NEW HOLLAND LAUNCHES REVOLUTIONARY NEW STEERING SYSTEM
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Headland
turns and front end loader maneuvers just got a whole lot easier with the
introduction of
“Farmers
involved in horticultural and row crop work have really taken a shine to the
five models in the TS-A range because of the versatility and exceptional power
to weight ratios, coupled with an impressive 55 degree axle turn angle which
gives users the control they need,” explained
“Now with the
introduction of Fast Steer, we expect the range to be even more popular.
Fast Steer improves
maneuverability, which is essential for any tractor, but particularly for
farmers involved in horticulture, viticulture, loader and row crop work where a
lot of turning and maneuvering is involved – often with restricted access due
to tight headlands or buildings.”
The
Fast Steer system has been highly awarded in Europe, where it has been available
for some time, taking out the 2003 EIMA
Award for Innovation and the Silver Medal at Agritechnica in the same year.
“With
a normal steering system, you need four to five complete turns of the wheel from
lock to lock to make a tight turn,” Simon said.
“For farmers doing a lot of headland turns or shuttling during loader
work, that’s an awful lot of effort each time you maneuver the tractor. But
with Fast Steer, which is activated by the push of an inner ring on the steering
wheel, turning effort is automatically reduced.”
This system increases
productivity and reduces fatigue by allowing the operator to concentrate on the
task at hand, whether it is loading a trailer or making headland turns.
Farmers
can switch between normal steering and Fast Steer as they wish and several
safety features have been built into the system to prevent accidental use that
may compromise on-the-job safety.
“Firstly,
a special inner ring must be pressed down to operate the system.
Knocking the wheel for example can’t accidentally push it on. Plus,
we’ve included automatic disengagement when the tractor exceeds 10km/hr or in
the event of any electric or hydraulic abnormality,” Simon explained.