Don’t Say It, Spray It

Hardi had just launched the French manufactured Saritor 2 sprayer with bigger, lighter aluminium booms in 2014. Matt Wood headed to South Australia to check it out

Hardi Saritor 2 5500 self-propelled sprayer

Engine 6.7-litre Cummins QSB Power/torque 205kW (275hp)/990Nm (730ft-lb) Transmission Sauer-Danfoss hydrostatic Drive All-wheel hydrostatic Main tank cap 5,500 litres Rinse tank cap 600 litres Spray control Hardi HC 9500 with section control (GPS and auto steer optional) Boom Pommier TR5 aluminium with four-sensor AutoTerrain system; 36.5m, 38.5m, 40.5m and 42.5m boom widths available Main pump Saritor OnRate; Flow: 680l/m. Pressure: Up to 11 bar Hardi’s newly released Saritor 2 5500 is a serious machine. It is a bigger, lighter version of the sprayer from the European manufacturer and sports some interesting features. It doesn’t look that special on paper. Power is provided by an unremarkable yet tried and true 275hp (202.8kW) 6.7-litre Cummins QSB turbo diesel engine and like many of its competitors the sprayer uses hydrostatic drive to get power to the ground. But on closer inspection the big red French-built sprayer does have some interesting things going on. For example, the Pommier TR5 aluminium boom. The lightweight boom is available in widths from 36m to 42.5m although Hardi also confirms a whopping 48m example is in the field at the moment. The use of the lightweight boom leads Hardi to claim a 14.5-tonne tare weight for the sprayer, which isn’t too shabby at all.

HYDROSTATIC DRIVE

The wheel track of the Saritor can be hydraulically varied from 3m to 4m or anywhere in between. This makes matching the wheel track to those of other machines that have been working in the paddock easy; it also allows the track to be varied to avoid compaction over the life of crop. It maintains crop clearance of 1.45m. The sprayer also uses a twin 1,100cc pump Sauer-Danfoss hydrostatic system to both drive and steer the machine, however, the system isn’t rpm dependant. The idea being you can run at lower rpm while still maintaining optimum hydraulic pressure and save some dinosaur juice along the way. Hardi claims engine rpm of around 2,000 to 2,100rpm while spraying. For those long drives between paddocks the Saritor will boogie along at up to 55km/h with the boom safely tucked away. But, sitting between that lightweight Pommier TR5 boom and the tractor unit is an interesting bit of kit, the AutoTerrain centre. The boom itself sits on a wide paralift for stability but has four ultra-sonic sensors (six is optional) mounted along the boom length as well as a pendulum-type sensor that’s constantly making adjustments via computer-controlled electro hydraulics to the boom level, while the machine is in motion at up to 10 times per second. In short, the AutoTerrain works to keep the boom from smacking the ground, and given undulating nature of some of our agricultural areas and the ever increasing size of spray booms, this is a handy feature indeed. Yaw dampening is handled by plunge cylinders mounted in the end of the fold cylinders with centrally mounted nitrogen accumulators. This means each boom wing can move backwards and forwards independent of the other when braking or turning.

FILL ’ER UP

Of course, before you hit the paddocks with this machine you have to fill it. The low-profile 5,500-litre main tank is a noticeable part of the Saritor but it’s also equipped with a 600-litre rinse tank as well. A fast-fill hose nozzle drops from the underside of the machine, which is a nice touch to stop hoses kinking; there’s also the option of a banjo fast-fill pump. But the bit that caught my eye was the front-mounted fill point which would come in very handy when self-filling out of dams. This means you just nose up to the water rather than manoeuvring the machine sideways on uneven ground. The work zone is accessed by lifting a strut-mounted side cover. It also doubles as a veranda and provides some protection from the elements while filling and mixing chemicals. All functions are labelled with easy-to-read symbols making it easy to know exactly which button you’re pressing or lever you’re pulling. For mixing dry chemical, there’s also a swingdown turbo filler to stop things from getting too frothy and a spray gun connected to the rinse tank is handy for a wash down. Flushing the system can be done from either the cab or at ground level.

UNDER PRESSURE

Once all fluids are in place something has to move them and that’s where the OnRate centrifugal pump comes into play. The pump, which can run dry without doing itself an injury, puts out 11 bar of pressure, and is capable of running 6,80L/m through its curly innards, the Mazzotti hydraulic motor puts out up to 275 bar. It’s a pressure-based system and the idea is OnRate is capable of maintaining consistently high pressure across the pump system and is able to respond instantaneously to changes in

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spray rate. In fact, Hardi claims a response time of two seconds or less. The system is charged and maintains pressure regardless of speed by using a variable hydraulic valve. You can also opt for a closed loop system with auto prime as well, to save spraying and flushing needlessly. Most of this seems purely academic unless you get to climb behind the wheel, and as with most self-propelled sprayers this involves climbing a set of flip-down stairs. Once at cab level a nice wide platform leads to the cab door. Like many of these machines, the Saritor uses a third-party cab, in this case from New Holland. You have to walk past the door before opening it, and I can’t help but think a rear-hinged door would make cab entry a tad easier. But once inside the cab its strong points become apparent, visibility is excellent and the cab layout is simple and uncluttered.

COOL INSIDE

The steering wheel and column are the only real dominant features forward of the driver’s seat. Controls for all major functions are located on a side-mounted console, including a paddle control for forward and backward drive. Boom wing control, spray on and off, and section control functions are also mounted on the paddle, while sturdy rocker or toggle switches take care of most other functions. What really stands out is the HC 9500 screen mounted beside it. In keeping with the lack of clutter in the cab there are only two screens to look at, the smaller one displays basic drive information. Above this is the HC 9500 spray control unit; this interface is standard with auto section control. The ParaDyme global positioning system (GPS) comes to the party for job mapping and auto steer. But it’s the simple userfriendly interface of the unit that catches my eye. Specifying the whole GPS, the section control package gives you the ability to map and store paddocks for future use as well as the ability to record obstacles. Hardi claims accuracy to within an inch using the ParaDyme GPS and auto steer set-up. All of this combined with the rapid response of the OnRate fluid control system seems to have the goods for constant spray coverage and ease of use.

TIME FOR A SPIN

For a hydrostatic machine, noise levels on the Saritor 2 are low and there’s only some of that characteristic hydraulic whine as we trundle along. The paddle control is easy but there’s also a foot pedal that can be used for drive control, as well. The Saritor doesn’t roar in an effort to maintain hydraulic pressure, you get the feeling it’s doing its best to balance engine rpm and torque with efficiency and performance at all times. To be honest, I couldn’t help wonder if an Aussie sprayer really needs to be constant four-wheel drive. There would be cost and weight benefits to be had from using two wheel motors. Hydrostatic drive gives great low-speed tractability and is an excellent way of transferring torque to the ground, but I reckon you would have to be really trying to get one of these stuck even in two-wheel drive form. However, in the Saritor’s case it’s 4WD only.

SUSPENDED ANIMATION

The airbag-suspended body soaks up undulations well and the suspended Gramma seat pitches in to smooth out any bumps. While these things are never meant to handle like sport cars, the sheer size of the machine with wings unfolded to a stretch of more than 40m means they do need to handle with some precision. From my limited spin I can say it did seem to be an easy bit of gear to throw about, although I reckon the small steering wheel could do with a knob to make low-speed manoeuvring easier. As you would expect for an auto steer capable machine, the Sauer-Danfoss steering system is electronically assisted and light. The 20.5m turning circle isn’t exactly tiny, however, Hardi claims this prevents crop damage in the headland while turning. Folding the boom wings in for transport is reasonably easy. It involves some console button pushing to unlock the wings, while the rest is done by the simple joystick-mounted wing controls. Of course, if you do manage to smack a tree, a strainer post, or the boss’ ute, the boom wings have 2.5m break away sections at each end. The Saritor 2 has plenty of lighting options with six spotlights facing forward, six cab-mounted lights and six under the snout. Boom-mounted light packages are also available.

BIG SPECS

The Saritor 2 is an impressive machine. The use of aluminium booms helps trim some weight and potentially paves the way for longer boom lengths and ditto goes for the AutoTerrain and Paralift set up. In-cab ergonomics and visibility are impressive and the HC 9500 control unit is an approachable interface. Does an Australian sprayer really need to be hydrostatic 4WD? Perhaps not, but in a global market you get what you’re given. In this case, the Sauer-Danfoss system is user friendly and quiet in operation, and Hardi claims it delivers better fuel economy. It may be more sprayer than many people need, but it’s a slick, well put together package with a user-friendly interface that belies the innovation within. The Gods would be pleased.

1. The Hardi Saritor 2 5500 is available with Pommier aluminium booms at up to 42.5m in width 2. Daily checks are easy done from the access stairs and gantry 3. Hardi’s Trevor Pahl demonstrates the

Turbo Filler

Pluses

Visibility is superb User-friendly spray control interface Big spray coverage, yet relatively lightweight

Minuses

Lack of a two-wheel drive option May be seen as too complex for some

The use of aluminium booms helps trim some weight and potentially paves the way for longer boom lengths.