Traction and good ride were top of mind for Berri-based orchard services contractor Gallard Services when they added their first Challenger tractor to the fleet.
Providing orchard services across Australia, Sam Gallard said the MT855E had been busy deep ripping a 1400-hectare almond grove near Darlington Point, NSW.
“We’re pulling a five tyne ripper that covers two metres - the width of the drip line,” he said. “The tynes are on 500mm spacings and the shanks are 1150 mm long and depending on the application we can rip anywhere down to a metre deep.”
The 365 kilowatt tracked machine delivers the results needed.
“The track technology and the ride on the tracks is next to none - it’s amazing compared to our other track tractors,” Mr Gallard said.
“With the ballast correct we are now getting the maximum drive on the track from front to back.”
The MT855E operates at 100 per cent engine load all day and was burning about 83-86 litres per hour at 100pc engine load.
“We’re always working at 100pc engine load so you are always using a lot of fuel no matter what,” Mr Gallard said.
Challenger’s Opti-Ride suspension takes the pain out of rough conditions and the track maintains good ground contact for traction.
“When you get into some rough country the track will roll over and float over obstacles so you keep more surface area on the ground,” Mr Gallard said.
“Compared to the rigid tracks on other machines that means better traction.
“We can also access tight jobs needing manoeuvrability and it allows us to rip right to the ends of rows.”
Mr Gallard said the semi-suspended idler wheels provided a completely different ride compared to their tracked 8360 John Deere’s rigid idlers.
“I still love the 83, but the Challenger walks all over it,” he said.
A key operational feature is the unique fully-steerable three-point linkage.
The E Series design sees the steering cylinders re-positioned for an improved steering angle to enhance control.
“It acts like an articulated tracked tractor so the back end steers which is great when you have a massive ripper in the ground,” Mr Gallard said. “This allows you to hold line a lot better - it makes steering easier.”
“On others if I got in tough going and got off line (RTK +/- 2cm) I would never get back on line, now the steerable hitch will turn and then come back on line and pull the ripper though.”