We know that each machine has its idiosyncrasies and that every farmer has their preferences.” This quote from agricultural powertrain specialist, Walterscheid, is indicative of why their solutions suit the needs of the Australian farming community.
“It’s German-made componentry and design, combined with the ability to custom-build and supply to customer needs that makes Walterscheid a leader in both power take-off drive shafts, tractor attachment systems and hitch systems,” explains Andrew Sawyer, Business Manager at Walterscheid. “The universal joints in the driveline are of an exceptionally high grade with superior seals that make them last longer in arduous Australian farming conditions as they keep the grease in and impurities out.”
Walterscheid has been dedicated to servicing Australia’s agricultural market since 1983, specialising in premium driveline systems and tractor attachments. As part of the Motion family, farmers across the country have access to the Walterscheid offering in addition to Motion’s technical expertise and national footprint of branches. One of the key advantages of this access is the fast turnaround of service.
“Not only do we tailor to customer requirements, we also do repairs on drivelines or tractor attachments and turnaround is very, very quick.” says Andrew. “Generally during harvest period time, we do say to people to get their componentry here early, and we will deliver it back fast. Additionally, we have a torque testing rig, so not only can we rebuild and refurbish overload clutches, we can test them as well.”
According to Andrew, Walterscheid is popular with farmers because the power take-off (PTO) driveshafts are reliable and come in a wide range that can support a multitude of agricultural attachments and implements.
“We have an extensive range starting from as little as ten horsepower, going up to 500 horsepower, which means we can assemble to all sets of requirements, with multiple variations,” he adds. “Additionally, we have a number of safety devices, such as clutches that we can fit to these drivelines to ensure they do the job properly and safely. So for example, if something jams up the clutch will go off and protect everything around it.”
As part of its company ethos, the Walterscheid portfolio has evolved alongside modern farming practice to help farmers reap the best from their crops. An example of this can be seen through the Walterscheid three point linkage system or Tractor Attachment System (TAS), which has become an industry standard due to its simplicity and utility. The TAS gives the tractor more traction than it would ordinarily have with the same power, weight and fuel consumption.
“These TAS are commonly used for steering or towing mowers, ploughs, balers, and sprayers. The considered three-point design transfers the weight and resistance of an implement to the tractor’s drive wheel, catering to ongoing changes in farming practice such as increased farm sizes, crop diversity and longer machine operating times,” says Andrew. “We offer rear attachment and front linkage systems through Motion to cover all requirements. This enables customers to experience the benefits of a ‘butterfly system’ – less fuel, less ground compaction underneath, and fewer passes necessary for a wide sweep.”
The Walterscheid linkage systems and combinations for mowers have been the fastest and highest selling products developed in their category. This is a trend Andrew attributes in part to increased rainfall and unprecedented demand for produce.
“Drivers can cover a wider distance, which means imprinting on the land less and having to do fewer passes of the field. You’re saving fuel by driving less distance overall, and whether you’re harvesting, mowing, or spraying, it’s a vastly more efficient process,” he concludes. “Importantly, these are all constructed with safety in mind. Drivers can operate the coupling and uncoupling mechanism directly from the tractor seat – saving time and mitigating the hazards of stepping outside the vehicle during service. The TAS lower link hook has a safety locking mechanism and the top link hook facilitates the safest possible connection between the vehicle and implement.”
