3 axle Fendt TRISIX Vario

[Robert_in_NY]

This tractor is an interesting system designed for the narrow European roads.

AGCO Fendt GmbH : Press Information

Here is a viedo of the original prototype PB400 mit Scheibenegge :: landlive.de :: Community Landwirtschaft

 

[chh]

Watching that rig turn is neat. Front and rear axles both steer, with a full suspension system even.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Yeah, the only problem I see is that it is going to tear up a lot of equipment if operators run as fast and hard as the one in the video. I am going to assume he was just showing off what the tractor can do but

 

[radman1]

Wow, that video was impressive. The disk however, is a little small for a tractor that big. That tractor was moving. 12-15 mph is my guess. I should be able to break equipment and get tangled in fences with no problems at that speed. The speed does show off the suspension system very nicely. In my Farm Journal magazine, it said the transport speed is 40mph. The 3 axle design is a possible solution to tight transport widths that 4WD and track tractors can't accomodate. 3 axles give higher transfer of power, improved traction and reduced compaction. It is suppose to have a high performance braking system and optional anti-lock brakes.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Yes, the 3 axle design is Fendt's take on the width limitation. Case-IH sells a lot of quadtracks in Europe but they don't have the high speed the European contractors desire. They sell some tired versions of the STX but again they don't have the real high speed road gear.

I would love to try one of these Fendts out for fun but I would think looking out the back of the cab would be terrible with those huge fenders.

 

[JoeinTX]

"Yeah, the only problem I see is that it is going to tear up a lot of equipment if operators run as fast and hard as the one in the video. I am going to assume he was just showing off what the tractor can do but.."


Yeah, that video has to be simply for demo of the tractor itself.....seeing that disc skip from rise-to-rise all while throwing rooster-tails of dirt into the air isn't really doing a whole lot for soil conditioning or seed bed prep.

The Tri-Six a pure Euro idea..........delivering more and more HP to the ground while staying within European standards on width and transportability. Many of their roads remind me a lot of our "farm to market" roads here....narrow, two-lane jobs without shoulders and plenty of curves. As a kid I got the thrill of roading my unc's Case 4wd down the paved highway while dragging a trio of Krause one-ways.......we were all over the place. But, no on-comers for miles at a stretch in the Texas Panhandle and very flat right-of-ways meant that I could take a great deal of leniency.

No such comfort on narrow, travelled Euro-ways...

 

[mjncad]

Pretty cool; I like out of the ordinary machinery. Good grief, it evens offers ABS according to the press release.

Watching the video, made me think this unique rig needs to have a couple of large speakers mounted on it and "Flight of the Valkyrie" blasting out of them. Seems appropriate for German farm country.

 

[ScottAR]

Versatile tried the 3 axle tractor concept sometime in the late 70's or early 80's but they never could get all the power to the ground. I wonder what Fendt did differently to make it work?

 

[chh]

The rooster tails off the disc were pretty impressive. The crash when tangling with a fence or whatever would be equally impressive. It would be neat to see one in person, just not while it was coming down a 2 lane road at 40 mph.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Versatile tried the 3 axle tractor concept sometime in the late 70's or early 80's but they never could get all the power to the ground. I wonder what Fendt did differently to make it work?

I think the suspension system is what helps it put the power to the ground.

The old Versatile Big Roy was an articulated 4 axle machine but it was not appropriate for North American farming as dual wheel Versatiles and Steigers were more compact and plenty big enough for the market at the time.

Now that European farming has grown to the point of needing high horsepower tractors they are bringing back some old ideas. The front and rear axle steering sure is a slick setup and removes an articulation joint. What I am curious about is how the weight distribution is? Do you think they want 33% of the weight on each axle or would it even matter on this setup?

 

[radman1]

It looks like a 4WD tractor with a extra set of wheels in the rear. The engines seems to be mounted forward of the front axle, and the cab over the mid axle and an extra set of axles behind the cab. I would guess most weighted mounted in front. I suppose it has a set of lift arms in the rear.

 

[Renze]

Sorry guys, the yellow PB 400 might be the predecessor of the Trisix, but it has nothing to do with Fendt: Though it has a simple 14 speed synchro gearbox, the PB 400 has a much more sophisticated undercarriage with more suspension travel and less wheel inclination.
http://www.farmvideo.cz/videa/pb+disker.wmv

It is built by a guy named Dvorak, a private farmer in the Czech republic, and its based on a 400 hp V8 engine and chassis of a Tatra offroad truck.
Tatra is the only truck maker in the world to utilise independent wheel suspension on heavy trucks. They have their own patented design, which has been unique since its invention in the 30's.TATRA, a. s.


Anyways, the Trisix is just a concept: It wont make it on our European fields: the trend is towards min-till and direct sowing. Who needs 540 hp anyways when you dont plough anymore ?

Some people think that a 19 ton monster like this, will be on the road competing with the trucks: In Germany trucks are limited to 40 ton. The trisix is 12 ton heavier than a standard European highway semitrailer truck, so it will take 12 ton less payload with the same GCWR..... not very economical.
Also, Ag tires have a lot more rolling friction than hard pumped truck tires, and the Ag tires will wear out very quickly at 65 km/h

It is known that the Fendt 936 (360 hp standard frame tractor) is on the limit: In many conditions it just cant get the 360 horses to the ground.

An articulated tractor (or a 2+2 concept based on current production models) would put more horses to the ground than a standard frame tractor, with much better visibility and manouverability, at a lower cost.

The width is important on European roads: the Trisix is wasting width because it needs clearance between the tires and the motorhood, to turn the wheels for steering:
With an articulated tractor or 2+2, one could simply slide the tires inwards untill they allmost touch the engine, because the frame articulates, and not the wheels individually. lets say 100 cm with between the fenders and 5 cm clearance means that you can fit 80 cm wide tires and keep within the width of a Trisix...

I think its destiny is the same as the Versatile Big Roy, about 30 years ago: It will make a remarkable museum piece and it will be discussed about for generations, but it will never be sold.... just my 2ct$

 

[ScottAR]

Robert, I don't know exactly how the weight should be set although I think more on the front wouldn't hurt too much if the drawbar was mounted high enough to transfer some weight. I would love to see this thing with some pans behind it.
A good test for any 4wd tractor's brute power. I've seen 400+hp Cases stop with all 8 tires spinning pulling pans in heavy red clay.

 

[slowzuki]

Oshkosh have some heavy truck with independent suspension now too.

Tatra is the only truck maker in the world to utilise independent wheel suspension on heavy trucks.

 

[Renze]

Oshkosh have some heavy truck with independent suspension now too.

I looked at the Oshkosh website, and you're right..
I still prefer the Tatra concept due to simplicity, less U-joints, better protection of driveshafts, and a more stable platform with the monotube frame...

 

[jjmarotz]

One thing I noticed was the disk was not going very deep into the soil. Toward the end of the video it looks to me that it is really only skipping over the suface. I would like to know if that size of disk could really be pulled that fast if it were dropped to full working depth. One would think that it could not be done as drag and torque factors come into play with any implement at different depths. Just curious I guess. Still a mean looking rig either way.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

One thing I noticed was the disk was not going very deep into the soil. Toward the end of the video it looks to me that it is really only skipping over the suface. I would like to know if that size of disk could really be pulled that fast if it were dropped to full working depth. One would think that it could not be done as drag and torque factors come into play with any implement at different depths. Just curious I guess. Still a mean looking rig either way.

It is hard to tell but I do think he is raising the disc for those sharp turns. Once he has completed the turn he lowers it back down. Again, it is hard to tell but that is what it looks like to me.

 

[Renze]

YouTube - Original Tatra Backbone Tube Concept

some more about the unique central backbone concept.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

YouTube - Original Tatra Backbone Tube Concept

some more about the unique central backbone concept.

Thanks for that link. That is an different axle setup and the first I have ever seen like that.

This video shows the axles in action. The truck looks more insect then truck if you just watch the wheels and how they follow the ground contour. I wonder how this truck would do on my soft gound , I might have to take out every other row of the orchard if I want to use it to get a couple bushel of apples

YouTube - Tatra T813 Kolos - Mirów

 

[Renze]

Robert, the one you showed would allmost be an insect, as its an RC model

Here is a pic of the 1967 model 8x8 813 in the European Truck Trial competition: 90% of the competition is Tatra 813
YouTube - Truck Trial Balve 2007 3