BCS VALIANT 650 Alpine Tractor

[blades]

Just wondered if anyone is using one of these tractors? Any opinions on reliability, ability, ease of maintenance etc?

 

Thanks in advance

[Marsh Monkey]

one of the nature reserves i work for got one last year they seem well happy with it but is mainly used for topping etc so dunno how it'll fair in the woods another mob got the goldini version of it which wasn't a patch on their 1980's holder

[Treemon]

Weve got one its fantastic, ours is the artic steer version

[Treemon]

[Petemate390xp]

holder is KING in Small timber

Edited December 4, 2012 by Petemate390xp

[blades]

Weve got one its fantastic, ours is the artic steer version

 

Thanks mate.... Really appreciate that... Have you found it reliable? Easy to maintain?

 

Have you found the articulated steering a big benefit? Reason I ask is that a few people have suggested that the articulated steering versions of most alpines are not as strong??

 

Thanks again

[Treemon]

Thanks mate.... Really appreciate that... Have you found it reliable? Easy to maintain?

 

Have you found the articulated steering a big benefit? Reason I ask is that a few people have suggested that the articulated steering versions of most alpines are not as strong??

 

Thanks again

 

Maintenance wise really easy to work on, Kilworth who we bought it off our second to none for servicing and help. As for artic steer its not a weak point in small plantations with the forwarder its a god send- the only thing they dont recomend with artic steer is a loader. It comes with reverse drive as well

[Goaty]

The nursery has one, also as , the volcan pictured has artic and conventional front steering, both tractors do 40kpm, very twitchy on the volcan especially with implement on rear as it swings it around at speed however on headlands its brilliant you need to be quick and on the ball and you are in the next row.

 

The valient is an 02 reg has had gearbox rebuilt twice, Its manual and they always were tight gears. The transmission housing gets very hot on pto work and you need to have 2 of the gear levers in on one of the tractors to circulate oil if using pto in a static situation. Cant remember which. The valient only has conventional front steering and needs a car park to turn round in.

 

The other thing the geometry of the pto and linkage is very tight so your will need a new pto shaft if you use equipment on another tractor. The lift height is not that high either notice the flail in picture. It grounds the mower if you go over a bump on road.

However alot of package in a tight space.

[Goaty]

P.s due to the cab having little space you bang your head over bumps on the frame so hang on to the steering wheel. Ours has weakened and the whole console wobbles.

[Buzzsurgeon]

won't the bottom links on the flail drop down a notch, looks like there's an extra hole in the pic