John Deere provides a number of picking units to help within the cotton industry. Cabinet parts are particularly important as they go through the most wear and tear. Knowing more about the parts can help you to find ones that will keep your machines running and provide optimal performance levels.
Parts are Precision-Designed
One of the reasons that John Deere units are so highly sought after is because of their precision manufacturing. For example, every row-unit of a cotton picker contains over 3,000 parts – and all have been carefully designed and manufactured to get a match fit.
Knowing how carefully the parts have been designed, you have to make sure you get only the best John Deere replacement parts. Otherwise, you jeopardize the performance and productivity of the cotton picker.
There are LOTS of Parts on a Picker
Finding the parts that you need for a John Deere picking unit cabinet can be overwhelming because of how many parts there are.
Solely within the cabinet, there may be in-line cabinet parts, pressure plates, stalk lifters, and more. And within each of those parts, there may be countless part numbers due to the right and left side parts, covers, grid bars, flanges, posts, and more.
Aftermarket Parts Can Be Used
It is possible to use aftermarket parts as opposed to OEM John Deere parts. However, you need to make sure that the parts are made with quality products, including plastic and sheet metal. The components should meet or exceed OEM specifications so that you don’t have to worry about the integrity of the picking unit.
You can find aftermarket parts that will help you to make repairs and even perform entire rebuilds of JD cotton picking units.
Plating Has Been Done to Extend the Life
Some parts will wear faster than others. Even if you have parts that are going to experience some wear, you want to make sure that they are lasting as long as possible. Otherwise, you will lose time (and thus, money) every time the picking unit needs to get new parts put into it.
The way that you can overcome some of the wear and tear is to explore how some parts are plated to add a longer life. Depending on the part and the part manufacturer, there are a few options – heat treatment, chrome-nickel plating, and more.
Even a porous alloy can be used so that there’s better grease penetration. And when there’s more grease, there’s less friction, helping to reduce wear and tear.
Consistency Leads to Efficiency
John Deere has a data matrix on its parts to ensure that there is both consistency and quality control on all of its parts.
You’ll want to make sure that every part you use has undergone some kind of inspection.
Whenever you have consistency, you’ll have better efficiency. Your parts will fit properly, leading to a highly functioning cotton picker. Otherwise, the parts won’t allow your unit to operate properly, creating more problems than you want to deal with.
Working Conditions Impact Parts Used
The parts that you use may be made from different materials and even be coated with various treatments to ensure they can last. By being honest about the working conditions, you can choose parts effectively.
Consider this – do you have normal annual usage or higher? Do you have normal picking conditions or harsh ones?
Take the time to explore your options and even discuss the durability of a part depending on the conditions it is exposed to.
Coatings Can be Environmentally Friendly
Some of the parts that you have within a cabinet unit will come into contact with the earth. As such, you want to make sure that the coating used on those parts is environmentally friendly.
Part of the hype about your farm or business may be that you are as eco-friendly as possible. Every coating should be not only known but also carefully chosen. If you’ve accidentally leached dangerous chemicals into the ground, it could be bad for business and for your reputation moving forward.
Tight Fits are Important
Parts are not always created equally. Some parts are manufactured with high tolerances, which means that they may fit looser than you desire.
Small tolerances are ideal because you get a tight fit. And a tight fit will also keep grease from leaking and help you to reduce friction. Depending on the part, a tighter fit will also help with the overall performance of the picking unit, which can boost productivity across your property, too.
Replacing Parts is Inevitable
Some parts of the picking unit cabinet will need to get replaced more frequently than others. The faster you accept this fact, the faster you can begin building your inventory of spare parts. Plates and picker bars are among some of the parts you will need to have in inventory.
By keeping parts on hand, you can take care of repairs and replacements quickly so that your equipment doesn’t sit on the sidelines while you wait for parts to arrive.
Assembly Guides Ensure You Get the Right Parts
Especially if you don’t have an owner’s manual, it can be hard to know if you have the right part. You may be able to pull the part off of your picking unit’s cabinet, but then what?
Assembly guides should be utilized to show you where the part is, what the number is, and what other parts you may need to replace around it. Use them whenever you can so that you can be confident that you’re ordering all of the parts that you need.
Finding Parts That You Can Rely On
It’s inevitable that you will need John Deere picking unit cabinet parts at some point. It’s all about finding parts that you can rely on – and finding a reputable source will help with your success.
Take the time to do your homework about the parts you need and how a reputable source can help you to save money and boost productivity. Once you find a good source for parts, you’ll find that your picking units will be more profitable, too.