Take the field.
More harvest. Less compromise.
The Raptor was built to address the frustrations operators have accepted for too long. Patented finger section change system. In-cab CVT speed control. Three-section design.
Why a stripper header?
K-Hart built its reputation helping farmers seed into difficult residue conditions. The more time the company spent with operators running stripper headers, the more it understood that stripping and seeding are not independent decisions. Standing residue, preserved moistures, reduced soil disturbance at harvest: the benefits of how you harvest compound across the season.
What also became clear was that alongside the agronomic benefits, a set of frustrations had settled in and stopped being questioned.
- Finger sections that required a full disassembly for a routine repair.
- Drive systems that ran hot on long days.
- Parts that were difficult to source during harvest.
- Speed changes that meant stopping the machine and reaching for tools.
The Raptor began with a simple question: the agronomic benefits of stripper harvesting shouldn't come with unnecessary compromises.
What stripper harvesting delivers.
Operators who run stripper headers understand the agronomic case. For those evaluating the system, here's what drives adoption.
Standing residue
The straw stays in the field, standing. That means better snow catch, improved moisture preservation over winter, and a seedbed that benefits from the protection of undisturbed residue.
A better seedbed for low-disturbance seeding
Operators running disc drills understand that what happens at harvest directly affects what is possible at seeding. Moisture preserved under standing residue is moisture available at the time of seeding. The two are connected.
Less material through the combine
Only the grain head and a small amount of chaff enter the combine. Less material means lower horsepower demand, less fuel consumed, less wear on threshing and separating components, and the ability to run faster ground speeds.
When conditions fit, nothing else compares
In lodged and down-crop grain conditions, a stripper header covers ground that a conventional draper struggles to match — with less fuel and less combine wear. Operators who have run both understand the difference.
Engineered differently. Where it matters.
Five systems that define the Raptor ownership experience.
Fast finger section replacement. Without the disassembly.
Replacing finger sections has always required more steps than the repair warrants: fully removing the bolts, keeping track of the hardware, realigning multiple components, and hoping the rotor balance isn't compromised in the process.
The Raptor's patented keyslot system changes the procedure entirely. Loosen the bolt to the first stage — the stainless finger sections slide out. Loosen further — the plastic finger sections follow. The keyslot on the back of each finger section locates it precisely on reinstall. No realignment. The bolt stays captured throughout.
- Patented keyslot design — bolt never fully removed
- Finger sections locate precisely on reinstall — no realignment required
- Eliminates cross-threading risk on reinstallation
- Significantly faster replacement procedure
Adapt to conditions from the cab. Without stopping.
Crop conditions change across a field and across a season. Having to stop the machine, make mechanical adjustments, and risk costly failures in the process is a problem the Raptor was designed to eliminate.
The full operating range — 425 to 750 RPM — is continuously variable from the combine cab using the reel-lift hydraulic circuit. No stops, no tools, no mechanical adjustments. The operator adjusts rotor speed to match changing crop conditions — from the cab, without stopping.
- 425 to 750 RPM — full range adjustable from the cab
- Uses reel-lift hydraulic circuit — no dedicated hydraulic requirement
- Continuously variable — not fixed mechanical ranges
- No tools, no stops, no adjustment risk
Replace what's damaged. Not the whole assembly.
Full-length frame, hood, and deflector assemblies are heavy, awkward to handle, and prone to damage during shipping and installation. When a section is damaged, the entire assembly requires replacement.
The Raptor’s frame, hood, and deflector are each built in three independent sections. When a section is damaged, that section is replaced — not the full assembly. All sections use identical parts across every Raptor header width. And because each section is a fraction of the size of a full-length assembly, they are easier to handle, easier to ship, and less prone to damage in transit.
- Frame, hood, and deflector each in three independent sections
- Replace only the damaged section — not the full assembly
- Identical parts across all header widths — one part number per component
- Smaller sections easier to handle, ship, and install without damage
Designed to reduce feeder house stress across the season.
A header with significant lateral weight imbalance requires large counteracting springs to compensate. Those springs place continuous stress on the combine feeder house — stress that accumulates across thousands of acres.
The Raptor positions the auger drive on the right side and the rotor drive on the left, keeping the machine close to lateral centre on the feeder house. The balanced architecture eliminates the need for heavy counteracting springs, reducing the feeder house stress that left-heavy designs place on the combine over time. Drive components are deliberately specified above minimum ratings — in field testing, drive temperatures ran consistently cool.
- Auger drive right, rotor drive left — near lateral centre
- Eliminates the counteracting spring load that left-heavy designs require
- Reduces cumulative feeder house stress over the season
- Drive components deliberately over-specified
- Cool operating temperatures observed throughout field testing
Feeding performance in down-crop and lodged conditions.
Down-crop and lodged grain conditions are where stripper header feeding performance is tested. The auger design determines whether the machine keeps moving or stops.
The Raptor's auger design has been optimized for improved feeding performance in down-crop and lodged conditions. In head-to-head field testing, the Raptor successfully ran conditions that repeatedly challenged competing headers.
- Optimized auger geometry for improved material flow
- Designed specifically for down-crop and lodged grain performance
- Field-tested head-to-head against competing designs
- Three-section auger design
Built to stay in the field.
Every hour the header is down during harvest is an hour that doesn't come back.
The Raptor was engineered with that reality in mind. Service access is straightforward. Wear parts are designed for fast replacement. Parts are stocked by K-Hart and dealers across North America.
Rotor Bearing Access
A small bat section at the bearing location lifts away cleanly. The rotor assembly stays intact throughout. Grease fittings are accessible via a cover removal without bat removal. Bearing replacement is an operator-level task.
- Independent bat section at bearing location — no rotor disassembly required
- Rotor assembly remains intact throughout service
- Grease fittings accessible via cover removal
- Operator-level bearing replacement
Parts Availability
The Raptor is manufactured at K-Hart's South Landing facility near Winnipeg. Parts are stocked by K-Hart and dealers across North America. For operators who have experienced parts delays during harvest, availability close to home is not a minor detail.
- Parts stocked by K-Hart and dealers across North America
- Same support infrastructure as the Spyder disc drill
Coming from another stripper header?
The Raptor does not reinvent how a stripper header works. The core mechanism is familiar — operators coming from another machine will feel at home in the field immediately. What changes is what happens between harvests.
The Raptor was designed by a team that studied the category carefully before changing anything. They changed the systems that operators described as the most consistent source of frustration. The harvest performance is the foundation. The ownership experience is what's different.
- The stripper header mechanism you already understand
- The crop performance you already trust
- Combine integration using the reel-lift hydraulic circuit
- Finger section replacement — faster, simpler, no realignment
- Rotor speed control — from the cab, continuously variable
- Section replacement — replace what's worn, not the full assembly
- Parts availability — stocked by K-Hart and dealers across North America
- Drive performance — over-specified components, reduced feeder house stress
Specifications
| Specification | Raptor |
|---|---|
| Working width | 42' — available now. 37' coming soon. |
| Rotor speed range | 425 – 750 RPM, in-cab CVT control |
| Rotor speed adjustment | Continuously variable — reel-lift hydraulic circuit, no mechanical changes |
| Rotor sections | 3 sections |
| Frame / Hood / Deflector | 3 independent sections each — identical parts across all widths |
| Finger section change system | Patented keyslot — bolt retained throughout, no realignment required |
| Drive architecture | Balanced — auger drive right, rotor drive left |
| Combine compatibility | Class 8 and 9. Confirm compatibility with your dealer. |
| Display | Proprietary 5" monitor — rotor speed, auger speed, belt temperature |
| Primary crops | Cereals, flax, grasses, some forages |
Warranty information available through your K-Hart dealer.
Frequently asked questions
How does the finger section change system work?
How does the rotor speed control work?
What combine classes are compatible?
What sizes are available?
Why are the sections identical across all header widths?
How does the Raptor handle down-crop and lodged conditions?
Where is the Raptor manufactured?
How does the Raptor fit with the Spyder disc drill?
What crops does the Raptor work in?
Talk to a K-Hart dealer.
The Raptor is available to order now through authorized K-Hart dealers. A dealer can walk you through the machine, confirm combine compatibility, and discuss your operation.
Already know your K-Hart dealer? Contact them directly about the Raptor.