AGCO shows off 85th

anniversary Gleaner combine

By Larry Dreiling

Instead of silver there's gold--gold paint, that is--as AGCO offers a special 85th anniversary Gleaner combine.

The special combine was part of many introductions AGCO displayed at the recent fall farm shows.

The A85 Class VIII Gleaner, in this anniversary year, receives a special gold paint job commemorating the creation of the first self-propelled combine.

"It's rather appropriate, don't you think?" said Reid Hamre, AGCO communications manager. "This is the 85th anniversary of the Gleaner and our top model is the Class VIII model A85."

The Gleaner A85 sports a 350-bushel grain tank and a 40-inch-long, 61.1-cubic foot rotor that is the largest rotor in the industry. It has a Tier III compliant 425 horsepower engine for power, an in-cab GTA Console II for control and a 4.5-bushel per second unloading rate for speed.

"The Gleaner A85 is built bigger and stronger throughout to handle more crop faster, but it is also built smarter," says Kevin Bien, general marketing manager, Gleaner. "It is not enough to simply push more crop through a system. The crop has to be handled more efficiently, effectively and easily and the A85 does all three. Equally important is operator convenience, comfort and control. Here, too, our new Class VIII excels with the GTA Console II terminal."

Also seen was Challenger's new MT900B Series four-wheel-drive tractors, which Challenger is calling the industry's largest production four-wheel-drive articulated tractor.

Available in four model sizes from 430 to a record 570 engine horsepower, the Challenger MT900B Series tractors share a number of components with MT800B Series track tractors. These industry-leading features include the cab, hydraulics, a rugged Caterpillar ACERT(TM) technology engine; a Cat(R) engineered and tested 16FX4R powershift transmission; and Challenger's exclusive Tractor Management Center.

"When Challenger introduced the MT875B track tractor at 570 horsepower, it set the benchmark for power, in an agricultural setting, and broke all existing records for drawbar horsepower," says Doug Griffin, Vice President of Marketing for AGCO North America. "Now, we're excited about matching that horsepower level in a versatile four-wheel-drive model. We have many customers who have asked for just such a machine. I'm proud to say, 'We've delivered.'"

Sunflower Manufacturing's 9530 grain drill, in widths up to 40 feet, is a new creature from the ground up, according to spokesman Bob Boelsen.

"We've never had a fertilizer and seed box together before," Boelsen said. "It's unique because it can be converted into an all-seed box as well. We can run 3 3/4 bushels of seed per foot through this. This box will hold 150 bushels in an all seed box, and cover 2.4 bushels of seed and 120 pounds of fertilizer per foot in the seed-fertilizer configuration.

"If you put down a bushel of seed wheat and 50 pounds of fertilizer per foot, you'll get 80 acres on one tilling."

The frame design is the same as the 9433 model three section folding grain drill, but with a heavier frame to handle the weight of the fertilizer," Boelsen said. "It's bigger, tougher, and stronger than anything we've ever built."

Also added is the Sunflower 1435 tandem disc. The proven 1434, the most popular disc in America, has been improved with fewer grease zerks for easier maintenance. The disc is guaranteed to disc level.

"We also have the best resale value because they are built to last," Boelsen said.

AGCO Hesston also displayed its new 7400 Series large square balers. Corporate designers performed a complete review of large square baler technology and came up with a new, cleaner and more contoured look on the outside and what engineers claim are faster, stronger and smarter components on the inside. At the same time, the new Model 7444 four-by-four and Model 7434 three-by-four retain Hesston elements like the double knotter and single gearbox chain drive.

Also seen were the new, larger capacity 7000 Series Spra-Coupes. The comfort-control features and convenience engineered into the Spra-Coupe 7450 and 7650 will shorten even long days, with more power from their Perkins 1106C diesel engines, Cat PG115 powershift transmission, precision application with the Raven controller, and a convenient-control spacious cab.

For more information, visit www.AGCOcorp.com.

Larry Dreiling can be reached by phone at 785-628-1117 or by e-mail at ldreiling@aol.com.

10/29/07
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Date: 10/22/07

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