The K-Series 4WD Wheel Loaders feature three models that meet Environmental Protection Agency Final Tier 4 emissions standards. An engine update also allowed John Deere to offer enhancements to the 624K, 644K, and 724K for added durability, productivity, increased uptime and lower daily operating costs.
As the K-Series approached Final Tier 4 compliance, notes John Deere Construction & Forestry Utility Wheel Loader Product Marketing Manager Chris Cline, “Our goal was to integrate the engine with minimal machine impact and maintain the performance features our customers have come to expect. The engine update also allowed our engineers to implement several customer-inspired solutions, including axle improvements and several feature upgrades to better meet the needs of today’s wheel loader operator.”
The implementation of a John Deere PowerTech EPA Final Tier 4/EU Stage IV engine delivers impressive torque to help maintain good boom and bucket speed in and out of the pile for heaped loads, he adds, even in wet or hard-packed material. The new loader models weigh the same as their Interim Tier 4 predecessors with no increase in machine dimensions. In addition, there is no impact on visibility in the Interim Tier 4 to Final Tier 4 engine transition.
The K-Series boasts several axle improvements for increased durability in demanding conditions, including standard cooling and filtration, along with brake retractors and adjustors on the Teammate V axles. Standard axle cooling and filtration keeps axle oil and its components cooler in hard braking and significant load-and carry applications. For added protection, axle oil is filtered by continuously cleaning and removing wear particle and debris. Together, this system provides increased engine reliability, durability and longevity. Finally, brake reactors and automatic self-adjustors were added to the 624K, 644K and 724K models to eliminate brake drag and maintain a constant brake running clearance with better compliance and less heat.
The K-Series 4WD utility models feature a standard five-speed lockup torque converter transmission to improve productivity and fuel efficiency. The feature connects the entire drivetrain directly to the engine to provide full power during transport, ramp climbing and downhill conditions, eliminating wasted energy and excess fluid consumption by 5 to 8 percent.
Mindful that operator comfort is critical to productivity, John Deere added to the K-Series models such standard features as a Level 1 Sound Suppression Package and quiet cab with air conditioning. The former reduces engine noise, in turn decreasing operator fatigue and boosting productivity on jobsites in areas that have noise restrictions. A quiet cab provides ready to work climate control for comfort in all seasons, and also keeps windows clear of ice and humidity.
To eliminate downtime, the K-Series models are equipped with remote battery terminals for faster and easier jump-starting. The engine compartment can remain closed and locked to charge the batteries, which reduces the threat of vandalism. The machines also feature an optional right-side platform and steps for easy access to the right side of the machine. All John Deere wheel loaders come standard with WorkSight (note companion sidebar), billed as the most comprehensive, easy-to-use suite of technology available for increasing uptime and productivity. — www.JohnDeere.com
ULTIMATE UPTIME: TELEMATICS + REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS
The Ultimate Uptime support solution aims to improve customers’ profitability by maximizing productivity and uptime while lowering operating costs. Introduced at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2014 and featuring John Deere WorkSight, Ultimate Uptime is fully customizable through company dealers.
The new support solution responds to customers’ top priority for machines. “Downtime hinders productivity and reduces profitability. So we created Ultimate Uptime to keep their fleet[s] running and productivity high,” affirms John Deere Construction & Forestry Director, Customer & Product Support Mark Germain.
The Ultimate Uptime Base Package accompanying nearly all John Deere machines, includes pre-delivery set-up and follow-up inspections, along with three years of WorkSight’s uptime optimization benefits. The defining Ultimate Uptime component, WorkSight includes JDLink Ultimate telematics, which alerts customers and dealers of hours, location, geofencing, diagnostic trouble codes and maintenance tracking. Machine health prognostics analyzes data from JDLink, fluid analysis, and machine inspections, and then e-mails the dealer and customer with recommended solutions to avoid downtime.
Remote diagnostics and programming capability enables dealers to read and reset diagnostic trouble codes, record machine performance data, and update software without a technician visit. When service visits are required, technicians can often arrive with the right parts to make the repair.
Beyond the Base Package, dealers can tailor premium packages depending on the customer’s precise needs. Premium packages may include extended warranties, planned maintenance agreements, fluid sampling, loaner machines, on-site spare parts and other solutions. Additional Ultimate Uptime solutions can be financed with the machine or through revolving credit options. John Deere Financial has a full menu of customized business solutions to meet customers’ cash flow needs.