French retrofit MX loader is 'bulletproof' for Irish contractor

At Agritechnica in November 2023, well-known French front-end loader manufacturer MX launched its new U500 series of loaders. The new 16-model range came offering lift heights from 3.5 metres to 4.5 metres and was designed for tractors from 40hp to 260hp. It was launched as the successor to the U50 series.

Based in Tang in Co Westmeath, Louis Russell farms a mixed beef and sheep enterprise with his grandfather, Des, alongside carrying out some agricultural contracting. The contracting side of the business is mainly focused on handling round bales of silage, in addition to dump trailer works and hauling livestock. To meet the demands of his growing business, Louis set out to buy a new front-end loader to fit to this Massey Ferguson 7616.

“I looked at all the loader options out there, and in the end, it was between Quicke and MX,” he said. “To be honest, I just felt that the new MX range had the edge over its competitors, it is seriously well-built, and it’s slick.

“And to top it off, the MX was priced that little bit more competitively. I took delivery of the MX U512 in January 2024,” said Louis.

This particular loader fitted to Louis’s tractor was in fact the first of the new range fitted in Ireland, and is a limited-edition version, note the gold colouring. As standard, the loader range is finished in a two-tone titanium and anthracite grey finish.

Revamping the loader

Front loader specialists MX fully revised the ergonomics of the U500 to improve visibility and functionality. According to MX, operator visibility was a large factor when designing the new range. It says that the lowered parallelogram and cross-beam design has improved working visibility. The three-segment boom is slimmer than before with an overall lower, more-rounded design to aid visibility.

While a significant reduction of the loader’s knee profile and the modern, sleek design follows the tractor’s bonnet. Both the lift and headstock rams on the U500 sit closer to the frame due to the new repositioned hinges. All hydraulic and electric lines and components are also now fully integrated for protection and to improve visibility. In addition, the hoses are double-braided.

New lights

To increase visibility and to cut out some of the shadows when working in the dark, MX has added 800-lumen LED lighting to the loader. This lighting is located under the loader’s arm, and comes additional to the tractor’s existing lights.

“The work lights are a great addition. When I’m busy during the summer, I often work into the night. With the addition of the lights, I can easily swap attachments, or move bales with confidence,” said Louis.

Easy-plug for third service

Any third-service users, whether it be a shear grab or a bale handler, on a loader or on a tractor, will tell you their biggest gripe is having to hop in and out of a tractor trying to decompress the pressure in the third service. MX has realised this, and with the new UX design, there is no need to decompress the third function from inside the cab. Instead, a handle on the front left-hand side of the loader eliminates back pressures for easy connection of hydraulic couplers.

“The decompression feature is a serious job. It’s a major time saver. To kill the pressure, I just turn the red handle, and I don’t even have to turn off the tractor. It’s simple and very effective,” added Louis.

MX’s ‘shock eliminator’, which is the loader and linkage suspension system, is an optional extra, this he feels works particularly well.

Coupling and uncoupling

According to Louis, you would take off the loader in two minutes, and put it back on the tractor again in about three minutes. The UX500 range benefit from the Fitlock2+ tractor hitching and unhitching system and the automatic implement locking feature on the headstock.

The integrated and protected parking stands fold into the loader’s frame. Coupling and uncoupling is a matter of letting down the two stands, opening the Mach multidock system and pulling the pins. Louis said that he was particularly impressed with the Mach multidock system, which provides instant coupling of both the hydraulic and the electrical services. He noted that with his previous loader, you would be plugging in each pipe separately in a hurry, often placing the wrong hose in the wrong position, and thus taking a lot more time and effort.

Electric joystick

Louis opted for the higher-end electronic joystick option over the cable controls, namely the E pilot S system. This electronic joystick has two axes for lifting/lowering and crowding/dumping, and is compatible with all the MX loader ranges. It offers up to three simultaneous movements combined for increased productivity.

Aside from the obvious loader movements, it incorporates an on/off button, an implement locking/unlocking button and an electric floating position to follow the contours of the ground (for grading operations) or continuous pumping of the third auxiliary without the need to hold the button down.

The third function is controlled by a proportional thumbwheel. Alongside the shock eliminator, which uses hydraulics to absorb shocks, the smart-shock absorber is controlled electronically to soften the start and stop of each lift and lower movement. The controls also feature bucket shake, auto-unload for automatic combined movements and auto-level for automatic implement position resting.

“The electric joystick is a dream to work. It fits into your hand so easily, and your hand doesn’t get tired working it,” Louis said.

Pricing

MX loaders are imported into Ireland by Farmec in Co Meath, who are also the Irish importer and distributor of SIP, Twose and Sulky (Sky Agriculture). The distributor has said that over 150 of the latest U500 loaders are now in operation throughout the country. Pricing for the U500 range starts at €11,000 plus VAT, with the U512 specifically priced at €12,500 plus VAT.

Verdict

“I honestly couldn’t say one negative thing about the loader, it’s been bulletproof,” Louis said.

“It’s very well built, it will definitely outlive the tractor. For a good-sized loader, it sits in neat for transport. The visibility from the cab is as good as what I’ve seen on any loader in the market. Both the hydraulic and electric hoses and wires are tucked away inside the boom, so there’s no loose cables hanging down anywhere. It hasn’t failed me at any task, I would go as far as to say the loader is perfect,” he concluded.

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