On 25 May this year the Irish Farmers Journal teamed up with the Farmers Guardian to test out two very common loaders found on Irish silage pits, and two relative newcomers with a strong pedigree behind them. There were 50 acres of grass to pick up, and we have to thank Gurteen College, which facilitated the group test and the fuel for the drivers.
On 25 May this year the Irish Farmers Journal teamed up with the Farmers Guardian to test out two very common loaders found on Irish silage pits, and two relative newcomers with a strong pedigree behind them.
There were 50 acres of grass to pick up, and we have to thank Gurteen College, which facilitated the group test and the fuel for the drivers.
The loaders on test were the JCB 435, Caterpillar 924, New Holland WC 170 and the Volvo L70 H. Each of the machines had its own unique style. JCB will claim to be the only true agricultural machine, and the only loader featuring parallel linkage. The other models are steeped in tradition from the quarrying industry.
On the test we examined everything we could that a potential buyer would look for in a machine of this type. Visibility, serviceability, accessibility, and climbing ability were assessed, along with a fuel test.
The driving characteristics of each machine, comfort levels and ease of operation were scored and rated. After that, we looked at the measurable data on each machine.
The report contains a detailed breakdown of each machine on test. To conclude the test, each machine got a score out of 40 based on cab layout, cab comfort, visibility, clamp performance, yard performance, road performance, transmission usability, and hydraulic usability.
So have we a winner? Well, they are all winners in their own right. A full breakdown of the results on each machine are published later in this Focus supplement. Finally, I would like to thank all the manufactures who supplied and attended the group test to make it a success
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