Horsch Avatar V JD 750A

[Bax]

Wondering how people are getting on with the Avatar compared to the 750. We are reasonably happy with our 6m 750 but want to be able to put fertilizer down the spout with the seed. Do the Avatars tread heavier on the headlands compared to the 750. We were hoping for a demo but due to conditions it never happened.

 

[YELROM]

@Clive

 

[Clive]

We have experience of both 750 abs Avatar here

I like the 750a a lot, its a great drill that was instrumental in a big change to our farm. We grew good crops with it and it didn’t cost much to run or in depreciation

it did need quite a lot modification to get it to work as we wanted, we added a liquid fert system, extended the hopper, fitted gutlers and a few other things - quite major workshop surgery !

It needed a lot of maintenance to keep tip top when covering a lot of acres, some of the engineering is a bit weak and its not an easy machine to work on

The Avatar is very similar in coulter layout but a slight undercut on the opening disc and adjustable, heavier closing wheel helps with slot closure . It’s much easier to adjust, calibrate and maintain and needed no modifications already having x4 hoppers, fert etc.

it's better in the wet, the coulter- gauge wherl doesn’t fill witn mud as our 750a would when too wet. It’s limit in the wet is the seed cart wheels and weight, it will go when our 750a would not have however

it seems to be wearing slower as well, bigger disc diameter maybe why but 7500ac on the clock (12m) and its still got a couple thousand more left before our first disc change

it’s better on the road running on proper tyres and folds very neat / safely it's very stable at speed and when unfolding

operator was a big fan of the 750 but no way he would go back - that speaks volumes imo

lower HP required- the sane tractor that pulled the 6m 750a is pulling a 12m Avatar - coulter spacing is wider however

Although it has more coulter pressure on paper i’m not sure it goes in as well as the 750a in hard , dry conditions BUT thats not been a problem this last 2 wet seasons !

On our soils it’s excellent, its been 100% reliable as well and we are very happy with it

 

[Bax]

We have experience of both 750 abs Avatar here

I like the 750a a lot, its a great drill that was instrumental in a big change to our farm. We grew good crops with it and it didn’t cost much to run or in depreciation

it did need quite a lot modification to get it to work as we wanted, we added a liquid fert sysyem, extended the hopper, fitted gutlers and a few other things - quite major workshop surgery !

It needed a lot of maintenance to keep tip top when covering a lot of acres, some of the engineering is a bit weak and its not an easy machine to work on

The Avatar is very similar in coulter layout but a slight undercut on the opening disc and adjustable, heavier closing wheel helps with slot closure . It’s much easier to adjust, calibrated and maintain and needed no modifications already having x4 hoppers, fert etc.

its better in the wet, the coulter- gauge wherl doesn’t fill witn mud as our 750a would when too wet. It’s limit in the wet is the seed cart wheels and weight, it will go when our 750a would not have however

it seems to be wearing slower as well, bigger disc diameter maybe why but 7500ac on the clock (12m) and its still got a couple thousand more left before our first disc change

it’s better on the road running on proper tyres and folds very neat / safely its very stable at speed and when unfolding

operator was a big fan of the 750 but no way he would go back - that speaks volumes imo

lower HP required- the sane tractor that pulled the 6m 750a is pulling a 12m Avatar - coulter spacing is wider however

Although it has more coulter pressure on paper i’m not sure it goes in as well as the 750a in hard , dry conditions BUT thats not been a problem this last 2 wet seasons !

On our soils it’s excellent, its been 100% reliable as well and we are very happy with it

Thanks for the honest reply Clive. John Deere will loose their drill market to Horch soon if they don't improve the 750. It needs a better seed metering system and a factory fitted fertilizer hopper. Our local JD dealer is very frustrated with Deere as they are loosing out to Horsch, he says they need a wider 750 with a fert system..

 

[Clive]

Thanks for the honest reply Clive. John Deere will loose their drill market to Horch soon if they don't improve the 750. It needs a better seed metering system and a factory fitted fertilizer hopper. Our local JD dealer is very frustrated with Deere as they are loosing out to Horsch, he says they need a wider 750 with a fert system..

without doubt - JD really do need to pull their finger out

I know they have updated the openers since ours but stuff like the hopper, calibration and rear wheels etc are really showing their age now

they need wider models as well 8 and 12m certainly

 

[Farmer Roy]

As for wider models & fertiliser capacity - I think they’ve got it well & truly sorted in their main markets . . .

I wonder how important the 750a IS in the big picture of things to JD ?

Seeders and Box Drills | Seeding Equipment | John Deere Australia

The Seeding Equipment from John Deere. Learn more about the features, specifications, and more for the Planting and Seeding Equipment.

www.deere.com.au

 

[Fish]

As for wider models & fertiliser capacity - I think they’ve got it well & truly sorted in their main markets . . .

I wonder how important the 750a IS in the big picture of things to JD ?

Seeders and Box Drills | Seeding Equipment | John Deere Australia

The Seeding Equipment from John Deere. Learn more about the features, specifications, and more for the Planting and Seeding Equipment.

www.deere.com.au

The 750 is important in markets with restricted road transport widths, the question is, how important those markets are to Deere.

 

[EddieB]

What would the HP requirement to pull a 6m Avitar? I was looking at a 4m yesterday but would rather 6 if I had enough pulling power.

 

[Clive]

What would the HP requirement to pull a 6m Avitar? I was looking at a 4m yesterday but would rather 6 if I had enough pulling power.

240 on a 12m - but a 6m would need the same I think as row spacing is closer

 

[EddieB]

240 on a 12m - but a 6m would need the same I think as row spacing is closer

Thanks for that. What is the optimum speed for an Avatar? I am also looking at a Weaving GD which I think I could pull a 6 but the consensus seems to be that 8kph is plenty with the GD.

 

[Dave6170]

What would the HP requirement to pull a 6m Avitar? I was looking at a 4m yesterday but would rather 6 if I had enough pulling power.

My friend had a 6m on demo, pulled it with his jd 130r. Sowing into a cover crop.

 

[Clive]

Thanks for that. What is the optimum speed for an Avatar? I am also looking at a Weaving GD which I think I could pull a 6 but the consensus seems to be that 8kph is plenty with the GD.

we run at 10-12kph usually could go faster but no real need to with a 12m !

 

[EddieB]

Slight thread drift but how do people think the Avatar compares to the Weaving GD as a drill?
The appeal of the Avatar is the ability to drill different products down the front and rear discs at different depths, great for companion cropping etc. I like the simplicity of the GD and the angled discs make a nice job on my fairly light soils.

 

[sam1990]

Slight thread drift but how do people think the Avatar compares to the Weaving GD as a drill?
The appeal of the Avatar is the ability to drill different products down the front and rear discs at different depths, great for companion cropping etc. I like the simplicity of the GD and the angled discs make a nice job on my fairly light soils.

We have a GD + had avatar on demo in the same field. We Found the avatar would go better in the wet than the GD but crops look better behind the GD and take a lot less pulling. Maintenance is a pain with the GD we find they eat disc bearings for fun and god help us if we are in a stoney field.

 

[Northdowns Martin]

I see a pimped up 750a for sale in classified section, obviously don't know the vendors circumstances but wondering if JD drills have had a couple of testing years and the opposition have coped better.

 

[Clive]

I see a pimped up 750a for sale in classified section, obviously don't know the vendors circumstances but wondering if JD drills have had a couple of testing years and the opposition have coped better.

i think the Avatar is just more trendy now ! (Can’t think why !)

very similar drills really in performance terms, avatar is just more operator friendly and a bit less maintenance required to keep them running

 

[Daniel]

I see a pimped up 750a for sale in classified section, obviously don't know the vendors circumstances but wondering if JD drills have had a couple of testing years and the opposition have coped better.

Isn't it just that one of the core doctrines of no-till is that you should be able to post a picture of yourself using the latest drill on Twitter?

Currently that's an Avatar, which matches the Horsch sprayer you should also own, which is why there are 750a's, crossslots and various self prop sprayers in the classifieds!

 

[Brisel]

What would the HP requirement to pull a 6m Avitar? I was looking at a 4m yesterday but would rather 6 if I had enough pulling power.

The demo I had last autumn had over a tonne of cast iron strapped to it, not necessary for my chalks. 220hp Claas was pulling hard at 12 kph on the slopes. Shed the unnecessary weight and on flat land you should be ok with a lot less hp.

 

[Cowcorn]

I see a pimped up 750a for sale in classified section, obviously don't know the vendors circumstances but wondering if JD drills have had a couple of testing years and the opposition have coped better.

A really nice looking drill too with all the mods @Clive mentioned he did to his drill
It really says " hello " to me but the price is more than my modest acreage could bear ...... Would the older ones be any cheaper ???

 

[chaffcutter]

That ad says almost new discs etc so don’t underestimate the value of everything being in good condition, you could find cheaper perhaps but a full overhaul if required will not be cheap!