JCB Fastrac in the snow

French snow removal equipment specialist Villeton has developed another novel self-propelled version based on the JCB Fastrac. While much of Europe is enjoying the last of the summer weather, local authorities in the French Alps are hard at work preparing snow clearing kit to keep mountain roads open when the first snow arrives. Many of […]

French snow removal equipment specialist Villeton has developed another novel self-propelled version based on the JCB Fastrac.

While much of Europe is enjoying the last of the summer weather, local authorities in the French Alps are hard at work preparing snow clearing kit to keep mountain roads open when the first snow arrives.

Many of the attachments they use were made by French firm Villeton, which has also adapted a variety of snow ploughs and blowers for fitting to numerous tractors, including the Claas Xerion and JCB Fastrac.

Flagged up as a mid-power machine for the maintenance of winter and summer mountain roads, the latest Fastrac for conversion is a 217hp (162kW) 4220, the flagship in the 4000 Series (snow attachments currently being fitted).

Called the Fastrac Snow, and designed and developed in collaboration with JCB France, the striking visible feature of the unusual tool carrier is the fixed position of the reverse drive cab, which provides the driver for improved visibility of the equipment.

Converted at Villeton’s factory in the French Alps, the French firm spent a couple of years perfecting the controls to ensure that the CVT provides the same speed ranges in the reverse drive mode.

It takes around six months to modify a Fastrac, and the French firm claims to have modified nine Fastracs so far. It has not yet been done, but the modifications can also be carried out on the Fastrac 4160 and 4190.

Pictures: Villeton

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