbox is different so you cannot go as fast as the 9770. When in 2nd gear, you can only go about 7.8 mph versus the 9 mph you used to be able to do. That can be annoying when you are moving from one area of the field to another without cutting and don’t want or need to switch to road gear. I am also not fond of the ladder as the steps are rounded which makes them feel steep and easy to trip on. Some of the buzzer noises have been reduced which is a major improvement. For instance, when you have your auger out you don’t have alarms going crazy because of it. It’s now just a slight buzz.

The thing that stands out the most about these new machines is the technology. Have you ever had computer troubles and had your computer guy log into your computer and fix it without actually sitting in front of it? Well, that’s the case for these machines. You don’t necessarily have to have someone come out and help you fix everything. Also, if there is a problem with the machine, a software upgrade is usually the issue. For instance, one of our air conditioners wasn’t working properly. To fix it, all we had to do was a software upgrade. This technology is crazy! While everything new has growing pains, overall, I must say the new machine is operating well for us and we are happy we made the decision to upgrade.

All Aboard Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta. Jada Bulgin can be reached at jada@allaboardharvest.com.

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