Profi September 2020

You do not even have to squint very hard to mistake John Deere’s new compact 6M for a Massey Ferguson 5700SL. So, you can clearly see where the green and yellow gang are aiming the new look, 90-120hp tractor range. We had a brief chat with one of the dealers who was involved in the engineering panel. He noted that usually (although not always) the engineering team develops what they believe the end user wants, does some further testing and it is only when the cake is nearly baked do they seek the opinion of the end user. This time round they brought in a group of representatives from across Europe to come up with a wish list. The group then returned every nine months to offer their opinion on…

TIP OF THE MONTH Softer touch The sharp edges of a pallet tine can chafe big bag hooks which is why this farm has made round sleeves to go over the tines. The sleeves are made from 125mm pipe. To stop the bags sliding all the way back a piece of 18mm pipe was welded vertically. This also improves the reach of the loader which is useful when loading a trailer from one side. A cut out at the rear of the sleeve stops the tube from turning and a retaining pin holds it in place against the vertical part of the pallet tine. Fresh look Zetors Zetor has put the finishing touches to its new-style Crystal HD 170 (171hp), the final piece in the jigsaw being a new cab…

With the 6MC and RC tractors not quite hitting the sales mark, John Deere decided in 2015 to go back to the drawing board for ‘project sparrow’. From day one, Deere's engineering department sought the opinion of 13 European dealer reps who could explain exactly what their customers wanted from the new 6M tractor range. Among the project panel were a dealer from England and another from Ireland, and it was quickly decided that the 2,580mm wheelbase from the 6MC and RC tractors was just too big, whereas the 5R cab frame was too small. Reverting back to the 2,400mm wheelbase of the four-cylinder 6030 tractors was seen as a must, as well as giving farmers a more spacious cab. Fast forward to September 2019, and John Deere was ready…

Width: 238cm; Length: 497cm (with front linkage); Height: 287cm Technical data Engine: 88kW/120hp (to ECE-R120) rated output at 2,100rpm; 107kW/145hp maximum power with boost, water-cooled four-cylinder DPS PowerTech EWL with 4.5-litre displacement, exhaust gas Stage IV (Tier 4 Final) with DOC and SCR; 175-litre diesel tank (205-litre option), 19-litre DEF tank for AdBlue Transmission: Deere’s own CommandQuad 24/24 speeds, six ranges, four powershifts all button controlled; 40km/hr at 1,600rpm Brakes: Wet disc brakes on rear wheels (option of air brakes), four-wheel engagement, parking brake is integrated into shuttle Electric system: 12V, 98amps battery, alternator with 14V and 200amps, starter 3.2kW/4.4hp Linkage: Cat II/III; ELC with lower link control, manual side stabilisers. Front linkage/front pto optional equipment Hydraulics: Swash plate pump of 114l/min, (standard: gear pump 80l/min), 200 bar, maximum four…

It’s rare that something truly groundbreaking comes along in the world of telehandlers, so when JCB unveiled its hybrid Dual Tech transmission in 2016 we were keen to follow its progress. Combining hydrostatic and powershift drives, it promised to provide precision at low speeds and a bit more oomph from a direct mechanical link between engine and axles at higher speeds. The gearbox is clever in its simplicity. A heavily modified version of previous four-speed boxes used in Staffordshire-built handlers, gear one is replaced by an electronically controlled Bosch-Rexroth pump and motor set-up which provides hydrostatic drive up to 19km/hr. Above this, gears two, three and four are standard powershift ratios of the sort you might expect to find in a tractor gearbox – oil-activated multi-plate clutch-packs engage each gear…

When it comes to the UK and Irish slurry tanker market it's the 11,000-litre (or more commonly referred to as a 2,500 gallon) recessed tank that has become the default capacity for farmers doing their own slurry spreading. Although there is a trend to larger tandem-axle tankers, particularly where a lot of roadwork is involved, the single axle still offers the combination of capacity, flotation and lower cost. Belgian machinery maker Joskin has several tanker ranges including the Modulo 2. This spring we tested the 11000 ME version, which has a capacity of 11m3 and was fitted with the firm’s 7.50m Pendislide Basic trailing shoe applicator. With a tank diameter of 1.80m and wheel recess for the tyres, its actual volume is 10,700 litres, making it the largest single-axle Modulo…