This New Holland T7.200 test tractor was from New Holland’s latest line-up of Tier 4A compliant machines and incorporated SCR — Selective Catalytic Reduction — as a means of exhaust emission control. In other words, it uses AdBlue to clean up the exhaust gases after they leave the engine. This type of emission control just treats the exhaust fumes.
The downside is that a second liquid is consumed, DEF — Diesel Exhaust Fluid (AdBlue) — in addition to diesel fuel. Manufacturers who use this system claim that the Tier 4A engines are more efficient than engines of the past and that fuel savings made compensate for the additional cost of AdBlue.
New Holland uses a 6.7-litre NEF (New Engine Family) in the T7.200 unit. It is produced ‘in house’ by FPT (Fiat Power Train) Industrial and used across the Fiat brands including Iveco, Case IH and Steyr, plus manufacturers outside the Fiat group.
The truck industry has had to meet emission regulations ahead of agriculture so FPT Industrial is an old hand at producing T4A engines.
It is a turbocharged and intercooled engine, with four valves per cylinder and common rail high pressure fuel injection. Fuel injection pressure is up to help achieve a better burn and the new regulations.
The New Holland marketing team was given a bit of a free hand in numbering the tractor, which might imply T7.200 is a 200hp tractor. Technically it is, but this is the figure quoted for maximum power in Engine Power Management (EPM) mode or power-boost in agricultural language.
A truer figure for what is available for use is power quoted at rated speed. This is quoted as 190hp in EPM mode and 155hp when not. So, in the old days without the option of power boost, this would be a 155hp tractor and with some sensible tweaking of the injection pump could be brought to about 175hp.
The electronic age now gives us two tractors in one; a 155hp which is not too big or heavy for tasks such as fertilizer spreading and a 190hp for certain road hauling or pto tasks.
This tractor is a multi-tasker, making it an attractive option for tillage farmers and contractors. But don’t take my word for it; we also spoke to two owners of T7.200s to get their impressions and we will publish their views next week.
For this user report, there was a pretty tough task on the cards: stubble cultivating for oilseed rape with a Kuhn Cultimer 300. This cultivator has 10 spring loaded legs with wings, a row of discs to mix things up and a heavy coil type packer roller at the rear to firm things up again.
We were working at a depth of seven to 200mm (eight inches) and, speed wise, as fast as the T7.200 would pull it. Before all that though there was the maiden voyage home through the town and on to borrow the Kuhn cultivator.
First impressions
For a lanky lowlander like me, it is a long way up into the cab of the T7.200.
A flat floor and cab suspension dictates that the cab has to sit well above the transmission and all that lies between them to allow for the suspension to work.
A four post cab is used so the large full-width door opens wide for even the largest of pilots. While it might take a good tug to close, it is well worth it for the visibility the lack of a ‘B’ pillar offers.
Visibility is excellent all round with lots of glass. In the sunshine, it gets pretty hot in there without the air-conditioning running, especially if you leave the rear window open when the transmission gets hot.
There are two base levels of specification within the T7 series, Standard and SideWinderII.
The multi-control handle attached to the seat armrest stands out a bit like a bullock in a sheep sale.
Despite its appearance though, it is well placed and practical with buttons for lift control, power-shift changes and headland management. Both the arm rest and multi-control handle can be adjusted to suit different body and arm shapes.
The tractor was fitted with New Holland’s Range-Command semi-powershift transmission unit. It has three ranges of A, B and C with six powershift speeds in each, seven in C if equipped with 50kph transmission.
Other tractor functions are displayed in a conventional analogue dash which I personally prefer to sister firm Case IH’s pillar mounted display.
Overall, the finish inside the cab is a bit weak. If I’m spending big bucks on a new tractor like the T7.200, I think I’d like something more than a sea of moulded plastic. New Holland could borrow some fellow Fiat group designers from Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Maserati or even Ferrari. I’m sure there is a farmer among some of them.
Front suspension and cab suspension made for a comfortable drive on the road and field.
One of the volunteer test drivers complained that he felt the cab rolled too much going around bends on the road. Reading the operator’s manual, the cab suspension springs at the rear can be stiffened for bigger operators or if there are two in the cab. This may help ease the toppling sensation.
With the seat adjusted, arm rest and multi-control lever adjusted, it was time to hit the road. The ‘Standard’ specification T7.200 is an uncomplicated tractor to set up and drive. If you’re not big into screens, dials, setting up this, that and the other, then you’ll like this tractor.
Work impressions
With destination Kuhn Cultimer 300 reached, it was time to ‘yoke the horse to the implement’. Our tractor was equipped with automatic stabilizers which I have to say I’m not a big fan of, preferring the manual units.
‘Yoking’ to the cultivator required the lift arms to be manually kept apart and positioned to latch into the balls. The Kuhn cultivator is a heavy piece of kit and without the front weight would have been even more difficult to handle behind the tractor.
In the ground, it tested the T7.200’s mettle. The first fields to be worked were cultivated at a depth of 20mm (eight inches) and forward speed was generally around 9km/hour.
This rose to 10 km/hour where the going was easier but dropped to 8km/hour where there were sprayer or combine tracks.
According to the operator’s manual power management, or rather variable power management comes on automatically during pto operations, road transport operations and when operating hydraulic functions.
Boost levels are variable depending on engine load, driveline torque and tractor speed.
In our case, it must have been the operation of the draft control levelling the cultivator that was triggering PM, and it was very welcome when it was triggered.
Of course, what we would all like is a a physical switch to put PM on but this would lead to a failure somewhere in the tractor’s transmission if all that power was available all of the time to the transmission without some being siphoned off to the PTO and hydraulics.
The increase in torque loading on the transmission at low speeds would be huge but at high speeds within limits of the transmission design.
The idea of PM is to manage the extra power made available for pto, road and hydraulic operations.
Speaking of torque, the Kuhn cultivator was no easy implement to pull requiring both four–wheel-drive and differential locks to be operated. Shod on Trelleborg 650/65 R38’s on the rear and Trelleborg 540/65 R28’s on the front, the T7.200 was well up for the challenge.
Traction was incredible, operating four-wheel-drive and differential lock on headland management. Both came in when the implement was lowered into the ground and there was no slipping or power-hopping. All four paws working together provided serious traction.
And this remained the case uphill, downhill, across hill and throughout the cultivation process in different fields with different soil conditions.
Some of this was down to tyres but the front axle suspension design where it effectively ‘pulls’ from mid-way between the front and rear axles, and draught control has also to take some degree of credit.
Journal Tractor
Test Conclusion
The New Holland T7.200 Standard is a no frills tractor. It will do what you want it to do as a 155hp tractor and then some more as a 190hp tractor in power-boost mode. If you can use the power-boost facility in pto or road haulage operations then it turns into a far more powerful tractor altogether, and perhaps more importantly, a far more diverse and useful workhorse.
For very demanding cultivation operations, you need more power and strictly speaking this in not available in the T7.200, despite what’s written on the bonnet. But as a middle-weight (just under six tonnes) all-rounder with extra punch available for pto and road hauling operations, it is just the job.
Likes
√ Comfort ( and very quiet)
√ Simplicity
√ Traction
√ Manoeuvrability
√ Excellent visibility
Dislikes
X Cab finish
X Auto-stabilisers
X Lack of in cab lift rocker switch.
X Needs more storage pockets for useless clutter.
X Price (as always).
Key Points
NH T7.200 standard — specifications
Engine: NEF 6.278 litre.
Max EPM hp (kW/hp): 149/203.
Max hp (kW/hp): 126/171.
Rated EPM horsepower (kW/hp): 140/190.
Rated hp (kW/hp): 114/155.
Rated engine speed (rpm): 2200.
Max EPM torque (Nm): 866 at 1,500.
Max torque (Nm):
740 at 1500.
Transmission — power command: 17F/6R.
Turning radius: 5.450m.
Weight: 5,950kg.
Hydraulic flow: 113 litres/minute.
Spool valves: 4 D/A and plumbed for power-beyond.
Rear linkage capacity: 8,257kg.
Front linkage capacity: 3,568kg.
Fuel capacity: 330 litres.
DEF (AdBlue) capacity:
48 litres.
PTO: 540/540E/1000.
Price: from €72,000 +VAT.