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Quality parts and precision engineering add years of productivity and savings. Drago parts are engineered to be more durable and wear longer, so you can spend less time and money compared to off-brand replacement parts. We’ve broken down the benefits and done the math to help you calculate your potential savings when you choose Drago certified parts.
Drago gathering chains are built specifically for Drago corn heads. That means you get the highest-quality materials — built to precise tolerances — for optimum performance and durability. And that makes a big difference.
With their softer pins and inconsistent amounts of hardened chrome, other gathering chain pins and rollers can create more friction and run hotter, reducing the life of the chain and costing you nearly $90/row.1
Additionally, the added friction wears through the sprockets they run on, too, costing you $280/row just in sprockets!2
1 Chain savings calculation based upon parts and labor expenses to replace one set of Drago chains ($260/row) or two sets of off-brand chains ($160.00/row), plus labor costs/row at $28.75 for a quarter hour. Prices subject to change.
2 Calculated based on the cost of two Drago upper drive sprockets at $140 each. Prices subject to change.
By comparison, Drago knives feature a higher-quality steel with a thicker, consistent coating of laser-applied tungsten, called EnduraClad, outlast and outperform cheaper off-brand brands multiple times over.
On-farm trials showed Drago blades lasted three times longer than off-brand blades and are significantly more economical in the long run.
Metallurgical tests on off-brand knife roller knives reveal inferior metals and slipshod manufacturing. What is labeled as a “tungsten carbide hard-faced” replacement knife is actually low-grade steel with a minimal, spotty application of tungsten stuck on with adhesives. The tests showed the off-brand blades actually carried more adhesive than tungsten.
Metallurgical comparisons show the laser-applied tungsten carbide edge on Drago blades has more material, more evenly applied, compared to the adhesive-applied tungsten edge on off-brand blades. As a result, Drago knives last three times longer than off-brand blades.
These images compare a Drago knife roller blade with EnduraClad to an off-brand replacement blade from row units that have run through 500 acres.
The off-brand replacement blade (lower image) has worn through its useful life, while the Drago blade has hundreds of acres of harvest life left — thousands of acres on the corn head overall. Drago blades deliver more acres, fewer replacements and a lower overall cost.
Drago quality isn’t just higher than the leading off-brand parts, it’s higher than similar OEM brand parts, too. Along with higher-quality steel, metallurgical tests revealed that the tungsten coating on our blades is denser and more consistently applied than those of either John Deere or Case IH.
Tests showed that the coating on Drago blades is 50% more consistent than the next closest competitor. An even and consistent tungsten coating is important because it reduces areas of “weak spots” that are subject to faster wear. In other words, the durability of a blade is only as good as its weakest point.
Any brand can talk about the quality they build into their corn heads — Drago can prove it.
On-farm trials demonstrate Drago brand knife roller blades — with their higher-quality steel and laser-applied tungsten carbide edge — last three times longer than off-brand replacement options. Considering total labor and materials, the real cost of choosing off-brand blades is significantly higher than Drago brand blades. Do the math for yourself using our savings calculator.
| KNIFE BRAND | COST OF BLADES PER REPLACEMENT CYCLE* | COST OF LABOR PER REPLACEMENT CYCLE** | REPLACEMENT CYCLES OVER SAME PERIOD*** |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRAGO | $424.00 / ROW UNIT | $93.75 / ROW UNIT | 1 |
| OFF-BRAND |
$
/ ROW UNIT
|
$93.75 / ROW UNIT | 3 |
| SAVINGS ADVANTAGE OF DRAGO KNIFE ROLLER BLADES VS. OFF-BRAND REPLACEMENTS | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROW UNITS | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 18 |
| DRAGO COST ADVANTAGE | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
*Prices subject to change.
**Labor cost estimated .75 hour @ $125/hr./row unit.
***On-farm trial showed Drago blades last three times longer than off-brand blades. Individual results may vary.
There’s certain irony that the No. 1 reason growers choose a Drago corn head is to harvest maximum yield, while a leading reason producers choose a full-line brand corn head is parts availability. Drago corn heads are built to last, but when service is needed, having a complete and available supply of parts at Dragotec USA is a priority.
Your authorized Drago dealer is fully trained and knowledgeable for servicing Drago corn heads and carries a full inventory of Drago certified parts to meet your service and maintenance needs. We are so confident of Drago parts supply, in fact, that while harvesting, if any part essential to continued operation is not available from any of our North American distribution centers — including your local authorized Drago dealer, regional parts hubs or our North American headquarters — the replacement part and shipping are free.
We call this the “We’ve Got Your Back” parts guarantee. And as amazing as our parts guarantee may be, no one has ever used it.
Contact your authorized Drago dealer for more information.
