John Deere's no-till single-disc opener, such as those used on its 750, 1590, 1850, 1890 and other drills, is the most common drill opener on the market. 

Phil Needham of Needham Ag Technologies in Calhoun, Ky. offers the following five tips to fine-tune drill performance before seeding this spring.

1. Scrutinize Discs

Discs need “third-degree” scrutiny, Needham says. John Deere manufactures discs at 18 inches in diameter, but as the edges dull or wear below 17 inches, discs need to be replaced.

Install new disc blades with the beveled edge pointing toward the seed tube. It’s important that discs penetrate the soil uniformly and cut residue properly, he says. They must be sharp and in good condition.

2. Watch Main Pivot Pin Wear 

As acres accumulate on John Deere openers, the hardened steel pins — and the copper bushings that surround the pins — wear. The result is the disc opener runs at less than a 7-degree angle, often 5 to 6 degrees, Needham says.

“This lower angle causes a narrower seed slot, which is too narrow for the seed boot to fit into,” Needham says. “As units wear and the angle is reduced, it holds seed boots out of the ground, resulting in excessive seed boot wear, poor soil penetration and inconsistent depth control, especially across varying soil types or moisture.”

3. Check Seed Boots For Wear 

Once the lower rear corner of seed boots begin to wear upward, excessive amounts of seed may escape out of the seed…