Rostselmash

The first Soviet self-propelled combine harvester, the S-4 Stalinets, was introduced in 1947. Based on it, the Vistula was developed in Poland, the E170 series in the GDR, and the AC400 Emag in Hungary. The S-4 had a 4.0-meter cutting width, an 85 cm threshing drum, and a 55-horsepower gasoline engine. At this stage, however, pull-type combines were the most prominent in the Soviet combine production, with the largest manufacturer being Rostov Agricultural Machinery Factory, known as Rostselmash, founded in 1929.

In 1958, the SK-3 was introduced in Rostov, featuring a 120 cm threshing drum, an 18-hectoliter grain tank, and a maximum 5-meter cutting platform. In 1962, a more powerful version arrived, the SK-4, which was equipped with a 115-horsepower diesel engine. By 1969, the Rostov factory had produced one million combine harvesters.

In 1973, a heavily modernized version of the previous model, the Niva SK-5, entered production. Characteristic of the early Niva models was a cab equipped with sunshade slats and a tall structure. The engine was a 6.3-liter, 100-horsepower diesel, and the power transmission featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Initially, cutting platforms were available in 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, and 6.0 meters, and later also in 7.0 meters. The speed and distance of the straw walker drum were hydraulically adjustable. Both sieves were adjustable. The blower did not have directional airflow control. The number of grease nipples decreased from 200 on the SK-4 to 60.

The Niva was tested at Vakola in 1975, and the final assessment of the combine’s operational features and durability highlighted many shortcomings. Of course, improvements came over its long model history. An option introduced was a turbocharged 120-horsepower engine, a hydrostatic drive as an accessory, and finally, in the Niva Effect model, a Belarus 6-cylinder 155-horsepower engine.

In the 2000s, the Niva was sold mainly in Eastern Europe and Africa. By the end of production in 2018, 1.2 million units had been manufactured.

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Combines

Niva SK-5

In 2018, the production of the world's most manufactured combine harvester – the Niva – ended, and Rostselmash introduced the Nova. Unlike the rest of the Rostselmash lineup, the threshing drum was 60 centimeters in diameter. Its width, 118.5 cm, and the length of the straw walkers, 360 cm, also matched the dimensions of the Niva. However, the Nova had a modern appearance and was otherwise designed in line with the rest of the Rostselmash models. The engine was a 4-cylinder Cummins (175 hp). The cabin was a simpler Comfort version compared to other models, and the information system was the previous generation Adviser II. Most of the controls were implemented with membrane buttons on the armrest. Standard equipment included, among other things, a header that adjusted to driving speed, an electrically adjustable straw elevator, and a refrigerator. The chopper was positioned relatively low, following Rostselmash tradition. For markets with lighter emission regulations, there was also a 160-horsepower Nova 320 and a Nova 340 equipped with a YaMZ engine.

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Rostselmash Nova 320-340

Rostselmash introduced a six-cylinder combine harvester in 2016, the RSM 161. It did not receive a model name like other models but was known by the factory's model series code (for example, the codes for the Acros series were RSM 142 and RSM 152). The threshing mechanism included acceleration, threshing, and separation drums. Otherwise, the technology was largely a combination of the Acros and Torum series. The engine was a 380-horsepower Cummins. The header was 7 or 9 meters wide and tilt-supported by springs. The sieving system had three levels, and there were six fans in total. The sieves were electrically adjustable. A high-capacity chopper was available as an optional extra. The cab was a new spring-suspended Luxury model, and the Adviser III information system also represented a new generation. It was now attached to the armrest instead of the pillar.

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Rostselmash RSM 161

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Rostselmash's first rotary combine was the Don-2600. A more serious attempt was seen in 2001 with the introduction of the Torum. It was designed for an annual harvesting area of 2,000 hectares. The Torum’s technology had two special features. The feed conveyor was replaced by three transverse feed drums and one acceleration drum that guided the grain to the rotor. In other rotary combines, there was a fixed beater bridge under the rotor. In the Torum, around the rotor there were three adjustable beater bridges rotating in opposite directions, which covered almost the entire circumference. The twin-fan and triple sieve design was also similar to that of the Acros. The rotor diameter was the same 762 mm as, for example, in John Deere and Case IH, but slightly longer (320 cm).

The Torum 740 was powered by a 400-horsepower YMZ engine, and the Torum 780 had a 510-horsepower Mercedes engine. Later, models equipped with 490 to 520-horsepower Cummins engines meeting various emission standards were introduced. The drivetrain was purchased from Sauer-Danfoss. The electrical system was based on a CAN bus, and the functions had a similar Adviser information and monitoring system as the smaller models. Adjustments via the display were more comprehensive in the Torum than in the smaller models, and settings were pre-programmed for 15 crops. The sieve system also had manual adjustment options in case of linear motor failure. Other standard features included automatic cutting platform height adjustment and reel speed control, a compressor for cleaning the combine, and a refrigerator.

In 2018, updated models were introduced. The drum feed system was abandoned and replaced with a conventional feed conveyor. A much-anticipated improvement was a chopper that was 30% more efficient and distributed straw more evenly. The cutting platform was now tilting, although only supported by mechanical springs. Track versions were now available with track widths from 610 to 900 millimeters using track systems manufactured by Zuidberg. The cab was replaced with the Luxury Cab, which was 50% larger in volume. In terms of harvesting technology and cab, the Torum was fully comparable with competitors, but, for example, the grain tank volume and unloading speed as well as the fuel tank size lagged slightly behind. It also did not offer a hillside harvesting version, yield mapping, or other more advanced automation.

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Rostselmash Torum 740-785

In the 1990s, Rostselmash, which had been privatized, surprised everyone in 2004 by introducing the modern and refined Vector combine harvester. Its size was in the same class as the Niva. The threshing drum was 120 cm wide and, like the Don models, 80 cm in diameter. The cutting platform was between 5 and 9 meters wide, and the auger was hydraulically operated. The electrically adjustable feeder housing had a foot-operated quick drop to prevent clogging. The grain tank had a capacity of 60 hectoliters, and there were four concaves. The engine had been moved to the rear of the grain tank. The Vector 410 had an 11-liter YAMZ engine, and the Vector 420 a 6.7-liter Cummins. The Vectors were gray in color, but by 2015, they had also moved to a fresh red and white color scheme in line with later introduced model series. At the same time, the unloading pipe was lengthened. In North America, the Vector was sold under the Python brand.

The cab was a fairly modern Comfort Cab in Western countries, which in 2015 was replaced by the Comfort Cab II, featuring better sound insulation and controls more centralized around the armrest and joystick. On a cab pillar was a display called the Adviser Information System. Models from the 2020s feature a 10-inch Adviser III. Standard equipment on the 420 included a compressor for cleaning the combine as well as an auger speed that adjusted according to driving speed. The Vector received criticism for slow tank unloading and a chopper that produced coarse chaff and distributed it unevenly.

In 2012, the Vector 450 Track went into production, whose specialty was independent suspension for each support wheel of the tracks. Also available was the flexible Float Stream cutting platform, which Rostselmash had developed primarily for harvesting soybeans.

In 2017, the renewed Vector 425 was introduced, available in Stage IV and V versions. The most significant updates cited were a reinforced feeder housing, a more efficient chopper, and the Level Glide system—a suspension-based threshing mechanism that straightens itself on slight slopes.

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Rostselmash Vector 410-450

In 2006, Rostselmash introduced the 5-drum Arcos. Its appearance and fresh color scheme gave a modern impression, but upon closer inspection, the finishing was not very high quality. The Acros was similar in size to the earlier Don-1500. The threshing drum width was 150 cm and the diameter 80 cm. The cutting headers ranged from 5 to 9 meters. Standard equipment included, among other things, a header trailer, automatic speed control for the unloading auger, an electronic monitoring system for functions and blockages, and Schumacher blades operated with a planetary gearbox. The Arcos 530 was equipped with a 250-horsepower YaMZ engine and the 540 with a 260-horsepower Cummins engine. Later, the lineup was expanded with the 580, which had 280 horsepower. In 2001, a 300-horsepower 580 and the 590 Plus were introduced; the latter featured slightly longer drums, a power chopper, adjustable spreading angle from the cab, two fans, and a three-section sieve. Rostselmash did not opt for a twin-threshing drum design, instead listing in the brochure the superior advantages of a single large-diameter drum.

In 2015, the Acros was renovated. The controls in the cab were centralized to the armrest and joystick, and the air conditioning was improved. The header’s hydraulics could now be connected with a single connector. The feed conveyor housing was modified so that the returning paddles did not pass through the same housing. The gray parts in the combine’s coloring were changed to black. Even when expanded, the grain tank was protected from rain. The 595 Plus, introduced in 2016, also featured cutting header tilt. The price of the Acros 580 was about 150,000 euros, whereas similarly sized combines from the best-known brands cost around 250,000 euros.

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Rostselmash Acros 530-595 Plus

At the end of 1984, Rostselmash introduced the Don series of combine harvesters, of which the Don-1500 was by far the most common. It was sold in Western Europe and North America mostly under the Belarus brand. The threshing drum was quite substantial: 80 cm in diameter and 148.5 cm wide. It had five rasp bars and a large sieve surface area. The transmission was hydrostatic and the engine was a turbocharged 9.5-liter producing 235 hp. The engine was located between the cab and the 60-hectoliter grain tank. Air conditioning was standard at least in France and the USA. The combine also featured an electronic monitoring system covering 18 points.

The smaller Don-1200 had a 118 cm threshing drum, a 160 hp engine, and a 45-hectoliter grain tank.

The updated Don-1500 B featured a naturally aspirated 14.9-liter V8. Thanks to the new engine and other technical improvements, such as increased threshing drum speed, the threshing capacity was reported to increase by 20%. The Don-1500 B was generally green in color. The latest development was the Don-1500 M, which had a 90-hectoliter grain tank, a 250-horsepower engine, and more equipment in the cab, such as improved sound insulation and a refrigerator.

The Don family also included the rare rotor threshing combine Don 2600.

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Don-1200 – Don-1500

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