John Deere Adds Lightweight R4044 To Self-Propelled Applicator Family

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John Deere recently added the lightweight, 1,200-gallon (4,542-liter) R4044 to its family of 4-Series self-propelled applicators. (Photo courtesy of Deere & Company.)

With the introduction of its new R4044 lightweight application sprayer, John Deere says it is filling a need among producers and service providers for models that do more throughout the season, cover more acres daily, and complete more accurate applications, often under tough conditions. Available for order in June with delivery expected late this year, the R4044 joins John Deere’s 4-Series of self-propelled applicators and fills a niche for a “lighter-weight, high-tech, high-capacity machine that gets into the field sooner and keeps working longer.” Other models in the 4-Series include the R4023 (600 gallon; 2,300 liter), R4030 (800 gallon; 3,000 liter); R4038 (1,000 gallons; 3,800 liters), and R4045 (1,200 gallons; 4,500 liters).

Less Crop Damage

Doug Felter, John Deere product marketing manager for application equipment, says application windows are often so tight these days that “having a sprayer that can quickly handle the jobs with less crop damage or impact on the soil is a big advantage.”

To that end, the 1,200-gallon (4,542-liter) R4044 is 9% lighter than the R4045. The R4044 also offers a more balanced power-to-weight ratio, due to its 325-horsepower (242-kilowatt) 9.0L PowerTech engine, the company says. This enables operators to maintain speed under load when experiencing terrain changes and provides more accurate application, which means greater productivity.

Elsewhere, the R4044 comes with VF tires touted for their “superior traction and reduced soil impact,” and steel booms reaching up to 120 feet (37 meters) wide. Buyers also have the option of carbon fiber booms stretching 120 or 132 feet (40 meters) that further reduce the sprayer’s weight and bolster productivity. An optional 200-cubic-foot (5.66-cubic-meter) drybox for fertilizer applications is also available.

Cutting-Edge Spraying

The R4044 is equipped with a host of technological features, including the 4600 CommandCenter display, ExactApply, and AutoTrac Vision. The ExactApply nozzle control system is designed to improve sprayer performance by enabling a consistent droplet size and pattern spanning varying speeds while reducing potential for overlaps, skips, and drift. ExactApply also provides operators full-turn compensation and shut-off ability at the nozzle level every 15 to 20 inches (38.1 to 50.8 cm), which John Deere says can help cut input costs by 2 to 5%.

AutoTrac Vision works with the R4044’s AutoTrac RowSense guidance technology to “improve application accuracy and reduce crop damage and operator fatigue.” More specifically, AutoTrac Vision uses a front-mounted camera to help keep sprayer wheels in the center of crop rows early in the season, while AutoTrac Row Sense uses wheel-mounted paddle sensors to help steer the R4044 down row middles later in the growing season.

"The R4044 is one of the most accurate and productive sprayers in the 1,200-gallon capacity category and is perfect for customers making multiple field applications and want to minimize crop and soil impact," says Felter. "And with the CommandView III cab, it offers advantages in operator comfort, visibility, ride quality, and common control layout like our other 4-Series Sprayers."

Source: Deere & Company

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