70kph JCB Fastrac 8330 speeds up Harvest for Esperance Farmer
- By: "Farm Tender" News
- Sheep & Wool News
- Apr 15, 2018
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Esperance grain grower Greg Curnow bought his new JCB Fastrac 8330 in November last year, just in time for a fruitful harvest season.
In addition to being a smooth and comfortable ride, the ability to extend the axles with the help of spacers has proven a great benefit in Greg’s wheat, canola and barley operation.
“The 3m cotton reel spacers make tramline farming much easier,” he says.
Greg harvested about 5,000 ha with the new tractor, an upgrade from the Fastrac 8310 he’s been using for the past two and a half years.
“I went with JCB again because of the high performance of my 8310. The road speed and comfort were important factors as well, along with improvements to cab configuration,” he says.
“The machine is neat and efficient, and the ground speed and stability are excellent.”
In terms of getting around, the machine is able to reach a maximum speed of 70kph (43mph), while maintaining stability no matter what it’s towing — whether it’s a spreader, sprayer, trailer or tanker. This stability is due to the machine’s all-round suspension, which also reduces compaction on the soil and provides a second-to-none riding experience. The rear suspension is designed to respond quickly to added weight from rear-mounted equipment while maintaining stability, and the coil spring and damper suspension for the front axle eliminates wheel hop.
Improvements to the cab configuration include a more spacious interior and larger doorway, reduced heat absorption during the day thanks to near vertical windscreen design and excellent visibility.
So far, the tractor has towed a 30-tonne chaser bin during harvest and been around the traps with the boom sprayer. While it hasn’t been tested on the full gamut of activities required around the property just yet – including clay spreading and row building – Greg is impressed with its performance to date.
“It has been a great machine so far and performed really well.”
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