Work vehicle having a cutter assembly with a pre-loaded gear train and method of controlling same

A work vehicle for cutting crops comprising:

• a header supported by a chassis of the work vehicle, the header including a cutter assembly comprising:
• a cutter bar frame;
• a series of rotary cutters mounted on the cutter bar frame and arranged in a lengthwise direction;
• and
• a gear train coupled to the series of rotary cutters to transfer power thereto, the gear train having a first gear and a second gear;
• a cutter control system comprising:
• a first motor coupled to the first gear of the gear train to provide power to the gear train;
• and
• a second motor coupled to the second gear of the gear train to provide power to the gear train;
• and
• a controller, including a processor and memory architecture, operably connected to the first motor and the second motor to control operation thereof;
• wherein the cutter control system drives the first gear at a first speed via the first motor and drives the second gear at a second speed via the second motor, the second speed being different than the first speed to pre-load the gear train into enmeshing engagement with each other in one rotational direction.