Chassis
Compact on the road and stable in the field
- High-volume standard 850/50 R30.5 tyres for minimum ground pressure and utmost stability
- Manoeuvrability due to steering angle of 21 degrees on both sides
- Road drive with a transport width of 3 metres and harvesting with an external width of 3.5 metres
- Telescopic axle with extendable telescopic rail for optimum stability in the field
- Automatic hydraulic inclination compensation for a constant horizontal alignment of the Keiler, i.e. uniform cleaning also on the side slope
- Faster and more comfortable telescoping of the axle
- Significantly more powerful steering
Improved automatic hydraulic slope levelling for optimised cleaning and greater comfort for pickers
Drive wheel
Comfortable and powerful for extreme harvesting conditions
Movement and manoeuvring made easy! The ROPA Keiler 2 can be equipped with a drive wheel for increased traction and soil protection also under extremely difficult harvesting conditions. Even with this optional equipment with high-volume 850/50 R 30.5 tyres the road transport width is just 3.00 metres. The integrated freewheel of the axle enables speeds of up to 40 km/h when driving on the road.
A maximum torque up to 14,500 Nm can be achieved at the wheel for a thrust of 2 tons. Coupling and uncoupling is possible while moving. The maximum speed with a coupled drive wheel is
up to 14 km/h.
The new and practical automatic operation using tractors with ISOBUS is a convenient and elegant solution. The drive wheel is automatically actuated in the applicable direction of travel during start-up and controlled synchronously, then switched off again when stopped. A significant advantage, because it is not necessary to switch, stop or switch the drive wheel to reverse separately while moving or starting.
The maximum power consumption in boost operation is 65 kW.
Despite the large-volume 850/50 R30.5 tyres, the steering angle is identical to the original axle and amounts to +/- 21 degrees.
Drive axle
On a potato harvester, a drive axle is not merely a useful feature — in many operating conditions, it is the technically and economically correct solution.
A key argument is improved traction. Potato harvesting takes place partly on wet, loose, or sloping ground. On non-driven axles, this quickly leads to tractor wheel slip. A drive axle ensures that the available ground grip is actively utilised. The harvester runs more smoothly, tracks true, and can operate reliably even under difficult conditions.
Closely related to this is the relief of the tractor. Without a drive axle, the tractor must not only pull, but also work against increased rolling resistance. This can give rise to the so-called "bulldozing effect": soil builds up in front of the wheel, the wheel loses forward momentum and, in extreme cases, can come to a standstill. The active drive of the drive axle maintains forward momentum. The wheel sinks in less and can roll continuously over the ridge of soil that forms. This reduces the drawbar requirement and allows the use of smaller or more efficiently loaded tractors.
Another important consideration is soil protection. Wheel slip creates smear layers — precisely what one wishes to avoid on arable land. The drive axle reduces tractor wheel spin and distributes forces more evenly. The result: better soil structure and higher yields in the long term.
The drive axle also delivers in terms of work quality and safety. A consistent forward speed ensures constant harvesting performance, clean separation of soil and tubers, and fewer blockages. At the same time, driving stability is enhanced — particularly on slopes or when turning at the headland — a safety factor that should not be underestimated.
The new drive axle
The new drive axle with Black Bruin wheel hub motors, combined with a dedicated hydraulic pump, delivers maximum thrust and traction. The control block developed specifically by ROPA enables precise, sensitive regulation of the drive axle as well as smooth, jerk-free engagement whilst on the move.
An anti-slip regulation system (ASR) prevents wheel spin, improving driving behaviour, protecting the soil, and increasing operational reliability on wet ground and slopes.
In automatic mode, ISOBUS handles the automatic switching between forward and reverse travel. The wheel drive remains fully available at the headland without restriction.
Despite the high-performance drive technology, an overall width of 3.0 m is maintained, permitting unrestricted road transport.
Regardless of whether the machine is equipped with or without a drive axle, the full 21° steering lock on both sides is retained. Likewise, the configuration of the hydraulic connections and the PTO remain unchanged.
Impressions from the field
It is precisely in extremely wet harvesting conditions that the importance of additional drive technology becomes apparent — ensuring the machine remains fully operational even under high drawbar demand.
The drive axle actively supports forward momentum, pushing the combination reliably ahead even when the tractor's tyres are reaching their limits. This maintains operational capability even on waterlogged ground, allowing the harvest to continue efficiently.
A bit of fun from customers in Denmark — using the Keiler as a cascade bunker
In this latest fun video, a ROPA Keiler 2 RK22 offloads into a second Keiler 2 RK22, demonstrating the additional soil removal that is achievable under these conditions.
When harvesting conditions are very wet and soil adheres heavily to the potatoes, thorough cleaning of the tubers is essential to safeguard harvest quality.
The integrated transfer roller at the handover point from the bunker trough to the unload conveyor provides additional removal of soil and dirt!
Furthermore, the unload conveyor is designed as a sieve conveyor. This achieves a further sieving action during the unloading process, so that adhering soil is continually loosened and effectively sieved away.