Rebuilding Your Harvester with John Deere Cotton Picker Parts
Any machinery rebuilding project will likely require purchasing new parts to replace older or broken parts. Such is the case with a failing or old cotton harvester. If you choose to rebuild your machine instead of scrapping or selling it, know that the whole process is made simpler when you have a reputable source for quality John Deere cotton picker parts. And, since ideally you want your harvester to work well for years to come, you’ll definitely want to purchase these specialty parts from a source you trust.
If you are planning to rebuild your cotton harvester with John Deere cotton picker parts, then the following information is for you!
Choose a trusted source
Chances are low that you’ll find cotton harvester replacement parts at your local home improvement store. This is a niche industry and you’ll need to seek out a source for in-stock and custom parts building. First, find a distributor that carries parts for your particular harvester model. This means getting familiar with your harvesting equipment’s specifications. Choose a source that offers the best harvester brands on the market, like John Deere, so you can go through your cotton harvest with the peace of mind that comes with being able to trust your parts and machines for years to come. Key parts you’ll need to keep in mind include:
- Row units: Cotton harvesters have a very noticeable part called row units. Row units are the claws that are fixed to and stick out of the front of the machine to collect cotton plants and funnel them through. Not immediately visible in each row unit—there are six to 10 row units on average—are the cotton spindle bushings and the spindles.
- Spindles and bushings: These two parts work together to get the job done. The bushings are rotating cylinders and the spindles stick out of these cylinders. When the harvester is in full operation, these parts grab the cotton plant that is put into the row unit and separate the cotton flower from the rest of the plant.
- Doffers: The harvester parts that take the fresh cotton flowers from the spindle are called doffers. Spinning more than three times faster than the spindles, the doffers quickly remove the cotton and remaining debris from the spindles. This allows the spindles to continue functioning without issue.
- Picker ribs: Located vertically in the row unit are the picker ribs. They are in place to separate the spindles as they spin fast during harvest. Picker ribs are vital for clearing away twigs, leaves and other plant matter from the spindles.
- Plant lifters: You’ll find plant lifters at the bottom of the row units—only about an inch off the ground—and they work hard to funnel cotton plants into the row units. They grab the plant and carefully feed it through the harvester.
Getting ready to start a cotton harvester rebuilding project? While this list covers just a few of the key harvester parts, you can find everything you need for at Certi-Pik, USA! Contact us today for a list of in-stock John Deere cotton picker parts.