Volume 42, Number 8 | MARCH 15, 2016
$4.25
PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER
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AN ENTIRELY NEW TRACTOR The high-horsepower, rigid-frame Fendt 1000 Series is in a category of its own By Scott Garvey
T
wo years ago AGCO introduced the all-new 1000 Series rigidframe tractor to the world with a big splash, using Bavaria’s spectacular Neuschwanstein Castle as the backdrop for the press event. The brand recently followed up on that European introduction with a more conventional official launch of these machines in North America at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky, in February. Despite starting off in the European market, Rob Smith, a senior AGCO executive, who spoke about the tractor at a press conference during the Agritechnica machinery show in November, said the 1000 Series was designed from the outset with the North American market in mind.
In fact, the tractor was meant to have a broad appeal, which is why its design is so different. The 1000 Series is certainly no me-too tractor. Its models are the first and only machines in an entirely new tractor category. It looks like a standard front-wheel assist; however, it boldly goes where no rigid-frame, wheeled model has gone before when it comes to horsepower ratings. The four models in the series go from 380 to 500 horsepower. Until now if you wanted a wheeled tractor in that range, an articulated four-wheel drive was the only choice. This tractor is meant to go head-tohead with four-wheel drives and steal some market share from them. During that press conference in Germany, the company revealed the
development goals behind the 1000 Series concept. First, engineers were striving for a 10 per cent reduction in fuel consumption compared to four-wheel drives. Second, they wanted the overall design to be more flexible and versatile. Lastly, to achieve those goals they wanted the tractors to be capable of a broader range of weight ballasting, so they can be lighter when that is an advantage. And using some of the biggest ag tires available, they still plant a lot of rubber on the ground to make use of up to 500 horsepower. The tractors use an entirely new drive train design too, which won it a “Tractor of the Year” award in the high horsepower class at Agritechnica. The idea behind it is similar to the all-wheel drive concept in sports cars. Power flows to the wheels that need it most, and only
when they need it. Not driving all the wheels all the time is one of the fuel saving strategies built into the tractor. Fendt’s Vario CVT transmission routes power from the engine, but from there things start to look different. A combined mechanical-hydrostatic drive arrangement uses two hydraulic motors, one to spin the front axle and another for the rear. Drive can be distributed to each one at different rates or stopped altogether. Another benefit of that is it helps limit driveline stress. Also, a tighter turning circle can be created by routing drive to the front axle and pulling the tractor through a curve. Base weight on tractors in this series is only 30,000 pounds, but
» continued on page 4
photo: agco
Putting up to 500 horsepower in a rigid-frame chassis, the new Fendt 1000 Series occupies an all-new tractor category.
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In This Issue
Wheat & Chaff .................. 2 Features . ........................... 5 Crop Advisor’s Casebook . 6 Columns ............................ 22 Machinery & Shop............. 33 Cattleman’s Corner .......... 39
soybeans and phosphorus
two new UTVs
angela lovell page 8
SCOTT GARVEY page 34
FarmLife ............................ 45