Machinery …from previous page
manoeuvrability, but I also anticipated that it would be uncomfortable and noisy,” he explained. Manitou offers a choice of control systems, includinghand-only, hand and foot and joystick, and the demonstration machine came with foot-operated hydraulic controls, and movement and steering controlled by twin hand levers.
Compact advantage The skid-steer’s first task was manoeuvring heavy items in the farm workshop. “Usually, we would rely on our telehandlers to lift anything too heavy to move by hand, but their size makes it awkward to achieve an ideal position in a busy workshop,” said Jon. “Because we had the skid-steer available we used that instead. It’s very compact and can turn in its own length, so we were able to get it right into the corners and out of the way once it had lifted the objects into position.” The handler was also used for track repairs, where it loaded, transported and levelled aggregate, and for clearing large branches with the hydraulic grab following tree pruning.
Huge pushing power “The hand levers make it easy to achieve a suitable travel speed and provide precise steering control,” said Jon. “Using my feet to control the loader took longer to get used to, but after a few hours I had mastered the technique – although I never found it as easy as using my hands.” The loader was also used for backfilling a trench dug for a new pipeline, which had been laid across grass fields on the estate. Jon said he was surprised by the traction from the relatively small wheels, as well as the amount of power available. “It had no problem pushing the large bucket right through the soil heaps to fill the trench, without me having to lift or tilt the bucket to reduce the load,” he commented.
The 1650R demonstrated an impressive ability to push through large piles of soil to back-fill a trench.
The exposed hydraulic hoses and connectors on the muck grab back-plate were considered vulnerable.
Access for servicing and daily checks was excellent. The cab can also be tilted and the underbelly protection plate removed.
Build quality
protection and likely to be used in environments where mud or manure will be handled.
access for daily checks was excellent. “Like many large mixed farms, our telehandlers spend most of their time loading grain lorries, pushing up heaps of manure and loading muck spreaders, and lifting big bags of seed and fertiliser, so the limited reach and lift height of the skid-steer means that it couldn’t replace our current machines. However, there were situations when having it available during the test period proved handy and I think that, for farms where a handler spends most of its time operating in areas with limited space, it would be ideal,” Jon confirmed. FG
Jon complimented the handler’s quality finish, which he described as “typical Manitou“ and he said the cab was surprisingly comfortable and quiet, considering it had only mesh sides and no windscreen. He said the visibility was superb. “You just can’t get a better view of an implement than when you are sitting such a short distance behind it, and with the extreme manoeuvrability it’s very easy to use in confined spaces,” he explained. Jon also commented on the ease of changing attachments and he said access for routine maintenance was excellent. Fuel consumption was described as minimal, even when the 1650R was working hard pushing soil into the trench. Aspects of the design he liked less included the foot-controlled hydraulics, and Jon said that if the farm was to buy a similar machine then he would definitely request an alternative control option. He also found it awkward to get into the cab when the hydraulic grab was fitted – partly because he tried to avoid standing on the hydraulic hoses which run along the back-frame. He also said that, although the cab finish is excellent, he felt that the carpeted interior was not ideal for a farm machine with so little weather
Verdict During the two-week test period, the Manitou 1650R proved extremely capable. It had plenty of power and traction to push and level soil and aggregate, and its superb manoeuvrability and compact size allowed it to work in areas inaccessible to the farm’s own telehandlers. Despite the open operator position, it surprised users with its low operating noise, even when working hard with the engine at full speed. Fuel use was minimal and
Manitou UK sales support manager Jim Hulme is pictured explaining the handler’s controls to Jon Bedford on the day the handler arrived.
SPEED UP THE DRY-DOWN TIME Contact: martin.holden@sip.si www.sip.si
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