New Holland’s new two-model T7 Heavy Duty range will be the most powerful tractors ever built at the company’s Basildon plant. A new manufacturing line has been necessary to build the machines.
James Ashworth, New Holland’s UK and ROI marketing manager, said: “We’re incredibly proud to present these new models to our customers and dealers. Our customers have been asking for more power on the T7 range, and now we’ve delivered it.”
The T7 Heavy Duty tractors provide the additional horsepower needed for power-hungry operations, without the need to move up to a larger chassis.
The engine
The six cylinder NEF engine used in current T7 models has been retained, with additional power provided by an electronically controlled variable geometry turbocharger (EVGT). This provides the additional lugging power required to operate at low engine speeds and instantly reacts to changes in load, without any turbo-lag. Maximum hp of 288 or 313 is available all the time on the T7.290 and T7.315 respectively, with no EPM boost.
The fuel tank carries 630 litres coupled with an AdBlue tank of 96 litres. According to New Holland, this should help those who want to maximise their time by working late into the night without re-fuelling.
Quite a bit of work has been done on the tuning side to meet stringent T4-final emission standards and get the extra power out of the NEF engine. This was done without adding exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) or a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The cylinder head design has been enhanced, with new valve material and design for higher combustion pressure. Pumping more air into the engine is a single electrically controlled EVGT.
The turbo incorporates some clever features including an exhaust flap which closes to get the engine up to running temperature quicker. As an option, this can be used as an exhaust brake, operated by a second accelerator pedal.
Cleaning up the engine’s exhaust gases after combustion is the Hi-eSCR-only after-treatment solution. This is a catalyst-only based system using three cats in total to scrub the exhaust gases clean. A diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), AdBlue selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and clean up catalyst (CUC) are used. The latter cleans up the bad smell of the ammonia used in SCR.
Physically, the engine receives a structural sump and the engine block is no longer stressed. The new structural sump design also eliminates the need for side-rail supports.
The transmission
As with most tractors in this power class, the tractor is only available with a CVT transmission. New Holland explains that the four direct drive points offer 100% mechanical efficiency. This takes away the power loss through the hydraulic motor drive. The four-drive mechanical drives in the Auto Command ™ transmission have been positioned to match the most frequently used speeds during high-speed field work, transport and heavy cultivation operations.
According to New Holland, significant fuel savings can be achieved with a four-speed rear PTO and a two-speed front PTO. An ECO 1,000rpm PTO on the front linkage is now available. Engine rpm can be adjusted via the in-cab speed shift to take account of changing conditions and maximise engine efficiency. The new tractor has a broad torque band, between 1,250rpm and 1,750rpm. The T7.315 has a maximum torque of 1,282nm at 1,400rpm.
New Holland has re-designed the hydraulic circuits, and this has reduced parasitic losses with no oil moving unless it is required. The company believes additional fuel savings can be achieved via the 220litre/min pump, which produces significant oil flow even at low engine speeds. The lift capacity on the ball ends at the rear linkage on the tractor has been upped by 25% to 11.1t
Other features
New Holland’s IntelliCruise™ ISOBUS Class 3 tractor-baler automation technology will be a benefit for those with large volumes of straw to bale, and particularly for owners of New Holland’s BigBaler, for which the T7 Heavy Duty has been engineered to match. The technology enables the baler to control the tractor’s speed to optimise feed rate and produce consistent bale density and slice thickness.
Despite the additional weight and power of the Heavy Duty models, they are light on their feet provided correct tyres and pressures are selected. Larger group 48 and 49 tyres (2050mm and 2150mm diameters) with a rear tyre width up to 900mm can be fitted to the T7.290 and T7.315. The larger tyre results in improved traction and minimises soil compaction. Operators will even have the ability to monitor tyre pressure from the cab via the IntelliView IV display.
Prices are expected to start at €220,000 plus VAT