Small 4WD combine

[sheepwise]

Are there any manufacturers still making a smaller 4WD combine these days? 14' header would be ideal for most of the field sizes in this predominately livestock area. Feel there must be an opportunity for a contractor to go against the norm of ever bigger and heavier machines and actually have a machine that could cope with the ground conditions we are experiencing once again this year.

 

[chaffcutter]

Surely a tracked machine would be even better, after market track units could be fitted to any make of combine?

Also much better for moving about as the machine will be much narrower than one on wide tyres.

 

[jamesfalky]

AGCO (Fendt/Massey) do the Fendt L series/ Massey Activa S in 4wd versions, but I think the smallest table is 16ft you can put on them, you can get a 14ft on the smaller E series or Activa range but no 4wd

 

[sheepwise]

AGCO (Fendt/Massey) do the Fendt L series/ Massey Activa S in 4wd versions, but I think the smallest table is 16ft you can put on them, you can get a 14ft on the smaller E series or Activa range but no 4wd

It's not so much the size of the table as the weight and travelling ability of the combine.

 

[goodevans]

Surely a tracked machine would be even better, after market track units could be fitted to any make of combine?

Also much better for moving about as the machine will be much narrower than one on wide tyres.

I was led to believe tracked machines didn't like slopes which I presume is what the op was wanting one for

 

[uztrac]

I have seen many Case IH 4 wd operating in rice (paddies) fields,doing an excellent job. You will find that a tyred unit will operate better in extreme wet conditions much better than a track/tyre combination.

 

[Sharpy]

Local contractor had tracked combines, problem was when they went down a little they got stuck, then it was practically a winch job to get them out. They went back to 4wd.

 

[sheepwise]

Anybody any experience of a John Deere W330?

 

[jms37]

You can get a Tucano 320 with 4wd I think.
As said above, weight is the killer. I'd imagine an Avero on 800 tyres, admittedly only 2wd, would "float about" quite well.

 

[sheepwise]

Local contractor had tracked combines, problem was when they went down a little they got stuck, then it was practically a winch job to get them out. They went back to 4wd.

That's what I've heard too?

 

[jms37]

I've heard the above about 4wd too, it just pushs you into more trouble. I think it's more a traction advantage on slopes in reasonable conditions.
If ground is waterlogged weight will put you down regardless.

 

[Scribus]

Deutz fahr produce the C5000 series with header widths down to 3.5m, about 11'6", not sure about 4WD though.

Sampo Rosenlaw go down to 3.1m with hydrostatic 4WD available as an option.

2045 - 2045 - Combine Harvesters - Products - Sampo-Rosenlew

www.sampo-rosenlew.fi

 

[michael N123]

Local contractor had tracked combines, problem was when they went down a little they got stuck, then it was practically a winch job to get them out. They went back to 4wd.

On bad years when our heavy fields have been to wet for our dominator to travel we’ve got a contractor in with a tracked newholland and it’s amazing where it will travel

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Are there any manufacturers still making a smaller 4WD combine these days? 14' header would be ideal for most of the field sizes in this predominately livestock area. Feel there must be an opportunity for a contractor to go against the norm of ever bigger and heavier machines and actually have a machine that could cope with the ground conditions we are experiencing once again this year.

4wd would be good on some bankie wet land, and really would be better than a tracked one, as once the tracks have broken through the top Surface they tend to be stuck, and there to pull out in general,
take it a 14 foot header is for uneven land to get it to follow the ground on side slopes, I would go bigger to 18/20 foot and a floating header as you would get a better feed to the drum,
question is, would the farmers like to pay more per acre to cover the extra cost of 4wd, as on a new machine this could be upto 20k extra, so to pay it off over 5 years that's 4k extra a year,
and with it being a livestock area, lots of moving, little fields, and so forth, so cutting 800 acre a year is £5 an acre extra,
don't think a farmer would pay £5 over the other contractors in the area the way things are

 

[rob h]

How about bigger wheels on the back and duals on the front.its surprising where this will go and cost verry

9 little

 

[michael N123]

Seen a claas avero yesterday and I’m sure it looked smaller than our dominator 98

 

[Pilatus]

Combines on wide tyre good for reducing compaction,but difficult on narrow roads and poor at climbing banks. I would have thought a good compromise is rear wheel drive as regards cost and helping traction on banks and wet conditions, using commonsense would play a big part in using it to its full potential with out getting stuck.

 

[mo!]

Our local dealer sold two combines, same model to two neighbours. One on tracks, one with 4wd. At the end of the season the one with 4wd went to help out the tracked machine...

I remember one wet year I was baling on a sunday at our neighbour's, he'd had a tracked machine in as he was concerned his own small combine would get bogged. I was daydreaming and before I knew it I was up to the axles on the tractor (600/65R38s!). The combine had hardly made a mark.

 

[Pilatus]

After market rear wheel assist kits for combines. Google “mud hog.com”

 

[GeorgeK]

Another budget solution, although the TX no longer with us now