Test: Farm King Grader Blade
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Farm Trader puts a Farm King Grader Blade to the test.
Grader blades are underrated and often taken for granted. Even the old faithful grader blades get taken off in the long grass then ripped out once a year to give the tanker track a tickle up. Generally this only happens once Fonterra gives you the 411 that your track has too many pot holes.
I was just having a small whinge about the speed tankers often drive up tracks, but driving around Canterbury and Southland, the large conversions are starting essentially with a blank canvas. It is logical to have the cowshed in the middle of the farm which means less walking for the cows, but also means the track to the shed must be long.
Now with these long tracks, to keep the teeth in your head when you drive along them, it needs to be kept smooth and one of these Farm King grader blades fits the bill nicely.
There are many uses for the grader blade. For relatively little outlay, you can get a top quality machine that will ensure your property can be kept in tip top shape. The Allied by Farm King 100108 ten-foot grader blade I tested certainly fits into this category. The 100 relates to the maximum horsepower to be used by the blade and the 108 refers to the width of the blade in inches.
To further clarify you can get the 108-inch version in the 80hp, 100hp and 150hp models, although Allied supply a full range of blades to suit tractors from 15-150hp.
Allied by Farm King
These machines are manufactured in Canada under the brand name Allied by Farm King, who are actually owned by the Buhler group. This company has its fingers in many pies. Along with Allied, it also own the Inland and Versatile brands and build a list of machines including tractors, front-end loaders, augers and implements, most of which you can see the team at Farm Chief in Canterbury for a deal on.
Farm King offers a wide variety of grader blades and has been building them for several decades, giving the buyer confidence that they actually know what they are doing. As manufacturers head down the light weight high strength steel track, these blades are built using the old add more steel, to add strength theory. In the case of a front-end loader using high tensile steel to keep the strength and reduce the weight is a logical choice but grader blades are better to be heavier as this allows it to 'bite' into the soil to really get things moving.
Machine features
The design and build of the pivot point minimises metal-on-metal wear which directly relates to longevity.
A reversible and replaceable cutting edge is fitted to the Allied range of blades which it doesn't take a brain surgeon to work out this is the highest wear point on the blade. If the cutting edge is getting down, simply undo the bolts, turn it over or replace it and the blade is as good as new.
A dual-wheel kit was fitted to our machine and is available on the 80,100 and 150 series blades as well as skid shoes for the precision jobs. The wheels are large in diameter, offering a much smoother job as they simply roll over and through the small bumps which keeps the blades movements slow and smooth for a nicer finish.
Allied Blades are quick hitch compatible which is an American thing, as our quick hitches are for the trailer variety and I think this is actually a downside of the machine. However, the chain is only used as a toplink when the rear wheel is on and a slotted top link hole is likely to run out of travel on hilly tracks.
A specially made chain section with digger loops on each end fits safely and ensures that it cannot come loose. A simple solution would be to have a higher toplink mounting point, with a long slot to allow the toplink to move, as well as a single pin hole for cutting.
A simple slot so you can use the existing toplink is not only very easy but also much safer. Personally I like to do a more aggressive cut first to get some loose material on top which you would use the fixed hole for more bite then put it in a slot for finishing.
Three manual pinhole adjustment is standard on the machine however our test blade was fitted with two rams although from one to three can be spec'd. To swing the blade around to push backwards, simple remove the ram pin, turn the blade drop the pin in and you have the flexibility of the ram but in reverse.
The verdict
For the thrifty customer (who I assume would also love the reversible jacket as you get two for the price of one – a similar concept has been employed by Farm King), the reversible cutting edge allows years of use. Simply unbolt and flip over to get a new blade, there simply is no downside.
This, along with the high level of build quality, easy adjustment (either manual or hydraulic) and the large land wheels, allows for effortless grading with great results. As it turns out there really is more to grader blades than meets the eye.
Additionally, your car suspension and spine will thank you for it.
For the latest farm machinery reviews, subscribe to Farm Trader magazine here.
Keep up to date in the industry by signing up to Farm Trader's free newsletter or liking us on Facebook
