Discovering the McCormick X4.120TM tracked tractor might have been by chance for John Gowing, but its on-farm purpose will ensure bushfire trails are not left to chance
Some agricultural machinery purchases are made after months of detailed research, talking to fellow users or upgrading from a model that has already been tried and tested.
For New South Wales property owner John Gowing, it was an article in Farms & Farm Machinery earlier this year which made him realise exactly what he needed.
McCormick’s X4.120TM crawler tractor was highlighted in the April edition after joining Clark Equipment’s stable, with the national distributor highlighting its versatility and ability to be used with attachments such as mulchers.
While reading this, it dawned on Gowing that the X4.120TM – which he added a bulldozer blade to – was the perfect solution to a current problem while potentially also being an investment into protecting multi-million dollar assets.
Problem solver
Before discovering McCormick’s newest tractor, Gowing says there was a “big problem” at a farm that his wife owns.
A tornado came through last year which caused a “tremendous amount of damage” to established forest, with about 400 full height gum trees being snapped off, spun around and thrown everywhere.
While the need for a clean-up job after such an event is obvious, it became even more important as it was impacting the property’s fire trails.
The chain of events that led to the McCormick purchase began when Gowing’s wife found somebody who owned a tracked loader with a forestry mulcher on the front.
“She got him to come to our place to do some initial tidying up because we hadn’t really done much work on the fire trails for a few years, due to it probably being overlooked and the weather being not suitable,” he says.
“I thought ‘that’s a bloody good bit of gear’, then I saw the magazine and realised I don’t really need that because the tracked tractor solved the same problem and it had a little bit more versatility.”
While the tornado damage accelerated the need for this clean-up work to be undertaken, Gowing also knew it was important to maintain the property’s fire trails before any serious incidents occurred.
As Australia nears summer and bushfire season, it is also a timely reminder of the need for farmers to be thinking about preparing their properties.
“Buying the tracked tractor was really for keeping all the trails, particularly the boundary trails, in order so you can drive on them, walk on them and provide protection during serious bushfire risk seasons, which we often have,” Gowing says.
“We couldn’t get the fire brigade in last year to do some burn offs because they said the fire trails aren’t well enough maintained, so we tried to get someone in to do that, but we couldn’t, so we just couldn’t make it happen – it’s like a catch-22.
“Now we’ve got the equipment to touch up the trails with a blade and to get rid of any small regrowth.
“Even though it was a fairly expensive purchase, I think in the end it was a good investment because you can save a multi-million dollar home and fences.”
Right track
McCormick’s X4.120TM is the largest model within the manufacturer’s X4 series of tracked tractors, and the only one which Clark Equipment currently imports into Australia.
It offers a 112hp (82kW) engine that produces 420Nm of torque, and it was this additional horsepower offering over the smaller X4 models which made Clark Equipment so keen to bring it into the country.
It offers the option of rubber or steel tracks between 400mm and 450mm wide, which help to maintain a light footprint and minimise soil compaction while also handling difficult terrain.
Clark Equipment national product manager David Knoke said earlier this year that he believed it would suit a wide range of Australian customers.
“Customers are running discs, deep rippers, post drivers, backhoes and speeders on that particular unit, so it’s about having a bit more versatility,” he said.
“It also has front linkage, so it allows for a few options on the front like mulchers, pruners or trimmers, while we can also run blades, grabs and buckets.
“It’s not a dozer or anything along those lines, but being a more compact skid style of machine is definitely going to be a big selling feature.”
The X4.120TM also offers a Deutz AG 2.9L, eight-valve, four-cylinder turbo aftercooled engine, along with a mechanical transmission entirely designed and manufactured by McCormick.
Four gears in two ranges provide a total of 16 speeds forward and eight in reverse, while the tractor can be equipped with an overdrive or creeper.
This adds versatility by enabling the maximum speed range to be extended from 30km/h down to just 300m per hour, depending on individual requirements.
Operator comfort is also ensured thanks to a sound insulated and air-conditioned cabin, while the driving platform is completely suspended from the wagon and engine compartment to provide total insulation from both heat and vibrations.
Strong partner
Reaching out to Clark Equipment about the McCormick X4.120TM also exposed Gowing to another brand distributed by the company – Orsi mulchers.
Manufactured in Italy – as McCormick tractors are – it was an Orsi HF210 Hulk Forrest FTL forestry mulcher which Gowing chose to pair with his new tractor to tackle the fire trails.
Designed for tractors between 80hp and 160hp, it is perfectly suited to the 112hp McCormick X4.120TM.
It offers a 192cm working width that makes it ideal for tackling everything from overgrown vegetation to branches and shrubs up to 27cm.
A double frame in Hardox steel ensures the mulcher’s strength, while the counter knives are also made from Hardox steel.
The FTL in its model name refers to Orsi’s Flanges Tool Limiter technology, which the manufacturer says ensures exceptional speed and performance with less power demand thanks to steel flanges that limit the depth of tool action.
It also offers spherical roller bearings and a double row of front protection chains.
Gowing was also full of praise for the service from Clark Equipment throughout the process, with multiple staff members coming to his property to help.
When the contractor who will be doing most of the driving was unable to attend on the planned training and handover day, Gowing says the Clark team agreed to come back so the driver could learn the intricacies of the McCormick tractor from them directly.
While the tractor was primarily purchased for maintaining fire trails, its versatility means Gowing can already see it being useful with other attachments beyond the Orsi mulcher.
“We’ve got slashers and other bits and pieces that could be fairly easily connected up,” he says.
“Because it’s got tracks rather than big tyres, it sits nice and low and has a much more minimal impact on the paddocks.
“We’re looking at doing a lot more horticulture at our place, like Australian natives, so it could be quite useful in helping plant that and keeping the groves maintained, so there are some potential future plans for it.”
Clark Equipment’s full range, including McCormick and Orsi, can be viewed at www.clarkfarmequipment.com.au