REVIEW
1
big bite, bigger appetite Claas’ latest forage harvester offering, the Jaguar 970, brings together a huge amount of power and a high level of finesse. Jaiden Drought gets technical with the wide range of features included
R
ecord setting in more ways than one, Claas has produced more than 40,000 machines since 1973, and holds the title of the world’s most successful forage harvester, dominating the world market with one in every two foragers sold globally being a Claas machine. So, it’s fair to say that expectations were high when getting behind the wheel of the new Jaguar 970. With glorious New Zealand countryside providing a scenic backdrop to rival anywhere in the world, our terrain however was in stark contrast to the large open fields of the German countryside where these machines can commonly be found. Faced with sharp undulating contour and steep hill sides – the real horsepower sucking stuff – fortunately our Jaguar 970 test machine comes well equipped to deal with such a challenge.
ENGINE
The ridiculously impressive size of the engine will keep a smile on any driver’s face.
If you want to see an impressive engine, simply open any of the three rear panels for an expansive view of the transverse 800 horsepower (597kW), 24L V12 MAN engine. This is a proper weapon, equipped with a 1,200L fuel tank to keep up with the ferocious appetite for crop. The engine is fitted crossways across the machine for efficiency. The main drive comes straight off the end of the crank with no additional power losses through angle gearboxes. This means that one large belt running down the side of the Jaguar 970 runs a direct powerband drive between the engine to the chopping unit, the accelerator, infinitely variable length of cut adjustment, the corn cracker and the variable front attachment drive. While the ridiculously impressive size of the engine will keep a smile on any driver’s face, the Dynamic Power function will keep the one paying the fuel bill happy as well. As the machine enters the crop it is at full power. When the crop doesn’t max out
the output of the machine, the 10-step dynamic power steps in. This means engine output is reduced, as well as a claimed 10.6 per cent fuel saving. The automatic engine’s speed reduction to 1,400rpm at the headlands and 1,290rpm for road transport is another handy feature, saving up to an additional 10 per cent on fuel and getting between jobs faster than ever before.
IN THE SADDLE Driving a chopper can be a little overwhelming at times as literally the whole symphony of machines associated with harvesting, along with heavy expectations from the boss and client all rest on your shoulders. Claas has recognised this and included in the design several driver aids to keep stress levels down. CEMOS Auto Performance keeps chopper output at the maximum possible efficiency. When the engine load decreases, forward speed increases. These machines love being fully loaded with constant crop flow, and maize silage in particular is a comfortable crop to chop because it does exactly this. Cam Pilot is a twin lens camera that picks up the swath (when chopping grass) and converts this into a three-dimensional image that the steering then responds to – so in essence the Jaguar is being guided by the windrow. For maize, the ‘row sense’ is the equivalent. Two finger sensors detect the precision planted rows and guides the machine to keep on the straight and narrow. Once experienced, a must have for me is the Auto Fill function. Now upgraded to automatically load the trailer while ‘opening up’ behind the machine, not just alongside, this is a huge game changer for tight, sharp cornered sprawling paddocks. The main advantage here is that you can keep track of what’s going into the machine, as well as potential obstacles and crop
Looking for a forage harvester? Search ‘forage harvester’ on TradeFarmMachinery.com.au or type the TA or DIY code shown here into the keyword search field
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