New dolly makes Metsjö's forage harvester free-standing – low weight delivers better balance

Ivarssons i Metsjö AB is expanding its forage-handling range with a newly developed dolly for the company's forage harvester. With the dolly, the harvester – whose precision technology has proven itself in the field for over ten years – becomes a free-standing unit that can be towed on its own. At an unladen weight of just 3,300 kg, around half that of heavier alternatives on the market, it offers a flexibility and balance that heavy, integrated machines struggle to match.

Until now, the forage harvester has been supplied as a chopper wagon, with the harvester mounted behind a wagon in a single unit. With the new dolly, the harvester attaches to the dolly instead and becomes its own free-standing unit. This gives farmers and contractors entirely new freedom in how green forage is handled in the field.

Three operating modes – the same proven harvester

Thanks to the dolly, the harvester can be run in three ways, depending on the job:

•     Self-towed on its own dolly.

•     Chopper-wagon combination – with a wagon alongside.

•     With its own wagon towed behind, via the harvester's rear hitch.

What's new is that the harvester now stands on its own dolly and can switch freely between these modes – keeping its balance in every configuration. The rear hitch makes it easy to attach a wagon of your own behind, so you can use wagons you already own.

Low unladen weight gives better balance

A decisive advantage is the low unladen weight. The complete unit weighs 3,300 kg including the dolly – around half as much as heavier alternatives on the market. This means:

•     Better weight distribution and less weight transferred to the tractor.

•     Lower ground pressure – gentler on both the sward and the soil.

•     More of the tractor's capacity left for the actual work.

Heavy harvesters force compromises to avoid overloading the tractor. Metsjö's combination of low weight and free towing instead delivers consistent balance whether the harvester is run self-towed, in a chopper-wagon combination or with its own wagon behind.

Precision with upper cut technology

The harvester works with upper cut technology, feeding the material directly into the drum. This gives three clear advantages:

•     Powerful discharge. The strong throw fills the wagon efficiently even in tough conditions – a decisive difference from harvesters that don't use direct feeding.

•     Lower power requirement. Less friction means lower fuel consumption.

•     High capacity with maintained chop quality. In normal operation, the Hack 1460 ROC fills a 62 m³ wagon in just 12–14 minutes.

The precise, even chop packs the material more densely in the silo with less trapped air, so fermentation starts faster and losses are kept to a minimum. The harvester can also be fitted with additive tanks for dosing silage additive directly into the flow.

“The strength lies in the combination – a harvester proven over more than ten years, a low unladen weight and the freedom to tow it exactly as you wish. The option to fit a separate drawbar on the wagon or the hook lift. It delivers a balance and flexibility that heavy, integrated machines struggle to reach.”  — Anders Ivarsson, CEO of Metsjö

Total economy through flexibility

Because the harvester now stands on its own dolly, the wagon behind can easily be uncoupled and used for other tasks. On wagons without a floor conveyor the body can be swapped, and a hook lift can also be coupled behind – for example for combination haulage with a truck when the fields are far apart.

The investment therefore works year-round – from forage harvest to dumper and grain haulage.

As a Swedish manufacturer, Metsjö also keeps spare parts for the harvester in its own stock. This gives fast access to parts and minimises downtime when it matters most, in the middle of an intensive harvest season.

The harvester can be tailored to your needs. Options include a brake with a brake outlet for a following wagon, and a dolly with a bogie (two axles) for greater mobility and comfort. Standard wheels are 500/50 R17, and coarser wheel options are available for those who want even lower ground pressure.

Technical data – Hack 1460 ROC

Related

•     Read more about the upper cut technology in Metsjö's forage harvester

Ivarssons i Metsjö AB is a Swedish manufacturer of tractor-drawn transport solutions and steel structures, with a focus on innovation, quality and durable design. Founded in 1958, the company has its production in Metsjö, Linköping. Metsjö develops and manufactures trailers, hook lifts, machine halls, gas containers, chemical stores and mobile storage units, among other products – with all production based in Sweden.

FAQ:

How much does Metsjö's forage harvester weigh? The unit weighs 3,300 kg including the dolly (with 560/45 R22.5 tyres) – around half as much as heavier alternatives on the market. The low weight means lower ground pressure, better weight distribution on the tractor and more tractor power left for the actual chopping.

Can you tow your own wagon behind the forage harvester? Yes. The harvester has a rear hitch and can tow a wagon behind it. Thanks to the new dolly the harvester stands on its own wheels and can run self-towed, in a chopper-wagon combination with a wagon alongside, or with your own wagon coupled behind – so you can use wagons you already own.

What is the difference compared with a self-propelled forage harvester? Metsjö's harvester is tractor-drawn and a cost-effective alternative to a self-propelled machine. You use the farm's biggest engine to the full instead of investing in a separate engine that can only do one job at a time. Low weight and free towing also give better balance.

How big a tractor is needed? The recommended tractor power is around 280 hp, plus the power requirement of the wagon being loaded. The harvester is direct-driven via a wide-angle PTO, and both the pickup and the feed direction are controlled hydraulically from the tractor.

What is upper cut technology and why does it give better discharge? With upper cut technology the material is fed directly into the drum. This gives a powerful throw (discharge) that fills the wagon efficiently even in tough conditions, while keeping friction – and therefore power demand – low. The result is high capacity with an even chop quality.

How quickly does the harvester fill a wagon? In normal operation the Hack 1460 ROC fills a 62 m³ wagon in about 12–14 minutes. The even, precise chop packs the material more densely in the silo with less trapped air, so fermentation starts faster and losses are minimised.