Fendt AutoSteer Fault

[combineguy]

Hi guys

Have a fault with our Fendt 936, running Fendt Autosteer with a Topcon RTK correction.

We initially thought it could have been related to the solar storm which we had last night, but today it is no better, and our other tractors running through the same base station are having no issues.

We are not getting any fault codes from the tractor, we have replaced the steering position sensor but the fault is still present.

What it is doing, is it acquires the AB line ok, but the front wheels are constantly turning from half lock to half lock as you drive along, we have checked obvious setting between the tractors but cant pin point what it could be.

Next step would be checking out the steering unit.

Has any one come across this fault before, and what the cure?

 

[Northern farmer]

How old (or new) is the tractor? There have been problems with the tractor steering valve. I've understood it is a common proportional solenoid that starts to misbehave. Luckily on a 936 should be relatively easy to access.

I'm not sure if the steering valve issue appears if you try the "superimposed steering mode" where both steering valves are used in parallel for faster steering.

 

[combineguy]

Hi

It is two years old.

Haven't tried the fast steering. If the proportional valve is faulty and we turn on fast steering would it give us an error?

 

[Northern farmer]

Hi

It is two years old.

Haven't tried the fast steering. If the proportional valve is faulty and we turn on fast steering would it give us an error?

Two year old might still have the bad valve, more likely on a year or two older tractors. I don't have the factory bulletins, someone else at the forum would know better.

I'm not sure if a misbehaving valve would show up with fast steering, I just thought it might because fast steering is making use of that failing valve.

 

[combineguy]

Hi

Still having this issue, replaced steering unit and no difference

Replaced steering joint and made a slight improvement.

Could it be a software issue, or hardware issue I wonder. I wonder if there has been a software upgrade which is not compatible with some other software on the tractor.

Annoying as cannot use tractor without it.

 

[yorkie]

when ours got last update some things didn't work as it had missed one had put that one in before the last one,it tried to update steering but it hadn't been done on one before as it was fitted later

 

[Northern farmer]

Hi

Still having this issue, replaced steering unit and no difference

Replaced steering joint and made a slight improvement.

Replaced the steering unit? Do you mean the orbitrol (the parts book calls the orbitrol as the steering unit) or the autosteer valve (including and specifically the electric drive)?

Hopefully it is a SW issue as yorkie suggests. The steering angle sensor could be misbehaving too, someone at the forum had that issue although on another brand.

 

[yorkie]

if this helps,only on a 516,hp not rtk,but when they did update and it was wrong was like when you turn in and it is lining up just kept steering one way then the other,altering the 2 settings didn't make any difference,went in a straight line just swerving one way then the other,is fine now

 

[combineguy]

Replaced the steering unit? Do you mean the orbitrol (the parts book calls the orbitrol as the steering unit) or the autosteer valve (including and specifically the electric drive)?

Hopefully it is a SW issue as yorkie suggests. The steering angle sensor could be misbehaving too, someone at the forum had that issue although on another brand.

Hi

Yes the auto steer valve.

We have tried new angle sensor aswell

 

[Robt]

Ok,
Let's use logic or... What would burt Reynolds do....
When did IT start happening? After a software upgrade? If so, it's software.
Did it just start out of blue? If so hardware!

 

[combineguy]

Ok,
Let's use logic or... What would burt Reynolds do....
When did IT start happening? After a software upgrade? If so, it's software.
Did it just start out of blue? If so hardware!

Hi

That's a hard one to answer as we don't use auto steer all the time. Last time it was used was back in December and worked ok. It has been serviced and software upgrades since then. We have installed the same versions as what our other Fendt's are running and doesn't cure it, so could say it is not a software issue.

The other thing it could be is the trans controller as it receives inputs and outputs for the steering system as well. Has any one had a faulty one?

If only we could freeze certain bits of time, as it steers ok for the first 10mins then plays up after that. We are receiving a similiar number of satellites between tractor and base station, and we are getting good base station reception. It does it both on automaneous and rtk

It is not bringing up any error codes, you would normally get then with a hardware fault, wouldn't you?

 

[Richard Smyth]

Sorry to be no assistance with the problem. I have a base station coming for my fendt as the mobile phone service has proven to be not quite good enough.

What I'm wondering is how far can you get from the topcon base without issues.

Richard

 

[combineguy]

Sorry to be no assistance with the problem. I have a base station coming for my fendt as the mobile phone service has proven to be not quite good enough.

What I'm wondering is how far can you get from the topcon base without issues.

Richard

Hi

@Robt will probably be able to answer this question better than me but we can get 6k from ours ok just with the standard aerial, but if you make it a permanent fixture with a high gain aerial you should be able to get more especially if you put it on a high spot

 

[Robt]

Our UK based fitted and designed by LH Agro will go 30-40k. But everything depends on topography . Most average at 30k . One goes 54k . The fendt bases(Topcon hiper v) have low powered radio and are only designed as line of site. They also don't need a licence due to power level so only go 1-4k. Our UK based run high power radios and need special OfCom licence

 

[Richard Smyth]

I'd be looking at making it a permanent fixture as don't want to be rooting around moving it. Need to be able to get 25 km with it. It is a topcon unit we are getting I believe. Hiper Ag I think it is.

Rolling country side but the hill I'll put it and the furthest land is similar elevation with the nearer country at a lower elevation as a rule

 

[Robt]

Hiper v won't do that distance. I'd suggest talking to your local dealer or Topcon Oz
Hiper Ag is old version of hiper v

 

[Richard Smyth]

Will do before we sign up

 

[Northern farmer]

What I'm wondering is how far can you get from the topcon base without issues.

Richard

Are you using the Fendt VarioGuide receiver at the tractor? If yes, have you checked if the internal radio is compatible with any other (portable) base or if the Hiper-AG actually is the only choice. I've never used Hiper-AG but the manual explains how the portable base is "paired" with the tractor and it isn't obvious (to me) if even other Topcon devices can be used.

 

[Richard Smyth]

Yes I'm using the fendt version of the agi 4. I believe it is compatible with the topcon base as I am currently using a topcon digi modem for mobile rtk. This works great at 1 farm but just a little too far out of the way on our other farm to function properly hence the end for a base.

I would prefer to get a radio that can talk to the jd base station as there is a jd base network in the area but no one has any answers as to whether it will work or not