DRIVING IMPRESSION: The ‘CS’ tag on Köckerling’s bonny blue drill shows this is a compact version of the firm’s Ultima. Last autumn we took a look at the 4m wide CS 400 model, towed behind a 110kW/ 140hp Claas Arion 640. This drive sets out how we fared
Packing a lot into a small space, Köckerling’s 3m/4m CS air seeder borrows ideas and bits from its older Ultima brothers. The principle is the same, though: individual, ram-controlled 500mm depth wheels run ahead of 60mm wide spring tine-mounted coulters, which in turn put seed in a band rather than in single file. The test 4m unit was supplied with 22 coulters spaced at 180mm. Coulter tines are carried by four frame rails rather than the larger Ultima’s five; underframe clearance is 850mm. At 2,800 litres, hopper capacity is 200 litres less than on other Ultimas.
The Ultima CS is a semi-mounted drill using Cat III linkage. Its drawbar extends, so 90º turns are on the cards even behind dual wheels. When parked, two stands support the drill’s front frame rail rather than one holding the drawbar — a stable arrangement, but one that makes for extra work as both stands have to be taken off and stored on the drill. Hoses run tidily up the drawbar to a holder: the drill tractor will need three double-acting outlets for the wheels, wings and levelling board, plus one single-acting supply for depth adjustment. You’ll have to sort out and mark these yourself, as no cluesreside on the machine and the hoses aren’t marked or colour-coded.
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