Deere debuts Premium Circle option for motor graders

john Deere premium circle motor grader

John Deere has introduced a new factory-installed Premium Circle option for its G-Series, GP-Series and SmartGrade motor graders. 

The new option features a fully sealed bearing and pinion design, which reduces maintenance costs and downtime, while also significantly boosting circle torque and speed.

“To be profitable, customers constantly work to balance ever-tightening margins with increasing expenses,” said Luke Kurth, motor grader product marketing manager for John Deere Construction and Forestry

“John Deere is focused on providing new ways to help reduce those costs, and we are able to do that with the new Premium Circle option for all G- and GP-series motor graders worldwide. By eliminating the circle wear inserts and need for adjustment or replacement, customers will benefit from reduced parts and labour costs, while still maintaining an accurate grade.”

With traditional circle designs, customers may spend hours in the shop replacing or shimming the wear inserts, which takes the machine off the jobsite. 

Over the lifetime of the machine, downtime adds up, but is necessary to maintain tightness for accuracy and prevent damage to the circle. 

Premium circle eliminates wear inserts

The Premium Circle option replaces wear inserts with a sealed bearing that only requires a few minutes to grease every 500 hours. As well, the gearbox oil change intervals have been extended from 2,000 to 4,000 hours, while the pinion and circle teeth are completely sealed from dirt and debris to minimize wear.

The new Premium Circle with integrated slip clutch has significant effects on machine productivity as well. With the Premium Circle, John Deere motor graders boast 40 per cent more circle torque and 15 per cent more speed over the standard circle. 

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Contractors will also see improved performance and accuracy when using a grade control system by no longer having to compensate for wear in the circle, according to Deere. This is especially impactful when coupled with the John Deere SmartGrade system.

The same grader can now be used from initial site clearing to final grade without stopping to install masts or downing the machine to adjust for looseness in the circle.