Vredo's, Holmers, and Xerions (oh my!)

[[e-mail]]

Kinda catchy title eh?

I see more and more of these hybrid tractor, chopper, and combine machines in Europe.

How useful are they? How do you use them? As a harvester? pulling tractor? tool carrier?

They seem to be a very flexible tool, but almost too flexible to know how to use them.

Is a Kemper 3pt hitch harvester going to have enough capacity for that machine? Can you mount beet harvesters on it?

They're an interesting concept. But are they a useful concept?

[[e-mail]]

I saw lots of 'em visiting the Agritechnica show in germany last year. I wonder how they are really used though. Never seen or heard of anyone acctually having one. I think one problem is they become so expensive and heavy, "real" selfpropelled machinery becomes interesting.
Also I guess most stuff mounted on them have to be custom made, or made in very small series.
As far as fitting beetharvesters ets. it can be done but cleaning usually is not too great (not enough room).

[[e-mail]]

I think people buy a machine like this, just for one kind of work: mostly only for slurry-injectors. The Vredo can be equiped with a traiertank: ±25m3(?) and in total 3 axles with large Michelin wheels (1050mm).
During the harvestingseason (here corn) the machine (with very large/wide wheel mostly) can be used as a overloadtransporter, especcialy in wet seasons. Then the machine is handy.
I'm also currious if there are some people using this kind machines with more than two equipement!

[[e-mail]]

... and if it is only used for one type of job, the point is pretty much lost.

[[e-mail]]

Not totally; for the factories of equipment this kind of selfpropelled machines are a good base to start building selfpropelled slurrytanks or -harvesters. This base (the frame, engine, drivetrain, cabin are very very expensive and complicated parts to design and build! When the base can be build in a larger number: costs to make and buy can be reduced: that's why it is still usefull and wanted.  (I think)
Later.

[[e-mail]]

Obviously there are uses for it.

Springtime - put a Horsch (or other) air seeder on it. You have less tires on the field, and better use of power.

Summer - put a Pottinger or Kemper harvester on it, and put a bunker on the back www.vredo.com/engels/index_eng.html like this. Or just put a dump box on it period.

Fall - put a slurry tank on it. Or put a dry fertilizer system on it.

Winter - put a blade or snowblower on it, and then a sander on the back, and use it for snow work.

I think the big thing that you gain by buying this machine are things like traction, less tires, perhaps some offset (crab) steering, some more flexibility (one less vehicle) etc.

For $200,000 euro? (is that right?), it's iffy if its worth it

[[e-mail]]

By the way, is it true Claas will launch a new Xerion (over 300hp) this year??  

[Laapa]

Actaully Jon, I think the actuall price is closer to 1,5-2 times what you suggested for the bigger machines (Holmer TerraVariant, Vredo).
They do seem like very good rigs for slurrytanks etc.

The idea of the toolcarrier/tractor concept is good, but like previously stated: in most cases it is only used for one type of job (I have to take Arno's word for it).
And I don't think they can keep up with a specialized Forageharvester (Jaguar etc.) Beetlifter, or TerraGator for that matter.

It is a very interesting concept, i just think it is difficult (and expensive) to make efficient use of it.

[[e-mail]]

So we're talking $350,000-400,000 Euro's?

Yeah, no kidding, who can afford and find enough work for those machines? But then again, and I am playing devils advocate, who can afford a self propelled chopper? Why not put a Pottinger harvester on a Twin Trac Valtra. This point would have been more relevant 10 years ago, before the 500hp, 6-8 row harvesters came out. Now the extra capacity offered by a Claas 880 pays for itself.

They must be making them for a reason. But I don't know...

[paddyland]

With a reverse drive harvester you dont get any corn crackers and that is one of the main problems it just chops so the grain does not ferment properly.

Claas did try a Xerion on a big sqaure baler but they were going to fast and dropping the bales too far so the strings broke. The principle of these are good ideas but some contractors are lazy feckers who dont want the hassle of changing machines round. A self propelled mower is another thing that could be fitted with a tanker during the winter but farmers like spreading slurry on silage stubble so this stops this idea.

[Laapa]

Yes, they do make them. but I think all of those companies make their real money on other products (perhaps not even farm related). That is the case with a lot of manufacturers acctually.

[[e-mail]]

it is trou that Claas wil make a 400 Hp Xerion. its prototype wil be driveing in the Netherlands. en it wil come next week.

The test wil be don with a 35 m3 slurry tank and a 55m3 silage wagen

[[e-mail]]

Here's the discussion that we had about these machines earlier this year, for those who are interested