S Series with TwinTrac reverse drive unveiled at ElmiaWood

03.06.2009

These two stands will feature around 30 Valtra tractors, as well as demonstrations and novelties. In addition to the S Series with TwinTrac, members of the public will have their first chance ever to test drive Valtra’s stepless Direct models. Valtra’s superiority in the forestry sector is presented with the slogan “Unbeatable in the Forest”.

Today’s agricultural tractors are truly general-purpose machines that can take care of tasks on the fields, in the forest and on the streets. By individually specifying the type of equipment and options you want, you can have a tractor that is especially well suited for first and second thinnings of the forest, harvesting energy wood, transporting and chipping energy wood. The advantages of using agricultural tractors include a lower price, simpler maintenance, better manoeuvrability, lighter weight, better resale value and substantially enhanced versatility compared to the specialised forest machinery. Forest work also creates additional uses for agricultural tractors that might otherwise sit idly in the garage outside the field-working season.

Tractors designed for forest work feature high ground clearance, a flat belly, a protected fuel tank and optimal weight distribution to allow also the front wheels to pull strongly in the forest without damaging the terrain. The floor of the cab should be flat, and the driver’s seat should rotate. The cab should also be fitted with a reverse drive system at the back of the cab and a panorama roof protected by roll bars. Purpose-built forest cabs allow the driver to see the tops of the trees and the grapple loader or harvester without having to stretch his neck. Controls at the rear improve ergonomics, as the second steering wheel and gas pedal prevent the driver from having to twist his body around.

The final choice of specifications and options is a matter of individual taste. What kind of lights do you need, and where, to let you continue working in the forest even when it gets dark outside? What kind of forest loader do you need – how much lifting capacity and reach? Do you need an auxiliary hydraulics pump at the front to speed up loader work? A forest trailer with driving wheels, hydraulic drive or standard trailer? Cross-ply tyres would seem to be an obvious choice to protect against sharp stumps, but there are still a range of options in terms of size and brand, all of them available with factory-fitted valve covers. Especially for harvesting, but also in loading, the front-axle stiffening system might be worth considering.

Agricultural tractors have long been used for forest work in Scandinavia. The farming season is short, and in wintertime farmers have plenty of time to manage their forests. By comparison, farmers on large and warm steppes and prairies have not required such tractors for forest work. Valtra tractors have been built in Finland for over 50 years, and Valtra is the world’s leading manufacturer of tractors that can be used for forest work. Within the past half century this Scandinavian forest expertise was further reinforced when Valtra acquired the tractor operations of Volvo BM in 1978.

A Series 74-98 hp

The secret behind the popularity of the A Series lies in its manoeuvrability, reliability and cost efficiency, not to mention its versatility. For example, Valtra offers three different cab options on the A Series: a low cab, a standard cab and a forest cab. The driver’s seat rotates 180 degrees. A unique winter feature on Valtra tractors is the double heater option, in which a second heating unit is located in the roof of the tractor. The A Series is ideal for forest use not only due to its agility and forest cab, but also because of its steel centre frame. This surrounds and protects the fuel tank and the four-wheel-drive axle from rocks, branches and stumps. The centre frame also gives the tractor an even weight distribution, which is particularly important in forest work with the electronically activated four-wheel-drive system and differential lock engaged. The A75 model on standard tyres offers 44 centimetres of ground clearance, whereas the A85 and A95 models offer 46 centimetres. The weight of the tractor varies depending on the model between 3330 and 3680 kilos.

N Series 88-160 hp

The N Series can be specified as a full-blooded forest harvester or forwarder. Whereas other N Series models have a plastic fuel tank, the forest N Series has a steel tank. The spacious and protected forest cab offers excellent visibility and can be specified with the TwinTrac reverse drive system. An auxiliary hydraulic pump can be specified at the front for forest loaders, although the Versu and Direct models already offer an ample 160 litres per minute of hydraulic output. Forest models also feature thin mudguards. Ground speed PTO is available also with the stepless Direct transmission.

T Series 130-211 hp

The T Series is a powerful six-cylinder tractor that is at home on fields. In forestry operations T Series tractors are used for transporting and chipping wood, for example. The basic design of the T Series is well suited to forest work. The fuel tank of HiTech models is protected by the centre frame, and there is ample weight over the front tyres. The total weight of the tractor is relatively low compared to the power, especially in the upper models. The options list includes a forest cab, reverse drive system and other features required for forest work. For transporting loads rapidly along roads, the front axle can be specified with Aires suspension, and a 50-km/h transmission is also available.

S Series 270-370 hp

Although the giant S Series is rarely used in the forest, it is ideal for powering chippers and mulchers. The S Series has many features that make it better at forest work than other large tractors. For example, it has a TwinTrac reverse drive system that makes it easy to operate a forest loader. For chipping work the S Series is usually specified with a loader at the rear for lifting wood from the roadside into the powerful chipper that can handle logs up to 60-centimetres thick. The chipper blows the chips directly into a trailer for transportation. The S Series offers excellent driving characteristics with heavy loads.

 

 

 

AGCO, Your Agriculture Company, (NYSE: AGCO) was founded in 1990 and offers a full product line of tractors, combines, hay tools, sprayers, forage, tillage equipment, implements, and related replacement parts. AGCO agricultural products are sold under the core brands of Challenger®, Fendt®, Massey Ferguson® and Valtra®, and are distributed globally through more than 2,800 independent dealers and distributors, in more than 140 countries worldwide. AGCO provides retail financing through AGCO Finance. AGCO is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, USA. In 2008, AGCO had net sales of $8.4 billion. Please visit our website at www.AGCOcorp.com.

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