Kade and Brian from John Deere walk through installing the Autotrac controller and hydraulic components on an STS combine. They cover valve assembly placement, isolation valve setup, flow switch installation, and bracket mounting with specific positioning tips.
Hey, it's Kade and Brian from John Deere. There are a few different ways to install the Autotrac controller or ATC300 steering kit based on machine type and installer's preference. In this video series, we're covering how to equip a combine with with the ATC 300 and 185 cubic centimeter open centered valve. In terms of parts needed for today's video, we've got the isolation valve kit, the main harness kit and the ATC motor kit which includes a flow switch. For specific information on the parts needed, please reach out to your local John Deere dealer. Brian, what type of special tools are needed for this portion of the installation? No special tools will be used in this video. An impact driver will be used, but refer to the torque specs that are outlined in the install instructions. The mounting bracket for the ATC valve assembly should go under the cab because it's an open space, the machine's hydraulic pressure and tank lines are easily accessible and it has easy access to to the machine's steering valve and hydraulics. It is important to pay attention to where the lines will connect into the ATC valve assembly and to confirm the assembly will not obstruct the feeder house. In general, we also want to avoid areas where the assembly could overheat. This includes areas near the engine transmission exhaust system and areas wherever things will heat up. Awesome. Well, let's get this mounting bracket installed. Once the mounting bracket is installed, we can mount the auto track controller valve assembly. With step one complete, we now need to install the mounting bracket and the isolation valve. Where should these be installed? We also recommend placing this under the cab because it is accessible to you and out of the way, reducing the risk of damage. The last thing we need to install is the flow switch. Where are we going to install that? We're going to place it under the cab because it needs access to the isolation valve and the flow switch. Harnessing this location also has access to the manual steering hydraulics and is relatively protected from debris and overheating. It is important to keep the flow switch at least 12 inches from anything that could cause electromagnetic interference. And what is likely to cause electromagnetic interference in this situation? Great question. This includes battery, the isolation valve, any solenoid valve, the alternator, generator and any other components with a coil. Sounds like a great idea. Let's install the float switch. All brackets should be tightened to the specification listed in the installation instructions. We are now ready to install the hydraulic hoses. That's all for this video and thanks for watching. Check out the next video in this series for more guidance. Get it on how to install the ATC 300.
