No let up for new year-round workhorse

In fact the optimum would be one that could spray, spread, till and harvest, along with the usual PTO and front-end loader jobs.

Don’t laugh, it could happen.

But for now, there’s plenty of choices for the workhorse you need.

For Matt Ford, Ford Bros Grazing, Williams, the choice was a CLAAS ARION 620C, which he bought this year from CLAAS Harvest Centre, Katanning.

“We’ve got an old 240hp (179kW) tractor for pulling a 33 foot (10 metres) bar and a 12 tonne box and it also was the spray tractor,” Matt said.

“But this new one will now do all the spraying along with spreading and all the odd jobs.”

The 620C already has chalked up 150 hours since Matt took delivery in April.

The reason for buying the 620C was the usual answer, “met our price point” and “had all the features we were looking for”.

According to Matt there is plenty to like about the 620C particularly in the hilly country where he farms.

“The cab suspension is good, it runs quiet and the 50-50 weight distribution gives good traction,” he said.

“The loader arms also help to put more grip on the front tyres.”

The loader itself, an FL120 model, features mechanical self-levelling linkage with a lift height of 4.60m (15ft), a FITLOCK system for quick and easy coupling and removal, MACH quick-attach coupler for electric and hydraulic circuits and vibration dampening.

But it’s really in the cab where there’s a lot of appreciation for looking after the driver doing a 10 hour shift.

It’s really comfortable, uncluttered and you almost don’t have need of an operator’s manual with control selections in easy reach –though always read your operator’s manual.

With the 620C you don’t need a shift lever or clutch pedal to operate the tractor.

It’s a simple push button to shift all four powershift speeds and ranges with the clutch pedal only engaged for manoeuvring.

Forgive the enthusiasm of the writer who, as an eight-year-old boy, still remembers cold days and nights perched on a Lanz Bulldog tractor ploughing paddocks.

No cab, no suspension, no heater and certainly no cool box below the steering wheel.

Necessary equipment was a blow torch and crank handle.

According to CLAAS, its 600C series tractors provide most of the ‘fruits’ of higher horsepower models but in a lower specification suitable for ‘everyday’ farm work.

The 620C features a 6.8 litre, six cylinder DPS engine with 104kW (140hp) of on-demand power, linked to a 16/16 powershift transmission and clutch-less reverser.

Other handy features include four hydraulic circuits with a 98 litres a minute hydraulic capacity and four PTO speeds.

Like all CLAAS tractors, it has a long wheelbase, balanced weight distribution and a tight turning circle for maximum stability and manoeuvrability.

And it the only tractor in its category equipped with adjustable four-point cabin suspension as standard.