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No-till Planter Parts and Equipment

  • Closing Wheels for Planters
  • Gauge Wheels
  • Keeton Seed Firmers for Planters
  • Mojo Wires for Planters
  • Opener Assemblies
  • Planter Parts
  • Valion Seed Tube Guards

    • Thompson Closing Wheels for Planters

    Thompson Wheel Toe Out Kit- Universal Planter

    LEGACY P/N WAS T 32TO - Thompson Wheel T32, Built-in Toe-out Oct 2023 - Now includes mounting hardware and washer to space away from row frame to clear clevin pin.

    $145.00
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    Thompson Star Wheel Plate

    $56.37
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    Bushing Spacer for Bearing

    $6.50
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    Toe-out 6° Wedge

    Wedge, up to 6-degrees of toe-out for closing wheels held on by a bolt (most late-model planters; early Kinze, JD 7000 & 7200 with updated closing brackets). Fits either 5/8" or 16mm bolts. Ideal for tough conditions such as high-clay, low-OM soils, or soddy seedbeds.
    $6.50
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    Spring-Extension, Closing Bracket, Medium

    Medium extension spring for OEM planter closing brackets. Lighter spring pressures are required for spoked closing wheels. To regain the the fine adjustment range you need, consider our medium 55% of OEM.

    LEGACY P/N WAS M 4466 – Medium Closing Bracket Spring

    $9.50
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    All About Closing Wheels for Planters

    Faster Emergence, More Vigor

    • NEW: Bolt-on star wheel = cost-effective replacement stars
    • Toe-out wedge built into shroud for easy adjustment!
    • Doesn’t overpack
    • Aggressive furrow closing with self-limiting depth
    • Creates ideal zone for crop emergence & rooting in a wide array of conditions
    • Low mud and stalk accumulation
    • Ready to bolt on: no tearing brg-type OEM wheels apart
    Thompson wheel bearing.

    Sizing Things Up

    A competitor's bearing fits inside the Thompson wheel's larger housing. Our bearing includes a triple-lip seal and a patented shroud for superior protection against fertilizer and water.

    Thompson wheel showing high-carbon steel.

    High-Carbon Steel

    The Thompson wheel’s high-carbon, thin spokes resist wear and bending, easily penetrate soil, and prevent mud buildup. Their blunt tips and tapered sides crumble the sidewall effectively while limiting depth—thanks to gradual resistance and shorter spoke length—delivering optimal soil shattering without over-penetration.

    Built in toe out wedge on Thompson Wheel

    Built-in Toe-out

    Exapta’s toe-out wedge is now built into the shroud for easy adjustment, from zero degrees, to 3° or 6°. Toe-out causes closing wheels (all types) to more actively engage and pull soil back into the furrow—the reverse of the opener blades prying soil apart to create the furrow.

    No-till seeding is a relatively new phenomenon, and more effective methods are continually being developed. In the U.S. & Canada, most planters and “no-till” drills are ill-suited to the task from the moment they’re built (they were engineered for tilled seedbeds). For instance, the original smooth closing wheels on all planters and no-till drills can overpack the furrow, especially when soils are damp, causing poor emergence and poor root penetration of the sidewall. Because of the soil structure in no-till, the solid wheel is ineffective at closing the furrow. To avoid the packing problem and poor furrow closing, several aftermarket companies began offering spoked wheels to replace the original closing wheel.

    Three-year compilation of stand counts x row from Seeding Schools available. See how closing wheels and other attachments affect stands & root growth!

    Graphic of the comparison of different closing wheels and how well they work for no-till.

    An honest assessment from numerous observations by 3rd-party scientists and farmers.

    * Closing wheels that don’t pack the soil above the seed (a good thing) should not be used without a separate in-furrow firming device (Keeton seed firmer or seed-lock wheel).

    Toe-Out Wedge Makes Thompson Wheels Even Better

    Toe-out wedge six degree.

    The toe-out helps all spoked wheels to more actively engage and gather soil from the fractured sidewall and pull it back into the furrow—sort of the reverse of the opener blades prying apart the soil while creating the furrow. It even helps the beveled cast closers (non-spoked).

    Up close look at toe out wedge installed.
    “I especially noticed a difference on our non-irrigated ground that was hard and dry. The T-wheels were able to close the furrow, and the Keetons + Mojos helped get the seed into what little moisture was there.”
    Heath SeekerTrenton, NE, Exapta customer since 2012 (T-whls & Mojos on 8-row JD 7200 planter)
    “I love those Thompson wheels and wedges—they’re wonderful. I have some clay soils along the river, and I’ve tried a bunch of different types of closing wheels, and nothing else comes close to closing the furrow. Fabulous.”
    Leo VojtaMobridge, SD, Exapta customer since ’08 (T-whls, toe-out, Keetons w/ Mojos on 24-row Kinze 3800 planter)
    Headshot of Leo Vojta.
    “I planted double-crop corn into wheat stubble in extreme wet conditions using Thompson wheels—I shouldn’t have been in the field, but the corn made an excellent stand! I planted in no-till and tilled ground and had superb results in both. When I planted soybeans, I used OEM wheels and T-wheels—the stand was scarce where the OEM wheels were, but I had a better stand and higher emergence where the T-wheels had been.”
    Bill StahlClarksburg, MO, Exapta customer since 2014 (Thompson wheels on 12-row Kinze planter)
    “[A respected friend] convinced me to put T-wheels on our planter, and that paid off big time: WAAAAAY better stand on our corn on corn.”
    Nathan Pearce, Homestead FarmsWallace, KS, Exapta customer since 2010 (Thompson wheels, Keetons & Mojo Wires on JD 1770 24-row CCS planter)
    Headshot of Nathan Pearce.
    “I put on one row of the Thompson wheels a few years ago, beside the other rows with [competitor] closing wheels. I’m putting Thompson wheels on the rest of the rows now [2009]—I don’t need a drag chain as they do a better job of consistently covering the seed.”
    Steve Groff, Cedar Meadow FarmHoltwood, PA, Exapta customer since ’05 (Thompson wheels, toe-out wedges, Keetons w/Mojo Wires on Monosem/Kinze planter)
    Headshot of Steve Groff.
    “On my planter, I run two Thompson spoked closing wheels [per row] and get along great. Make sure you use Keeton seed firmers. I use the firmers with a Mojo Wire to stiffen them even more and really push the seed into the soil. After that, I like the fluffy crumbly dirt on top.”
    Alan AufdembergeLincoln, KS, (Thompson wheels, toe-out wedges, and Mojos on 16-row JD 1700-series planter)
    Headshot of Alan Aufdemberge.
    “Your Thompson wheels closed the seed trench very well. I have no complaints with them whatsoever.”
    Dan SnellerBussey, IA, Exapta customer since 2012 (Updated closing brackets, toe-out wedges and Thompson wheels 12 row 7200)
    “Your products help me make money. I did a trial with different spoked closing wheels and yours were by far the best wheels I’ve seen. I have Thompsons on my 16-row JD planter and am converting my 750 drill to them. They really make a difference in covering the seed and emergence. They break up the sidewall compaction and do a great job closing the seed trench. I appreciate you guys [Exapta].”
    Dave MeyerArcanum, OH, Exapta customer since 2014 (T-wheels w/ toe-out wedges, Valions, Mojos on 16-row JD 1760 XP planter)
    Headshot of Dave Meyer.
    “Get rid of your cast wheels. We have had good luck with the Thompson wheels. We have them on both our 1890 and our 1770 and won’t use anything else.”
    Dean LerwickLyman, NE, Exapta customer since 2011 (JD 1770 24 row)
    “We planted hundreds of acres of corn into killed CRP sod in the spring of 2010. The Thompson wheels and toe-out wedges did an excellent job of getting the furrow closed in those really tough conditions.”
    Jack SchmittScott City, KS
    Headshot of Jack Schmitt.
    “I tried 2 rows of Thompson wheels and wedges, and the rest of the planter was [competitor] spike closing wheels. When I did stand counts, the two rows with Thompson wheels had 1,000 – 2,000 higher final populations than the other rows. It was easy to see which rows had the Thompson wheels.” [Four years later, Thompsons & Mojos on all rows] “I think I have the best stands around of corn-on-corn in no-till.”
    Steve LitwillerParnell, IA, Exapta customer since ’08 (Thompsons, toe-out, Mojos on Kinze 3200 planter)
    Headshot of Steve Litwiller.
    “The Thompson wheels really worked well — just like you said. With the complete rebuild of the planter… including Keetons and Mojo Wires, all the plants came up at the same time….With the Thompson wheels, and everything you said, it’s made a world of difference in how the planter performed—even the previous owner was really impressed with what I’d done with it. I’d think anyone using this setup would be overwhelmingly satisfied.”
    Leon SchneiderCaldwell, KS, Exapta customer since 2010 (Thompson wheels, toe-out wedges, and Mojo Wires on 16-row Kinze planter)
    Headshot of Leon Schneider.
    “The Thompson wheels were wonderful—Neatest seedbed I’ve ever accomplished…I attribute some of [my perfect stands] to the Thompson wheels. I have nothing but praise for them.”
    Maurice YordyEureka, IL, Exapta customer since '06 (Thompson wheels on JD 7240 planter)
    “The Thompson wheels are everything you said they were. Much better closing than the cast [OEM] closing wheels”
    Bob LeaderBrookston, IN , Exapta customer since '06 (Thompson wheels and toe-out plates on JD 7000 planter)
    “The bearings in the Thompson wheels are superb. I never have to worry about them seizing up and having to replace them in the middle of planting, like I used to with OEM bearings.”
    Travis PetersonGothenburg, NE, Exapta customer since 2011 (Thompson wheels on 24-row JD planter)
    “We are in the South and plant mostly cotton. I tried several [competitor] closing wheels on our planter this last summer [2018]. We had Thompson wheels on our planter and went back to those, as in our conditions we felt like they did the best job.” [They have ran T-whls on their planter for many years, but were checking out some newer options.]
    Terry McAlisterElectra, TX, Exapta customer since ’07 (Thompson wheels, toe-out on 16-row JD 1770 planter)
    Headshot of Terry McAlister
    “I purchased Thompson Wheels off you last year and they have worked great.”
    Craig ReynoldsCongupna, Victoria, Australia, (Thompson Wheels and Mojo Wires on 8-row JD 1700 planter)
    “I’ve tried rubber closing wheels, cast closing wheels, and several other brands of spoked wheels on planters, and without a doubt, the Thompson wheels are the best for all of my conditions.”
    Steve EdgerGreenville, OH , Exapta customer since ’07 (T-whls, toe-out, Keetons w/ Mojo Wires on 32-row planter)
    2010 comment: “We are sold on Thompson wheels. We’ve used them for 4 years on over 7,000 acres, no breakdowns. Planting beans in Missouri-River-bottom gumbo, we could never get much over 15 bu/a, no-till or full-till. However, when we installed the Thompson wheels, we have raised 40-bu beans every year with no-till. Wet or dry, they do a good job of covering the seed.” [Feb 2014 update:] “The bearings last forever; we’ve never had one fail. Last spring was very wet. While full-till folks had to wait several days for the ground to dry, we went to the field and planted, all no-till. The Thompson wheels worked, and never balled up in wet soil conditions.”
    Kersten Farms (Myron, Mark & Karl)Malta Bend, MO, Exapta customers since ’07 (T-whls, toe-out on all rows of 12/23 Kinze split-row planter)
    Headshot of Myron Kersten.
    “I traded for a Kinze a couple of years ago; ran one rubber closing wheel and one [competitor spoked wheel] per row for a year and a half—about the only time I closed a slot was when it rained after I planted. I put Thompsons on this spring [2010] and had no problems closing.”
    Gail FullerGail Fuller Emporia, KS, Exapta customer since 2010 (Thompson wheels & toe-out wedges on a 16-row Kinze planter
    Headshot of Gail Fuller.
    “The Thompson wheels do just what you say. They close the furrow even though it’s too wet to be out there. Our stands are excellent. I’m glad I tried them.”
    Tracy BengtsonAlta, Iowa, Exapta customer since '06 (Thompson wheels, toe-out wedges, and Mojo Wires on 12-row White 8000-series planter; also Thompson wheels on JD 1590 drill)
    “I had 4 different brands of closing wheels for several years before going to the Exapta Thompson wheels. I like yours because of the thin blade—it goes into the soil easier for good crumbling of the sidewall. There’s seldom any corn stalks getting stuck in them. It’s a good closing unit. No maintenance needed in 9 years.”
    Mike PhillipsWaseca, MN, Exapta customer since '03 (Thompson wheels w/ toe-out plates on 8-row JD 7100 planter)
    Headshot of Mike Phillips.
    “I first tried Thompson wheels after running [competitor ‘spikes’] several years. The Thompson wheels pull the soil in very nice and closed the trench. I have the toe-out wedges set at 3 degrees and had some mud adhesion, but didn’t hurt the closing job at all. I’ve really liked them! I also took off the wavy coulters like Exapta recommends and added Thompsons to the entire planter. This season I had the most uniform emergence ever.”
    Eric BrooksNew Marshfield, OH, Exapta customer since 2014 (T-whls on 12-row Kinze 3000-series planter)
    Headshot of Eric Brooks.
    “I’m happy with the Thompson closing wheels and toe-out wedges—the best results I have seen versus other brands. I like the short teeth and the adjustable spring tension because with some of the soil I don’t even need any pressure, just the weight of the wheels.”
    Olie LeimerAlbert City, IA, Exapta customer since '09 (T-whls on 12-row JD 7100 planter)
    “The Thompson wheels have been one of the best additions to our planter as they do a great job closing the seed slot in both extremely dry and extremely wet conditions. Having them on is often the difference in whether I can plant or not when the weather turns wet. Previously, the inability to fully close the seed slot with the stock JD rubber closing often left me setting at the edge of the field waiting for things to dry out. The T-wheels enable me to keep planting in these same conditions. Thompson wheels dig in and give us excellent seed slot closure in both wet and dry conditions, regardless of the volume of crop residue on the surface. And when conditions are wet at planting time, sidewall compaction is largely eliminated when using the Thompson wheels as compared to the JD rubber closing wheels.”
    Dietrich KastensHerndon, KS, Exapta customer since ’08 (T-whls, toe-out, Mojo Wires on two 24-row JD 1770 planters)
    Headshot of Dietrich Kastens.
    “A couple of years ago, my brother and myself both bought new planters. He put the [competitor cage-type] closing wheels on his, and I put the Thompson wheels on mine. Last year, they took the [competitor’s] off and replaced them with Thompsons because they couldn’t get them [competitor’s] to close the furrow even with quite a lot of pressure. We are no-till and ours soils are king of tough.”
    Terry McAlisterElectra, TX, Exapta customer since ’07 (Thompson wheels, toe-out on 16-row JD 1770 planter)
    Headshot of Terry McAlister
    “I like the size of the bearings and the self-cleaning action. They’re very trouble-free.”
    Kent KinklerOnida, SD , Exapta customer since '03 (Thompson wheels on 36-row Kinze planter)
    Headshot of Kent Kinkler
    “I really like the Thompson wheels—they didn’t leave a rut and closed really well. They were very consistent in closing the furrow, and a big improvement over the cast closers…I’m very happy with them.”
    John NominaDelphos, OH, Exapta customer since '03 (Thompson wheels on Kinze planter)
    “The Thompson wheels worked exactly like you said they would. Nearly perfect closing in cotton and corn. We’ve had good service out of them. They’re very trouble-free and well-made. They’re the closest we’ve come to being able to plant in all conditions.”
    Jimmy NewbyAthens, AL, Exapta customer since '05 (Thompson wheels on three 12-row JD 1700-series planters)
    “I ran competitor’s wheels and really liked how it almost tilled the soil and closed the trench so well, but I wanted to try the Thompson wheels on my planter beside them to see which ones performed better. At first, I was disappointed as they looked like they did a poor job of closing the furrow, but we later experienced a heavy rain and noticed the rows with the competitor wheels crusted the soil. Meanwhile the Thompson wheel rows emerged with no problem and had a much more consistent stand.”
    Starlight Farms, Todd KauxhausLake Odessa, MI, customer since 2014 (16-row JD 7300)
    Front and back of a Thompson wheel.

    Closing Wheels for Planters in the News

    Two guys standing next to a ladder on a John Deere tractor. Featured in No-Till Farmer: For Ambitious No-Tillers: There’s No Place Like Home

    Almost to the Colorado border, these far western Kansas no-tillers credit some of their success to good seeding equipment set up — including Exapta’s Thompson wheels on their drill as well as their planter (although we do worry about the T-wheels on their planter not being ran with a seed firmer).

    Read more

    Featured in No-Till Farmer: Using Residue Layers, Precision Tools to Boost No-Till Profitability

    Todd Yackley says he uses Exapta Solution’s Thompson closing wheels on his planter as an aggressive furrow-closing tool with self-limiting depth.

    Read more

    Installation Instructions

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    Content of this page is copyright 2005-2025 Exapta Solutions, Inc. (reprint with written permission only).

    Thompson wheel covered by U.S. Patent No. 6,907,833. Liquid delivery feature of Valion seed tube guards is U.S. Patent No. 8,978,564. Ninja seed bounce flap U.S. Patent Pending. UniForce U.S. Patent Pending. All rights reserved on other designs. Exapta is a registered trademark of Exapta Solutions, Inc. Keeton is a registered trademark of Precision Planting. Mojo Wire, Thompson wheel, Valion guard, Ninja flap, UniForce, DuraLok, No-till Seeding Explained, and No-till Seeding School are trademarks of Exapta. Disclaimer: Recommendations & page content are current, accurate, and believed to be broadly applicable as of the time of writing (Dec 2005) and last update (2005 – 2014). Because of diversity of soils, climate, crops, planter & drill models/designs marketed worldwide, combinations of attachments, etc., actual results may vary. No warranty is made as to actual results obtained. Should you encounter exceptions or worthwhile annotations to the statements made on this page, please contact us.

    Derek Tjaden

    Derek is Kansas native who grew up in a 100% no-till farming operation. From an early age the benefits of no-till were made known to Derek by his father and by attending no-till conferences. From there he furthered his passion for soils while at Kansas State University getting his agronomy degree. He has had the experience of working in various roles and sectors of agriculture from sales and consulting to management, which have all been within production agriculture. Derek has also worked in specialty ag markets such as turf and ornamentals.

    Bob Pagel

    Sales & Service Representative

    Prior to joining Exapta, Bob Pagel was an Agricultural Territory Sales Manager for Ritchie Brothers, serving parts of MN, WI and IA. He continues to support his family farm in SE Minnesota.

    Jon Zeller

    Current Product Engineer

    He brings hands-on experience in no-till planting equipment, agricultural research, and design engineering. With a background in farming in NE Kansas and an engineering degree, he spent seven years at Kansas State University and three at Landoll Company. He’s passionate about solving engineering challenges and developing durable, user-friendly products.