It is summer so hay baling time! The Dutch family Dorrestijn still bale a few hectares each year using their fully restored Volvo BM 810 Turbo and Vicon HP 1600 big baler. The baler was launched in 1983 and very advanced for its age, using micro-electronics to control its hydraulic functions. This still operate flawlessly after all these years! The Vicon's feat was that it could bale grass silage as well as straw or hay. It is build immensely strong to handle wet grass. The most unique feature is its wire tying system. The HP uses 4.2mm steel wire which of course never breaks. A special tying mechanism is used and explained in detail. This is what ultimately let to the end of the machine. The wire was expensive and the market controlled by Vicon. As other big balers got better, Vicon had to give way and dropped the machine during the late 90s.
The Volvo BM 810 Turbo was introduced in 1969, along with the 4WD 814. The original TD 50 engine produced 128 horsepower which was later upgraded to 140 horsepower with the TD 60 engine from 1975 onwards. Production stopped 5 years later in 1980. The 8x2 gearbox has Volvo's own Trac Trol system which allows for a speed-decrease in the chosen gear, increasing torque by 27%. The cab was relatively quiet for its age (80 dBA) and heated. The T 810 weighs a little under 6 tonnes. This example was purchased by a Dutch contractor and bought by the Dorrestijn family to be fully restored to its former glory.
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26 авг 2024
