THE first Case IH Magnum 370 CVT tractor sold in Australia has been handed over to the Miller family at Trangie in central west NSW by Three Rivers Machinery, Warren.
The Millers operate "Bowen Park", a predominantly irrigated mixed enterprise with cotton, broadacre and grazing crops and stock.
They needed a powerful machine for general use and to pull their 12.2-metre, three-point linkage sowing rig.
Case IH product manager for high horsepower tractors Pete McCann said the 370 CVT was the most powerful model in the Magnum range, making it ideal for large-scale implements such as planters and tillage rigs.
"The new Magnum 370 CVT is our most powerful front wheel assist tractor yet, and continues to deliver the efficient power that the Magnum Series is known for," he said.
With an 8.7-litre Case IH FPT Industrial engine, the Magnum 370 CVT delivers up to 419 maximum boosted engine horsepower (315 kilowatts).
Its heavy-duty frame provides the "working-weight" ballast needed to transfer high horsepower levels to the ground, and it has a heavier final drive and rear axle assembly.
Case IH Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) transmission is also now available as an additional option for the Magnum 235, 260, 290, 315 and 340 models.
"The new CVT transmission for the Magnum models provides excellent mechanical efficiency through an industry-leading four-gear range system," Mr McCann said.
"With the Case IH CVT transmission, you can go from zero to 50 kilometres per hour without having to manually shift. Since the MultiControl handle operates like a propulsion lever, you have more opportunity to concentrate on the task at hand.
"You get the optimum combination of power, efficiency and ease of operation. CVT allows your tractor to find the sweet spot between power and efficiency, homing in on the optimal combination of engine RPM and transmission gear for the task."
The new CVT transmission technology is simple to use, even for less experienced operators with MultiControl armrest controls similar to, yet even easier to operate than traditional Case IH full Powershift transmissions.
Carry Grade holds value
NINE-and-a-half years ago Victorian earthmoving contractor Philip Chisholm bought an O'Bryan HD 4.5 Carry Grade scraper from local Swan Hill machinery builder, Murray Valley Lasers.
Mr Chisholm recently sold it for a price equal to 80 per cent of its original purchase price.
He said in the nine and half years he had put the machine to work moving between 2.2 and 2.5 million cubic metres of top soil and fill on projects across Victoria, South Australia and NSW.
Having sold the machine, Mr Chisholm has now purchased the latest model O'Bryan HD 4.5 Carry Grade scraper which has the addition of rear mounted rippers that are wider than the 4.5 metre working width of the machine.
This means the machine has a better balance placing less weight on the tractor drawbar and, being rear mounted, the wheels of the machine do not travel over ripped ground.
Neil Lyon
National machinery writer for Fairfax Agricultural Media.
National machinery writer for Fairfax Agricultural Media.
