tbritten - 2/16/2026 09:53

Those later 600FDs are very good heads, I don't know specifically what changed from early models, but there wasn't a lot that changed from late 600FD to 700FD. I would argue that any macdon is not really comparable because they operate much different.

The Deere "flex draper" name comes from a flexible cutter bar and a rigid frame, which works great on sloping hills but doesn't work great on terraces. The combine maintains ground contact based on sensors at the ends of the head. For most fields in the midwest, both drapers will do an excellent job, especially for your S780 with fore/aft adjustment on the feeder house.

The MacDon "flex draper" name comes from a flexible frame and rigid cutter bar for FD70 models, FD75s, and FD1s. The combine maintains ground contact from a single height sensor on the adapter frame and the wings flex up and down based on linkages, springs, and gravity. There is no ability or need to run contour master with a MacDon that is set properly. This works great on terraces because you can put the hinge point in the valley of the terrace and cut out the slope. MacDons also have the ability to fore/aft tilt independent of the feeder house with a single switch in the cab. In my opinion this makes up for the lack of flexible cutter bar because you can angle the head forward and shave the ground. Any MacDon setup for a Deere combine will plug directly into your single point hookup.

MacDon FD2 drapers have flexible frame and flexible cutter bar the same as a Deere hinge draper. The Deere hinge draper is controlled by adjusting hydraulic pressure in the hinge cylinders to maintain ground contact while the MacDon floats with springs and gravity. The MacDon has the edge between these two models for its simplicity.