The warning that you need to spray may come late, and the time available to perform the spray job can be short. The speed you can maintain while spraying a field is, however, limited by shocks and vibrations from the sprayer’s wheel axle and chassis, and the effects of these are easily felt in the tractor’s cockpit. Every shock puts a strain on the sprayer and means that it will require extra maintenance later, and every vibration in the cockpit reminds you ominously about this.
In order to increase maximum speed during transport and spraying without compromising the fundamental reliability of the sprayer, HARDI has developed an efficient, cost effective and easy-to-maintain axle suspension system for the COMMANDER and the NAVIGATOR. The wheel suspension also helps the boom suspension keep the boom at a permanent level above the crops.
Extra stability on slopes
The suspension also addresses the question of safety during work on slopes. The way the suspension is designed prevents the sprayer from sinking down on the lower side of a slope. While HARDI sprayers have excellent ground clearance, they are also very stable because of their remarkably low centre of gravity. So the extra stability provided by the suspension makes good sense.
Better driving abilities
Safety during work and transportation in general is also enhanced, because good suspension minimizes the unpleasant and to some extent dangerous vibrations to the tractor. Most modern tractors have their own suspension on the front axis, and comfort and safety are efficiently enhanced by the sprayer’s good suspension.
To reduce the number and size of shocks during work even more, the suspension arms are fixed to the chassis in front of the wheels. This construction is a trailing arm suspension like the ones used on off-road motor bikes. It ensures a higher degree of comfort for the driver while allowing the wheel to move more freely. This solution also supports the overall performance and provides the operator with extra comfort and safety.
Little or no maintenance
The COMMANDER’ suspension works by adjustable hydraulics, and the system can be adjusted, if needed, for instance when spraying with the heavier liquid fertilizer.
The SmoothRide suspension for the NAVIGATOR is made with a polyurethane cone. This simplicity and the lack of sliding parts make the systems very durable and ensure that maintenance is a rare or non-existent issue.
Please do not hesitate to find more information and animated models of the axle suspension systems at:
• http://www.hardi-commander.com
• http://www.hardi-navigator.com
Source: Hardi
