2017 International Forest Industries Magazines June July 2017 | Page 75

“A starting point for the design
was specifically the machine’s
ability to handle soft terrain and
slopes. The machine’s own weight
in the rear brings stability, and the
bogie doesn’t find every crevice in
the terrain,” he adds.
The goal has clearly been
achieved, because, the test
engineer notes, the feedback
from the test customers has been
positive across the board.
Positioning totally renewed
At first glance, the new 8-wheeled
1170G looks like the little brother
to the 8-wheeled John Deere 1270G
harvester. In the smaller machine,
however, the entire rear chassis
has been renewed, the engine has
been positioned differently, and
much more. The most visible of
the renewals is the lower hood,
offering a significant improvement
in visibility to the rear.
“Now there’s better visibility
when going in reverse: you can
see where the machine’s tires are
going,” Harri Soini praises the
design.
According to Markku Annala,
the low contour is made possible
by rotating the engine 180 degrees
under the hood and by the totally
new positioning solutions. “The
engine was turned in the other
direction to make the cabin quieter.
That resulted in the lower hood
than in the previous model. The
new positioning also makes for
easier servicing of the machine.”
In practice, serviceability has
been improved by the repositioned
engine oil filling pipe, the improved
visibility of the fuel filters, and the
easier access to the repositioned
batteries. It takes only 1.5 hours
to adjust the valves in the 1170G,
compared to 4 hours with the
previous machine.
The machine also has increased
hydraulic power with the bigger
190 cc pump.
This article originally appeared in
IN THE FOREST, 2017 the official
publication of John Deere Forestry
International Forest Industries | JUNE / JULY 2017 69