[Swoopa_au]

So things around home have changed and we need another loader to move a few 8x4x3 squares of hay. We were thinking of fitting a loader to our tm190 to avoid buying another tractor. This all sounded great until we got a price on a loader and that idea went down the tube real quick, especially when the old girl needs some new shoes on the back.

So I went looking around for 200hp fwa with a loader. There were a few case pumas with cvt gearboxes but haven't heard great things about case cvt transmissions with huge hours on them. Then I found a deere 8120 with powershift, command arm, burder loader but isn't autotrac ready and hasn't got ILS or 3PL. It's only got 2600 hours and is a pretty sharp looking machine , very tidy and pretty good tyres. I'm thinking I'll remove the Autofarm before I sell the tm190 and just fit it to the deere. I'm not to worried about the lack of 3PL because I only use a k line speed tiller and I'm thinking of selling it too and going for a hydraulic folding trailing machine to help get the job done a bit quicker.

Any comments about the 8120, good or bad? Just seems like a good alternative at a pretty reasonable price but I thought I'd see what experiences other people have had with them.

Cheers

Mark

 

[jemca]

I don't know much about tractor but were are looking for a tractor for your new chaser bin and would like to know how you find your n/h we are looking at a n/h tg 285 and would like to know your thoughts on them

 

[Swoopa_au]

The tm series is the small brother to the tg so they are similar but different. I like my tm, good transmission and pulls well. Like every machine has its problems, one cab suspension mount has worn out and from my research it's a common problem.

 

[countryfella11]

That sounds like the one at cervus equipment (windmill ag). Have you tried looking for a John Deere 7820 or 7920 with IVT?

 

[madsnake]

Giving you use it for draw bar work, be a good step up. TM are a bit on light side in the back end. Giving that gps ag are done and dusted maybe worth pricing out steering in the deal, sounds like a5 totally un-supported now.

 

[smythricky]

Believe a5 support still there until the end of the year. Pretty much on our own now though. Aftermarket for parts and guess the rest.

I wouldn't be putting it on next tractor if it was me.

Richard

 

[NairibinFarms]

Swoops..... What's your budget range? Maybe keep your tractor and go an articulated loader?

 

[Swoopa_au]

I'll try to answer everyone's questions so here we go.

Yes the tractor is at cervus (windmill ag) in Ballarat. They came out to look at the tm190 and made an offer to trade it in but it's not even close to what I'm after so I will probably try to sell it privately the way it's looking.

In terms of a budget, I'm looking at the cost to change it over. Considering a loader will sting me $25k and it's going to need 2 back tyres at some point, my ideal changeover cost is $35k. Which means I need to sell the tm for $70k but I'm not super confident of getting it.

I've looked at buying an artic loader or telehandler. My father in law owns a half share in a cat loader and I thought we could buy out the other fellas share. But I was told that it would be any good to take into a wet paddock in the middle of winter to feed some cattle. Looking longer term, it's not only the initial cost of buying the machine, it's all the maintenance etc is what makes a machine expensive.

My next door neighbour has a jd 7630 with ivt and has had a horror run with the tranny. There is another guy not far from us which has a 7930 with ivt which has played up. Has cost both of them a lot of money. I know it's only 2 people and deere do make lots of tractors and I'm sure some people have no problems at all with them. But I'm sure you can understand my hesitation in going ivt.

I found a 7830 with loader, 3pl, duals etc but it only runs a power quad tranny and they have almost $140k which is getting a bit pricey for my liking.

As for auto steer, the 8120 isn't autotrac ready. I know how to fit up hydraulic valves to tractors (I fitted up my tm190) and know how to troubleshoot Autofarm gear (I used to work for gps ag and still have my programming cables etc. I would hate to think what an autotrac kit for the 8120 would cost let alone what cervus would charge to fit it. How do the deere ATU's go in terms of steering performance? I know where one is for sale.

Also not really sure I want to know what a deere rtk setup would sting me. I think when your seeding rig is only 7m, better gps accuracy is needed as gaps etc are noticed a lot more.

Sorry for the essay

Cheers
Mark

 

[Chucka]

Ag Leader are doing good deals to Trade A5's on Geosteer set ups..... Maybe worth a look (Cheaper than Greenstar)

 

[Swoopa_au]

Yeah I've been having a look around the net at geosteer, paradyme, and simplesteer. It all seems pretty good but like any gps system there are plenty of reports of systems being crap and not performing well. I'm not to bad with technology and wiring etc so wouldn't hesitate to rewire the boomspray if I went for a AL integra geosteer system otherwise if I wasn't wanting product control I'd just go for their simple steer system. I'm sure I could get my hands on instructions for fitting hydraulic auto steer valve from gps ag which should be a lot more straight forward compared to Autofarm compact valve install instructions.

 

[NairibinFarms]

I've found my atu's are pretty accurate,as long as you set it up for the speed your doing. Settings will need to be different from 10km's compared to say 20 km's.

 

[Chucka]

With a Paradyme system you can use your existing SA module so you would be able to wire the A5 steering in then trade the Roof array and screen in on a paradyme integra set up (Just done it on a Magnum 305)