Reverse station tractors...pros and cons

[Deerefarmer]

Would like to hear from owners and drivers of reverse station tractors, how do you find them as far as reliability? Would you buy a used tractor with reverse station option if the rest of the machine met your specs?
Particularly interested in hearing pros and cons of 900 series fendt reverse station tractors but appreciate any and all input.

 

[daveydiesel1]

Id be lookin at a claas xerion with the turnable cab rather than just a reverse drive tractor if i was u

 

[Tommy]

Id be lookin at a claas xerion with the turnable cab rather than just a reverse drive tractor if i was u

How do you know that? he’s not told us what he wants it for

 

[Ormond]

Reverse drive Fendt bukraking on tractor Ted looks the business!

 

[daveydiesel1]

How do you know that? he’s not told us what he wants it for

Would a cab that turns not be betr than a seat that turns with an extra steerin wheel

 

[collywol]

i ve been operating rd fendts for 12 years now , foraging grass and maize. takes 2 mins to turn round, weird at first, but it very soon becomes normal as all the controls are in the same place. only thing i noticed at first was the seat is not dead centre by maybe a couple of inches, the main thing the swivel beam between your feet 2ins high by 6 ins wide, it looks aukward but i find its a good foot rest. all in all its no different from a normal tractor. just as reliable as any other fendt. Also had a valtra rd i still have nightmares about that piece of sxxt. dont go there! 1 930 and a few 936s.

 

[deleted user 837354]

I didn't think tractors were supposed to push backwards...

 

[fred.950]

Reverse drive Fendt bukraking on tractor Ted looks the business!

I tried buck raking with a 828 once and hated it, being used to rolling with the front wheels as you push up becomes a bit disconcerting when the rear axle doesn’t pivot and it launches you over to one side

 

[Hanzcock]

Would a cab that turns not be betr than a seat that turns with an extra steerin wheel

There is no extra steering wheel ?

 

[Treemover]

I never drove one, but can you see ie is vision good enough? With a lot of reverse drive tractors the glass doesn’t go down low enough ? Or am I wrong??

 

[Ducati899]

First experience of driving reverse drive fendt was mid-late 90’s,wouldn’t have any reservations about one second hand if it was what you were looking for, as said above literally takes two minutes to spin round and no second steering wheel in them

 

[deleted user 837354]

Can you see the implement well enough out the back?

Xerion all well and good but expensive and I am told the ride in them is rough.

 

[collywol]

I never drove one, but can you see ie is vision good enough? With a lot of reverse drive tractors the glass doesn’t go down low enough ? Or am I wrong??

you can see everything you need as theres no bonnet in the way, on a 900 theres 10ft x3ft of it .

 

[Deerefarmer]

Thanks for the input @collywol and @Ducati899 sounds like we've nothing to worry about.
Our main concern was reliability with all the extra bits and pieces required and whether or not the raised floor would be awkward or annoying for normal use. The RD would be used as a backup machine with a blade mounted to the rear for assisting our main packing machine mainly but I could see other uses as well.
Some mentioned getting a claas Xerion, what little I've been around those seemed cumbersome machines for our line of work

 

[daveydiesel1]

First experience of driving reverse drive fendt was mid-late 90’s,wouldn’t have any reservations about one second hand if it was what you were looking for, as said above literally takes two minutes to spin round and no second steering wheel in them

So how do you steer if no rear sreerin wheel?

 

[Ducati899]

So how do you steer if no rear sreerin wheel?

with the one that spins round with dash and everything else

 

[Speedstar]

So how do you steer if no rear sreerin wheel?

If you turn the seat etc around in a fendt and put the window wiper on it knows if you are going forward or backwards

 

[Ducati899]

If you turn the seat etc around in a fendt and put the window wiper on it knows if you are going forward or backwards

first reverse drive one I drove on mowers was a 818 turbo shift,was a bit confusing to start with mind cause the gearstick obviously stayed where it was,hell of a tractor that was mind

 

[Scribus]

Valtra have reverse drive available as an option for forestry work.

 

[Deerefarmer]

If you turn the seat etc around in a fendt and put the window wiper on it knows if you are going forward or backwards

Still full hydro drive in reverse tho isn't it?