- Location
- East Sussex
We have two main tractors, both around 150 HP and fitted with loaders. One is a MF and the other a Valtra.
Being a mainly livestock farm, tractors are used regularly but for mostly feeding and short distance haulage. The multitude of electronics are seldom if ever used and when they are seem to cause many issues of error codes or total malfunction needing to call in the dealer to fix them.
Fortunately we keep them relatively new and tend to take out extended warranty. They are serviced by main dealers.
The latest issue on the Valtra is that it appears that the brakes have not been fully releasing, some complicated air and hydraulic system that is electronically operated. The mechanic is not sure whether it is just the electronic valve that is faulty or whether it has wrecked the brakes. Either way they are having to recover it to the dealership.
We went and collected a replacement that is their demonstrator that had only 200 hours on the clock.
We are busy planting forage crops so put it on the power harrow. It did one run down the field before an error message came up and the PTO would no longer work. Tried the obvious of switching it off and resetting electrics but still refused to work.
Phone call to the dealership and usual list of possible suggestions but none of them cure the problem. Coming in the morning with a new sensor of some sort.
So 3 days lost due to unnecessary bits of technology.
The MF is fortunately still working at the moment!!
Could someone not make a basic 150 HP tractor that just has a decent engine, simple gearbox, 2 speed PTO and some hydraulic spool valves all which are operated manually. Could be made much cheaper and repaired by anyone and the amount of unnecessary down time spent looking at a computer screen saved.
Being a mainly livestock farm, tractors are used regularly but for mostly feeding and short distance haulage. The multitude of electronics are seldom if ever used and when they are seem to cause many issues of error codes or total malfunction needing to call in the dealer to fix them.
Fortunately we keep them relatively new and tend to take out extended warranty. They are serviced by main dealers.
The latest issue on the Valtra is that it appears that the brakes have not been fully releasing, some complicated air and hydraulic system that is electronically operated. The mechanic is not sure whether it is just the electronic valve that is faulty or whether it has wrecked the brakes. Either way they are having to recover it to the dealership.
We went and collected a replacement that is their demonstrator that had only 200 hours on the clock.
We are busy planting forage crops so put it on the power harrow. It did one run down the field before an error message came up and the PTO would no longer work. Tried the obvious of switching it off and resetting electrics but still refused to work.
Phone call to the dealership and usual list of possible suggestions but none of them cure the problem. Coming in the morning with a new sensor of some sort.
So 3 days lost due to unnecessary bits of technology.
The MF is fortunately still working at the moment!!
Could someone not make a basic 150 HP tractor that just has a decent engine, simple gearbox, 2 speed PTO and some hydraulic spool valves all which are operated manually. Could be made much cheaper and repaired by anyone and the amount of unnecessary down time spent looking at a computer screen saved.
