Stephane Fortin knew the advantages of CVT transmissions, and of Case IH tractors. He had experience with both, but not together. So when Case IH introduced its CVT transmission to the North American market in the Puma tractors early in 2009, Fortin was first in line, literally.
Fortin, of Herbertville, Quebec, purchased the first CVT-equipped Case IH tractor sold in North America.
“I’ve been waiting for a Case IH CVT tractor for a long time,” Fortin says. “This is a wonderful tractor. The power is unbelievable.”
Fortin operates Ferme YMS Fortin, a top-producing 75-head dairy operation in Quebec’s Lac St-Jean region along with his mother, Monique, and brothers Sebastian and David. They also farm about 1,000 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and hay crops, and bale about 3,000 large bales per year for their dairy, plus another 4,000 to 5,000 large square bales for custom work.
They handle a lot of liquid manure. Annually, they haul about 600 loads of liquid manure in a 6,000-gallon (22,712-liter) tanker, running on public roads on round trips ranging from 6 to 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers).
It was this duty cycle that got Stephane interested in a CVT-equipped tractor. The transmission’s stepless application of power would be ideal for hauling the tanker down the road, turning into fields, spreading the manure, and returning, he reasoned. So several years ago, he stepped away from the Case IH brand and bought another make of tractor equipped with a variable transmission. And, it met his expectations for smooth performance and steady control.
Then, after more than 3,000 hours in his first CVT-equipped tractor, Stephane traded it for the new Puma 225 CVT tractor.
“It was quite a shock,” he says, recalling his first few hours in the new Puma. “The main difference was in power. This tractor delivers a lot more power.”
His first CVT-equipped tractor was rated at 170 PTO hp. The Puma 225 CVT is rated at 195 PTO hp. Along with being more powerful, Stephane says the Puma’s power is more effective.
“This Puma develops its maximum torque at a lower rpm. My other tractor had to rev quite a bit higher to get to full power. At the end of the day, that makes quite a difference in fuel consumption,” Stephane explains. He says the tractor’s also more responsive, thanks to its broader power range.
The Puma’s high-torque 6.75-liter Case IH engine is a good match for the CVT. Its Diesel Saver AutoProductivity Manage-ment (APM) system continually monitors engine load and ground speed to select the most efficient transmission ratio and engine speed to maintain ground speed. In most conditions, the system opts for the lowest engine rpm needed to hold the speed. Lower engine rpm generally equates to reduced fuel consumption.
Operating the Puma 225 CVT is as easy as moving the Multicontroller lever, even with the loaded, 60,000-pound (27,215-kilogram) manure tanker in tow. As he leaves the farmstead with the loaded tanker, he simply moves the Multicontroller lever forward, and the engine and transmission work together to match the ground speed he’s requesting.
One of his haul routes includes a long, fairly steep grade that he climbs with the loaded tanker. Here, he says the interaction of the engine and the transmission maintains ground speed without any input from him.
“There’s no downshifting,” he says. “The computer takes care of the whole thing. There’s no break in speed and the power stays constant.”
Slowing the rig requires simply pulling back on the Multicontroller lever, with the engine and transmission again working together to meet his command for reduced speed. The tanker has its own hydraulic brakes, which Stephane controls from the cab.
When stopped, the Puma 225 CVT provides “active stop” braking which holds the tractor securely, even on a grade, without applying the wheel brakes. For Stephane, that’s especially helpful in traffic, at stop signs. “I control the tractor with the Multicontroller lever. There’s no need to work the brakes.”
The Puma 225 CVT tractor has three speed ranges which operators can use to set three maximum speeds. Stephane uses all three, setting one for a maximum in-field working speed of 10 kph, another at a faster speed for in-field transport, and the third for maximum road speed.
His previous tractor had only two speed ranges. Stephane says using the three ranges makes operation that much easier and efficient.
Running a large square baler, a Case IH LBX332, is another main task for the Fortins’ Puma 225 CVT. Here, Stephane says being able to adjust the tractor’s ground speed quickly and smoothly in response to windrow thickness is another CVT advantage.
The Puma 225 CVT includes soft-start modulation for the PTO, which starts the PTO slowly regardless of engine speed. It’s a feature Stephane likes because it protects the equipment and makes operation a bit easier by not needing to manage the throttle when engaging PTO-powered implements.
Whether moving the large baler from field to field, or hauling the liquid manure tanker longer distances, Stephane sees speed as an advantage. Here, the Puma 225 CVT tractor delivers, with maximum road speed of 31 mph (50 kph).
Equipped with a Case IH Smart Suspension front axle, a suspended cab (both options are required to gain the 50-kph top speed) and the Positive Response seat, Stephane says the Puma 225 CVT tractor rides smoothly enough to run at 24 to 27 mph (40 to 45 kph) on the local paved roads which can be quite rough in places. When conditions allow, he’ll run at top speed. And, thanks to the Puma 225 CVT electronic controls, the engine runs at reduced rpms even at maximum road speed to save fuel unless full power is required.
The Fortins’ Puma 225 CVT is equipped with large single tires, rather than duals. Fronts are VF600/60R30s, rears are VF710/60R42s. Stephane initially wanted rear duals, but says that these large single tires are proving to be a better choice for all the road travel he does because of the reduced overall width. He increases the inflation pressures as needed to handle the weight and road speeds when hauling the manure tanker and the large square baler.
This Puma 225 CVT joins other Case IH equipment on the Fortin farm that includes the LBX332 baler, a MX200 Magnum tractor, a Maxxum 110 tractor and an Axial-Flow 1660 combine. As with their other purchases, the Fortins used CNH Capital financing for the Puma 225 CVT.
“As a sister company to Case IH, CNH Capital understands our business, and farm equipment. We’ve used them before to finance other equipment purchases, so it wasn’t a question when it came time to buy this tractor.”
Confidence in their Case IH dealer also helped their decision to buy the Puma 225 CVT. They say that’s especially important when buying a tractor with new technology like this one possesses. Although it’s a strong agricultural area, the Lac St-Jean region is rather isolated from other Quebec farming regions. In spite of that, Stephane says parts and service support from their Case IH dealer is prompt and professional.
Stephane says the Puma 225 CVT tractor has special qualities. It has the power to handle heavier tasks, and the speed, fuel efficiency and ease of operation to handle lighter chores.
“Farming is changing,” he says. “We used to need a big tractor for big work. Now, because we are expanding, our farms are getting farther apart. We want to get from one place to another, as fast as we can. We want a smaller, faster tractor with more options, and fuel economy is more important.
“It’s not just the power,” he continues. “It’s the interaction of the engine and the transmission, and the tractor’s lighter weight. It’s well-balanced and so well controlled with the AutoProductivity Management system. For us, this tractor is more effective than a bigger one. It’s what we need now.”
---------------------------------OWNER PROFILE
Stephane Fortin
Ferme YMS Fortin
Herbertville, Quebec
ACREAGE: 1,000
CROPS: Corn, soybeans, wheat, hay crops
LIVESTOCK: Holstein and Jersey dairy herd, 75-head milking string
COMMENTS:
• “The power is unbelievable.”
• “There’s more power available at lower rpms. On our other tractor, we had to rev a lot higher to get full power. At the end of the day, that makes a difference in fuel consumption.”
• “There’s no downshifting. The computer takes care of the whole thing. There’s no break in speed and the power stays constant.”
• “At zero mph, the tractor stops, and holds. You don’t need brakes. You control it all with the Multicontroller lever.”
• “When we’re baling, if I need to slow down when more material is coming in, I can slow just a bit with the Multicontroller lever. With a powershift, we’d drop a whole gear.”
• “I set the three speed ranges for the field working speed, for the in-field transport speed, and for the road speed.”
• “We pull a heavy manure tanker. On the road, on grades, there’s no need to downshift, as with a powershift. The computer takes care of the whole thing. The power stays constant.”
• “The forward/reverse shuttle is on the Multicontroller lever, which is nice. It’s all right there, as opposed to a separate lever on the left side.”
