Spreading contractor Simon Manwaring expects his new JCB 4220 Fastrac will improve his efficiency and provide greater flexibility in all weather conditions.
Mr Manwaring uses the Fastrac for spreading lime, gypsum and granular fertilisers for his Harden, NSW, based contract spreading business, SFM Spreading.
The third JCB Fastrac he has owned, Mr Manwaring started with a JCB 3185 and progressed to a JCB 3220 before purchasing the JCB 4220.
Both of the older machines now have over 10,000 hours clocked up and have proven to be unbelievably reliable according to Mr Manwaring.
The new 4220 Fastrac will be fitted with a trailed gooseneck spreader and Mr Manwaring expects it will be 30-40 per cent more efficient thanks to its extra width and weight.
He said he chose the 4220 for the road speed and four-wheel steer.
“It has a lock-out at a certain speed, so when you turn it won’t tip over, allowing you to do headland turns so much more easily, in and out of rocks and up and down hills,” Mr Manwaring said.
“It can do up to 30 kilometres an hour in and around rocks.
“With the four-wheel steer you can get in and around gullies and up and down hills and through boggy areas and if you start to bog you can steer it straight out,” he said.
“Time is money - if you can get the job done quicker, the cost is down.”
The variable transmission means he can run the engine at certain revs and use the transmission to adjust the speed.
“You can drive in manual mode and just use the joystick for speed, or you have power shift mode where it will go up and down the gears,” he said.
“The transmission means in different modes you can run the gearbox at different speeds and it has more power all round.
“It’s got dual caliper brakes right around it, so up and down hills there is plenty of braking capacity.”
The 4220 Fastrac can be used as a three-point linkage machine.
“The versatility is unbelievable compared to other machines,” Mr Manwaring said.
“I can get a lot of work done with a JCB in the wet, so you don’t get any days down.
“They can get across the wet country, which is good for your productivity,” he said.
The new CommandPlus cab provides space, comfort and increased vision, and new hydro-pneumatic self-levelling suspension is standard.
“The suspension is unbelievable and the weight distribution is another thing I like,” Mr Manwaring said.
“With the trailing spreader I need even weight distribution between the front and back axle.
“When you are in cropping paddocks weight distribution is very important so you’re not making a mess of their paddocks,” he said.
“For all-round comfort you can’t beat it, compared to other machines I’ve owned.”
