July 24, 2009

Customer testimonial

Rob, Don & John Nankivell

Nankivell with the new Challenger MT855C

EAST Maya farmers Rob, Don and John Nankivell finished a more than 4600ha cropping program two weeks ago.

And according to Rob it was one of the fastest establishments the family has ever had, thanks to a new Challenger MT855C track tractor.

The upgrade this year was more about horsepower than an ageing tractor. Their pensioned tractor was a Caterpiller 65D which had clocked up 7500 hours but is still going strong and will be used for general purpose work.

"We've got a 50 foot (14.7m) DBS seeding bar and we could only crank the 65D up to operate between 3-4km/h," Rob said. "That's way below the ideal operating speed of 8km/h to obtain optimum performance from the DBS when it's wet.

With the extra grunt from the 855C, the digging blades easily worked well at a depth around 13.7cm (5.5in) with the 855C able to maintain a fuel efficient working range between 1650 and 1700rpm.

"We're very happy with the new model," Rob said. "The engine is quiet, it's not overloading and slip is virtually nil.
"Interestingly, a pallet of 16 x 57kg weights are still in the shed if there is a need to put more weight on the tractor to gain more traction.

But Rob says he is trying to make the 855C as light as possible.

"The soil is getting softer since we've been using the DBS and we've taken off the front idler weights," he said. "We're not getting any slipping so there's no need to have them on.

"But it's good to have them there because you never know when you might need extra weight to get us through."
With less weight and a low operating range, Rob says fuel usage per hectare was excellent in a range of soil conditions.

"I suspect we're using less fuel but I haven't done all the figures yet," he said.

The other aspect of buying a higher horsepower tractor is the knowledge that it can accommodate a bigger seeding rig.

"We're thinking about getting another air seeder to replace our five tonne John Shearer model," he said. "It has been super reliable but we know it will die at some stage.

"And we know we've got plenty of hydraulics to upgrade to a bigger model plus we've got the horsepower."
Challenger raised its own bar with the introduction of the MT800C series track tractors and MT900C four-wheel-drive articulated tractors.

Both lines are loaded with new features and improvements:
• New digital dash display that's easier to read and now indicates selected gear, ground speed and service hours.
• Redesigned Tractor Management Center that provides simpler, more intuitive operation.
• New hydraulic system with a higher degree of control, higher flow and greater adaptability.
• An integrated ISOBUS control system that helps optimise productivity and performance of the tractor and any attached ISOBUS-compliant implements.
• New horsepower levels that push the MT855C to 354kW (475hp).

The Challenger MT835C, MT845C, MT855C, MT945C and MT955C each feature a Cat C15 diesel engine with a 15.2L displacement, while the MT865C, MT875C, MT965C and MT975C boast a massive 18.1L Cat C18 ACERT diesel.

The largest displacement agricultural tractor engine on the market capable of generating more than 470kW (630hp). Eight gears in the popular 6.5 to 14.9 km/h operating range and closely spaced gear splits, are designed to achieve the most usable power. You also can program any forward gear between one and seven as the default starting gear. Once set, it remains in the memory, even after power down.

The in-line design of the undercarriage track frame absorbs shock loads minimising the transfer of stresses and vibrations to the frame and operator of the tractor.

Four suspended mid-wheels mould to the ground surface for maximum ground contact while minimizing ground pressure and soil compaction.

Challenger says this system provides the smoothest ride of any track tractor in the industry.
The hardbar, in conjunction with a robust stabiliser bar enables the left and the right undercarriages to pivot up and down independently, up to eight degrees each way, to smoothly walk over obstacles such as rocks or stumps.
McIntosh and Son are distributors of Challenger tractors with a full back-up service throughout the Wheatbelt.

Story courtesy of Farm Weekly publication

For more information visit www.seriousmachinery.com 

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