Combines cts pro s and cons

I have used a cts in wheat, barley, canola, and peas. It is excellent in wheat and barley. The more straw the better it goes. In canola it can have problems overloading the shoe in very dry straw. In field peas it does a good job, but it does crack more than a case combine with a specialty rotor. The cleaning shoe is the limiting factor to capacity in this combine. To reduce the shoe load the operator can install blanking plates underneath the tine separator to increase capacity. You do not have to do this if you are happy with the capacity. The only drawback is that the straw is beat up and hard to bale in hot dry conditions. I think that they are a heck of a good machine for the price.

As a owner of a CTS 2 agree with your post. I am happy with the capacity on my CTS. I don't have the blank plates installed but I can outcut a 9600 in wheat and barley and run with a 2388 with the standard rotor. Don't know about the AFX rotor because there aren't any around yet. like you said, the CTS chews up the straw but in my experience only when it is hot and dry out. I have cut barley in the middle of the night when it was nice and cool. I had stalks coming out the back completely intact minus the kernels. In all I would say the CTS is the best small grains combine JD built even though JD doesn't really care.

What I like about the CTS is in tough conditions, you can close the cylinder down to be more aggressive on the crop. I know on some years in my area the farmers with the Case combines have trouble with white caps or not complete threshing of the grain. One thing that is very important is how to set a CTS up. Even though the CTS is just a 9500 with 2 tine seperators instead of strawalkers, you have to set it completely different from the conventional JD.

Cylinder Tine-Separation (CTS) module provides high-capacity and good grain quality with the two rotors in the separation area. The smaller diameter rotors are around 20" across and are similar to the lexion or NewHolland rotors, with tight radius turn. Check the overshot beater for wear and roll the CTS module out to inspect before buying.