A new cabin design for New Holland’s T4 F/N/V specialty tractor series will aim to minimise damage to low-hanging fruit and nuts the company says
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New Holland’s model T4 F/N/V series is manufactured in Italy
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The new ‘SpecialCabs’ design — which is available on the T4 F/N/V tractors — brings the tractor’s dimensions to 1920 mm high and 870mm wide, making for less-harmful operation between narrow groves and the lowest branches.
“The combination of T4 specialty and SpecialCab has been widely used in table grape applications in recent years, where low trellis height is an issue,” New Holland product manager for Horticulture and Viticulture John Vagnarelli says.
A trial of the SpecialCab T4 in South Australia’s Riverland region where it showed off its 107hp, automatic 4WD traction control system and SuperSteer 4WD front axle caught the attention of some.
“On the back of this success, there has been increasing interest shown in other segments such as almonds, citrus and avocado where a compact profile is critical.”
As well as the new cabin design, spec-wise the T4 F/N/V offers a 99-litre fuel tank, a Tier 4 four-cylinder FPT engine with a range-topping model pushing out a max 107hp (service intervals of 600 hours) and a new front linkage and Power Take-Off (PTO) package. New Holland also claims the T4 has more powerful hydraulics.
Each T4 F/N/V is precision made for the same modular concept, ensuring each model can be tailored to meet specialised needs affordably and reliably.
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The new ‘SpecialCabs’ design lowers the tractor’s dimensions, making for less-harmful operation between narrow groves and the lowest branches
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“The added length of the wheelbase with Supersteer creates a more comfortable ride whilst still achieving excellent tight turns,” New Holland says. “The patented 2 stage steering mechanism achieves a maximum turn angle of 76 degrees.”
An Engine Speed Management (ESM) has also been fitted to accurately fuel the engine to meet prevailing loads and maintain speed – a function that is ideal for functions such as spraying.
ESM can also be programmed to remember two engine speeds, which the operator can select and is easily variable by the operator without complex settings. The two speeds allow the operator to select separate speeds for work and the alternate speed for turning at the end of a row.
The T4.F with SpecialCab will be demonstrated across Australia in the coming months and will be on display at The Riverina, Mildura and Riverland Field Days in 2021.