THE brief was fairly simple for Hiview Poll Merino stud principal Perry Corker and his son Chad.
Find a reliable “horsepower tractor” for their Boyup Brook enterprise, which also involves Perry’s wife Sharon.
With more than 250 hectares of crop and hay production, spreading and chasing duties and front-end loader work, the tractor had to match so-called ‘Goldilocks’ requirements – not too big and not too small.
The ‘just right’ bit came when they looked over a new Massey Ferguson 7000 Series model, a 7718, at AGCO dealership P H Kerr, Katanning.
That was in April this year and 274 hours later Perry and Chad feel vindicated with their choice.
“It’ll probably be a 400 hours a year tractor,” Perry said.
“We wanted something to pull a 27-row combine, an eight tonne spreader and a round baler and this one also came with a front-end loader which expanded the work it could do.
“It also came with some good standard features like a continuously variable transmission (CVT), standard three-point linkage and a 50km/h road speed.”
The power plant is a 6.6 litre AGCOPOWER Tier IV engine developing 112kW (150hp) with an Engine Power Management (EPM) to boost it to 131kW (175hp).
Being a Tier IV it requires an AdBlue tank, but this isn’t a big hassle for Perry and Chad.
“At seeding we had to fill it after every two tanks of fuel,” Chad said.
“It’s an extra job but we prefer AdBlue over EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) or DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) because the N2O (nitrous oxides) is not going through the motor.”
According to Massey Ferguson, MF7700 Series tractors are equipped with the latest Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), which the company said was recognised as the most straightforward, reliable and economic method of achieving increasingly strict emission regulations.
All engines feature a new Engine Control Unit (ECU), with higher fuel injection pressure, an electronically- controlled waste-gate turbocharger and a new throttle valve.
On the 7715, the engine is linked to a Dyna-VT continuously variable transmission.
This provides step-less speed changes and allows operators to select any combination of engine speed and forward speed to optimise output and the work quality.
Engine revs can be set for the precise combination of power and torque required, resulting in optimum fuel economy and lower noise.
Another feature of the EPM is that it senses wheelslip.
Negotiating an incline, for example, the computer drops engines revs, while increasing power and slowing wheel turn.
And all models with Dyna-VT transmissions are equipped with a four-speed PTO system providing 540, 540E, 1000 and 1000E speeds.
A new load-sensing, closed-centre pump, delivers 190 litres a minute on Dyna-VT tractors and all load-sensing models have decompression levers on the spool valves for easy coupler connection and removal.
Up to five rear spool valves can be specified.
When a front-linkage is specified, additional valves are fitted – one for the front linkage and one or two for front couplers.
A new front axle suspension system employs double-acting rams, which provide 30 per cent more travel than previous designs.
The rams are attached directly to the axle and the front axle support.
This straight-forward set-up, without any complex linkages, combines comfort with reliable operation.
The new range comprises eight models offering maximum power ratings between 104kW (140hp) and 190kW (255hp), providing a choice of three transmissions and two levels of specification.
All the 7700 Series models come with the option of factory-fitted wiring ready to connect up the latest Auto-Guide 3000 automatic steering and AGCOMMAND systems.
The recently introduced ‘Go Mode’ on Auto-Guide 3000 provides a fast set-up and enables users to choose between four steering paths – A-B line, A+ heading, Centre Pivot and curved lines.
AGCOMMAND telemetry also can be added to improve fleet management, machine monitoring and security while simplifying record keeping and job reports.
No software is required because it’s accessed through a secure, mobile-friendly web page.
More information: Brian Kerr 0427 712 538.