SOMETIMES it's a bit hard to explain why you like a tractor.
I get varying responses from, "it's got a Cummins engine", to "she just does the job".
But I've never heard the following reason, expressed by Cunderdin farmer Todd Jasper: "It's like driving in your lounge room. In fact, dad put carpet in the cab."
New Holland has installed sensors in the air suspension driver's seat which takes account of the weight of the driver when adjusting suspension.
The result is a more stable suspension that doesn't rock excessively.
I can understand the enthusiasm for the family farm's New Holland T9 505 four-wheel drive (4WD) tractor, which has a lot of technology and comfort not available in the farm's old girl - which did have a Cummins engine.
It was a 183 kilowatt (245 horsepower) 4WD Versie (Versatile) 846 which was bought in 1993 and proudly held its head up for more than 6000 hours.
But with the farm expanding and the initial need for a deep ripping program, a tractor which offered 336kW (450hp) with a boost to 377kw (505hp) was very appealing.
So the family of David and Donelle and sons Todd and Matthew, decided to go for the T9, bought from Baxter's Rural, Cunderdin.
A cursory glance inside the cab showed the carpet was clean, probably because of the dry seeding which started on May 5.
But the season did finish in a bit of mud in the second week of June which meant cleaning boots before entering the cab.
The 429 hours on the clock reflects the fact the T9 was only pulling a 10.9 metre Morris 9000 Series bar linked to a Morris 7180 air seeder.
With property expansion, it can expect more work in coming years towing a wider bar and backing off the hours.
According to Todd and his brother Matthew, the T9 has lived up to expectations with technological advances and tweaks making it hard to compare it with the Versie.
For example, constant flow hydraulics means no fan lag on the air seeder which can lead to hose blockages and fuel usage is a big improver with the 12.9 litre six-cylinder FPT engine linked to a 16-speed powershift transmission.
"We're probably getting an extra 50 hectares out of the 1000 litre fuel tank," Matthew said.
But back to the cab comfort.
"The cab suspension is very good and there's plenty of room for a big guy like me," Todd said.
"All the controls are on the armrest (Sidewinder Armrest) so you've got four sets of hydraulic remotes you can control along with the transmission."
New Holland also has ensured there's plenty of vision with convex glass and a swivel seat for rear views.
According to Todd and Matthew, an important component of the new tractor is the back-up service from Baxter's, along with easy daily service requirements, including easy access to grease points.
The Jaspers also own a New Holland T7 front-wheel assist tractor which they've had for four years as a universal tractor, mainly used for spraying and spreading.
It has totalled 2200 hours and is still going strong.
To complete the New Holland flavour on the farm they also own a CR8090 header.
According to New Holland's high horsepower tractor product manager Marc Smith, the T9 Series also can be optioned with New Holland's Auto Command Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) on all four models - three ag and one scraper.
The models develop maximum power outputs ranging from 336kW (450hp) to 459kW (615hp), which New Holland claims is the most powerful CVT tractor in the market.
"The CVT transmission provides seamless speed changes with an intuitive operating logic already proven on other New Holland tractor ranges," Mr Smith said.
"Four points of optimised efficiency, where the transmission drives through a full mechanical connection, have been engineered to perfectly match the most frequently used speeds during draft work, secondary cultivation activities, high speed in-field work and transport activities."
Operators simply dial in the desired working speed and the T9 will take care of the rest, optimising its engine speed to reduce fuel consumption automatically.
A PTO mode ensures that shaft speed is maintained through varying load conditions while the cruise mode will take the T9 up to the target speed at the push of a button.
Auto Command also offers the advanced Active Stop-Start safety feature that prevents the tractor moving backwards or forwards when it is brought to a standstill on a gradient, even with a heavy load.
More information: Contact your local New Holland dealer.
