WITH an impeccable pedigree and a claim as the biggest rigid frame tractor in the world, the Fendt 1000 Series tractor already is ticking boxes in the WA market.
Arguably it is the most versatile 4WD tractor on the market but AgWest Machinery Geraldton branch manager Kent Douglas wants more than anecdotal evidence to match the claims for his customers.
Demonstrations of the latest Fendt offering last week at Walkaway included analysing the unit as a main seeding tractor, pulling a 18.2 metre (60 foot) DBS and a four tank M18000 Ausplow Multistream granular air seeder.
With a notional horsepower requirement of about five kilowatts (7hp) a tine, about 313kW (420hp) is needed to pull the DBS D300-60T, operating at about 125 millimetres (five inches).
Mr Douglas has employed a Fendt 1042, which develops 324kW (435hp), with little so-called parasitic loss.
This is courtesy of one of the many features Fendt has designed into the 1000 Series.
The tractors has a new drive train called VarioDrive, which allows for a variable four-wheel-drive (4WD), with torque distributed over two transmission outputs, operated independently on both axles.
There’s no traditional drive shaft.
Instead Fendt employs a single pump which drives the front and rear axle motors.
It’s controlled by torque sensors and an Intelli Clutch, which allows torque to be shifted between the axles according to need.
Fendt has released the 1000 Series as a true universal tractor to achieve heavy duty broadacre work such as spraying, spreading, seeding, deep tillage, chasing and forestry reclamation work.
Its overall weight is only 14 tonnes but it can be specced up to 21t, meaning it has the nimbleness for lighter work before moving up to grunt work.
There are a multitude of features Fendt has presented to the market with its 1000 Series models.
Four Vario models offer power offerings between 283kW (380hp) and the range-topping Vario 1050, which has a rated horsepower of 380kW (517hp) with 376kW (505hp) at the PTO, with three speeds – 1000, 1000E and 1300rpm.
The 1042 is equipped with a 15 litre MAN six cylinder engine, linked to a Vario stepless transmission – there is no range selector – with speeds between 20 metres an hour and 60 kilometres an hour – and at that speed you’re only hitting 1450rpm.
During last week’s demonstration, the 1042 was using only about 3.5 litres of fuel a hectare, operating at 1200rpm.
Idling speed is 650rpm and maximum torque starts at 1100rpm with a torque curve flattening at 1650rpm with little change in fuel usage.
Fendt said the design architecture of the 1000 Series was aimed at optimum power and efficient fuel use.
Another standard feature is called Pull-In turn.
Negotiating headland turns, torque is transferred flexibly to the front axle to increase pulling power.
Since there is no fixed drive ratio with the variable 4WD, the front wheel can actively pull the tractor into the curve.
This reduces the turning circle by up to 10 per cent.
Pull-In is intuitive to sense straight up-and-back for skip rows, to adjust the turn accordingly.
Fendt’s cooling system features a high performance hydraulically-driven fan at the front of the cooler unit to suck in cold, dense air into the radiator.
The system has its own hydrostatic drive to perform at optimum level regardless of engine speed.
The flexibility of the 1000 Series models is underlined by standard front and rear linkage and a heavy duty rear PTO.
Tractor management system (TMS) is also included in the 1000 Series models, along with the Variotronic terminal.
TMS automates ground and engine speed dependant on load and the VarioTronic is used to set up and monitor all tractor functions.
The transmission is hydrostatic with mechanical power splitting.
Fendt’s filter monitoring means maintenance intervals for hydraulics are 2000 hours or 24 months.
If you’re looking for more options, you can control tyre pressures on-the-go.
More information: contact AgWest Machinery on 9965 5855.
