Looking to upgrade Forager

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Badger1973

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Need a few opinions on this,

Have an FX50 currently, needless to say she's had her fair share of issues.
Looking into a Claas 850. Hearing very mixed reviews about this machine.
I'm afraid there could be a lack of hp.
Picking up 2000 acres a year mainly 20fts.
Not the nicest of land either!
Any advice welcome,

Cheers
 
Badger1973 said:
Need a few opinions on this,

Have an FX50 currently, needless to say she's had her fair share of issues.
Looking into a Claas 850. Hearing very mixed reviews about this machine.
I'm afraid there could be a lack of hp.
Picking up 2000 acres a year mainly 20fts.
Not the nicest of land either!
Any advice welcome,

Cheers
Click to expand...

If you can keep trailers to it that 850 'll do plenty on 20fts,much more power on 20's and you'll be racing up the field, 870's round here are all on 30ft's.
 
The 850 are a great harvester well capable of picking up decent acerge I have only done one season on one and it was only grass but I was well impresed had a 950 picking up in the same field one day and it was very slow to pull away from it. They wont wear out the metal as fast as an 870-900 with the bit less hp stick with 20ft swards for first cut if its any way heavy :thumbup:
 
Can always solve the hp problem pretty handy in those 850's!! :001_smile::thumbup2:
 
850 a good chopper but if you want out put & to drink less fuel then buy a 890, That V8 motor is the only way to go.:thumbup2::thumbup2:
 
Badger1973 said:
How much extra could you get without doing damage? The most cost effective way of doing this is???
Click to expand...

Re-map is the most cost effective way i'd think of doing it! 20-25% is a rough guide i suppose, i have a good friend who does it, wouldnt be that high up on them but know he does a good job!
 
Claas is the only way to go. I know of a few contractors in the area who all came from other brands to Claas and they all say that it's the best move they've made. Lighter on fuel then NH or JD and reliable as sin.
 
A contractor near where i worked a couple of years ago had an 850 chipped out to same horsepower as an 870! this thing could be heard screaming for miles:undecided: some yoke to chop grass though
was only driving an 830 myself good little harvester would have no problem picking 20fts here and keeping up to an 6850 or 7400 jd
 
Thanks lads, all really helpful! Trying to keep with the times! You would wonder sometimes do the dealers give you the real truth. What ye are saying is way different from their opinion, one lad said we'd be very disappointed with the Claas in terms of power.
With the weather like this time will be limited this season and a machine in the garage is a killer.
 
My friend had an 850 for a couple of seasons. She gave no bother and could get through the grass. Handle a 30 foot row well and only slowed down in the heaviest of crops. There's a dairy farmer near me has his own 850 and he lifts 2 10foots autoswathed. U would hardly know she was chopping. Under very little pressure. Then again they were in leafy young grass.
 
Badger1973 said:
Thanks lads, all really helpful! Trying to keep with the times! You would wonder sometimes do the dealers give you the real truth. What ye are saying is way different from their opinion, one lad said we'd be very disappointed with the Claas in terms of power.
With the weather like this time will be limited this season and a machine in the garage is a killer.
Click to expand...

did you buy the fx50 new, just if she came out of kennedys up north she would be well screwed out on power, new holland fx's are beasts when they are going it's just most other makes go steadier. going from an fx50 to an 850 claas is a big step down in power, 870 would still be a little shy of the fx.
 
Agree 850 would be an animal lifting 20's:scared:!!!

If you can't find a decent 850@ sensible money to change there is this:
http://www.erwinagricare.com/machinery/show/permalink/new-holland-fr9050-tba-14

It was traded for a NEW 850 for this season.:001_huh:

She has low hours and two local owners from new and only lifted grass and a little wholecrop.
Think she is remapped to about 580horse too so shouldn't even see 20' of grass!!!!!:whistle:

Don't know if Erwins would want ANOTHER FX sitting in the yard though.:sweatdrop:
 
Will need 4wd drive on constant in this thing, hilly areas that are wet at the best of times. Not many flat fields down here!
How do ye find them on juice?
fx doing 1.5/2 gal per acre.
 
jcb411abuser said:
did you buy the fx50 new, just if she came out of kennedys up north she would be well screwed out on power, new holland fx's are beasts when they are going it's just most other makes go steadier. going from an fx50 to an 850 claas is a big step down in power, 870 would still be a little shy of the fx.
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Was not new, had been chipped by previous owner. Had to put in modified rad to keep cool enough.
Fx is great when she goes she goes, but when she stops that's it! :rolleyes:
 
Badger1973 said:
Was not new, had been chipped by previous owner. Had to put in modified rad to keep cool enough.
Fx is great when she goes she goes, but when she stops that's it! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

well if you are needing that much power i think you should look at an 870 atleast, john deere 7500 would be an option aswell.
 
Big Truck said:
Agree 850 would be an animal lifting 20's:scared:!!!

If you can't find a decent 850@ sensible money to change there is this:
http://www.erwinagricare.com/machinery/show/permalink/new-holland-fr9050-tba-14

It was traded for a NEW 850 for this season.:001_huh:

She has low hours and two local owners from new and only lifted grass and a little wholecrop.
Think she is remapped to about 580horse too so shouldn't even see 20' of grass!!!!!:whistle:

Don't know if Erwins would want ANOTHER FX sitting in the yard though.:sweatdrop:
Click to expand...


they are looking enough for it though to be fair, and she'd be a step backwards in output compared to an FX50. still wouldn't be scared of 20fts with it.

Southern harvesters have a very cheap (in my mind) FR9060
http://www.southern.claas-dealer.co.uk/assets/vehicles/docs/new-holland-fr9060-nh0291-08.pdf

never said, where you are based and who the best service is in your area. whos been looking after your FX.
 
the fr are a fine harvester but the smaller ones lack that bit of grunt and are a bit big and awkward. If you want some thing bit more stable on the hills, good to travel, with a bit of grunt and 50 to 100 horsepower less go for the claas!!!
 
There was some really clean class foragers in Carlow today I must say.870 and 850 I taught.well north of the 100k mark do.
 
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