Review: CLAAS Torion 1611P

The CLAAS TORION could well be the ultimate stack loaded and is a revelation in terms of efficiency and capacity

Landpower Group has a long history of growing the stack loader market here in New Zealand, with large contractors welcoming these capacity gains with open arms. It has been good news for farmers too, delivering the ability to build square-sided stacks that are well compacted.

From a farmer’s perspective, this offers significantly less wastage and the ability to fit more into the finite area of a silage pit.

In a New Zealand exclusive, we had the chance to check out the new CLAAS TORION 1611P, which only recently landed and is currently on a countrywide tour with two demonstration drivers, showcasing all the attributes of this Liebherr-built CLAAS machine. And there is much to like people.

The P stands for power (of course it does). The 1611P has also had some other modifications over the 1611 model to combat the rigorous demands of agricultural silage work. Many have tried converting a quarry machine into an agricultural loader by juicing it up, putting big tyres on it and adding a hefty folding fork, but it doesn’t always work that well, as the hydraulic demands to move silage while climbing a steep stack face presents its own set of challenges.

Review: CLAAS Torion 1611P — The layout of this machine and the high level of build quality is impressive

Luckily CLAAS are no strangers to the grass market. The tagline #onlyclaasforgrass along with the introduction of the TORION models allows them to offer the full suite from the tractor and mower to cut the silage, right up to the forager and stack machine to complete the job, which is an exciting development for CLAAS Harvest Centre group here in New Zealand.

I’ll be honest – I really enjoy stacking silage (and most people think that’s quite weird), but I do love the challenge of creating a nice-looking stack and watching it build throughout the day. Most people expect that going back and forth all day, often under pressure from the aforementioned forage harvester drivers, is not everyone’s idea of a good time. But it works for me, which is why I was so keen to get behind the wheel of the TORION.

Performance

Equipped with a 6-cylinder, 6.8-litre DPS Stage V engine, due to the high torque low rpm theory, the CLAAS TORION 1611P has a maximum torque figure of 970Nm at 1600rpm and up to 185kW/252hp (thanks to DYNAMIC POWER). This feature through CPM adjusts engine output based on current power requirements, ensuring optimal performance and up to 20% more pushing power from the engine and 15% more from the transmission, which is a must on those big steep stacks.

Transmission

In 1978, Liebherr put its first hydrostat in a dozer, which is a great reference point for the pushing longevity of these transmissions, which are tested to 15,000 operating hours.

The CMATIC hydrostatic transmission is the only one on the market in this class of ag loader and is available thanks again to the east/west engine (more on that later) because you don’t need a direct drive from the engine itself. Instead, the power comes from two axial piston motors for max pushing capacity. However, once ground speed is above 16km an hour, one is disconnected to reduce wear when in transport. Additionally, transmission and hydraulic oil are in one reservoir, with recommended changing every 1000 hours.

Manoeuvrability

Our test machine had the dual steering option. The steering wheel is always standard, but this can easily be folded out of the way to use the joystick steering. This was something that honestly, I didn’t have a huge amount of experience with. It didn’t take long to get the hang of and by the end was actually my preferred option. I think part of the reason is that the smaller joystick is proportionally controlled and rolls in the direction of your turning, which makes it feel very intuitive. As speed increases, the sensitivity decreases for safety. F/R switches are on the back of both joysticks and can be easily changed in the screen from left to right for personal preference. While initially I didn’t love the absence of a column-mounted shuttle lever, given how quickly I got used to the joystick steering, I suspect after day one any unfamiliarity won’t be an issue.

Comfort and Visibility

Easy-to-access steps and a rear opening door made it easy to get into the machine. A great feature is the steps all the way around the front and both sides, super handy for access to clean windows, etc. If accustomed to an agricultural boom, one of the first things people are likely to notice is the Z bar (called the Z-kinematics in this case). This offers some positives; the Z bar is more universal as a second life for the machine after contractors have moved away from doing silage, or can be utilised in winter (for loading metal for example) with its higher breakout force (12-tonne in this case).

In terms of maintenance and wear and tear, there are fewer pins and moving parts and the surface area of the pins is larger. Speaking of pins, an auto greaser is standard and complete with steel lines into the pins to reduce the risk of them being knocked off. There is absolutely no argument as to the restricted visibility directly in front of you, but visibility to the outer edges of the implement is far superior to that of an ag loader, so horses for courses and all that.

Technology and Innovation

Innovation in terms of a hardware perspective is showcased in the 50:50 weight distribution that CLAAS is well known for in its tractors. Familiar to many who have CLAAS JAGUAR foragers is the east/west engine placement. This also works as a rear counterweight, meaning you don’t have to carry around additional deadweight just to provide ballast. The benefits of the east/west engine don’t stop there.

This placement creates a large amount of space behind the cab (which coincidentally is the cleanest air around the whole machine). This is where the radiator is held, which sucks in this clean, cool air, then blasts through the engine bay, releasing hot air out the back. The standard hydraulic reverse fan can be automatically set to turn on from 5 minutes to 90 minutes in five-minute increments.

In terms of software innovation, CLAAS CONNECT is the brand’s telematics system for receiving updates/machine data remotely. While in the cab itself, the large 9” in-cab touchscreen is extremely intuitive to use. Customisation of controls, functions and performance are all within easy reach. An example of this is the third service hydraulics; if you put the hose on the wrong fitting on the ISO hitch (the euro hitch of the pivoting loader world) you can simply swamp them around in the cab – brilliant.

SMART LOADING is another clever innovation. This is customised from the cab via the 9” touchscreen. For repeat cycles, you only need to set the functions once, and they are then performed automatically: max/min height and return to position for the boom, and a joystick mounted button for a return to home position for a tow bucket, for example. Weighing from inline sensors allows precise weighing and accumulated daily totals to be shown, again in the nifty touchscreen display.

Summary

I suspect some might be sceptical about this machine but for no fault of its own (mainly due to the ‘other’ brand CLAAS Harvest Centre has done a fantastic job in fostering market dominance around). Therein lies the critical detail here – CHC has a great reputation for backup and support, with both North and South Island parts warehouses and a large stock holding in Melbourne.

None of that will change and if anything, the full suite from cutting to stacking of the CLAAS product has much to be celebrated. I was impressed with the layout of this machine and the high level of build quality. Judging by the feedback of the initial demonstrations, it won’t take long for them to be going back and forward on a stack near you.

Top 5

Build quality – Liebherr legacy of high build quality
Hydrostatic CMATIC transmission performance – only one in class with this
Maintenance and serviceability
Stack stability thanks to 50:50 weight distribution
Claas Harvest Centre service and support

Make and model	CLAAS Torion 1611P
Engine	DPS 6-cylinder 6.8L
Engine power	252hp
Max Torque	970Nm
Engine emissions	Stage 5
Transmission	CMATIC Hydrostatic
Tyre size	750/65R26
Hydraulic capacity	200L/min at 350 bar
Service intervals	500 engine/1000-hour transmission/hydraulic