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Iveco Trakkers revitalise McDougall fleet

McDougall Fertiliser Services has bought Iveco Trakkers to help boost its spreader fleet.

McDougall Fertiliser Services, based in Scottsdale, has been providing a helping hand to farmers in Northeast Tasmania since the mid-90s.

The team is also supported by 16 full-time staff and a fleet of eight fertiliser spreaders, including three Iveco AD360 Trakker 4x4s – a further four on-road trucks make up the fleet, while a Trakker AD450 6×6 is also currently in build.

The Trakker range is a popular choice for fertiliser spreading applications both in Australia and New Zealand, where off-road performance, comfort and power are well regarded by operators.

The transition to Iveco from another European cab chassis, began around two and half years ago as part of a fleet upgrade program, according to McDougall manager Aaron McDougall.

“We were getting a bit tired with the previous brand trucks which were giving us reliability issues, so we decided to start looking at the alternatives,” McDougall says.

“In the end it came down to Iveco and another brand. The Trakker gave us some tare weight benefits (AD360 has 18t GVM and AD450 offers 33t GVM) which helped us make the final decision to go with Iveco. I’ve also seen several other companies in Tasmania with Trakkers and this gave us confidence, and I spoke to a high-profile operator in New Zealand, and he rated the Trakkers as well.”

The AD360 Trakker 4×4 features a full-time four-wheel-drive system with hub reduction and differential locks to front and rear axles for superior traction – benefits are the same for the 6×6 variants, but to all three axles.

Parabolic leaf spring suspension (4×4) and parabolic cantilever suspension (6×6) also provides wheel articulation while smoothing out the bumps of even the roughest paddocks.

McDougall’s trucks feature a 6-cylinder, 7.8 litre turbodiesel engine producing 360hp and 1500NM of torque, while the soon-to-be-delivered Trakker 6×6 takes has displacement of 12.9 litres and develops 450hp and 2200Nm. In both instances, the engines are coupled to 16-speed manual transmissions although an AMT option is also available.

The Trakkers feature Southern Spreader Bodies, are equipped with deep lug agricultural tyres and often tow feeder trailers; McDougall says they handle the undulating conditions of Northeast Tasmania extremely well – then once in the paddock inspire confidence.

“With a fully sealed cabin it’s a quiet environment even when driving on the bitumen with the speed-rated tractor tyres,” he says.

“The air conditioning is very good as well, and the seating is comfortable. In the paddocks the Trakkers feel safe and stable even on steep slopes – the gearing is also low, so we normally don’t even need low range, and the diff locks we only have to engage occasionally.”

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