Technician offers evaluations and recommends upgrades for drill components that wear down and impede performance
LANGHAM, Sask. — Getting a crop seeded as precisely as possible is, of course, the first step to bringing in a bumper crop. Today’s seed drills offer the ability to do that, but over time wear on critical components reduces their ability to place seed as precisely as they could when new.
John Deere drill specialist and technician Logan Wemyss from Australia is spending the summer working with Thunderstruck Ag Equipment in Winkler, Man., to share his expertise on how to keep the green brand’s drills working at peak efficiency.
He says he has found many growers are unaware of just how much excessive wear on key parts can significantly affect seeding performance.
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“There’s a lot of drills out there, and when they run right, they’re the best planter out there. The problem is once they leave the showroom, that’s it. People don’t know how to look after them. People don’t know how the moving parts wear down. And people are really struggling with calibration.
“That’s where I come into the scene, with 16 years of accumulated knowledge at Aricks. I’m here to teach guys about their (John Deere) drills, what to look out for, and how to ideally operate the drill.”
Aricks Australia is an engineering firm that specializes in creating aftermarket components designed to enhance the performance of 60, 90 and Pro Series Deere drills, and also maintaining them. Thunderstruck Ag Equipment is Aricks’ North American distributor for those upgraded parts.
Among them is an add-on residue manager wheel that runs ahead of the disc to clear away surface trash.
“The first big ticket item that improves performance significantly is a residue manager,” he says. “The job of a residue manager is to eliminate hair pinning, one of the most common problems (disc) drills face in adverse conditions.”
Other upgrade parts include a heavy-duty seed boot, cover plate and T handle as well as a hardened disc axle and pin and bushing sets, which eliminate the need for regular greasing on openers.
Wemyss says he’ll be offering free drill inspections to anyone in the Winkler area until September to share his expertise and suggestions on how to keep drills in peak condition.
“What I’m doing is giving an honest evaluation of the condition of your drill. I’m teaching you what to look out for and everything you need to know about that drill so you’re set up for success in the future.
“So far, we’ve had high engagement and people are loving it.”
