John Deere says it was armed with insights from loader owners and operators when it engineered changes to its K-Series-II loaders, such that they are now equipped with Tier 4 Final engines and more robust axles, all of which is supported by the advanced diagnostics of Deere's WorkSight.

Two of the K-Series-II loaders come equipped with larger, higher-capacity Teammate V axles (744K-II and 824K-II) with standard cooling and filtration, and on-the-fly engageable front differential lock giving operators heavy-duty traction for demanding terrain. For added protection, axle oil is filtered by continuously cleaning wear particle and debris out of the oil.

Brake reactors and automatic self-adjustors were added to eliminate brake drag and to maintain a constant brake running clearance with better compliance and less heat. The hydraulic tank on the T4F models was moved underneath the steps to maintain excellent rear visibility without growing the size of the rear hood.

To eliminate downtime, K-Series-II loaders are equipped with remote battery terminals for faster and easier jump-starting. The engine compartment can remain closed and locked to charge the batteries, which reduces the threat of vandalism.

The 744K-II (303 hp/225 kW), 824K-II (333 hp/250 kW), and 844K-II (377 hp/280 kW) are LOADRITE L2180 ready, which provides operators onboard payload data and is integrated into JDLink Ultimate for remote viewing and analysis.

All Deere wheel loaders come standard with WorkSight, an easy-to-use technology suite for increasing uptime and productivity while lowering operating costs. In addition to the base WorkSight, owners are able to build an uptime package that meets user-specific needs, including customized maintenance and repair agreements, parts availability, extended warranties, and fluid sampling.