One of the more recent additions to the Ziegler cultivator line-up is the Combi Expert, a light tine cultivator for working 3-15cm. We ran the 4.0m, mounted machine in stubble
Having come across Ziegler’s new Combi Expert cultivator on display at Agritechnica in 2019, we were keen to use the pre-production unit to prepare ground for sugar beet last spring. And the machinery maker was glad to help, sending the very machine that had been on display at the show. But after hitting a couple of early snags, Ziegler took the harrow back, incorporating a number of design changes and improvements for production spec models. It then returned with the updated version for this driving impression last summer.
Light cultivator with 24 tines
The Combi Expert is a light cultivator available in working widths of 4.0m, 5.0 and 6.0m. Ours was the smallest model, the 4001, which is armed with 24 tines spread across four rows and a frame height of 57cm. The distance between the outermost tines is 3.95m, which means that a tine is hitting the ground every 172mm, and the machine’s overall working width measures exactly 4.12m.
Usefully, there are five point/share options — from a narrow 40mm chisel point to four different types of goosefoot, ranging from 105-200mm. All are held in place by two bolts, and the widest goosefoot ensures all of the ground is moved — something bound to appeal to those wanting a shallow pass to chit any blackgrass or other volunteers.
The German machinery maker says the entry level, hydraulic-folding Combi Expert 4001 weighs 1,770kg when fitted with a cage roller. However, our machine had the Rollflex roller, levelling board and APV seeder, which pushed its weight up to a hefty 2.7t. The recommended minimum power requirement of 120hp is just that … a minimum.
We were happy enough with the overall build of the frame. Even so, Ziegler has since beefed up the frame in various places.
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