The Hagie STX10 features a centre pivot-mounted boom that keeps loaded weight of the 1,000 US gallon sprayer down to 28,500 pounds.
Simplifying the boom mount mechanism also eliminated many components that cost money to build, required regular maintenance and obstructed the operator’s view of the crop.
The boom lift assembly attaches to a pivot bar, which balances on a single four-inch pin. The pivot pin is located below the floor of the cab, just under the windshield wiper assembly and the operator’s feet.
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This pin and bearings are the primary supporting components for the boom, which can be up to 90 feet.
Mark Mcclellan, engineering manager at Hagie, said the end result is a lighter sprayer, with fewer moving parts and better operator efficiency.
“The entire lift arm assembly is de-coupled from the sprayer chassis,” said Mcclellan.
The boom now feels far less of the movement and shock experienced by the sprayer, he added.
Each end of the pivot bar rests on its own airbag located about three feet left and right of the centre pin. The two airbags make up the entire suspension system for the boom. Operators adjust the air pressure to make them stiffer or softer.
The overall system resembles a super-strong steel teeter-totter with two giant tractor inner tubes under the board, close to the centre, which prevent the ends of the board from touching the ground.
The airbags cushion the boom ride and act like a sway bar on a car or truck, preventing side-to-side whipping action while turning in the headlands.
“Without the airbags, of course, the ends of the boom would be free to dig into the ground at either the left or right side,” Mcclellan said.
“They really reduce the stress on the boom and they keep the boom level.”
Airbag suspension is also used at all four corners on the full-time, four-wheel-drive STX10. This is the same basic four-wheel independent suspension installed on previous Hagie STS sprayers, giving eight inches of vertical travel.
An on-board compressor provides live air for the suspension airbags, but not the boom airbags, which need to be pumped as a separate operation.
“Some of our competitors have more travel in their suspension, but the comments we get back from our STS customers is that airbags give them a superior ride,” said Mcclellan.
“The fact is that an airbag gives you a softer ride than any other type of suspension.”
The STX10 is the first ground-up design from Hagie since 1999, when the STS12 was introduced. Like previous Hagie sprayers, the weight of the front mounted boom is balanced by the weight of the rear-mounted engine.
Product is carried by the middle of the chassis, giving a near perfect 50:50 front: rear weight distribution whether the tanks are dry or full.
The composite body panels on the new sprayer direct the airflow to the top of the engine hood to prevent trash buildup and create better engine cooling.
The boom uses a routing channel on the top to contain the hoses and wires, giving the operator better forward visibility.
Power comes from a 240 horsepower Cummins diesel and is delivered through a Sauer-Danfoss H1 twin hydrostatic pump.
Hagie already has two 1,000-gallon sprayers on the market, the STS10 and the DTS10, but the company decided to add the third 1,000 gallon sprayer to its lineup and continue building both older models.
A few STX10 sprayers were available for 2011 and full production is scheduled for next year. List price is not yet known.
Hagie will market the STX10 through Agworld in Kinistino, Sask., which is a major departure from its traditional strategy of selling directly to the customer.
For more information, visit www.hagie.co m or www.agworld.ca .
