It didn’t take long after New Holland introduced farmers to the rotary combine concept, with its first TR model in the 1970s, for that threshing system to dominate the market in North America. While it may feel like the conventional straw walker combine has since faded into obscurity, it certainly hasn’t. Many brands are offering at least one model of that style.
For its part, John Deere has been building the T670 conventional straw walker model for those customers who want better-quality straw for baling — one area where the conventional combine generally outperforms the rotary.
This spring John Deere announced the T670 will soon be replaced by the updated T6 800, which improves on the T670 design and begins production this fall.
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“On June 1 we introduced the new T6 800 combine to North America,” says John Deere’s go-to-market manager for combines and front-end equipment, Bergen Nelson. “There’s definitely some opportunity and interest from customers that have a walker combine today and are after higher straw quality. There’s a lot of new features on the T6 800, replacing the T670.
“We brought a lot of features from the S7 and X9 combines over to the T6 800. Updating the cab, larger grain tank (now 383 bushels). The unloading auger speed has been updated to almost 4.3 bushels per second — the same unloading rate as S Series combines.”
The Class 7, T6 800 will use a 402 horsepower Gen 2, 9.0-litre Deere diesel powerplant like the rotary S7 600 and S7 700 models. It can be mated to a three-speed or Deere’s step-less ProDrive transmission.
RELATED: Check out the T6 800 specifications on AgDealer.com
Up front, operators will notice a big improvement with the cab.
“It’s the same cab that’s available on our S7 and X9 combines,” says Nelson. “That means it’s going to have additional cup holders, heat to the feet, G5 integrated command centre. It will have all the functionality all operators are accustomed to on the X9 combines, as well as integrated receiver, JD Link modem to stream their agronomic data to their John Deere Operations Center account.
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“So, overall more comfort, more visibility, more LED lights than they are accustomed to if they own a current T670. It’s a substantial upgrade as far as operator comfort.”
The other technology available on the T6 800 is comparable to its sister lines. It’s machine-sync compatible, which allows the combine and a tractor and grain cart to pair up during the unloading process — and it also has available ground speed automation.
“That system allows the machine to speed up and slow down automatically, based on operator input as well as machine input like rotor pressure and engine load,” Nelson says. “That’s new this year for the T Series.
“Terrain setting automation is a technology that automatically changes the fan speed, sieve and chaffer based on the roll and pitch by the GPS of the machine. So we’re seeing a pretty significant increase in clean grain capacity, keeping grain in the machine versus rolling out the back, depending on what size hill our customer would be operating on.
“Depending on how the machine is equipped, the customer can have the option of putting the HillMaster system on, which is a hydraulic system automatically levelling the combine up to 22 degrees. There is an update on this system, with a different valve that allows the system to operate smoother. The operators will have a smoother experience.”
The T6 800 can be mated to the brand’s 35-foot hinged flex draper header or a 40-foot rigid draper header with a flexible cutter bar.
With the greater demand from farmers in Europe for conventional combines, it’s no surprise the T6 800s will be built in Deere’s Zweibrucken, Germany combine plant rather than at their Harvester Works at East Moline, Illinois, where the rotaries are assembled — at least those bound for North American farms.
“We’re excited to bring out the walker machine, the T6 800 to the U.S. and Canadian market with a new cab, new technology, new styling, increased grain tank capacity and increased unloading rate,” says Nelson.
“This will be available around August (to order for the 2025 season).”
