Cat Challenger

[Lowland1]

I am keen of the idea of a crawler in order to keep going when it is wet and reduce compaction. Main work will be Jones Triple bedformer and a 3 m discordon. I don’t want new nor too old it has to do no roadwork and we are busy 52 weeks of the year so it could clock up a few hours but not working 24 hours a day. I am thinking B or C or D series Challenger. Any thoughts or suggestions.

 

[Tim G]

Are crawlers better in the wet? I thought they stopped when it rained as couldn't get traction.

 

[Lowland1]

Are crawlers better in the wet? I thought they stopped when it rained as couldn't get traction.

I am hoping they float better than a wheeled tractor

 

[deleted user 837354]

As above, I've seen smaller challengers slip like hell when it's a bit greasy on top. Be ideal for bedforming work but you wouldn't do that when it was stinking wet would you?

 

[KB6930]

They're ok in a straight line when wet but any steering or turning involved just go home usually.

I was in mares JD and it was going great ploughing the middle of a field he came to a slight curve on an endrig it was useless

 

[Clive]

I am hoping they float better than a wheeled tractor

they float better (vs a similar heavyweight tractor). but they can struggle for traction when wet on top

brace for some big R&M bills ! not for the lighthearted !

 

[Lowland1]

As above, I've seen smaller challengers slip like hell when it's a bit greasy on top. Be ideal for bedforming work but you wouldn't do that when it was stinking wet would you?

No everything we do comes to a halt when it’s sticky. I am looking not to make big ruts which lead to their own problems long term. We are planting 60-80 acres per week every week and if we miss a planting it messes up both market wise and cash flow wise so if I can gain a day or so it’s good

 

[Farmer Roy]

No everything we do comes to a halt when it’s sticky. I am looking not to make big ruts which lead to their own problems long term. We are planting 60-80 acres per week every week and if we miss a planting it messes up both market wise and cash flow wise so if I can gain a day or so it’s good

they do leave less ruts / impact on the soil surface in soft conditions, compared to an equivalent wheel tractor

 

[Farmer Roy]

If that’s what you need, I’d go for it

 

[Lewis821]

If you feel the need then I'd go for a late C the last of the cat engines, the D had a host of problems from engine to ad blue. They will not cut in as much as a wheel tractor when it's wet but are useless at lugging when wet, you end up with one track going like hell with the other hardly turning as it tries to steer itself down the field. Also I'd think about the healands, if it's wet they smear when turning and if it's soft they leave berms no matter how wide you turn, also the running costs will be higher from my experience. I went from a 765c to a 360hp wheel tractor and I will not want to go back. The only time I miss the crawler is when subsoiling across veg beds, when we had it on the vaderstad we had to pull the headlands up before drilling to try and level them up which we don't need to do any more and with the tyre inflation system and weighing 7 tons less it's just as good at top work.

 

[spikeislander]

I’m just considering updating my 8345rt this will be my third crawler .
Yes there are drawbacks as listed , ruts on turns, grip when wet and not great on road.
But for output I don’t think they can be beaten as they tread pretty light and are nimble more than a tractor of the same hp.
We are heavyish land and plough on top , terrano , and press it all , then a 8 m vaddy .
I have a fendt 936 granted not with variogrip but even though an awesome tractor and very versatile I don’t think it can keep up with me the jd on primary cultivation’s .
In this wet season when the vaddy was laid up I ran a kv evo on it and although it looked a bit overkill it skipped over the top at about 14k and left no wheelings , less I would say than a small wheel tractor did nearby .
Just my 2p but situations different as we are just combinables on heavy clay

 

[spikeislander]

But if it looked like rain I would get my headlands ploughed up asap

 

[spikeislander]

Not to hijack thread but anyone experience with fendt mt?

 

[fred.950]

Not to hijack thread but anyone experience with fendt mt?

We have a 943 here

 

[spikeislander]

Do you like it? I would be looking smaller model

 

[snarling bee]

Does the OP mean 765 B/C or D, or Flat track ie 65/75/85/95 B/C/D/E??

 

[Robt]

Does the OP mean 765 B/C or D, or Flat track ie 65/75/85/95 B/C/D/E??

Id say a challenger 700 series from his description.

 

[fred.950]

Do you like it? I would be looking smaller model

Yes I like it a lot, it’s a big improvement over the 765E it replaced for reliability and comfort but it does seem a little under powered

 

[upnortheast]

I am keen of the idea of a crawler in order to keep going when it is wet and reduce compaction. Main work will be Jones Triple bedformer and a 3 m discordon. I don’t want new nor too old it has to do no roadwork and we are busy 52 weeks of the year so it could clock up a few hours but not working 24 hours a day. I am thinking B or C or D series Challenger. Any thoughts or suggestions.

You got a local dealer who would let you have a demo machine for a couple of days?

 

[Lowland1]

You got a local dealer who would let you have a demo machine for a couple of days?

No I will have to import. I don’t have anything in U.K that would make it work. I have run a lot of steel tracked machines and seen Challenger 65s working in the Sudan but haven’t had any experience with rowcrop machines I like the idea of lower compaction.