DEUTZ-FAHR WITH CROPRANGER

Deutz-Fahr C9306 with BISO CropRanger VX750TLL header in rapeseed. Most of the headers delivered to Deutz-Fahr have hydraulic sideknives.  

CropRanger is a vario header with the latest design of steel frame.      

BISO CropRanger VX TrendLineLight (TLL)

The BISO CropRanger VX750 TrendLineLight (TLL) has been the “pulling horse” of the company for many years. It is very reliable, easy to maintain with a very good steel frame and lighter than the competition. Many of them have plastic floors (ROBALON) and have less angle adjustments with electric side knives. It is very popular among contractors thanks to the good ration between the price and the specifications. Usually, it is delivered with the BISO ProfiTrailer as in this case.

The CropRanger VX TrendLineLight (TLL) has a different vario system in comparison with the CropRanger HighLine. The vario table moves with the sidewalls (including dividers) and if you switch off the header drive, you can use all the header hydraulic functions.

After many years, the “best spec” requested by professional customers is the hardox floor with an angle adjustment. Officially, it is possible to order angle adjustments only with hydraulic side knives. The angle adjustment is also available as a kit for retrofitting the headers with electric side knives.

Deutz Fahr C7206 again with the BISO CropRanger VX750TLL. In the picture you can see the hardox floor. South Moravia in “Palava” area in the Czech Republic.     

With such a vario header you can do a perfect job in rapeseed. The vario table is in front, side knives on and reel is only very gently managing the material flow.  

Steel frame

CropRanger means the VARIO header with steel frame. Many people know the BISO headers as the VARIO header with a stainless auger and a plastic anti-wrap reel protection. After nearly 20 years, we can say that the steel frame on the CropRanger HighLine has been very good. No cracking, no fails. Very stable. We realised, that the limit of the steel frame is 8.5 to 9.0m. On bigger headers with steel frames the “bending” effect is bigger than is acceptable by professional customers. You will not recognise it after the first season, but later you will face bigger wear of bearing and cracking on the frame.

On the VX750, the steel frame does a very good job. Combines like C9306 have no problem lifting up the vario header and they have a strong enough hydraulic system to feed the reel hydraulic engine. The TrendLineLight (TLL) has the first significant changes on the header frame. On the HighLine, the vario table moved in the frame and sidewalls. The frame and the sidewalls were in one piece. This means, the dividers were in the same position all the time. It was easy to see it when the VARIO was moved back and the dividers were in the front. In the field, it was not as big of a problem as it looks at first sight.

After many years, we have very good responses from the customers to the steel frame´s lifetime with no cracks or troubles after 10.000ha. Above 7.5m, it is better to choose the hybrid frame.

On the “new” CropRanger of TrendLineLight (TLL), the sidewalls of the VARIO table move with it. So, the dividers move front and rear with the table. It is more natural. After many years in service, we can say that there is no difference between the frames from durability point of view.

Stainless auger

As an option, you can order a stainless auger (like it is on this unit). On the VX750TLL model, it is not so important to have the stainless version. The main advantage is the bigger strength and, of course, the lower friction and longer lifetime. On the TLL version, the safety clutch was integrated in the cardan shaft (on HighLine, there is a part of auger drive – a friction plate type). On this TLL model the solution from HighLine with friction plate integrated in the auger drive is already used.  The auger has the fingers in whole and a standard system of height adjustment in the sidewalls. You can do the setup of the fingers´ kinematics on the right-side wall. A specific for BISO is the use of an openable plastic bearing of the auger fingers. Based on that, it is very easy to exchange the finger in the field including the bearing if it is damaged. There is no need to remove the finger shaft. The auger has two rows of striping blades. In the central area of the auger, you can fit one pair of removable auger wings in case of dry season and a very small volume of harvested material (the material flow is managed more in the center).

The angle adjustment is a specific feature of Deutz-Fahr combines. They have it on feeder house. In this case the green headers from BISO for DF combines don’t need this feature integrated in the header frame.  

VARIO table

Vario is a typical feature for BISO headers. For many people, the CropRanger comes in hand with the vario table and this point of view is correct. BISO is handling the key patent for the VARIO design and thanks to this our headers have the vario table under a vertical frame. The table moves back under the rear frame and thanks to this, the movement can be bigger (look at the product page).  The maximum distance of the knife from the auger is 1050mm and the minimum is 350mm (VARIO fully retracted). Another important thing is that the hydraulic rams are fully covered and protected. On the first models we had 2 bolts on every side of the vario table, later we fitted 3 bolts to improve the reliability of this component. The VARIO system is simple, maintenance is free and after 20 years we can say that this is a technology which is requested as a standard from European customers. As was mentioned, there is a significant update on the VARIO table compared to older models in the HighLine line. On the new TrendLineLight, the header moves with the VARIO table, the front sidewalls with dividers and with the side knives of course. The hydraulic system is different. On the TLL you can move with the VARIO table when you need during the drive, just like on the HighLine, but you can also move with the VARIO in moments when the header drive is stopped (the system uses pressure oil from the combine). And this was not possible on the HighLine. It is an advantage for drivers who switch OFF the header drive at headlands or during repairs.

There is no position sensor on the VARIO table. The driver can generally see the internal sidewalls where the VARIO table actually is. In rapeseed, the VARIO is in the front (usually recommended to go front and a little back to minimise a tension in knife driveline) and the side knifes in vertical position. The dividers are removed and stored on the ProfiTrailer (console above the front axle). In the wheat or barley, in hard conditions with green weed and heavily changing conditions, many drivers systematically work with the VARIO table with a clear target: to achieve the fluent feeding of the combine with the harvested crop. The BISO CropRanger VX is a header which gives drivers the possibility of choice between more driving strategies when in hard conditions. If we simplify the information from many professional BISO drivers, we get two strategies in wheat and barley.

The first is to go back to the auger with the knife and based on the height of the stand, the driver adjusts the position of the knife. It’s very easy to do. The crop has to go fluently into the combine and the reel is only supporting the stalks in the moment of cut. We can say that it is a “conservative” approach, well known from the standard headers with the only advantage of possibility to adjust the position of the knife very precisely. For some drivers it is VERY important to go back with the knife and very near to the auger if the barley is very small during dry years. 

The second strategy is to move the VARIO table more to the front (80% in normal wheat) and let the stalks fall down on the stainless VARIO table with the “ears front”. It is perfect when the ears fall just in front of the auger. The material flow is very fluent, the driver has better overview of what is going into the feeder house and some drivers say the trashing is easier if the ears go first into the combine.

One thing is sure. The VARIO table is not only for rapeseed. The VARIO table with the auger technology gives drivers the flexibility during the harvest. The VARIO table is able to follow the high performance combines and feed them fluently. This is the way how to achieve the high quality of harvest and get money home.

The side knives are ready to use all the time. Not only in rapeseed. If some material is packed behind the divider, you can switch on the side knife for some seconds and the problem is solved.  

On the VX750TLL the drive is from the left side. The hydraulic valves and hydraulic pump for side knives are under the black cover. The side knives are fully integrated in the header frame.     

Typical picture of CropRanger in rapeseed. The BISO VARIO header gives you the possibility to harvest different crops under different conditions during one day in maximum harvest quality.

HARDOX floor

In 2012 and 2013 when the TLL was introduced on the market it was the “ROBALON time”. At this time, many competitors were saying that the CropRanger is heavy. After some more years, we now know that the CropRanger has no frame failures such as many other header brands do and after many reinforcements from their side, our header is not heavy in comparison. Plus, the combines are stronger and their feeder house has no problem working with three-plus-ton VARIO headers as in case of the VX750. And this is when the name “LIGHT” has been added to the TrendLineLight header name. With this “LIGHT”, the plastic ROBALON floor, plastic stars of the reel (not used on the unit in the picture) and other things were introduced. For the fields with no stones, you can use a plastic floor without problems. It is a high-quality plastic floor. You can survive the whole season without any damage of the plastic plates, but after one day in a heavy stone field with flat crops, you will suffer some damage for sure. And this is the reason, why our customers prefer expensive but top-quality solutions, one of them being the HARDOX floor plates. The bottom of the header has a completely flat and clean design. Some customers order the HARDOX KIT and they change the ROBALON plastic floor for this HARDOX (dark red colour).  Many BISO customers say the CropRanger with the HARDOX floor is perfect (they already know it from CropRanger HighLine).

Knife and knife drive

The drive line layout is standard. On the TrendLineLight, this means that the clutch is integrated in the auger drive, the auger is driven by a chain and the knife gearbox by a belt. BISO uses high quality components. The driver has to check the chain and the belt tensioner. And grease the chain, of course. The left sidewall of the header with the drive components is covered by two laminate covers, well known from the Highline. Thanks to the safety rules, the covers are locked by screws which, however, is not the best way for daily morning checks. It’s good to grease the chain every day and grease the knife head, where the grease nipple is (it is easy to reach it from outside). Knives have a standard BISO setup. The knife elements are screwed for easier element exchange in the field. The cast iron double fingers are two times heat treated and have very long lifetime. The crop lifters have a quick fit system and it’s very easy to fit them on the header (5-10 minutes). The knife wear is a never-ending story for discussion for combine drivers. Every season is different. If the new knife works in an area with sandy soil, after heavy rains and with small abrasive particles on the stalks, the wear of the knife is much higher. If the knife drive is overloaded, the knife head screw breaks. It’s easy to change it without any problem, including a night repair. A professional driver should have a knife head, more knife head screws, a knife lever with bushing and a belt in his combine. In the original BISO knife lever, you can exchange only the screw bushing. It’s important to check 6 bolts of the knife head gearbox (and the temperature). If the gearbox is overloaded, the bolts start to loosen. The reason is usually the crop (wet barley), a worn-out knife and in the most cases heavily worn-out double fingers (or something is wrong on the knife). The same issue is if the oil starts leaking from the gearbox. It’s good to think about the reason why and solve the problem in time. The spare knife is in the trailer (in ProfiTrailer, the new header is delivered with a spare knife).

It’s good to mention, that the angle adjustment is so perfect, that the drivers are able to harvest the flat crops very well. They even say “to shave clean” the flat crops area. This is true and BISO drivers know it well. Thanks to this, they don´t use the crop lifters too much. But don’t forget an important rule. If the knife goes very close to the ground, the wear is higher. It’s good to use the lifters (BISO lifters work quite well) and minimise the wear of the knife and double fingers.

Actually, BISO has a package called Schumacher kit in offer (fitted on this unit). This includes a Schumacher knife, double fingers and a special transition knife head from BISO. The knife gearbox is the same. Schumacher uses the same knife stroke as BISO. We have very good experience with the Schumacher kit from the 3D FLEX project. The first experience is, that the Schumacher kit is better for stone areas, because the steel and welded double fingers from Schumacher are more resistant against stones. It’s hard to say, but in standard conditions, we expect a longer lifetime from the BISO double fingers, but it is clear that they are more sensitive to cracking. For some customers, the Schumacher kit is more familiar thanks to the knowledge of it from previous times.

Most of the DF headers from BISO are equipped by Schumacher kit. This means with Schumacher knife and double fingers. Good option for regions with stones.

Reel

The reel is as we know it from the CropRanger HighLine. Only with small changes. The most important are the plastic “stars” segments on some units. This feature comes from the Ultralight model line as a new feature but after many years the drivers appreciate the standard steel components of the reel stars more. On the other side, the plastic anti-wrap protection received very good response from the field and these black bars on the reel are typical for the BISO headers. It works quite well (… and looks good). The hydraulic drive is integrated in the main reel tube from the right side and the hydraulic houses are “organised” by a plastic “energetic chain”. Again, a good feature. On the left side, you can have an electric adjustment of the reel fingers angle as an option. You can leave this out but it is a very good feature if you work with flat crops.

You can synchronise the speed of the reel with the speed of the combine. Not every driver uses this. But if you need it, the speed sensor specific for every brand of combines (number of teeth is different) is in the right side of the tube in the area of the reel hydraulic motor.

Hydraulic side knives (2HT)

In 2021 we have in production only the hydraulic side knives variant (2HT).

If you look at the older BISO pricelist, you realise that it was not possible to order the electric side knives (ET) with the angle adjustment. Every professional BISO header should have an angle adjustment. The customer who has tried it one time, orders this feature as a standard in the future. That was the reason why many of our VX TrendLineLight 2ET were updated by the factory kit on the version with the angle adjustment. For update, it is important that your frame already has the connecting points welded in the main frame (above the feeder house) for hydraulic rams (99% of TLL should have it). In such a case it is easy to upgrade the header.

What’s more? For all combine brands, their own hydraulic circuit is used for hydraulic side knives. No oil from the combine system as a reel drive. This means that we have the hydraulic pump with a solenoid valve and with a drive chain on the header (under the rear black cover on the left side). This chain must be greased and checked. This means that the hydraulic side knives only work if the drive of the header is ON.

It is typical for all the side knives that if you don´t use them for a week or longer, they get a little sticky and the first start is usually not so easy. There is bigger resistance. It’s good to spray them with oil to protect them against overloading the drive. The hydraulic system is much more resistant against such cases.

Actually, most of the customers order the angle adjustment with the hydraulic side knives just like on this unit.

The header has two copy shoes.  Before putting the header on the trailer it’s good to lock them in the upper position. Pictured is the Deutz-Fahr C9206 combine again with VX750TLL.     

On the VX750 (and VX850) all connection points are on the left side.         

The ProfiTrailer is actually a “standard” for the 7.5m category headers.              

The ProfiTrailer delivered with header has 4 supports as standard. It is an important feature for the header lifetime during the transport. In the main beam for the trailer is the spare knife and on the frame is the crop lifter holder.              

Why not VX850TLL?

CropRanger is the VARIO header from BISO. For many years it was the benchmark for this class. And the TrendLineLight is the last version of this long story which has started in 2001 with the HighLine. A typical feature for this model line is the steel frame with the VARIO table 700mm stepless movable cutterbar with a stainless-steel bed. Hydraulic, fully integrated side knives, angle adjustment, stainless steel auger, a reel with an integrated hydraulic drive and wrapping protection for reel fine tubes …. Usually delivered with the BISO ProfiTrailer. Actually, we have the models from VX450TLL up to VX850TLL in production. If you are not looking for the FLEX technology, the CropRanger VX TLL is still a very good choice for you. It doesn’t matter if you are a small farmer and you want to enjoy the comfort and harvest quality with the VARIO headers or you are a contractor who is only looking for performance and calculates every euro of running costs.

Don’t miss the VX850TLL. The performance of the combines is running up and more straw walker and hybrid combine owners are starting to prefer this bigger model to increase the performance and feed the combine correctly. It is sure, that some owners of Deutz-Fahr C9306 will choose this VX850TLL as the best variant for them.

Thanks to our colleagues from GARNEA NEPLACHOV Czech Republic for pictures and cooperation.  

In this picture you can see well the set-up of the header from rear. The copy shoes are in working position.              

More about the VX CropRanger TrendLineLight headers: http://navigator.biso.eu/en/en-biso/harvesting-technics/biso-vx-crop-ranger-trendline-light/

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