Fecon’s latest forestry mulching tractor, the FTX300, is equipped with the next stage in diesel engine emissions reduction, as well as providing more power and hydraulic flow than its predecessor.
The Cummins QSB 6.7 Stage 5 engine on the FTX300 Mulching Tractor surpasses Tier 4 Final emissions requirements by also meeting the latest European standards of Stage V. The Cummins engine produces 310 net horsepower, 20 horsepower more than the Tier 3 engine on the FTX290, which it replaces.
Cummins and other engine manufacturers expect similar regulations to eventually be required in the United States – likely to be called Tier 5 – and have been preparing for that as they also prepare to meet the new European Stage V standards, scheduled to take effect this year and next.
Average fuel consumption for the tractor’s engine is 8 to 12 gallons per hour.
The FTX300’s hydraulic system is also more powerful, with 115 gallons per minute of flow and 5,600 pounds per square inch of pressure. That compares to the FTX290’s 101 gpm and 5,510 psi.
Fecon designed the FTX300 with low ground pressure of 3.9 psi and an oscillating undercarriage. The 30-inch track shoes provide balanced traction in hard or soft conditions, the company says. The tractor weighs 31,750 pounds.
Operators are greeted by a new, larger 7-inch touchscreen IQAN display. Other features include keyless ignition, adjustable joystick pods, three points of entry and an air-suspension heated seat. The FTX300 also has remote connectivity to allow factory-based diagnostics and troubleshooting assistance.
Fecon Power Management software delivers “intelligent distribution of power,” yielding up to 20 percent more productivity in many environments than tractors of similar horsepower, according to the company. The system prioritizes power to the mulcher, but it can be pulled elsewhere as other systems require it, the company says.
Fecon equipped the FTX300 with its Bull Hog BH120 forestry mulcher, designed for large right-of-way, urban interface and land improvement or development projects, the company says. It has a working width of 85 inches. The front mount lift height under cutting tools is 44 inches for handling larger material, multiple-stem vegetation and precut slash material.
The mulcher features variable speed motors and three optional rotor systems, including Fecon’s Depth Control Rotor (DCR) technology. DCR has reversible Viking knives that are more productive than straight-edge tools or saw teeth; depth control rings also provide fast cutting durability, the company says.
Access to service points has been improved with a tilting cab and wide engine compartment doors, the company says.