C451R
Variable Chamber Wrapping Baler
- High capacity, high performance 2 m wide feeding system
- Wide hydraulic drop-floor clears even the worst blockage with ease
- 3 powered fixed rolls and 2 large diameter belt driving rolls inside the chamber
- Even in hilly terrain, the transfer table system provides efficient bale transfer
Features
Versatile, productive, and durable premium pickup
Cam-track design offers the best versatility
Left, pickup with cam track; right, cam-less pickup Cam-track technology provides an efficient solution for such needs. The traditional stripper design provides reduced space between the pickup tines and rotor feeder, while the tine motion helps to avoids pinching.
The cam-less technology requires long strippers, creating a dead zone between the tines and rotor. Additionally, fixed tines can easily pinch crops in sticky conditions, causing plugs that need to be manually removed.
The cam-track pickup features a low turning speed and big bearings on both side of the tine bars. The cam lever is made of forged steel. All these features guarantee a long component life and low maintenance.
Premium pickup pushes harvesting capacity a step forward
Premium – five tine bars – pickup 
Tine bars made of tube and central spider reinforcement The C451R Wrapping Baler is designed for the most demanding operators. The pickup features only premium components and concepts such as:
- 2.2-m (7.2-ft) wide pickup, with a 1.92-m (6.3-ft) tine-to-tine distance - this important width provides comfort and speed capacity when harvesting the largest swaths.
- Five tine bars - the fifth bar allows the tines to rake two more times per second versus the John Deere standard four-tine pickup.
- O-shaped tubular tine bars with central spider reinforcement - tine bars are assembled with ball bearings on the central spider, and central spiders highly limit tine bars bending in the very heavy crops.
- 6mm (0.23-in.) diameter galvanized tines with high strength to harvest the toughest crops.
- Tines are designed to fold to replace potential shear bolt or cam clutch overload safety. 6-mm (0.23-in.) diameter tines push pickup maximum intake capacity up to 18 kW (24.1 hp), a value often not reached by machines using cam or shear bolt protected pickup.
- Stainless-steel strippers (exclusive feature) that give highly durable rust protection, perfect gliding capacity no matter the material, and is much more resistant to acid damage caused by additive uses (propionic acid).
High-capacity feeding system boosts productivity
Pickup design improves capacity and durability
Large-diameter stripper and five teeth bars provide high picking capacity 
Forged cam-track links improve reliability The C451R and C461R Balers use the premium pickup that is also equipped on high-spec V4X1R Variable Chamber Balers. To fit all conditions, the baler is available with a 2-m (6.56-ft) or 2.2-m (7.22-ft) width.
The pickup, driven by 19.05-mm (0.75-in.) heavy-duty chains, features five tubular tine bars with a low rotating speed. The large-diameter strippers allow five tine bars in the pickup. With bearings added to the cam track, all these features provide a smooth and quiet ride with extended uptime.
In addition to the high-spec features, the C451R and C461R benefit from stainless-steel strippers, a market exclusive. Stainless steel provides the following advantages:
- No rust
- Constant gliding capacity
- High resistance to aggressive additives such as propionic acids
The C451R and C461R Balers pickup uses the cam-track design, providing a better solution to harvesting wet crops. Contrary to the cam-less design, the cam track
- pickup: Features a short space between the tines and rotor, limiting dead zone
- Avoids pinching area, so no crops are plugged into the pickup drums
High-capacity (HC) rotor for higher productivity and durability
MaxiCut™ HC 25 Premium has a single axis for rotor and converging augers 
HC rotor limits plugs To maximize productivity in the toughest swaths, the F441R Baler features an HC Premium rotor design. Exclusive 48-cm (18.9-in.) converging augers are aligned with the rotor, limiting the free space between pickup teeth and rotor. Plugging risk is also decreased and crop transfer is highly improved. The simple HC Premium rotor design also reduces the number of moving parts and provides reliability. For example, stress on the rotor is distributed along the rotor to avoid overhang load on the bearings.
Additionally, all rotors feature tines that are made of Hardox® wear plate which drastically improves wear resistance, especially in rocky fields (Hardox wear plate tines provide 80 percent or more resistance versus traditional S700 grade steel).
The C451R and C461R are only available with a precutter, offering space between knives as short as 40 mm (1.57 in.) or 80 mm (3.15 in.).
| MaxiCut HC 13 Premium | MaxiCut HC 25 Premium |
Number of knives | 0, 13 | 0, 12, 13, 25 |
Space between knives | 80 mm (3.15 in.) | 40 mm (1.57 in.) or |
Best use (crop type) | Silage, hay, and straw | Silage, hay, and straw |
High cutting quality provides better forage
Double-heat treatment for concise cut and long life 
Individual knife security for quality forage The C451R and C461R Balers are efficient in baling a high amount of cut silage. The MaxiCut HC 13 Premium and MaxiCut HC 25 Premium feature exclusive high- quality knives, providing several advantages:
- Bulk heat treatment to reduce risk of knife breakage.
- Surface heat treatment of the cutting area to provide better cutting quality and knife durability.
A knife slot fillers set is delivered as standard with all machines featuring the precutter. When using the MaxiCut HC Premium pickup without knives, dust and harvest matter can fill knife slots. This keeps the knives from returning to the cutting position, and plugs must be manually removed to free the knives.
Model year 2024 sees improvements to the feeding system with a new knife lever and roller assembly. The new assembly improves the effective knife engagement process and reduces the amount of cleaning required. This will reduce operator downtime and maintenance of the cutting device.
Select number of knives from the cab to increase uptime
Knife activation from the BaleTrak™ monitor 
Knife sets from the cab with MaxiCut HC 25 Premium The C451R and C461R can be used on several kinds of crops, in which knives can be engaged or removed. No matter the rotor type or monitor, this operation is easily managed from the cab.
When using the MaxiCut HC 25 Premium precutter, crops can be cut as short as 40 mm (1.57 in.), but only half of the knives can be engaged. This system proposes to use two different sets of knives for the same cutting width, to allow the use of sharp knives longer. By using sharpened knives versus blunt, fuel consumption can be decreased by up to 10 percent.
Drop floor can remove the worst plugs
Drop floor covers rotor full width 
Parallel kinematics avoids narrowing No matter the operator experience, plugs can still occur, especially with large silage swaths. The C451R and C461R are equipped as a base with a drop floor unplugging system. The drop floor features exclusive advantages, such as:
- Full-width design - by covering the full pickup width, the device can remove plugs, even located under converging augers.
- Parallel kinematic - no rear or front hinge means no narrowing. The F441R drop floor offers a constant 40-mm (1.6-in.) free space through the feeding channel when activated. This is enough to decompress the crops and avoid crop loss.
No matter the precutter or monitor type, the drop floor unplugging system can be easily managed from the cab.
Hardox is a trademark of SSAB Technology AB.
High-Capacity (HC) Premium rotors grab the toughest swaths
The C451R benefits from the proven HC rotor concept, featuring an in-line design
Rotor and converging augers aligned on a single axle 
Left, HC rotor; right, classic rotor design By using the HC premium rotor – a device available on John Deere round balers since 2012 – the C451R feeding system offers:
- Limited distance from the pickup to rotor tines to reduce plugging, especially in brittle straw or short silage
- Reduced number of bearings and distributed loads along the rotor to increase reliability
- Large 48-cm (18.9-in.) diameter converging augers facilitate crop transfer
The overall result is optimized crop flow that avoids all dead area where crops stay for a long time.
This smooth and regular crop flow guarantees high feeding capacity, especially in short crops such as brittle straw or sticky silage.
MaxiCut™ HC 13 Premium rotor offers standard cutting length coupled with high productivity and versatility
MaxiCut HC 13 Premium rotor 
Knives individually protected The C451R Wrapping Baler can be delivered with a MaxiCut HC 13 Premium rotor.
The rotor features:
- Close to 50-cm (19.7-in.) diameter rotor for high inertia and feeding capacity.
- Hardox® wear plate material (similar to R-Series) to provide a long lifespan and high resistance to foreign objects (Hardox wear plate tines provide 80 percent or more resistance versus traditional S700 grade steel).
- Three tines per turn (instead of two on G-Series RotoFlow HC)
- Tines fully enclosing the tube (instead of spikes on G-Series RotoFlow HC), giving higher tine resistance and longer component lifetime
- 0/13 knives engagement from the display. No need to leave the cab to manage knives.
- 80-mm (3.1-in.) knife spacing when all knives are engaged, a standard cutting length that gives a good compromise between crop quality and power consumption.
- Heavy-duty knives thanks to the double hardening and tempering treatment. Crops are perfectly cut for long, requiring less fuel consumption and sharpening operations.
- Individually spring-loaded knives to avoid component damages when grabbing foreign objects. Compared to a shear bolt or full-set hydraulic system, this technology limits the effort on the knives and/or provides non-stop safety.
MaxiCut HC 25 Premium provides high-quality fine chopped crops
MaxiCut HC 25 Premium rotor 
Two knives sets can be managed from the monitor For enhanced forage quality or for special application (poultry bedding, fruits, and vegetables application), MaxiCut HC 25 Premium can be assembled on R-Series Balers.
As with the RotoFlow HC Premium or MaxiCut HC 13 Premium, this fine chop precutter features:
- Close to 50-cm (19.7-in.) diameter rotor for high inertia and feeding capacity.
- Hardox wear plate material (similar to R-Series) to provide a long lifespan and high resistance to foreign objects (Hardox wear plate tines provide 80 percent or more resistance versus traditional S700 grade steel).
- Three tines per turn (instead of two on G-Series RotoFlow HC).
- Tines fully enclosing the tube (instead of spikes on G-Series RotoFlow HC), giving higher tine resistance and longer component lifetime.
The fine-chop precutter function offers additional features such as:
- 0/12/13/25 knife engagement from the display. No need to leave the cab to manage knives. When used alone, the 12 or 13 knives set provides a regular 80-mm (3.1-in.) knife spacing and limited power consumption. When paired together, knife spacing is reduced to 40 mm (1.6 in.).
- Heavy-duty knives thanks to the double-hardening and tempering treatment. Crops are perfectly cut for long, requiring less fuel consumption and sharpening operations. When cutting at a regular 80-mm (31-in.) length, the two independent knife sets extend time between each sharpening process by using the first knife set one day and the second one on the next day (time between each sharpening process given can vary greatly depending on crop type and number of bales).
- Individually spring-loaded knives to avoid component damage when grabbing foreign objects. Compared to a shear bolt or full-set hydraulic system, this technology limits effort on the knives and/or provides a real non-stop safety.
Hardox is a trademark of SSAB Technology AB.
Exclusive drop-floor concept removes the worst plugs
Drop floor with parallel kinematic provides a constant free space to remove plugs
40-mm (1.57-in.) free space under the rotor 
Parallel kinematic avoids bottleneck noticed with other concepts The C451R Baler comes with a drop-floor unplugging system. In case of clog, the drop floor is managed from the display simultaneously or independently from the knives. When lowering the floor, the parallel kinematic has 40-mm (1.57-in.) extra free space under the rotor and converging augers.
By providing a constant free space, the John Deere drop floor avoids bottlenecks existing on balers using movable floors with front or rear hinges. No need to have a huge opening (that sometimes causes crop loss), only a few free centimeters (inches) are enough to remove the plug.
Full-width drop floor removes clogs under converging augers The worst plugs generally happen when turning with the baler. In such situations, the crops are blocked under the converging augers and the clog must be manually removed. The unique John Deere drop floor features a full width, protecting the full pickup and rotor width. Even when plugged at the converging auger level, the clog can be easily removed by the operator from the cab.
MaxD (Maximum Density) bale chamber pushes versatility and bale weight over the limits
Proven high density and bale weight
A is bale diameter (cm) symmetric across the 0-degree axis, and B is bale density (kg/m3) Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft e.V. (DLG) official silage bale test
| Test data | |
| Date | 23 June 2012 |
| Harvested crop | Grass silage |
| Baler | John Deere 960 |
| Bale number | 12 |
| Bale weight | 786 kg (1732.8 lb) |
| Bale density | 505.8 kg/m3 (31.6 lb-ft) |
| Bale diameter | 127 cm (50 in.) |
| Bale width | 123 cm (48.4 in.) |
| Dry matter content | 68.8 percent |
| Density setting | 100 percent |
| Number of knives | 13 |
| Driving speed | 14.3 km/h (8.9 mph) |
A is bale diameter (cm) symmetric across the 0-degree axis, and B is bale density (kg/m3) DLG official straw bale test
| Test data | |
| Date | 13 August 2012 |
| Harvested crop | Wheat straw |
| Baler | John Deere 990 |
| Bale number | 3 |
| Bale weight | 472 kg (1040.6 lb) |
| Bale density | 125.3 kg/m3 (7.8 lb-ft) |
| Bale diameter | 192 cm (75.6 in.) |
| Bale width | 126 cm (49.6 in.) |
| Dry matter content | 88.5 percent |
| Density setting | 100 percent |
| Number of knives | --- |
| Driving speed | 17.7 km/h (11 mph) |
The C461R can produce bales from 0.8 m (non-wrapped materials) or 1.0 m (wrapped crops) up to 1.70-m (5.58-ft) diameter with a 1.21-m (4-ft) bale chamber width.The diameter of wrapped bales can be pushed up to 1.45-m (4.76-ft).
The MaxD – Maximum Density – bale chamber has been designed to deliver very heavy, dense, and perfectly shaped bales, officially proven by DLG.
Offset density arm provides tension to the belts
Offset density arm gives tension to the belts 
Simple density settings from monitor The C461R density is provided by an offset tension arm that applies hydraulic tension to the belts and not directly to the bale. This heavy-duty component is not involved in belt length compensation, so 100 percent of hydraulic power is involved in belt tensioning.
Density is easily set from the monitor and can be adjusted from 0 to 100 percent of hydraulic pressure. A virtual gauge located on the working page continuously follows the density increase without looking back to the baler.
Density can also be adjusted manually from the hydraulic valve in case of major failure.
Standard softcore system provides perfect crop quality
Softcore fully adjustable from monitor The C451R and C461R both benefit from a standard advanced softcore system management:
- Bale core density (different from the overall bale density) can be adjusted from 0 to 100 percent of maximum density capacity from the monitor.
- Bale core diameter can be set from the monitor.
- Softcore system can be activated/deactivated from the display.
Accurate softcore settings allow:
- Production of better-quality forage when harvesting crops with residual moisture.
- To easily unroll core of bales.
Hardox is a trademark of SSAB Technology AB.
Wide endless belts provide density and reduce crop loss
Only two belts - advanced belt tracking allows the operator to work in all conditions The C461R Round Balers feature two wide 573-mm (22.56-in.) belts, meaning that only three free spaces are observed (one between the two belts plus one on each belt side). Compared to a traditional 5/6 belts solution, only using two belts optimizes bale coverage by approximately 4 percent. The result is significant crop loss limitation and more efficient baling process.
In order to handle huge stress transmitted by the density arm, the belts have no lacers.
An advanced belt tracking system, including wide front pulleys and several guides located everywhere through the chamber, ensure accurate belt positioning, even when working in slopes or when overloading one pickup side. All edges of parts potentially in contact with the belts are chamfered to avoid belt side damage. A take-up arm manages belt tension compensation during the unloading process to avoid potential belt tracking issues.
Belts are driven by two large-diameter rubber rolls with a large contact surface that avoids belt slippage in very wet conditions. Springs linked to the density arm are located on both sides of the chamber and give enough tension to the belts from bale starting.
To limit crops from sticking, belts feature a smooth pattern. Paddles on the belts' driving rolls, cleaning augers into the density arm, and other scrapers located in several places through the belts' paths continuously clean the belts and remove crop accumulation around the bale chamber.
Model year 2024 brings the introduction of new three-layer heavy-duty belts as an option (option code 8815) compared to the standard two-layer belts. The new three-layer belts are 23 percent thicker (9 mm [0.35 in.] thickness) and provide 60 percent better tensile strength allowing the bale density/weight to increase by up to 5 percent increasing productivity of operator and machine.
Bale chamber rolls make easy bale starting in all conditions
Driven bale chamber rolls rotate crops immediately MaxD bale chamber features three powered rolls to improve versatility and bale quality:
- The three powered rolls facilitate bale starting, especially in wet conditions such as silage. Forage immediately turns into the chamber and there is no slipping risk even with the heaviest bales.
- Rolls are positioned to give the bale a perfectly round shape, regardless of the bale diameter, and the core is ideally centered.
- As belts push crops against rigid steel rolls, high pressure is easily applied, providing high-density bales.
Heavy-duty components team high density and durability
Reinforced bale chamber components (in red) Heavy bales, high density, high baling speed, and high tractor power directly impacts baler durability. The C461R Round Baler includes several heavy-duty components into the bale chamber to meet growers’ expectations:
- The front part of the bale chamber (front side sheets) – the most stressed area – is made with Hardox® steel plates to limit impact of aggressive crop friction.
- Lower Fast Release System (FRS) roll handling a large part of the bale weight features extra thickness (plus 40 percent versus standard rolls) for extended durability.
- Tailgate frame is specially reinforced around the lock to handle huge tension.
- Top belts driving roll receive a special heat tempering.
Fast Release System (FRS) – a key to unbeaten productivity
Why each second counts
The size of the tailgate directly impacts bale transfer time, and the bale chamber unloading system is a critical component in a wrapping baler.
John Deere FRS greatly decreases non-productive time and directly boosts overall baler productivity. As summarized by an official DLG Fokus test 6112F: "The signature trait of this baler is the innovative ejection system, which provides considerable advantage through a very short bale ejection time. This shortens the hold time of the baler during ejection, which can consequently lead to a higher rate of productivity."
There is an advantage to the baler compactness: by using a vertical folding structure, the C451R allows a quick transfer right after the bale has been unloaded from the chamber. FRS can close as soon as the bale leaves the unloading areas and the picking process can restart a short time after the bale has been ejected from the chamber.
On all other wrapping balers, the bale must first reach a far enough position before the tailgate can close (to avoid bale/tailgate interference risk). This transfer requires time and keeps the baler wrapping from restarting quickly.
Lighter tailgate means faster tailgate
Simple parts to move to open the tailgate 
230-kg (507-lb) FRS can be moved quickly FRS provides a light structure, less than half of the traditional tailgate weight that opens the chamber quickly and removes belts from the bale.
Compared to a traditional tailgate:
- FRS can be actuated by fast cylinders with reduced dampening needs.
- FRS impacts the baler’s lifetime in a reduced way. Moving less than 250 kg (551 lb) puts less stress on the frame than moving 600 kg (1322.8 lb) in a similar time.
- FRS pivot is located at the center of the chamber, not on the top of the baler. Motion is even faster, and center of gravity is not impacted much by tailgate position.
Moving side sheets release the bale faster
Side of the chamber moves Moving side sheets help prevent the bale from getting stuck in the chamber. When the light structure opens, each side of the chamber automatically moves 50 mm (2 in.). There is no more contact between the bale and the chamber; the bale is released and quickly falls by its own weight. Even in the worst wet conditions, the unloading process is as efficient as in dry straw.
This unique feature does not require complicated hydraulic or mechanical systems to be actuated. When the tailgate goes down, simple bearings push on cams located on both side sheets and lock the chamber sides in the baling position. When the tailgate opens, the pressure on the side sheets cam is automatically released, then a return spring quickly moves the chamber walls outside.
Locks located on both baler side lock the FRS when tailgate is closed.
High speed wrapping arms - bale faster than ever
Balanced cycle time between baling and bale wrapping functions is key
Very high-speed wrapping arms The design of a very efficient and productive baler is not sufficient if the film wrapping unit is not able to follow the same rhythm of work. John Deere engineers came up with smart solutions to eliminate bottle necks and boost total productivity.
The core trick to achieve such productivity is in an innovative and powerful hydraulic motor which can drive the film wrapping arm up to speeds of 40 rpm (new for model year 2024) (a record on the market) and without any compromise for operator safety, as an integrated and automatic brake could stop every motion in a short time. The increase in rpm produces 15 percent faster wrapping times boosting productivity.
Maximum baler diameter has also increased for model year 2024 from 1.72 m (5.6 ft) to 1.85 m (6.1 ft).
Changing film rolls is quick and easy
12 film rolls can be loaded on the C451R and C461R The C451R and C461R are equipped with a unique film roll storage device. Each film roll weighs about 20 kg (44 lb) and must be changed very often; this system has been designed to simplify loading and unloading operations.
On each side of the machine, five rolls are installed on a moving arm, hydraulically piloted. Managed by a control panel standing on both sides of the baler, the system prevents the operator from running from the left side to the right side to operate storage racks, as is the case on several competitive wrapping balers. The loading/unloading position has been set up to be as close as possible to the wrapping arms at a very ergonomic height.
Details count: in the transport position, the film storage device is covered by a roof which protects film rolls from rain. This protects the film roll core, often made of cardboard, from damage.
High efficiency even in slopes
Bale transfer slop kit To improve and secure bale transfer when working in very hilly condition, a bale transfer slope kit is available as option or attachment. Two tubes gently guide the bale to the wrapping area while dedicated cams limit side sheets opening, preventing the bale from going askew.
Advanced displays and electronics allow the operator to drive the baler from the monitor
All settings from the monitor
Main page with simple and clear pictograms 
No need to leave the cab to adjust the baler The C451R Wrapping Baler uses ISOBUS architecture and can be fully set from the display. There is no need for the operator to leave the cab, even for density or greasing parameters (when equipped with optional automatic greasing system), as everything is managed from drop-down menus.
The C451R offers:
Baler Settings
- Knife engagement/disengagement
- Knife set management (when equipped with MaxiCut™ HC 25 Premium)
- Drop floor lowering/raising
- Bale diameter adjustment
- Bale density adjustment (0 to 100 percent capacity)
- Softcore activation/deactivation
- Softcore pressure adjustment (0 to 100 percent capacity)
- Softcore diameter adjustment
- Net/twine choice
- Automatic/manual tying/wrapping starting
- Manual net/twine cylinder control
- Net layers adjustment
- Net tying delay adjustment
- Twine turns on each side (independent) adjustment
- Twine spacing adjustment
- Twine space to the edges adjustment
- B-Wrap® wrapping system mode activation
- Automatic greasing system engagement/disengagement (when equipped with optional automatic greasing system)
- Automatic greasing duration and frequency
Wrapping unit settings
- Automatic/manual tailgate opening and bale transfer
- Transport table speed curve
- Number of film layers
- Automatic/manual wrapping
- Wrapping arm speed curve
- On the go/when stopped/manual/grouper mode dumping
- Dumping speed curve
- Lighting (side lights/beacon) control when option selected
Baler information
- Bale shape indicators
- Current bale diameter/set bale diameter
- Current bale density/set bale density
- Knife set position
- Drop-floor position
- Near full alarm
- Stop indicator
- Net/twine choice
- Net/twine process status
- Tailgate status
- Softcore status
- Bale counters (10 operators x 10 fields = 100 counters)
- Time counter
- Clear error message
Wrapping unit information
- Transport table position
- Wrapping arms position
- Wrapping process status (number of applied layers)
- Dumping status
- Greasing status
- Lighting status
G5 Universal Display
G5 Universal Display - G5 Universal Display
- Baler to rear tractor ISOBUS plug
- Baler ISOBUS plug to display harness – plugged into tractor battery
- Tractor cab corner to monitor harness
The operator's own ISOBUS monitor can be used to optimize cost of acquisition and/or comfort
For operators already using a built-in or external ISOBUS certified display, the C451R Baler can be delivered without a monitor. Thanks to the ISOBUS connectivity, just plug the baler to the tractor/monitor and bale.