From 21 feet to 36 feet wide, new models deliver tough, consistent cutting power in a true vertical tillage system designed for effective residue management and seedbed preparation

Sunflower, the leading tillage line from AGCO, introduces seven new models to the 6631 Series vertical tillage system. The 6631 Series machines are true vertical tillage tools, delivering tough, consistent cutting power designed to help farmers efficiently manage heavy residue and prepare ideal seedbeds. The seven new models offer “true cutting widths” from 20 feet, 5 inches to 34 feet, 9 inches, and join the two previous models at 32 feet, 7 inches and 37 feet, 5 inches to fit almost any size farming operation.       

The 6631 Series combines Sunflower’s exclusive Saber Blade disc blades and effective, staggered offset disc gang design in machines that slice through heavy Bt corn residues with ease, cutting and sizing residue and efficiently penetrating the soil. The Saber Blades feature an innovative edge that is fluted the full cutting depth of the blade, designed to stay sharp and cut residue long after standard blades become dull. The 22-inch (558.8 mm), low-concavity blades are set at an 18-degree gang angle on 7.5-inch (191 mm) spacing to cut and mix residue with just the right amount of soil to help start the decomposition process. Each blade has 25 perfectly sized flutes and the serrated, “sawtooth” edge works soil like no standard blade can.

“The primary purpose of vertical tillage is to cut and size tough crop residue, then mix it into the very topmost soil to help the residue start to break down,” explains Larry Kuster, senior marketing specialist for tillage. “The blade design and gang angle of the Sunflower 6631 tools offer effective cutting and mixing action for residue breakdown, but also ‘tie’ residue to the soil and create a surface that resists wind and water erosion.”

Vertical tillage also is an excellent spring tillage practice, helping to open cold, damp soils to absorb sunlight and help soils dry for planting. To create an ideal seedbed, consistent performance across the entire width of the machine is essential; and the Sunflower 6631 is designed to provide just that, so producers get consistent emergence to optimize yields.

Strategic Design for Consistent Results            

The 6631 Series incorporates many of Sunflower’s proven design features to ensure consistent machine performance and long life. The new three-section models offer 22 degrees of wing flex, 10 up and 12 down, to hug uneven fields. In addition, frames ride on heavy-duty walking tandems that float over uneven field surfaces, maintaining consistent depth and tillage action front to rear. A heavy-duty “A-frame” tongue design offers two-position drawbar adjustment to match the tractor drawbar height for level operation and optimum fuel efficiency.

And by lengthening the 6631 Series frame, Sunflower engineers also enhanced the tools’ ability to cut through and size very heavy residue without plugging. In addition, by accurately balancing the frame, Sunflower engineers built a machine that can handle heavy attachments typical of vertical tillage. Three options in finishing reels are available to provide the final touch that breaks clods, disperses root wads and lightly compresses the soil surface to firm the seedbed and help conserve moisture. Choose from an 11-inch or 14-inch flat-bar reel as well as a 14-inch “chevron” reel. 

Tough, Low Maintenance, Easy to Use

“We also built this machine with strength and structural durability in mind — to be a machine our customers can rely on to get the job done efficiently for years to come,” says Kuster. “It features a heavy mainframe along with many maintenance-free components to ensure long life of the machine.” 

The tough, durable mainframe of 4- by 6- by 3/8-inch stringers front to rear has the strength expected from Sunflower and will meet the demands of tough tillage conditions. Low-maintenance features include ultra-high molecular-weight (UHMW) plastic bearings and bushings throughout the machine’s lift and fold systems to eliminate metal-to-metal contact and wear as well as the time and expense of grease and regular service.

The heavy-duty gauge wheels with parallel linkage control the leading disc gangs to ensure uniform depth. Gauge wheels also pivot on UHMW material, and the gauge wheel swivel-pivot design prevents bending due to side loads.

Operating depth is simple and easy with a front-mounted, single-point depth control that adjusts with the turn of a handle. A hydraulic leveling system makes front-to-rear leveling fast and easy from the tractor cab while on the go.  

For more information about Sunflower equipment, visit http://www.sunflowermfg.com.