When your John Deere cotton picker parts are worn, broken, or missing, it’s important to find a reliable source for all of your aftermarket parts.
Choosing a reputable supplier not only allows you to get the right part but also allows you to get it quickly. It ensures that your equipment is back in the field as quickly as possible so that you don’t miss a beat.
Common John Deere Cotton Picker Parts to Replace
John Deere cotton pickers are designed to last a significant amount of time. They are built to last, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not going to encounter wear and tear issues as well as basic breakdowns.
The most common parts you’ll have to replace have to do with wear and tear. This includes such things as studs and bearings.
Here are a few other parts that are unique to cotton pickers that you’ll want to look at replacing periodically:
Spindles and bushings: The spindles are responsible for keeping the cotton moving – and as they come into contact with weeds and other things, they’ll wear down.
Doffers and moistener pads: These will fray over time, which is a sign that they need to be replaced in order to keep the picker working effectively.
Cam roller and track: To minimize vibration, your cam rollers will follow a cam track. When there are uneven surfaces and issues with tolerances, these parts will need to be replaced with greater frequency.
Picking unit cabinet: Moisture, abrasive weeds, and more can lead to the cabinet wearing down. In some instances, the cabinet may rust, or the sheet metal may bend. When this happens, it can lead to countless air suction problems until the cabinet is replaced.
Depending on the number of John Deere pickers that you operate and the issues that you come into contact with regularly, you may even find that it’s a good idea to have an inventory of some of the more commonly replaced parts. Buying aftermarket parts can be more affordable when you buy them in bulk – and it can help you to make the replacement immediately rather than waiting for a part to come in.
How to Keep Parts in Working Order for Longer
Although you can find the aftermarket parts that you need, the goal should always be to keep parts in the best possible condition for as long as possible.
The way to keep parts working is to focus on maintenance and cleaning. Set up a cleaning schedule for the cotton picker. John Deere offers various maintenance and cleaning guides so that you can be model-specific.
· Daily cleaning should include cleaning the baler, accumulator, screens, guides, and ducts
· Remove the cover and clean the hydraulic valves
· Check the guard rollers to ensure they have the freedom to move
· Check belts and rollers
· Clean the latch sensor area
· Replace parts at the first sign that they are showing wear
It’s a good idea to get operators to look over all parts of the cotton picker at the end of every shift. Make sure that they look for wear and tear and for parts that are not operating perfectly. Identifying issues early on can help to save you on repairs and improve overall productivity in the field.
Various routine maintenance should be performed, too. This includes everything from filling fluids to making adjustments on the spindles and the pressure plates.
Fires within cotton pickers are relatively common – and in 15 minutes, the machine can be unrecognizable. Be sure that you have fire suppression on the picker and that operators know what to look for so that fires never have the chance to start.
With routine cleaning and maintenance, you will have less to worry about, and parts will last longer.
Establishing the Parts You Need
Cotton pickers and harvesters have been on the market for a long time – and John Deere has been a trusted manufacturer. You may have a number of models on your farm – and knowing the parts you need is critical.
Finding John Deere cotton picker parts have to do with the year and model of your picker as well as the exact part. You don’t want to make insufficient substitutes because it can affect the overall functionality of your picker and even lead to bigger (and more expensive) problems.
You need the right aftermarket part – and you need to buy from a reputable company so that you know that you’re getting what you need.
Downloading the PDF for the individual assemblies can give you a better understanding of what you’re looking at. Once you’ve narrowed the repair down to a specific system, you can see a diagram of the parts. This allows you to get the name of the part that you need as well as the actual part number.
With the part number in hand, you can begin shopping more easily. In some instances, you may need one part or all of the parts for that assembly. Either way, you’ll be able to find it with a little help. Certipik even allows you to download the PDFs to help you with the shopping process.
What to Look for When Buying Aftermarket Parts
Not all aftermarket parts are the same. Some aren’t for a specific manufacturer. Some haven’t gone through quality control. It’s why you have to pay attention to where you buy your parts. You don’t want just any part – you want one that you can rely on.
Certi-Pik has a longstanding reputation for providing top-quality replacement parts for John Deere cotton pickers. We can help you find belts, parts for the water system, air system, picking unit cabinet, and an array of miscellaneous parts.