Fendt Variogrip

[Henry B]

We are looking to update our Challenger 765c. We have been looking at a Fendt 936 fitted with variogrip, has anyone any experience of them both in the field, would it maybe a step backwards?

 

[Lincs Lass]

@slim shiny ,seem to remember he went from a cat to a fendt

 

[daveydiesel1]

Interestin to hear real life operators opinions of this

 

[Pingu]

Not fair as didn’t go from a Cat but ran a 936 on 900 tyres and a 939 on 710 tyres on vario grip and it was fantastic tractors where prime movers drilling, ploughing, sumoing, power harrows, haulage and pot bed work with baseliers etc! With drill on 936 would run down at 0.6bar then jack up to 1.2 for stability and Tyre wear in the road etc. Because knew you were in field you would run them at actual lowest pressure you could due to being able to up them when back on road. Plus with a Fendt being so easily able to adjust ballast it was 30 secs to do tyres to each job. The 936 on 900 was amazingly light on its feet

 

[Lewis821]

Went from a 765c to a 936 with variogrip, would not want to go back to tracks! If i had to it would be a half trac set up like the magnum or possibly 8rx
Main jobs are ploughing, drilling, sub soiling and ridging
The fendt is alot more versatile, and there is a noticeable difference on the headlands when comparing them on the drill, in the landwork there is not much difference imo, the crawler has a larger foot print but weighs 7 ton more. The fendt is better ploughing on land also and is much better balanced with heavy kit on the linkage.
We could do around 2500hrs on a set of tracks where the tyres have done well over that and still have 60% tread left.
With variogrip each implement will have a set of tyre pressures for road and field saved so the system is fairly prat proof. I needed a new set of valves on the front at 2000 hrs and some have had issues with seals leaking a putting air into the hubs though this is due to having a massive front weight on and leaving it raised while parked up ‘allegedly’.
The biggest surprise was when we hooked the fendt onto the 18m rolls. Usually this is done by a 200hp tractor on 650 tyres but as the rolls weigh 12.5 ton there needs to be 22psi in the rear tryres for moving around the roads, therefore 22 psi when rolling. However with variogrip we could roll at 8 psi and pump them up for moving fields, while folding the rolls, and with 710 tyres did less damage than a smaller tractor.

 

[Lewis821]

Oh yes and the fendt is considerably better on fuel on each application, for instance when drilling its using around 70lts a day less on the same area.
Not hit 29mpg on the road yet ?

 

[Frankzy]

Not hit 29mpg on the road yet ?

How odd, you sure it ain't faulty?

 

[Henry B]

Went from a 765c to a 936 with variogrip, would not want to go back to tracks! If i had to it would be a half trac set up like the magnum or possibly 8rx
Main jobs are ploughing, drilling, sub soiling and ridging
The fendt is alot more versatile, and there is a noticeable difference on the headlands when comparing them on the drill, in the landwork there is not much difference imo, the crawler has a larger foot print but weighs 7 ton more. The fendt is better ploughing on land also and is much better balanced with heavy kit on the linkage.
We could do around 2500hrs on a set of tracks where the tyres have done well over that and still have 60% tread left.
With variogrip each implement will have a set of tyre pressures for road and field saved so the system is fairly prat proof. I needed a new set of valves on the front at 2000 hrs and some have had issues with seals leaking a putting air into the hubs though this is due to having a massive front weight on and leaving it raised while parked up ‘allegedly’.
The biggest surprise was when we hooked the fendt onto the 18m rolls. Usually this is done by a 200hp tractor on 650 tyres but as the rolls weigh 12.5 ton there needs to be 22psi in the rear tryres for moving around the roads, therefore 22 psi when rolling. However with variogrip we could roll at 8 psi and pump them up for moving fields, while folding the rolls, and with 710 tyres did less damage than a smaller tractor.

Do you find traction with the Fendt as good as your old 765?

 

[Lewis821]

Do you find traction with the Fendt as good as your old 765?

This year its far superior?, winter ploughing on land with the fendt is alot better with less slip and the option to drop in furrow if needed, It is also alot better on the ridger. Usually put the wheel weights on at the end of autum drilling then drop them off again in the spring but they are still in the shed this year.
I would say the fendt will go alot of times when the crawler would not. Had it for 16 months and put nearly 3000 hrs on it so far and the only time ive thought “I wish I had the Challenger” was subsoiling across rutted veg beds, the crawler would of ridden over the ruts where the wheels were dropping in then scratting out dropping in scratting out etc ?.
The crawler would out grip the fendt in the dry in a straight line BUT weighs 7 ton more but throughout the year 95% of the time for the jobs i do I would choose the fendt above anythingelse

 

[DrDunc]

Err

Don't you just need the tractor brakes airline to adjust pressures between field and road?

 

[Lewis821]

Err

Don't you just need the tractor brakes airline to adjust pressures between field and road?

Ok if your in one field all day, but in reality who would spend 15/20 minutes doing this everytime you moved fields or farms or changed implement? Not very practical IMO

 

[Pingu]

Err

Don't you just need the tractor brakes airline to adjust pressures between field and road?

Try doing that on a 900/60R42 and you can be there 20+mins PER tyre per movement whereas as Fendt system has extra tanks and another larger compressor and can add 1bar in under 5mins on all 4 tyres and even on spuds we could be in 3 fields a day etc where you can’t get the best from tyre if set it at road pressure.