JCB has launched an all-new series of its unique Fastrac high-speed tractor to provide contractors and farmers with a feature-laden highly productive power unit suited to a multitude of field and transport tasks.
The new Fastrac 6000 Series features:
New models – 6260 with 284hp and 6300 with 335hp
New powertrain for optimum power, torque and fuel-efficiency
New central tyre inflation system (CTIS) for optimal field and road pressures
Unique – multiple mode four-wheel steering with optional Twin Steer
Unique – advanced double-acting suspension front and rear
There are two models of the new Fastrac, the Fastrac 6000 Series, both running on 38in or 34in rims all round and 600mm to 710mm-wide tyres, with selectable two- and multi-mode four-wheel steering as standard, and maximum top speed of 66kph (41mph).
With peak power outputs of 284hp from the 6260 and 335hp for the 6300, the newcomers complement the current 60kph Fastrac 4000 with up to 235hp and the 70kph Fastrac 8000 with up to 348hp.
New optional features include a fully-integrated tyre inflation management system providing quick access to optimal field and road pressures, and a satellite guidance installation comprising two receivers for quicker and more precise line acquisition, more accurate tracking over an undulating field surface, and enabling Twin Steer ultra-precision guidance that steers both axles.
Chassis and powertrain
Housed in a new chassis concept bringing together a front casting and fabricated steel rear section, a 6.7-litre FPT six-cylinder engine delivers peak power at 1,850rpm alongside a torque curve that rises under heavy load to peak at 1,400rpm, generating 1,275Nm torque for the Fastrac 6260 and 1,400Nm for the 6300.
At least 95% of the max torque output is delivered across a 600rpm band from 1,200- 1,800rpm, providing plenty of back-up “grunt” when ploughing or cultivating into a patch of tougher ground, or when pulling up an incline on the road.
A power-matched and well-proven ZF Eccom 3.1 stepless transmission delivers seamless speed changes with a high proportion of mechanical drive efficiency at key field and transport speeds, with JCB’s Smart Transmission Control ensuring optimum control for different applications.
The heavy-duty chassis casting is sculpted to allow the tightest possible front axle steer angle, and is pre-prepared to easily fit front loader brackets, while the engine installation is as narrow as possible for the best view from the cab to the front wheels and beyond.
Hydraulics and power take-off
High output variable-flow hydraulics cater for modern implements with a 205-litre/min pump as standard, plus a second pump option for a total of 410-litre/min for the Fastrac 6300, all supplied through a new hydraulic valve block with lever-operated push-out, pull-in couplings.
At the rear, an 11,000kg three-point linkage – attached to the back axle to retain full suspension movement under load – and four-speed power-take off cater for all implement
types, while the optional 5,000kg lift front linkage is complemented by a 1,000rpm power take-off with the new feature of a six-spline and 21-spline reversible shaft.
The Fastrac’s unique rear load deck of 5,000kg capacity in this case, provides a third mounting location for equipment such as a sprayer or a liquid tank supplying fertiliser to a potato planter.
Tyre inflation management
JCB engineers have developed a central tyre inflation system (CTIS) with special design features for reliability, minimal maintenance and a long service life for key components.
It enables operators to switch quickly between the most appropriate tyre pressures for field work – giving maximum traction and flotation – and for road travel, which requires slightly higher pressures, with fuel economy benefitting in both cases.
Hydro-pneumatic suspension
The Fastrac’s unique self-levelling advanced suspension for both axles gives the new 6000 Series tractors the highest levels of driver comfort and well-being over long working days, while helping maintain favourable weight distribution and full suspension travel under heavy load.
When operating demountable equipment on the rear deck, the hydro-pneumatic system enables the tractor to ‘squat’ as it reverses beneath a parked sprayer or spreader, resulting in easy, effort-free coupling.
External disc brakes with ABS
Large externally mounted brake discs and callipers provide exceptional braking performance and unfettered access for inspection, servicing and maintenance, with electronic ABS anti-lock maximising the braking effect while preventing uncontrolled skidding on hard-surfaced roads and loose-surfaced tracks alike.
A new brake pad wear indicator helps operators avoid the risk of worn pads causing reduced braking and damage to the discs, and the new hub-mounted discs are quicker and easier to replace – in just three- to four hours, in stark contrast to the two to three days required to change a conventional tractor’s internal brake discs.
Intelligent steering
A further improved steering system provides smoother and more progressive transition between conventional two-wheel steer and the multiple four-wheel steering modes available at low speeds on the road and for different field applications.
The Fastrac’s optional Twin Steer system available through JCB GPS controls the two axles individually, so the tractor can steer crab-wise directly to a field guidance wayline at a headland or if a correction is needed to keep an implement on track, especially across sloping ground.
The system is highly effective at maintaining accurately spaced and positioned rows when sowing high-value vegetable and salad crops grown in beds, and at eliminating damage to crops or beds during multi-pass operations.
iCON digital technologies
The JCB iCON display that provides a host of information to the operator can now be complemented by a second unit so that more information is visible at any time. There is also even greater flexibility for operators to populate the display with the content of their choice – such as guidance, camera view, ISOBUS, section control, etc – and most relevant to individual field and road tasks.
Operators can create multiple profiles of control set-ups and tractor and implement settings, saving them for quick recall when next carrying out the same operation. JCB LiveLink telematics for remote tractor monitoring and records, and optional ISOBUS electronic implement control are available, along with the ability to allocate functions to different controls and use Section Control and Variable Rate Control precision farming technology.
JCB’s factory-installed satellite guidance option is unique to the Fastrac 6000 in having two NovAtel satellite signal receivers as standard, a set-up that provides highly accurate low-speed guidance, increased accuracy over undulating terrain and quicker, more precise acquisition of pre-set waylines.
Also, in addition to straight-line and curve guidance, the system now provides a choice of headland turn pathways to increase ease of use through automation, and boost overall productivity.
JCB Agriculture Managing Director John Smith said: “The all-new 6000 Series stays true to
JCB’s innovative and ground-breaking concept that defines all Fastracs, resulting in an exceptional combination of productivity, efficiency, versatility and operator comfort.
“It also takes the JCB Fastrac into a new power and performance category, meeting the needs of farmers and contractors with outstanding features that create a highly-productive machine with unique capabilities in the field and on the road.”
