Is this “flapper thingy” necessary?

Yes, whether you call it a tab, strap, deflector or tab, preventing seed bounce is most definitely necessary. And here is why:

All John Deere 50/60/90 drills use a seed bounce flap, attached to the end of the seed boot, for the purpose of eliminating seed bounce and assuring seed is placed in the furrow where it belongs. Air drills face an even greater problem, because the air pressure must have a high velocity to push product through several feet of air hose in order to reach the seed boot without plugging. The problem is that once your product reaches the end of its journey there is often too much velocity, causing “seed bounce”. Without something to act as a backboard, you will find seed bouncing out of the furrow and settling on top of the ground. The seed flap’s purpose is simply to perform as a guard to stop forward momentum and rebound the seed into position (the furrow). Thus, the firming wheel following can then adequately firm the seed into the bottom of the furrow and achieve seed-to-soil contact for effective germination.

Now, it’s no secret there are many seed flap options for you to choose from. And although our Ninja seed bounce flap is Exapta’s #1 seller, we feel it’s important to share the following for those who aren’t quite convinced. We want YOU to be successful: stop wasting seed and money.

The problem with OEM and other aftermarket seed flaps is:

1. They stick straight out from the seed boot, leaving a gap at the soil line for seed to still escape yet.
2. They are too rigid. This widens the gap at the soil line because they aren’t capable of flexing back to a desirable position. Also, the rigidness escalates wear.
3. Some are too long. Due to the extended length, the firming wheel catches the flap and eventually breaks off the tip or pulls the flap off entirely, eek!
4. OEM flaps are square. The furrow isn’t square, it’s V-shaped – these flaps won’t form to the furrow (unless they wear to a “V” and by then it’s probably time to replace them) allowing seed to escape.

Exapta’s Ninja seed bounce flap addresses all the downfalls: 

1. The Ninja flap has a 20-degree downward bend to close the gap, keeping more seeds in the furrow. This helps deflect seeds downward into the furrow before dust and chunks of the sidewall fall in ahead of the seed.
2. The Ninja flap is flexible (yet very durable) allowing it to flex with the uneven terrain and return to its original 20-degree position. Also, its flexible material has proven to outlast any other flap by at least four times!
3. It’s the perfect length, so it will not get caught by the firming wheel.
4. The Ninja flap has a tapered edge with the same V-shape as the furrow—preventing it from riding up and leaving a gap for seeds to escape.
5. The Ninja comes with a longer bolt to accommodate the thicker tab. We purposely made the tab thicker to stand up to the extra acres of use you will get from the long life of the Ninja.

Note – the seed flap is NOT a seed firmer. As mentioned, there is a firming wheel following directly behind the seed flap. Don’t steal the firming wheel’s thunder ;-). Using the flap to apply pressure on the seed is just not necessary and it causes the flap to wear out too fast. We have received customer reports (that now run the Ninja) who used a competitor’s aftermarket flap that built up with mud and drug seed in wet conditions.

We are setting the record straight with our 20-degree downward bend and a tab that outlasts all the rest! The results are simply better seed placement. The Ninja flap will ensure a very long life so it’s one less thing that needs replacing every season. It will be there to do the job of keeping expensive seeds in the furrow.

As always, we wish you a successful fall seeding season! ~ From your friends at Exapta.