John Deere is extending the eight-year/20,000-hour power electronic components warranty on its 944K hybrid wheel loader. The warranty supports John Deere’s commitment to the durability and reliability of the popular unit, which was recently named as a finalist for the Diesel Progress Summit Awards in the Electrification Application of the Year category.
“Since the launch of the 944K Hybrid Wheel Loader, we have reached over half a million hours in the field,” said Ryan Blades, director C&F customer and product support for John Deere Construction & Forestry. “Customers trust our machines and components, and they know they can count on our equipment to power through tough and challenging jobs. With the extension of the warranty offering, we are giving our customers an opportunity to go through a 15,000 to 18,000-hour machine rebuild without any concern about the longevity or reliability of the power electronic components.”
The extended warranty coverage includes the same eight-year or 20,000-hour (whichever comes first) nonprorated assurance on wheel motors, generators, power inverters and brake resistors. This offer is now extended to July 31, 2020 and applicable to existing machines in the field and new 944K hybrid wheel loaders. Certain customer conditions must be met to maintain warranty coverage. This includes component rotation between 15,000 and 18,000 hours; drive voltage cables replacement between 15,000 and 18,000 hours; and an annual dealer machine inspection.
The 536 HP 944K hybrid wheel loader is equipped with an EPA Final Tier 4 engine. Additionally, the machine can provide significant fuel savings over 9-yard3 loaders with conventional drivetrains (actual fuel consumption rates and savings will vary with machine application, utilization, operator and model of competitive unit), the company said. Other features, including the brushless AC generators and motors, water-cooled brake resistors and solid-state power electronics, deliver reliable, long-term performance, especially in quarry and large-load applications.
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.