Farms & Farm Machinery #389

HARVESTER REVIEWS
tough customer
Brent Lilley finds New
Holland’s FR780 Forage
Cruiser is designed for
maximum efficiency and
economy in this 2018 review
Pluses
Widest feed rollers and chopping cylinder on the
market for higher throughput
Sectional metal detection for easier metal and
rock detection
Forward and reverse sharpening
Impressive 16-litre FPT engine with a massive
775hp uses only AdBlue to meet Tier 4 final
emissions
Updated cab and controls layout for easier
operation
PowerCruise and Eco engine management for
high output and better economics
Minuses
Static causes dust to stick to the panels where
they are glued to the frame
This drive set-up means
the speed of the feed
rollers and length of chop
is infinitely variable from
the cab.
Farms & Farm Machinery took some time during the maize
season in Waikato in New Zealand to see the New Holland
FR780 Forage Cruiser in action.
With a maximum output of 775 horsepower (578kW) achieved
between 1,700 and 1,900rpm, the unit is designed to maximise
efficiency – particularly fuel efficiency.
FEEDING
New Holland boasts the widest feed rollers on the market, using
a hydraulic-powered gearbox to help drive a wide, thin feed of
material into the cutting cylinder.
Double feeder drive – a standard feature on the FR Forage
Cruiser range – uses an additional hydraulic drive motor to give
the header more power and allow the speed of the feed rollers
(chop length) to be varied independently and infinitely.
This drive set-up means the speed of the feed rollers and
length of chop is infinitely variable from the cab.
In my past experience of driving forage harvesters, this is
something that is well worthwhile, particularly with heavy crops
such as maize.
Not only does the New Holland FR780 have the widest
chopping cylinder on the market, at 884mm, but the whole feed
channel has been widened to enable the machine to process
a larger quantity of material – and fast, spinning at more than
1,000rpm.
Each knife is attached to the cylinder with five bolts for safety
and they are arranged in a chevron pattern for a smooth,
efficient scissor-like cutting action against the shear bar. Buyers
can choose from 16 to 40 knives, depending on the chop length
range required – the one we tested had 24.
New Holland has had forward or reverse sharpening as an
option for some time and it’s definitely a case of not realising the
benefit of having it until you have used it.
Forward sharpening is effective to set the bevel and take the
heel off the knives but reverse sharpening is the key to hone the
sharpest edge, and it’s a relatively simple set-up with a hydraulic
motor that simply turns the chopping cylinder in reverse for the
sharpening cycle and the stone is drawn across the top of the
cylinder.
As you’d expect, the sharpening and shear bar setting
processes are carried out from the cab and are adjustable.
METAL AND ROCK DETECTION
New Holland has also come up with new ideas to detect rogue
metal in the crop quickly, with its Metaloc system bringing the
feed rollers to a halt in 0.003 seconds once metal is detected.
The in-cab monitor shows which of six feed roller sections the
metal is in, relaying the same information to the trailer driver by
flashing the indicators a prescribed number of times. I reckon it’s
easier and quicker to point out where the metal is located, but
there’s no denying the convenience of this system.
New on these models is a rock alert system that monitors the
up and down movement of the feed rollers – stopping them if a
large or sudden movement is sensed. Like the metal detector,
sensitivity can be adjusted to suit the conditions.
ENGINE
The five-model 2018 FF Forage Cruiser range now uses FPT (Fiat
Powertrain Technologies) engines, from 480hp (358kW) up to a
massive 920hp (686kW) in the newly released FR920. The FR780
we tested uses a six-cylinder 16-litre FPT engine, which offers
up to a 20 per cent reduction in fuel consumption over earlier
models.
Its diesel tank capacity sits at an impressive 1,200 litres and
200 litres of AdBlue, which is sure to keep you on the move.
An ‘Eco’ engine-management mode essentially gives two
settings for the electronic throttle: a high rpm range, which can
be set between 2,100 and 1,950rpm (ideal for grass); and a low
range that can be set between 1,700 and 1,850rpm (ideal for
maize), offering impressive fuel savings.
The top transport speed of 40km/h is possible at just 1,200rpm
for further fuel savings when moving between jobs.
CAB
The FR780’s rounded ‘fishbowl’ cab boasts a few subtle changes
such as improved access and soundproofing. This cab is roomy
and gives almost 360-degree views of the header and the trailer,
whether loading on the left, right or opening up behind.
62 TradeFarmMachinery.com.au THE TRACTOR YOU WANT IS NOW EASIER TO FIND