Driver’s view: Steve Bushell rates his New Holland CH7.70 combine

For a long time the large arguements for and against combine proprietors, operators and engineers came lower on 1 of 2 sides – straw walkers or rotors.

But through the 1990s water had muddied with the appearance of various “hybrid” machines, mixing both a threshing drum and pairs of separation rotors. Claas’ Lexion 480 kicked things off, then John Deere’s CTS and, more lately, Agco’s MF Delta models.

See also: Ultimate help guide to purchasing a combine 2022

These weren’t the first one to pair conventional threshing with rotary separation.

During the 1980s, New Holland had also dabbled using its own undertake the crossbred combine.

Its “Twin-Flow” TF models used a conventional Texas-style drum and concave in advance, adopted with a large-diameter transversely mounted rotor that split the stream of straw and knocked any residual grain from it.

The idea labored well, as well as for anybody searching for any truly high-capacity combine at that time it provided many of the solutions.

Nevertheless it was difficult on the straw, earning a status with baling contractors like a machine to prevent following.

Silently, the TF held its very own for a few decades but, as interest in greater output increased, it battled to maintain – its design showing hard to modify to create more capacity, regardless of how much extra horsepower was tossed in internet marketing.

New Holland made the decision another approach was needed and, getting had success using its pure twin-rotor TRs, the organization made the decision to shelve the TF.

In early 2000s two obvious lines of yellow-colored combines emerged – CX-badged straw-walkers and twin-rotor CRs, effectively Belgian-built versions from the company’s US-made flagship (although modified for European conditions).

Alongside they were smaller sized TC and CSX master machines.

This fairly comprehensive line-up offered the organization well, passing on strong share of the market in Europe for a few decades.

However something altered (possibly spurred on by John Deere’s decision to ditch its hybrid C-series models a couple of years before).

With farm growing sizes and mix capacity expectations mirroring that, the organization could no more disregard the interest in mid-sized machines able to greater output, although not towards the hindrance of straw or sample quality.

  • Vital stats – New Holland CH7.70
  • Engine 333hp (374hp max) 8.7-litre Iveco Cursor six-cyl turbo
  • Threshing 1.56m-wide x 607mm-diameter drum and 2-section concave
  • Separation Two 3.45m-lengthy x 542mm-diameter rotors
  • Cleaning Three-step cascade-type sieves, 5.21sq m total area with 25deg sieve leveling
  • grain tank 9,300-litres
  • Unloading speed 100 liters/sec
  • Standard tires 800/65 R32s
  • Weight 13.4t (14.7t for Lateral hill-sider version)
  • fuel-tank 620 liters
  • Suggested header 8.5m (28ft) Varifeed
  • List cost £278,000 (£314,000 for Laterale hill-sider version)

Redesign

The firm’s Belgium-based R&D team duly began searching into the way they could boost the capacity of their mid-rangers without likely to an exciting-out purebred rotary.

The solution originated from an unpredicted source – South america. Typically, the marketplace for combines in the united states has majored on smaller sized models, with New Holland building and selling big figures of their conventional TCs there.

A great deal is anticipated of individuals straw-master machines, because they are needed to reap a mixture of crops, including maize, beans and grain.

Such diversity means operators and engineers need to generate some ingenious ideas to handle the issues the different crops provide.

At most extreme finish from the spectrum was the introduction of an interchangeable group of rotors that may be swapped using the straw walkers when extra separation capacity was needed.

The concept required hold and New Holland’s engineering team developed the idea further.

The drum and concave continued to be, the rotary separator was canned and also the walkers were tossed out in support of a brace of rotors – the CH was created.

NH’s marketeers might have us accept is as true was an easy process (even though the engineers might inform us otherwise) – they required the threshing drum and concave from the moment-proven CX6.90 and implanted a set of rotors, taking out the rotary separator but departing a straw beater within the mix to make sure a level transition of crop from drum to rotors.

Relocating to “active” separation as opposed to the more passive action of straw-walkers means there’s less reliance upon the up-front elements to thresh every grain in the ear, based on New Holland.

Consequently, what this means is the device could be set to operate more lightly, getting rid of the requirement for yet another rotary separator as employed on the majority of master machines.

Consequently, there’s been a claimed 35% decrease in cracked grains, yet still time output has elevated by a few 25% over a similar conventional combine.

(We’re told place rates of more than 40t/hour are possible. Even modifying that for that pub-chat factor, it’s still pretty).

The simplified driveline creates a far more robotically straightforward machine that’s cheaper to construct and run, based on New Holland – great news for potential punters.

That sounds fantastic, but exactly how has it labored in the area?

In-field experience

It’s 18 several weeks since New Holland unveiled its hybrid CH combine, and so far there’s been little to determine from it, the very first evaluation machines coming back for their Belgian birthplace after field testing in 2020.

However, last harvest one customer received the very first production CH7.70 to find United kingdom shores.

Steve Bushell farms around the fringe of the Cambridgeshire Fens, near to March. Having a relatively modest acreage to chop (both owned and contracted), he wanted a combine that might be greater than able to easily clearing his crops early enough.

“With the CH we’re massively over convenience of our acreage, however that means we simply cut corn when it’s dry so when it’s at its better to ensure we meet milling and malting premium spec.”

  • Farm details: Steve Bushell, March, Cambridgeshire
  • Combined area 175ha
  • Popping Predominantly wheat, barley and sugar beet
  • machinery Tractors – NH T7.270 x2,
  • Loader – NH LM 7.42
  • Combine – NH CH7.70 with 8.5m (28ft) Varifeed header
  • Others 13t Doosan digger and Arjes 250 Impactor crusher
  • Staff Steve Bushell plus another part-time worker

Why a brand new Holland?

“It was a gamble to enroll in a piece of equipment we hadn’t even attempted, however it all came lower to the dealer – Ernest Doe at Littleport.

Getting worked together for tractors and package for the concrete crushing work, I understand precisely how good they’re, particularly with regards to backup.

“I have such belief it them which i required their word the CH would get the job done, and contains – virtually without fault.”

Steve Bushell before combine

Steve Bushell © Nick Fone

Why has CH7.70?

“I did a good research session and studying around the best choices for us and loved the thought of ??getting a drum in advance for threshing after which twin rotors to tease out any remaining grain while being gentle around the straw.

“On that front it’s demonstrated brilliant. We’ve had comments from your baling contractor about how exactly good the straw is.

“Although you can observe within the row where it drops from the rotors in 2 distinct lines, it can make for any decent square-formed swath and also the stems remain virtually intact.”

How has it performed?

“This season was harmful to shallow-rooted cereals pulling up and bulldozing, therefore we didn’t really get the opportunity to check it to full capacity. But it’s certainly got all of the output we’ll ever need, even just in a appealing season.

“With all of the soil and protuberances getting selected in the CH didn’t appear in your thoughts, swallowing it and tossing it straight the back. Whether it did begin to bung up it had been only a situation of putting it backwards and allowing it to spit it out.

“In relation to power, you won’t ever hear the engine note drop or begin to grumble, whether chopping or swathing. The crop flow appears really smooth and we’re managing to choose two full days between filling with fuel.”

What exactly is it like to setup?

“The best factor concerning the CH is its simplicity. You simply choose the crop you’re entering around the touchscreen and allow the machine determine what settings are perfect for itself, from time to time tweaking things as conditions change throughout the day.

“The Gps navigation steering is really a godsend and quite simple to get a handle on, for an initial-time player much like me.”

How about maintenance?

“Someone has clearly put a little bit of thought into making daily servicing easy. The engine bay has platforms to obtain completely around and it is obvious and uncluttered, which means you don’t get dust accumulating. The labeling of all of the grease nipples is nice and many just have a go every 50 hrs.”

Has it been reliable?

“We’ve only had a few minor niggles to date. At 7pm one evening the combine developed an oil leak on the valve block. Within 40 minutes we’d a fitter within the field to check out it by 8am the next morning it had been sorted.

“The other issue was lower towards the Gps navigation steering. The motor unit unsuccessful, but was immediately replaced without quibble under warranty.”

What can you alter?

“I’m only 5ft 8in, besides I want the seat rammed against the rear of the cab. I’d like a little more room so will be able to recline.

“Also, the chopper drive belts are by hand engaged, that is fine, however i believe that on the modern machine this may be done in the cab to prevent getting covered in dust.”