Profi Tractor Test - CLAAS ARION 470 by morriscorfield.co.uk

THE PROFESSIONAL FARM MACHINERY MAGAZINE

SPECIAL REPRINT Published 06 2023

Claas Arion 470 CIS+:

An agile diesel saver? The Arion 400 range accounts for around 20% of Claas tractor sales in the UK and Ireland, and, since its 2021 makeover, the range has been topped by the Arion 470 — 107kW/155hp of four-cylinder power in a reasonably lightweight package. There's a lot to like, as we found out during our full tractor test.

he original three-model, 70kW/95hp86kW/115hp Arion 400 tractor lineup hit the ground in 2010, with an update coming in 2014 to extend the range to six units and hike max power to 104kW/140hp. Indeed, Claas engineers have been kept busy and on their toes, introducing the latest rangetopping Arion 470 as part of the 2021 series profi 06/2023

overhaul as it made the move to Stage V — we had a quick look at the main changes in profi 8/2021. What may come as a surprise, though, is the Arion 400 is actually the most popular range from the French tractor factory with German farmers, who are especially smitten with the new Arion 470. Closer to home, the Arion 400 accounts for 20% of Claas tractor sales 14

with British and Irish farmers, and within the range it is the 90kW/120hp (maximum power rating) Arion 440 and 100kW/135hp Arion 450 that have proved to be the firm's big bread winners. So, what's the appeal of the 470? And are we missing a trick? To answer those questions this month’s tractor test is on the Arion 400 kingpin. www.profi.co.uk

155hp with boost According to the brochure stats, the Arion 470’s engine produces 103kW/140hp rated and 107kW/145hp maximum power. On top of these figures is the Claas Power Management (CPM) boost, which kicks in for pto operations and when bundling along at speeds above 8km/hr (gear B6 or higher). This boost is reckoned to hike the maximum power to 114kW/155hp. To see whether these claims are on the ball or well wide of the mark, we packed our test 470 model off to the DLG test station to get measured up. With power boost engaged, 102.9kW/138.0hp arrived at the pto at rated profi 06/2023

speed. As it climbed to maximum power this increased to 106.1kW/142.3hp at 1,900rpm. Both very good results. A look at the performance characteristics reveals an eye-catching figure — 600Nm of maximum torque. This is accompanied by a 34% increase in torque with a 36% drop in engine speed which proved to be always good enough and convenient in the field and on the road.

Record fuel savings The fuel consumption tests also produced some great results: 242g/kWh (+25g/kWh of AdBlue) at rated speed and only 224g/ 15

KEEPING IT BRIEF The 470 proved to be agile and economical. The gearbox maxes out at 40km/hr and the payload should be better. A swash-plate pump is part of the base spec. The 470 accounts for around 10% of Arion 400 sales in the UK and Ireland.

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CLAAS ARION 470

FUEL CONSUMPTION IN FIELD WORK Draft work: On average 264g/kWh Load Machine: 100 % Plough Cultivator 100 % Plough 60 % Cultivator 60 % -20%

-10%

10.0l/ha +10%

+20%

Pto work: On average 265g/kWh Machine: Load Power harrow 100 % Mower 100 % Power harrow 70 % Mower 70 % Power harrow 40 % Mower 40 % -20%

-10%

3.8l/ha 0%

+10%

+20%

+10%

+20%

Mixed work: On average 296g/kWh Machine: Muck spreader Baler -20%

-10%

4.3l/ha

Powermix: AdBlue: 7.8 %

Hexashift, not Quadrishift

270g/kWh

FUEL CONSUMPTION IN TRANSPORT WORK In flat land: At 40km/hr At 50km/hr At 60km/hr -20%

-10%

+10%

+20%

-20%

-10%

+10%

+20%

Uphill: Maximum incline

40 351 g/kWh

Transportmix: AdBlue: 9.1 % In the Powermix tests, the Arion 470 proved to be particularly effective in heavy draft work where it is 6% better on fuel than our current average. However, if the hydraulics come into play in mixed work, consumption is 3% above the mean value. When it comes to transport, the plucky Arion is a real fuel sipper, using 16.1% less than the test average.

The four-cylinder FPT motor is quiet and very economical. Photos: Stefan Tovornik, Hubert Wilmer.

profi 06/2023

kWh (+25g/kWh AdBlue) during pto work are both brilliant returns. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the practical Powermix tests also turn out well for Claas. In almost all of the work categories, the 470 is more or less significantly below the average rate for all of the tractors tested to date. The 470's Powermix total value is 270g/ kWh (+21g/kWh AdBlue), which is 3% below our current average figure. But it's out on the road where the Arion particularly shines: 351g/kWh (+32g/kWh AdBlue) at 40km/hr, meaning this tractor gets through 16% less diesel than all of the tractors we have tested so far. Despite all of its frugality, we didn’t like the behaviour of the fuel gauge: it hardly budges at first and then quickly drops to the halfway mark. And there is no need to fret when the reserve light pings into life; at this point you've used only a modest 135 litres of the 190-litre capacity tank.

Our test tractor was equipped with the Claas Hexashift box, which is a £2,455 cost option. Compared to the standard Quadrishift, this transmission has a total of six instead of four powershift steps and thus 24 forward and 24 reverse ratios. There are only the eight speeds in the main working range of 4 to 12km/hr. To make up for this, the top speed of 40km/hr is reached at a fuel-saving 1,660rpm — handy for longdistance work.

Tops out at 40km/hr Unlike the larger chassis, four-pot Arion 500, there is no 50km/hr box option for the Arion 400. But there are all kinds of auto functions, including cruise control and a neat brake-toclutch function that Claas terms SmartStop. While this doesn’t make the transmission a CVT, it is a big help for loader work, and it`s comfortable thanks to the automatic range changes. We definitely recommend spending the extra cash for the Hexashift, especially if road work is on your job sheet. Our regular team of test drivers were critical of details such as direction changes using the right-hand controls, as you have to press two buttons on the main joystick to use the shuttle function as well as ensuring that the tractor's steering column lever is in its neutral position. User Instruction is also needed for setting the start gear, the pull-away gear as well as changing the cruise control setting. For such an allrounder, it's just a pity there is no 1,000E speed, and 540E still switches www.profi.co.uk

The cab offers great visibility and decent space, with the 72.9dB(A) noise level OK.

off when the engine over-speeds. This makes it impossible to use a slurry mixer or power harrow at 750rpm, for example. A small consolation: there is a basic headland auto shut-off/engage for the pto as the linkage is raised and lowered, which works very well in everyday use.

Swash-plate pump Instead of a gear pump, as supplied on the Classic variants, the Arion 470 CIS and CIS+ come with a swash-plate pump. Our CIS+ tractor had the 110l/min version (for those wanting yet more hydraulic flow there's even a 150l/min pump option) which delivered 108.3l/min at the back-end. That’s OK, just like the useable hydraulic power of 29.6kW — especially when there is a bigger pump on offer. The 25 litres of removable oil are a bit more of an issue. As we are discussing options, our particular test candidate was well equipped with four

The grippy, leather-clad steering wheel is optional. The dash relays a good amount of information.

CLAAS ARION 470 With four ranges and six powershift steps, there are nine gears in the key 4-12km/hr band, but two of them are equally fast.

24/24 forward/reverse

-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Speed (km/hr)

The joystick is also a cross control — ideal for loader work.

electric spools plus load-sensing couplers at the rear. The possible combination of electrical and mechanical spool valves will clearly appeal to some owners, and the cross gate lever on the armrest is indispensable. Staying with Arion's hydraulics, the entrylevel ProPilot version operates cables (and is only available as a retrofit); Flexpilot is hydraulic over hydraulic. Our tractor had the more costly electric Electropilot control spec which also opens the possibility of being able to operate the time control for the rear spools — which is handy. Unfortunately, the supplied 470 didn’t come with a front loader so we couldn’t judge responsiveness of the system. The protective caps on the spools take a bit of force to open, so leave the kid-gloves at home. We didn’t like the activation for the electric spools — if the detent switch lights up green after the engine starts, the valves are already active without having to rock the switch back and forth once. This has now been solved with a software update.

Strong linkage According to the brochure, the rear linkage on the Arion 470 can hoist 4.7t. In fact, the continuous lift power of 5,000daN was even exceeded when our testers measured the lift profi 06/2023

performance so it shouldn’t have any issues lifting a 4.0t power harrow drill combi. This is good, but it also means the tractor is more than able to exceed the 3.2t payload, but we will get to that later. We liked the well laid out lift controls. The lift arms are positioned at a better angle for coupling implements than before, but the lift only has 57.5cm of travel, which is below average for this size of tractor. The armrest also blocks the view of the ELC panel on the side console, although you can also operate the rear linkage from the main joystick which is good.

Cab with a top-notch view When you step out of the cab, you need to be careful as Claas has moved the narrow steps farther out. If you accidentally step on the curve next to the AdBlue filler cap, you can slip off. Apart from this we only have praise for the tractor's visibility (thanks to the panoramic cab) and space. The driver comfort is also great, not least because of Claas's optional mechanical cab suspension. In terms of noise levels, the DLG measured a test figure of 72.9dB(A) at the driver’s ear under full load — that’s OK, too, and beyond reproach. All of the cab variants (low, panoramic and standard) have a right-hand door, although 18

9 ratios in 4-12km/hr band A6

4,6

4,6 5,5

6,4

7,8

9,1

11,0

B6 9,3

11,2

13,1

15,7

C4 0

8 10 12 Speed (km/hr)

our German colleagues weren't too happy with the lack of an opening windscreen. We really liked the informative display on the A-pillar in the CIS+ version. And the same applies to the five freely assignable F keys, which can also be used for ISObus functions. However, the Trimble steering system on our test tractor was not fully integrated so you cannot engage autosteer from the joystick, and you also can't use signals from the tractor to record the coverage map; the engage button is over on the side console. With the complicated operation and lack of audible confirmation tones, there is still enormous potential for improvement here. Since our test, Claas has started installing the CEMIS 1200 display on the Arion 400, www.profi.co.uk

LIFT POWER AND LIFT REQUIREMENT Lift Capacity (daN) 7000 Cultivator drill 4,063kg

6000 5000 4000

Plough 1,679kg

steering and ISObus using the CEMIS 1200 screen. The test 470 model was also equipped with the Hexashift transmission (£2,455), front linkage and pto (£3,040/£3,090). All this, plus the mid-mount valves (£2,675), tots up to a list price of £145,270. If you want to add a front loader, then Claas would normally pair the Arion 470 with the FL120 which is around £7,500.

3000

Summary

2000

In the tractor test, the Arion 470 proved to be not just agile but frugal, too. This said, we still found plenty of room for improvement, from some basic stuff like the duplicated shuttle controls to more complex items such as better integration of the auto steer system. Overall, though, it's still a nice place to spend your working day, albeit our test tractor was very well kitted out, resulting in an eyebrow raising final tag of £145,270.

1000 0 0

90 100 110 120 Lift Height (cm)

The continuous lift force is enough to raise any cultivator drill of more than 4.0t. The lift range is short, though, and the payload is not sufﬁcient for this size of tractor. Long lift arms: continuous 5,004daN, 57.5cm lift range Short lift arms: continuous 4,905daN, 52.7cm lift range Front linkage: continuous 1,652daN; 80.7cm lift range

Hubert Wilmer

which has been used on the larger models and is said to be better integrated. We look forward to checking this out in a future test.

Very manoeuvrable A turning circle of 10.30m (480/65 R28 on a 195cm track width) is excellent. And the independent suspension set-up on the Carraro front axle is just as convincing, even though there is a total of 22 grease points that need attention every 50 hours — the tractor should definitely have an auto-lube system option. We also liked the grippy leather-clad steering wheel, although it is a bit thick. Straight line stability could be improved. The full-spec and unladed Arion 470 weighs in at 5,760kg. That’s OK, and thanks to the all-up 9.0t gross weight, the 3.2t payload is perhaps pretty good compared to some of its competitors. However, it doesn’t tally with the 470’s rear lift capacity.

How much? The base spec Arion 470 lists at £101,940. Our tractor had the £2,535 ‘Premium driver package’ which includes the premium seat, automatic climate controls, fridge, radio with Bluetooth and leather steering wheel. It also had cab and front axle suspension as well as the CIS+ colour display on the A-pillar. Claas UK calls the autosteer option ‘GPS Pilot’, which for £8,390 gives you integrated profi 06/2023

The rear linkage is tidy and the couplers clearly labelled.

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Width 285cm; Length 555cm; Height 350cm

CLAAS ARION 470 TECHNICAL DATA

DLG TEST STATION RESULTS

TEST ASSESSMENT

ENGINE: 103kW/140hp (according to ECE-R 120) rated power at 2,200rpm; water-cooled four-cylinder FPT NEF 4 with 4.5-litre displacement; Stage V with DPF, DOC and SCR; 190-litre fuel tank, 23.5-litre AdBlue tank

PTO OUTPUT (unboosted/boosted) Maximum at 1,900rpm 106.1kW At rated speed 102.9kW

ENGINE BB Performance characteristics B Fuel consumption BB Drawbar power/pto output BB Good performance characteristics, (very) low consumption, especially during transport. Drawbar power and pto output are also very good courtesy of boost

TRANSMISSION: Hexashift transmission with four gears and six powershift steps, max 40km/ hr at 1,660rpm; powershuttle, auto functions and cruise control BRAKES: Wet multi-disc brakes at rear, hydraulic actuation; four-wheel engagement; mechanical hand brake; air brake system is standard ELECTRICS: 12V battery, 180Ah; 200amps alternator, 3.2kW/4.4hp starter power LINKAGE: Cat. III ELC with lower link control, vibration damping, automatic stabilisers; optional front linkage

FUEL CONSUMPTION At max output Rated speed Absolute/max rated speed TORQUE Maximum Torque rise/speed drop Start-off torque

224+24.8g/kWh 242+25.0g/kWh 28.6/30.0l/hr 600Nm (1,400rpm) 34/36% 108%

TRANSMISSION No. of gears in 4-12km/hr range

Nine

REAR LIFT CAPACITIES (90% max oil pressure, corr.) Bottom/middle/top 5,004/5,296/5,436daN Lift height under load 57.5cm (23.0-80.5cm)

HYDRAULICS: 110l/min, 205 bar variable displacement pump; maximum three mechanical plus two timed and ﬂow-controlled electric spools, 25-litre available oil

FRONT LIFT CAPACITIES (90% max oil pressure, corr.) Bottom/middle/top 1,652/2,309/3,325daN Lift height under load 80.7cm (19.0-99.7cm)

PTO: 540/540E/1,000 (optional ground speed pto), 1⅜ inch, six spline, electro-hydraulic engagement, optional front pto

HYDRAULIC OUTPUT Operating pressure 189 bar Maximum ﬂow 108.3l/min Output 29.6kW (97.8l/min, 180 bar)

AXLES AND RUNNING GEAR: Planetary axle with multi-disc diff lock, electrohydraulic engagement like front-wheel drive; tyres 480/65 R28 (front), 600/65 R38 (rear).

DRAWBAR POWER Max 98.1kW at 1,900rpm At rated speed 95.2kW

SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE: 10 litres engine oil (500-hour intervals); 30 litres transmission oil (2,000-hour) PRICES: Basic equipment £101,940 (excluding VAT); test equipment with Hexashift, front axle suspension, GPS ready, front linkage and pto plus mid-mounted spool, etc. £145,270

Output and Torque Output (kW) 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 1000

Torque (Nm)

1500

600 500 Nm 400 300 2000 2500 Engine Revs (rpm)

Fuel Consumption Absolute (l/h) 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1000 1500

profi 06/2023

NOISE (under load at the driver's ear) Cab closed 72.9dB(A) BRAKING Max mean deceleration Pedal force

4.4m/s² 30.9daN

TURNING CIRCLE 4WD disengaged

10.30m

TEST WEIGHT Front/rear axle Kerb weight/gross weight Max axle load f/r Payload Power-weight ratio

l/h

2,430/3,330kg 5,760/9,000kg 4,600/6,800kg 3,240kg 51kg/kW

DIMENSIONS Wheelbase Track width front/rear Ground clearance

253cm 195/183cm 50.5cm

Fuel consumption Out- Speed g/ l/hr put rating kWh

APPLICATION

Relative (g/kWh)

243g/kWh 261g/kWh

Kraftstoffverbrauch 100 % 1,920 228 28.6 im Kennfeld Economy speed pto 540E 100 % 1,560 216 25.0 Standard pto shaft 540

Standard speed pto 1,000 100 % 1,964 229 29.0

300 250 g/kWh 200 2000 2500 Engine Revs (rpm)

Economy pto 1,000E

100 %

Engine in top speed range

100 % max

High output

80 %

90 %

235 23.4

Transport work

80 %

90 %

278 13.8

Low output, ½ speed

40 %

60 %

237 11.7

High output, ½ speed

40 %

60 %

223 16.6

259 25.7

TRANSMISSION B Gearbox ratios/functions B Shifting B Clutch, throttle B Pto B Good powershift transmission with six steps, auto functions and cruise control, no 50km/ hr, (only) three pto speeds AXLES AND RUNNING GEAR B Steering B Four-wheel drive and diff lock B Hand- and footbrake B Front axle-/cab suspension BB Weight and payload Z Good steering, small turning circle, very good suspension comfort (but lots of grease nipples), effective brakes, but payload could be even higher LINKAGE/HYDRAULICS Z/ BB Lift force and lift range BB/E Operation B Hydraulic output B Spools B Hydraulic couplers Z Lifting power very good, but lift range is (too) small, good hydraulic output; operation and spools are also good; hydraulic couplers could be better CAB B Space and comfort B View BB Heating/ventilation B Noise level B Electrics B Build quality B Maintenance B Space, comfort and visibility OK; noise levels, too. Good control armrest ABILITY Basic standards Average standards High standards Field work Grassland work Transport work Loader work

BB A

A A A A A A

ON-FARM PRICE NIEDRIG HOCH A £123,500 to £126,000 Grading: BB very good, B good Z average E below average, EE poor Individual marks are merely excerpts from our assessments and do not necessarily result in a mathematically conclusive overall mark.

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FURTHER DETAILS FROM OUR FIELD TEST This is not a summary but a list of positive and less positive details.

POSITIVE Toolbox and battery reside under the steps Fuse box easily visible Back mudguards have side and rear rubber edges Impressive speaker sound

Full accompaniment of external controls, and on both sides too.

Panoramic roof offers great visibility ... everywhere.

There is an air-con coolbox under the comfy passenger seat.

NEGATIVE If you turn the ignition key to the end position, the battery will drain by morning. Even when retracted, the mirrors stick out too far. Visibility to the rear is limited at the top

The top link holder is not practical.

The filter is difficult to access with an implement attached.

Upright oil filters are a mess to change. Could be better.

profi international, Kelsey Publishing, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6AL, UK Email: Mark.Brazier@kelsey.co.uk Tel: 07813 671484

profi 06/2023

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Three tractors in comparison This is a comparison of three similar hp tractors that have been tested by proﬁ in past magazines

Claas Arion 470 proﬁ 6/2023

New Holland T5.140 DC proﬁ 8/2021

Deutz-Fahr 6140 PS proﬁ 5/2019

103kW/140hp (ECE-R 120)

96kW/130hp (ECE-R 120)

95kW/130hp (ECE-R 120)

4/4.5I/V

4/3.6I/IV (Tier 4 Final)

Max pto output

—/106.1kW (1,900rpm)

91.6kW (1,700rpm)/no boost

—/94.1kW (2, 000rpm)

At rated engine speed

—/102.9kW (2,200rpm)

80.0kW (2,200rpm)/no boost

92.8 kW (2,200rpm)

Manufacturer/model

FPT/NEF 4

Deutz/TCD3.6L04

Speciﬁc at max power

224+24.8g/kWh

229+26.2g/kWh/no boost

—/254+10.6g/kWh

Speciﬁc at rated speed

242+25.0g/kWh

276+25.6g/kWh/no boost

—/263+11.0g/kWh

Absolute at max power

28.6l/hr (with boost)

25.5l/hr (no boost)

28.4l/hr

270+21.0g/kWh

286+28g/kWh

274+13.0g/kWh

600Nm (1,400rpm)

560Nm (1,300rpm)

503Nm (1,500rpm)

Torque rise ...

34%

61%

25%

... as speed drops by

36%

41%

32%

190/23.5 litres

180/19 litres

185/12 litres

24/24

60/60

Tractor

Test report in issue Rated output

Engine

No. of cylinders/capacity

Fuel and AdBlue consumption

Average Powermix + AdBlue rates Max torque

Fuel/AdBlue tank capacity No. of gears

Transmission Powershift steps Gear shifts

No. of ranges

—

Pto speeds

540/540E/1,000

540/540E/1,000 or 540E/1,000/1,000E

540/540E/1,000/1,000E

No. of gears in 4-12km/hr range Control system

Rear linkage

Lift force bottom/middle/top Lift range Operating pressure

Hydraulics Max oil ﬂow

ELC with draft link control

5,004/5,296/5,436daN

3,663/4,293/4,257daN

4,149/5,742/6,705daN

57.5cm

65.0cm

71.5cm

189 bar

200 bar

200 bar 111.6l/min

108.3l/min

109.9l/min

Max hydraulic output

29.6kW

32.3kW

32.1kW

Oil reserve

25 litres

30 litres

23 litres

Max

98.1kW

81.4kW

79.3kW

243g/kWh

254g/kWh

292g/kWh

Cab closed

72.9dB(A)

71.8dB(A)

71.2dB(A)

Max mean deceleration

4.4m/s2

5.1m/s2

4.8m/s2

30.9daN

50.3daN

32.6daN

Drawbar power At fuel consumption Noise level Brakes Pedal force

4WD disengaged

10.30m

11.20m

11.80m

5,760kg

5,800kg

6,320kg (excl. loader)

Front axle

2,430kg (42%)

2,540kg (44%)

2,740kg (43%)

Rear axle

3,330kg (58%)

3,260kg (56%)

3,580kg (57%)

9,000kg

8,800kg

9,000kg

Turning circle Test weight

Permissible GVWR Payload

3,240kg

3,000kg

2,680kg

Power-weight ratio

51kg/kW

56kg/kW

60kg/kW

£101,940 (as at April 2023)

£87,730 (as at June 2021)

£99,221 (as at March 2019)

List price (excl VAT): (Manufacturer information)

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