Agribuggy user opinions

[mountfarm]

I’m after some user opinions please. We’ve been to look at a used 2700l 24m 2011 machine. It’s got gps shut off and two sets of wheels on 3500 hours. How do they travel? Do they float like I’m led to believe? Any known issues?
We are liquid fertiliser so how do they cope with higher volumes of 330l/ha.

 

[KB6930]

Yes they travel very well we had a 2500 just put it away for another breed because we hated the new 280 but to be honest I wish we still had it
I think the 2700 will still be mechanical engine fuel pump setup so will be a good simple machine
I've no idea of bigger rates as we only ever really sprayed at 250l max

 

[KB6930]

They'll wear out a few suspension bushes and break the odd bolt through the leaf spring/chassis ours had a new radiator new transfer box under warranty and the air con packed up which we didn't fix a new lift pump but nothing really in the grand scheme of things . We did have a major engine failure first day out this spring the stud that holds the camshaft pulley sheared which isn't very common but apparently does happen on a land rover engine so we were just unlucky .
The pommier booms are very good but now we're on another type it's noticeable how much you had to level the booms on the buggy on a slope . I've had ours on some pretty steep stuff and it would climb it no bother

 

[mountfarm]

They'll wear out a few suspension bushes and break the odd bolt through the leaf spring/chassis ours had a new radiator new transfer box under warranty and the air con packed up which we didn't fix a new lift pump but nothing really in the grand scheme of things . We did have a major engine failure first day out this spring the stud that holds the camshaft pulley sheared which isn't very common but apparently does happen on a land rover engine so we were just unlucky .
The pommier booms are very good but now we're on another type it's noticeable how much you had to level the booms on the buggy on a slope . I've had ours on some pretty steep stuff and it would climb it no bother

We had an old chaviot years ago so familiar with LR engine side of things. I’m surprised about your boom comments as I thought the pommier were the rolls Royce of booms. What have you moved to and seen a benefit? When you say levelling you mean you were constantly altering it?

 

[KB6930]

Yes the boom levelling the slightest slope and you were having to lift one end or the other to stop it catching but that's not a major issue just an observation.
We got a Househam spirit and once set you very rarely touch the boom other than we got individual lift for each side so you can deal with an odd shaped bit of field better

I'd have a 2700 agribuggy all day long to be perfectly honest the new 280 was just too complicated for us where I think the 2700 will be more like our old 2500 but with the better cab

 

[Andrew K]

Yes the boom levelling the slightest slope and you were having to lift one end or the other to stop it catching but that's not a major issue just an observation.
We got a Househam spirit and once set you very rarely touch the boom other than we got individual lift for each side so you can deal with an odd shaped bit of field better

I'd have a 2700 agribuggy all day long to be perfectly honest the new 280 was just too complicated for us where I think the 2700 will be more like our old 2500 but with the better cab

Had an Agribuggy 2000 till recently, using on fertiliser at 300 l/ha no problem [ Imovilli D274 pump fitted] and was always happy with it in soft going and very low running costs if you have good Land Rover mechanic about.

Diesel use is low with the Tdi 300 engine, around 60 litres a day, Cab a bit cramped and noisy on the older ones.Machines do 50+ K on the road so check brakes,steering and suspension in VGC.
Check cam drive belt has been changed recently whatever you buy.. Drive it if you can, check AC works and engine runs cool.
All in all , I would have another.

 

[Cloonpotatoes]

We have run Agribuggy’s since 2005 with one of the first 2500’s. It was a brilliant sprayer and a neighbour had it until this year. Changed for a 2700 probably my worst purchase. Lots of electrical faults. Really poor ergonomics. I would not have sold it to anyone I knew. A280 now. Not a bad sprayer. In poor conditions in tatties it can eat brake pads. Travels very well on land but not the most comfortable. The 1940’s spring suspension could really do with an update. In short it’s a good light weight sprayer with a good engine and spray package, but a crap cab and gearbox.

 

[KB6930]

We have run Agribuggy’s since 2005 with one of the first 2500’s. It was a brilliant sprayer and a neighbour had it until this year. Changed for a 2700 probably my worst purchase. Lots of electrical faults. Really poor ergonomics. I would not have sold it to anyone I knew. A280 now. Not a bad sprayer. In poor conditions in tatties it can eat brake pads. Travels very well on land but not the most comfortable. The 1940’s spring suspension could really do with an update. In short it’s a good light weight sprayer with a good engine and spray package, but a crap cab and gearbox.

How do you get on with the 280? We tried one on demo 3 times and just couldn't get on with it it was hellish to drive foot throttle you couldn't make it pull all it wanted to do was change down a gear and rev flat out

 

[Cloonpotatoes]

How do you get on with the 280? We tried one on demo 3 times and just couldn't get on with it it was hellish to drive foot throttle you couldn't make it pull all it wanted to do was change down a gear and rev flat out

That may be one of the few gearbox/engine management problems we haven’t had. They made a big mistake with the gearbox. They have tried to put 21st century software on a 19th century gearbox. The old cable worked much better. The actuator wears causing rough gear changes and dropping in and out of reverse as it’s outside of its range. Ours has had 4 in 1500hrs. Also the sensor that tells the gearbox if it can change from forward to reverse is to sensitive. Fine on cereals but very frustrating on veg or potatoes. Very nearly changed ours for a sands during the summer after a hydraulic pump drive failure and very poor service from Mc connell. Kellands provided a much better backup.

 

[KB6930]

That may be one of the few gearbox/engine management problems we haven’t had. They made a big mistake with the gearbox. They have tried to put 21st century software on a 19th century gearbox. The old cable worked much better. The actuator wears causing rough gear changes and dropping in and out of reverse as it’s outside of its range. Ours has had 4 in 1500hrs. Also the sensor that tells the gearbox if it can change from forward to reverse is to sensitive. Fine on cereals but very frustrating on veg or potatoes. Very nearly changed ours for a sands during the summer after a hydraulic pump drive failure and very poor service from Mc connell. Kellands provided a much better backup.

Exactly the old system worked so well that we couldn't get to grips with the fly by wire that they're running now . Even when empty pulling away from a junction the old sprayer just clicked up through the gears and pulled to 50k the demo you just couldn't get it up the gears as soon as you gave it more throttle to get going it knocked it back a gear so you ended up worse off and when loaded it was hopeless. The salesman did work out how to get it going better by not driving it on the foot throttle but neither of us could get on with it like that being so used to the 2500 . You're right about the kellands and McConnell thing as well so that was a factor in swapping to a Househam as well

 

[Cloonpotatoes]

Exactly the old system worked so well that we couldn't get to grips with the fly by wire that they're running now . Even when empty pulling away from a junction the old sprayer just clicked up through the gears and pulled to 50k the demo you just couldn't get it up the gears as soon as you gave it more throttle to get going it knocked it back a gear so you ended up worse off and when loaded it was hopeless. The salesman did work out how to get it going better by not driving it on the foot throttle but neither of us could get on with it like that being so used to the 2500 . You're right about the kellands and McConnell thing as well so that was a factor in swapping to a Househam as well

They have tried to improve the likes of the gearbox which were perfectly good and very reliable. While ignoring the leaf spring suspension which is so far behind there competitors. Also the new cab which they got claim was specifically built for there sprayer could not give a worse view of the booms if you tried. Only the outside 3m of the boom is visible without looking around the corner post.

 

[KB6930]

They have tried to improve the likes of the gearbox which were perfectly good and very reliable. While ignoring the leaf spring suspension which is so far behind there competitors. Also the new cab which they got claim was specifically built for there sprayer could not give a worse view of the booms if you tried. Only the outside 3m of the boom is visible without looking around the corner post.

Yeh the vision out the back wasn't good to say the least