Dealers and farmers invited to Hesston, Kan., recently got their first look at the all new S9 Series Gleaner combine, and they got an eye-full, from a new cab, to a new monitor system providing enhanced control for operators. And the machine series has gotten harvesting upgrades too.

There are three models in the new S9 line – the S96, S97 and S98, to meet the needs of growers seeking class 6, 7 and 8 machines.

On the inside

The new Vision Cab is completely redesigned to enhance operator comfort and simplify the control system even while adding new, more sophisticated technology. And it brings good news to anyone who has been frustrated trying to squirm around into a position where they could see the  edges of the header or the position of the unloading auger -- a 22% larger, deep-curved front windshield and 66 square feet of total glass area.

The cab is also 15% larger than previous models. The instructor seat has a fold down back that doubles as storage space for a laptop as well as providing one of seven cup holders in the cab. There's even an option to have a mini-fridge under the seat. For buyers who don't want a mini-fridge the seat still lifts to provide storage space.

Additional operator comfort items include a sturdy ladder that has an adjustable option for bringing the bottom step closer the ground. The ladder is also at a 15-degree slant as opposed to the 5-degree pitch of previous ladders.

"It's less steep and more stable," says Caleb Schleder, tactical marketing manager at Agco.

During unloading, the ladder has a power swivel that moves in front of the wheel, enabling the operator to have a clear view of the position of the unloading auger.

It’s all about Tyton, and the new display in the Vision Cab is versatile, offering four-screen views for key activities during harvest. Buyers can outfit the machine with the FieldStar Live or AgLeader Live yield mapping system integrated through the Tyton terminal.

The control console has been completely redesigned. It is located to the right of the operator seat. A multi-function hydro handle has an ergonomic design that controls travel direction, speed and offers easy access to buttons to engage the processor, header and parking brake. The throttle level is just under the operator's thumb for easy power adjustment.

Buttons that adjust rotor speed, gear selection and bin extension operation are on the right edge of the console in easy reach.

"The cool thing about the S9 cab is that all the engineers that worked on it are farm kids," Schleder said. "They have family farms that operate Gleaner combines. I grew up on a farm and we run Gleaner combines. They know first-hand what farmers want in a cab and they've designed it."

A new view – Tyton

While the operation of the S9 series has been made easier, the technology has become more complex.

The new Tyton terminal has a single screen divided into four quadrants that allow monitoring and control of multiple combine function. It is mounted on an accessory bar off the operator seat armrest and can be moved to the position that the operator finds easiest to use.

Buyers of the new S9 Series Gleaner have a choice of mapping systems. They can choose a factory-installed FieldStar Live or AgLeader Live yield mapping system integrated through the Tyton terminal. Both systems integrate data from yield and moisture sensors, global positioning and the Tyton terminal to provide live mapping.

For guidance, the S9 Series offers an optional Auto-Guide system with a NovAtel satellite receiver that comes from the factory set up for WAAS. Controls are integrated through the Tyton terminal , so there is no need for a separate screen in the cab.

Ready for residue

Gleaner has added refinements to its trademark "natural flow" feeding to improve feeding capacity in tough crop conditions, such as heavy canola swaths and green-stem soybeans.

Lowering the feeding house floor and raising the feeder house runners and torque tube allowed engineers to provide more clearance under the feed shaft. This reduces stress on the shaft at the same time it allows good control of the crop mat.

In addition, a proportional valve has been added to the header lift hydraulic system, allowing the operator to adjust how fast the header moves up and down from the Tyton terminal.

The S9 Series is also "fly by wire" with all new electronics and hydraulic systems that eliminate all cables and linkage for the hydrostatic propel system. That enables the S9 Series to automatically program speed and torque sets to provide speed and power as needed, whether climbing a hill or moving through a muddy spot.

The S9 Series will be available from dealers for the 2016 harvest season.

Dynaflex draper gets upgrades

As the new S9 series was rolling out, Agco also launched the new 9255 Dynaflex draper header, designed specifically for the Gleaner combine. A range of new features on the 9255 include a Hesston-designed and built reel assembly and flywheel sickle drive, aimed at improving feeding even in the heaviest crop mat and heavily tangled conditions, including green stem soybeans and canola windrows.

The 9255 has truss support on the 35 and 40-foot models to minimize reel deflection and increase durability. The tine pitch is adjustable through a unique S cam track design that allows the operator the easily adjust the performance of the reel. It also features a single mounting hole for the height cylinders, elimination any mounting confusion.

The flywheel sickle drive on the 9255 utilizes a gearbox with a flywheel rather than a gearbox with swinging counterbalance weight found in the traditional wobble box. The new design adds strength to the drive system, improving reliability.

The flywheel design allows improvements in the end skid design that reduces damage and loss in uncut standing crop as the header passes by.

The end skids have a new thicker design to reduce wear and increase service life. The angle and radius of the end skid allow it to ride flatter on the ground while larger hydraulic lines improve float suspension and even out ground pressure on the skid shoe.

The skid shoe is also a single height, eliminating the confusion caused by a low and high skid option on previous models.

The cutter bar angle on the 9255 has been titled back 5 degrees over previous models to maintain the the ideal cutter bar to ground angle as the header is pitched forward during operation.

The sickle remains floater in relation to the ground as a result and reduces the need for wedge kits as well as the likelihood of running into the ground.

The 9255 has a new set of standard crop dividers which helps keep heavily tangled crops from wrapping around the reel and allows the operator to easily see the leading edge of the header.

Designers built flexibility into the new Hesston-built 9255s, which adapt to either the transverse Gleaner or other Agco axial combines utilizing field installed kits.

The feeder opening is wide enough for the axial feeder house by design with adjustable guide blocks, filler plates and proper drive shafts for conversion between combine types.

The design flexibility means dealers and customers can order which ever header configuration they want and still have the ability to accommodate the other kind of combine when needed.

The 9255 also has a number of durability and reliability enhancements to reduce down time and service requirements.

There is increased range for draper belt tension adjustments reducing the need for splicing as belts stretch.

Tilt arm cylinders have new, high quality seals tested in multiple difficult environments.

Draper drive roller bearings have been updated to increase bearing life. The bearings can be retrofit onto previous 9250s.

- Griekspoor is editor of Kansas Farmer, part of the Penton Agriculture family