Understanding Active Hydraulic Opener Down-Pressure System

NOTE: Active hydraulic down-pressure system requires tractor be equipped with closed center or pressure/flow compensated hydraulics.

If tractor has open-center hydraulics, see your John Deere dealer for installation of an Open-Center Hydraulic Kit with Change Valve.

When adjusting active hydraulic down-pressure, it is important to keep the following in mind:

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Active hydraulic system keeps the opener gauge wheels in contact with the soil surface to follow ground contours over uneven terrain. Mechanical setting at the gauge wheels (A) determines seed depth, not hydraulic pressure.

The amount of down-pressure needed to keep gauge wheels in contact with surface depends upon soil hardness, moisture and residue cover.

Too little down-pressure causes insufficient spring compression and inconsistent opener penetration resulting in uneven seed depth.

Do not use more down-pressure than necessary for openers to penetrate soil and to maintain firm contact between gauge wheels and surface.

Too much or too little down-pressure will effectively change opener arm operating angle, causing front (leading) or rear (trailing) of gauge wheel to contact surface, resulting in inaccurate and/or uneven seed placement.

Rear (transport) wheels lifting off the ground is an indication of excessive down-pressure and/or insufficient ballast.

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IMPORTANT: Too much down-pressure can lift the rear of the drill, resulting in uneven opener penetration and variations in seeding depth. Never use so much down-pressure that the rear transport wheels lift off seed bed as this causes over-rotation of the openers (beyond normal operating angle) which changes the relationship of disk openers, seed boots and gauge wheels to the ground which adversely affects seed placement.

In addition, excessive down-pressure increases wear on components.

Use only as much down-pressure as necessary to achieve consistent operating depth.

GREEN ZONE pressures are normally used when drilling in conventionally tilled fields with loosened soil. In some clean-till conditions, it may be necessary to operate with 0 psi showing on gauge to prevent openers from bulldozing. Do not operate a non-ballasted drill above the high limit of the green zone (A).

ORANGE ZONE pressures between (A) and (B) are used in min-till to no-till fields when additional ballast is needed to keep gauge wheels in contact with the surface. Operating a non-ballasted drill in this pressure range may result in inaccurate seed placement.

RED ZONE pressures, above high limit of orange zone (B), are not used. As the seed box empties there is not enough weight available, even if cast ballast has been added.

A-Green Zone
B-Orange Zone

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