Field test: nimble Weycor impresses

Weycor may be a little-known brand in Ireland, but it was born of a well-established German company, Atlas Weycor, which made a name for itself building wheel loaders.

Weycor has followed this tradition, producing 20 different models of wheel and telescopic loaders, including the Weycor AR 580 the Irish Farmers Journal tested. At first glance, the wheeled loader seems to be a compact, nimble and simple machine. However, when you delve into the specifications, it weighs in at a considerable 9,700kg.

The cab

There is very good visibility from the driver’s seat through the large curved windscreen. The positioning of the exhaust to the right of the bonnet on the rear grants the operator additional visibility while reversing.

The control layout is simple. The joystick on the user’s right controls forward and reverse; the quick hitch and hydraulic attachment; the high and low gear options; and the electronic differential lock.

The boom suspension, an optional extra brought into Ireland as a standard specification by importer Seamus Vaughan Tractors Ltd, provides very good operator comfort while in transport.

Air conditioning, doors with sliding windows and the radio are also optional extras. The loader is fitted with a standard lighting package which gave great vision to both the front and rear of the loader while operational in the dark.

Engine

The AR580 is fitted with a TCD 3.6l Deutz engine. This lively water-cooled four-cylinder in-line engine is capable of churning out 136hp. It is EU Stage IV compliant with DOC and SCR. The loader is fitted with a 120l diesel tank and a 10l AdBlue tank.

Drive and capacity

The loader is hydrostatically driven and its maximum speed is 40km/h. The machine is fitted with a multi-disc brake in an oil bath which acts on all four wheels.

The loader sits on Italian-built Spicer axles. The gears are broken down into low and high with two hydraulic gear shifts in each range. This particular loader sits on Michelin 500/70 R24 tyres which are also optional extras.

The loader has a lift capacity of over 6,650kg. It has a sizeable reach from ground level to the bottom of the quick hitch of 3.81m (12.5ft).

The lift capacity combined with the loader’s reach means it is well capable of carrying out daily duties on most Irish farmyards. The machine is fitted with a variable 138.6 l/min hydraulic pump controlling both the steering and the lifting.

Accessibility

The bonnet neatly folds towards the rear of the machine, providing the operator with easy access to the air filter, oil filters and the battery.

Instead of the grille being to the rear, it is on top of the bonnet, drawing in less unwanted dust.

To access the 120l diesel tank, the user must open the bonnet where the tank is hidden to the side. Perhaps an access point should have been installed one side of the rear bonnet.

The inching pedal acts in almost the same way as an engine brake does, allowing the user slow down the speed of the machine while maintaining high revolutions

The 10l AdBlue tank is easy to access, neatly located in the step to the cab on the right of the machine. There is no auto-greaser on the loader, but all grease points are exposed and easy to access.

These loaders are factory fitted with a German hydraulic quick-change attachment, but Irish importer Seamus Vaughan is retrofitting an Irish-built R&M euro quick hitch on to the loader, which works at its ease.

The inching pedal is the standout feature in this machine. As all silage loader operators will be well aware, while pushing up silage to get a suitable flick of the grass, it is essential to maintain high revolutions.

The inching pedal acts in almost the same way as an engine brake does, allowing the user slow down the speed of the machine while maintaining high revolutions.

According to Weycor, the inching pedal allows for “less wear and tear and fuel consumption in contrast to the conventional combined brake/inching pedal”.

The AR580 works very well around the yard, with a small turning diameter and a steering angle of 40° to each side. As a result, the loader would be suited to feeding cattle or loading a diet feeder, especially if working in confined areas. The nimble loader was ideal for stacking bales, with huge visibility through the large bevelled windscreen and a user-friendly control layout allowing for quick user adaption.

As regards performance on the pit, it would be a suitable machine for a farmer/contractor harvesting up to 50ac per day. For a higher silage workload, a higher-capacity machine would be required. As mentioned, the inching pedal is the most exciting feature for us and this comes into its own while working on the pit.

The pendulum joint in the centre of the machine allows the front of the loader to swivel 30° to each side, saving the operator being thrown over and back when hitting a lump of grass on the clamp. This took a little bit of getting used to when coming from operating a typical articulated wheel loader, but it is definitely a welcome feature which will also aid user comfort while operating the machine in rough terrain.

While dealing with very wet grass, we found the pushing ability of the loader to be impressive while being well capable of climbing a large pit of silage. Once a significant load wasn’t placed on the hydraulics they were well capable of flicking the grass a few yards ahead of the machine, largely due to the use of the inching pedal.

The Weycor AR 580 we tested with some extras typically desired by Irish users will cost about €85,000 plus VAT.

Well-known wheel loader importer Seamus Vaughan Tractors Ltd said: “We first came across the Weycor machines a number of years back at a show outside of Ireland. Weycor has a strong pedigree in manufacturing both wheel and telescopic loaders and their model range is very suited to the Irish market. We started importing and distributing Weycor loaders in March of this year.”