Monday, 21 May 2018 10:02

Love affair with front-end loaders

Written by Rural News Group

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Richard Clapperton, Agri-Centre South and Martin Gray, Stoll NZ with the popular loader.

New Zealand farmers seem to have a love affair with front-end loaders, particularly in comparison to their European counterparts who around the 100hp mark switch their allegiance to more specialised telehandlers.

When it comes to buying a new tractor, the current system usually sees the tractor being delivered to the local dealership, where it gets its pre-delivery checks, then it gets a loader fitted, which dependent on size might take between six and sixteen hours.

A new initiative from Case IH NZ sees the availability of ‘loader ready” options in the Farmall U, Farmall C and Maxxum 4 and 6-cylinder models right up to 160hp. Loader-ready means that while the tractor is being built at the factory, key loader component such as sub-frames, hydraulic and electrical lines, and loader joysticks, are incorporated into the build.

When the new tractor arrives at the local dealership, the business can complete the standard pdi, then fit a new loader boom from stock, thereby saving time, knowing the loader is fitted to the manufacturers specifications, and covered as part of the tractor for warranty purposes.

From a dealership perspective, the loader ready option is also a bonus, by saving time, and meaning that a new tractor doesn’t have to be partially dismantled to fit the loader subframes or hydraulic lines. The option is delivered with German manufacturer Stoll, which works with Case IH to optimise their products to fit the tractors. Once in NZ, colour matched Stoll LRZ loader booms are fitted in a range of sizes to suit the power available.

Published in Machinery & Products

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Case IH Wins EIMA Award for Optum Suspension System

With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.

The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.

In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.

Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.

Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”

Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.

www.caseih.com