Watch: Krone MX 370 GL – forage wagon review

Krone has a strong history in the forage wagon market, selling machines in Ireland since the 1970s. For many years, Krone focused on wagons for smaller farmers, before delving into the larger farmer and contractor machines. Today, Krone offers four wagon ranges with models in each to suit customers of all sizes.

The new range of MX wagons was launched for the 2018 season. Aimed at large farmers and contractors, the three models – MX 330, 370 and 400 – are based around the one frame and offer respective capacities of 33m3, 37m3 and 40m3. The MX 330 and 370 come available in GL and GD formats – GL having the standard rear door and GD having discharge rollers. We reviewed the MX 370 GL.

We coupled the MX 370 up with a 225hp Massey Ferguson 7720, which Massey says offers 180hp on the PTO. The 7720 proved well capable of the task. However, when filling on a hill when almost full, a few extra horsepower wouldn’t have gone astray.

Pickup and knife bank

The MX 370 is fitted with a 1.8m camless pickup. Each of its six tine bars is fitted with 6.5mm tines arranged in a W configuration. This configuration is said to improve crop flow from either end of the pickup towards the centre, helping reduce crop build-up when cornering. It is hard to judge whether such an arrangement works but cornering is something that requires full attention until perfected.

Although 1.8m is a respectable pickup width in the forage wagon market, we felt a wider pickup would have been of benefit, especially when lifting heavy 30ft swaths. It can be quite easy to gather/bull doze grass in front if the swath isn’t lifted head on. That said, the camless pickup runs smoothly and quietly. The PTO is driven at 1,000rpm with an overload clutch on the wagon end.

We found the MX 370’s EasyFlow spring-suspended pickup followed the ground contours well, even in the most undulating terrain. The model tested was fitted with the optional two rear gauge wheels. These wheels help maintain set ground clearance, improving the pickup’s performance in all ground conditions.

The MX 370, like the other models in the MX range, is fitted with a 41-knife chopping system. Knives can be selected in each of the following arrangements: the full 41, 21, 20, or simply no knives. This leaves an option of engaging a half set, running one bank until blunt before engaging the other. Krone uses single-sided knives which could be seen as a slight drawback considering some of the competitors offer reversible knives. We worked with the full 41 knives engaged for the shortest possible chop, which on paper is 37mm but in reality, averaged around 60mm. Grass was dry and in good order and to be fair, chop length consistency could not be faulted.

Each knife is individually spring-protected so that if a stone, for example, passes through the pickup, and comes into contact with a knife, the knife trips. Once passed, cutting position is resumed automatically. Tripping force can be adjusted centrally.

The full knife bank can simply be lowered hydraulically using the mudguard-mounted buttons and easily swung out to the side. From an access point of view, this couldn’t be much better. Krone offers the additional SpeedSharp knife sharpener, but it was not fitted on our machine.

Rotor and crop infeed

The MX series is fitted with an 880mm diameter rotor which is up there with the largest available in the market. It offers a working width of 1,580mm with eight rows of helical-arranged 17mm tines. Each tine and scraper is Hardox-plated. These two hard-wearing surfaces pass by each other closely, ensuring the crop is fed evenly through the knife bank and a scissor-like cut achieved.

We felt the large-diameter rotor left the wagon a smooth drive even in heavier crops. The larger the rotor the stronger its momentum and therefore it is more capable of swallowing up lumps in the swath. The rotor is driven by a large oil-immersed spur gear.

The crop then passes into the body where it meets a sloped steel floor.

The sloped floor at the front shortens the distance the crop has to travel upwards as well as reducing the power requirement needed. Krone says that the sloped floor boosts intake rate and packs a tighter load. From a practical point of view, it’s easy to see why.

The hydraulic pivoting headboard is what differentiates the MX 370 from the smaller MX 330 model. This board moves through different positions to suit loading and unloading. When filling in automatic mode, the headboard remains upright until full. When the sensor on the rear door reads that the body is full then the headboard pivots all the way forward to accommodate another 4m3, maximising capacity. We found the pivoting headboard to be a great addition to the machine, helping utilise carrying capacity without increasing overall length. More weight is therefore placed on the drawbar, increasing the tractor’s traction.

The four floor chains are tensioned easily, adjustable from underneath via screw adjusters. Slats run across nylon wear pads to protect the steel floor from wear. The floor chains are powered by two hydraulic motors, one for each side.

Chassis

The 37m3 body is seated on a rear-steering beefy tandem axle which you would naturally expect from a machine of this size. However, the model on test was fitted with mechanical suspension and the hydraulic levelling system. Once the correct working height is set, the machine’s weight is always evenly distributed across all four wheels for stability.

Steering was easily engaged and disengaged at the press of a button on the control terminal using the wagon’s load-sensing hydraulics. The steering axle left the wagon seriously manoeuvrable in tight areas. For a machine almost 9.5m (31ft) long working in relatively tight areas it certainly proved nimble.

The MX series is where Krone start offering steel floors instead of timber floors. Not only is the lifespan of steel longer but structural rigidity is improved too.

Our machine was shod on the standard 710/45 R22.5 Vredestein tyres. Other tyre options are available, with the largest being 800/45 R26.

Operation and control

Given that our tractor didn’t have its own Isobus terminal, we worked with the optional 12in CCI touchscreen terminal, which to say the least was impressive. The terminal allows for other screens such as guidance and an auxiliary such as a reversing camera to be displayed. Terminal layout was very intuitive, grasping it after a load or two.

Once broken down there are really only three screens – loading, transport and unloading. This way only the associated controls for each can be pressed, so for example the tailgate cannot be opened while in loading mode.

Everything including knife bank, pick-up position, floor movement, and tailgate position is displayed clearly on the terminal. Like almost all contractor-spec wagons nowadays, the MX series can be loaded manually or automatically. We stuck with the latter but had a go in manual too. Density is adjusted from the terminal by altering the length of time the floor moves once the sensor on the headboard has been triggered. When full, the terminal gives a visual and audible warning before the headboard pivots back and the final 4m3 can be filled.

Transport mode locks all functions apart from drawbar height and the steering axle. When at the pit and in automatic mode, as soon as the tailgate is opened the floor chains begin moving. Floor speed can then be increased to empty faster. When unloading automatically, the headboard pivots back and forth to support the work of the floor chains. On average, we found unloading times to be in the region of 90 seconds from start to finish which we could not fault.

Although the large terminal is very user-friendly, the touch buttons require concentration especially while on the go, ensuring the correct one is pressed. This is where a tractor with an Isobus-ready terminal and assignable buttons/ joystick would prove useful.

Crop flow and chop consistency could not be faulted. The pickup performed well, although we feel it would benefit from being that bit wider. Cornering on headland rows requires complete accuracy, otherwise grass can gather in the corner of the pickup and lead to the loss of time reversing back trying to tease it in, or worse still, unblocking the pickup if not dealt with in time.

With 200hp on tap, lifting while empty speeds over 10km/h could be achieved on 30ft rows but as the wagon became half full or more, this quickly reduced back to 6km/h to 7km/h and even less at times as the load came close to full.

The pivoting headboard we found to be a great feature and something we would see as a big selling point. On a good day with a reasonably short draw, we reckon in the region of 45-50 acres is certainly achievable.

Access to the knife bank and maintenance locations such as floor chain tensioners was good.

The optional LED light pack both inside and outside the wagon is a nice touch for the nightshift. A reversing camera would have been a worthwhile feature from a safety aspect considering the terminal was camera ready.

From a control aspect, everything was straightforward and very much self-explanatory. The hydraulic suspension left us with the confidence that this machine maintained traction across undulating ground. Overall, we found the MX 370 to be a very capable and nimble machine within its class that is certainly up there with the other big names in the market.

Likes

Dislikes

Model: MX 370 GL.

Capacity: 37m3.

Pickup: 1.8m camless.

Knives: 41-knife with selectable floor – 41/21/20/0.

Minimum power requirement: 140hp.

Length: 9.29m.

List price as reviewed: €95,000 plus VAT.