Case IH Steiger tractors........

aglasergps said:

Single tyres like these (37.25x35 Michelin radials at 20psi) work in just about any conditions and the ride is far easier on the kidneys than all the ag tyres on tractors pulling scrapers I've ever driven over 25 years - duals or single.

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Nice setup! I bet they are at least $10k each tire! Michelin 29.5R25's cost ~$6,500 per tire in my area.

aglasergps said:

Single tyres like these (37.25x35 Michelin radials at 20psi) work in just about any conditions and the ride is far easier on the kidneys than all the ag tyres on tractors pulling scrapers I've ever driven over 25 years - duals or single.

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aglasergps, tell me about the tractor. At first glance I thought it was a Versatile(same paint colours), but I know nothing about Australian machinery.

jgivens, the STX has thicker axles and hubs than the JD, and Cat makes a 4wd tractor with thicker axles yet, (targeting the scraper market).

stovepipe699 said:

jgivens, the STX has thicker axles and hubs than the JD, and Cat makes a 4wd tractor with thicker axles yet, (targeting the scraper market).

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I see Cat getting more and more into the scraper tractors. They bought eject systems. Have to buy parts for my for Eject pans from them now. Which is no biggie I have been buyin the wear parts from cat from the beginning.

They're very nice tractors, but came in $30 000 higher than the STX.

How is reliability on the new Challenger 4wd's? If its like the Lexions when they first came out I wouldn't touch them with a long stick. An initial Lexion owner told my buddy that nothing combined like them but nothing broke down like them either. Not big stuff just a switch here and a sensor there and a little bearing etc all the time. I'd say give them a little time to get the bugs ironed out and the Challengers might be THE scraper tractor. Is the Deere 30 series 4wd alot better than the 20 series. Does the 30 series give the STX more of a run for its money?

hey stovepipe, Waltanna used to make tractors for some of the major companies earlier in the piece. They were originally blue like the Ford's but this one has had a face lift. This model was a dedicated scraper tractor. Simple, tough, heavy, smooth to sit in and easy to operate. You won't find many of them - but every one ever made is still working pulling scrapers.

It may not be as fancy as a new machine but if it keeps working like it has for the past 25 years I'll be happy.

aglasergps said:

It may not be as fancy as a new machine but if it keeps working like it has for the past 25 years I'll be happy.

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Sounds like a Versitile or a Steiger to me, I would say it's the Austrailian equal.

Pj

Basically correct, but a lot heavier built than the ag tractors i,e, artic pins and bearings, hydraulics, cooling etc.

aglasergps, what does that Waltanna have for a power plant?

Wa who

wow she still look tidey even after 30,000hrs.I remenber in my early operasting days working beside this machine which was owned by Rod Druit in Deni NSW(also had a JD and 623). Must say that the Ca , CU and Tigers where my preference whilst constructing irragation Layouts in NSW and southern QLD.Even when the 9100 series came out on really hot days the new machines couldn't handle the heat and had to park up while the tigers and panthers kept rolling along.How does the trimble gear perform? Cant say i have used it in irragation layouts but roads and orther large mining appilication works a treat.Great to see good well looked after gear . Any more great pics on the horizon?

It's a Cat 3406C Industrial engine - 460hp. It is matched nicely with the Allison and hangs on pretty well to 1500 rpm before the converter kicks in. Only uses 50 litres (13 US gallons I think) / hour. A lot better than the STX working beside me at the moment, also pulling a scraper. I have been told that Cat traded a lot of these engines out for the newer C15 engines early on as they had problems with this particular model. This one is OK.

Hi BigJim - bought it off Craig last December. He still has 2 623G's that are gathering dust. Funny that I sat on this machine with Rod before it ever had too many loads of dirt in it many, many years ago. About the Trimble 3-D GNSS levelling system - ask anyone who uses it and you find you will NEVER, and I mean NEVER use a laser transmitter again, even for flat grade irrigation work. If you haven't ever been involved with 3-D ag levelling, you are in for a treat if you ever need to. It is different to the civil stuff in that it is sooooo easy to set up and use. The Autosteer and levelling is in the one screen too.

Have a mate at Forbes using it for border check trimming this week past and he had 5 bays trimmed with the GPS compared to the same type of machine (1400 and HB) using a laser only doing 3. (time wasted setting grades, changing grades, stopping for dust etc).

I've been around Spectra gear since 1979 and this stuff is the best yet!

You doing any levelling down there?

Big Jim, check your e-mail.

Cheers.

Great to here that you have some leveling work. My Uncle is Ian merrylees who set up CAG soft ware and was one of the pioneers in laser leveling with Frank rennick. I drove for Steve,Wally and (Cant remenber the other Brother)Shannon in the early 90's.Fixed and repaired a lot of gord hills( Camden Lanes ) Tigers for a number of years as i am also a qualified fitter and machinist.He has retired now but i think Frank Coates and Trevor War bought a couple of his old tigers and ran doubles for a while and they are still going i think.They didi some wok at Groongal acouple of years ago. I know Hugh Maslin from when he was in Hay driving for Clarke's and he has gone from strength to strength.
I had a bit of a play in a DP 600 in st george it was quiet different to the 525 tigers i had been in .
No lasering work where i am at as we have no allocation again. Whilst i was in the WA i did a large no of leach pads for a mining company .Just like a flood irragation bay daul cross fall and large banks.Dry Hired a machine from webbs and they couldn't believe what i did with it .Lets say the project ran a healthy 65% profit

aglasergps, what's the cost on the Trimble 3D GNSS levelling system? I was planning on going to a laser system, but I didn't know something better was available. What engine did your tractor have originally? A 3406C was Cat's first shot at electronics, so it must be a newer replacement. I'm not surprised to hear about the fuel consumption on the STX, they're thirsty. The tier III engines all suck eggs as far as I know.
Rob