Twice the muscle, one smart move
For South Canterbury farmer Peter Collins, the loss of two consecutive wheel loader transmissions in a short period of time stalled an operation that relies on daily movement and accuracy.
Dalmore Farms is a third-generation business run by father Peter, sons Hamish and Brent, and grandson Jonty. They operate 1,700 hectares, which, at its peak, milks 1,400 cows, alongside a further 2,000 dry-stock. The operation averages 100 tonnes of feed per day across the farm, so without the ability to load mixer wagons and silage equipment, things can quickly become difficult.
Dalmore produces 200 hectares of lucerne, 300 hectares of grass silage and 220 hectares of maize annually to feed livestock on their farms. They operate an extensive range of Claas greenline and harvest equipment, as well as Amazone spray and fertilising equipment.
When they couldn’t operate at their usual speed and capacity, they called the local Claas Harvest Centre, who stepped in with a demonstrator Claas Torion 1913 to keep them running. When the demonstration unit followed later that day, it was immediately apparent on the farm that the Torion was an industrial wheel loader, built for farm work.
“I am very pleased that they introduced the Torion to us; they found a bloody goodie in this,” Peter says.
Right away, they noticed the difference in its engine and transmission. The Claas Torion 1913 is powered by a 7.0 L Liebherr D934 4-cylinder engine producing around 163 kW (222 hp) with high torque at low engine speed. Pair that with the Cmatic continuously variable split-power transmission, and it performed so smoothly, with gearless drive and a powerful delivery.
“What really stood out was its smoothness,” said Peter.
“There was no gear shifting, no lag, soft or no braking, just a constant, steady drive. The transmission seems to put the power to the ground properly, rather than revving its head off trying to get there. You can feel it when you hit the face of a stack; it just holds on and pushes.
“When you spend long days in a loader, you get a pretty quick feel for what works and what doesn’t. With Cmatic transmission, it’s not something you necessarily think about when you first climb in, but it doesn’t take long to notice the difference, especially once you’re into repetitive work like silage or feed-out.”
Peter immediately purchased the demonstrator unit to utilise whilst he worked with Product Business Manager Shane Barrett on the purchase of two custom Claas Torion 1913s.
“We extended the booms to get better reach for loading our wagons, got joystick steering and big wheels for moving between the properties and paddocks,” said Peter.
“We have always had two wheel loaders, as we have two separate operations that both require the same thing in two different locations, so purchasing two new ones was a no-brainer.”
Fuel use is another area where it quietly proves its worth.
“I can confidently say that we are using about half as much fuel as we used to. That’s because we are not braking or revving, and we can use the cameras and mirrors to shorten our loading circumference and save double travel on the pit.”
Around the yard, the Torion is easy to handle. Whether you’re lining up to load a truck, working in a shed, or manoeuvring in tight spaces, the control is precise and predictable. Changing over implements is electric and changing the speed between implements increases the speed and ease of operation. The farm operators all love the joystick drive, because it’s just intuitive.
“You point it this way, and it goes this way. You can operate the Torion without using the steering wheel, unless of course you are on conditions where you need a hand on the wheel.
“Probably the biggest thing, though, is how it feels at the end of a long day. Less jolting, less thinking about what gear you should be in, a comfortable driving cab, more visibility through the cameras and mirrors, and a machine that responds the same way every time – that all adds up to less fatigue. Anyone who’s done a big silage season or long feeding runs knows that counts for a lot.
“We have fourteen other team members, and if you have different drivers operating, you want it to be simple – to just get in and go on either machine.
“That’s what we have, no messing around readjusting things. The automatic greasing is also another bonus; it’s less maintenance time for us and a guarantee that no one has forgotten to do these tasks,” he says.
At the end of the day, the 1913 isn’t just your average wheel loader.
“As a farmer, I’ll be telling others in my community to get in there and try it out. It’s not until you have given it a go that you’ll really see the difference.
“We have finally bought a decent wheel loader that is industrial spec’d for farm use. It’s what makes the machine work the way it does. Smooth, efficient and strong where it needs to be. It’s the kind of setup that suits the pace and pressure of real on-farm work.”
The Claas Torion 1913 is a high-capacity, fuel-efficient wheel loader combining strong low-rev torque, smooth Cmatic continuously variable drive and fast hydraulic performance to deliver powerful, precise and productive material handling in demanding farm applications.
For Dalmore Farms, it’s the piece of machinery that they cannot live without. The Claas Torion wheel loader is used every day, whatever the season or weather.