By Chris McCullough

A new line-up of Jumbo 7000 silage wagons has been introduced by Pottinger following a complete redesign and feature upgrade. 
Designed for tractors from 200hp up to 500hp, the new third generation Jumbo range comes with a new driveline and a facelift. Some of the newly introduced features include a seven-row controlled floating pick-up with a working width of 2.3m and a new hydraulically adjustable drive system that adapts the speed automatically to the driving speed. 
There is also less of a dragging effect with the result being perfect chopping quality. The jockey wheel steering system can also be engaged to enable better ground tracking.
Another key feature that is proving popular is the pick-up position control which – supplied as standard – keeps the cross-section of the opening between pick-up and drawbar constant to ensure maximum throughput during the entire loading process. 
The tines, which are controlled in a sweeping arc by the cam track, convey the crop gently upwards and actively transfer it to the rotor at a suitable speed and instead of dragging the forage through, they promote the best possible chopping quality. The tines then dip down at a right angle to prevent the forage from being drawn in. 
The Powercut short-length chopping system has an asymmetric array of 48 knives and a theoretical chopped length of 34mm. The knife bank release system, handled without the need for tools, and the central knife release system are operated conveniently using a control panel to the side.
The driveline has a double wide-angle PTO shaft without a clutch and is powered by a Powerband. Optimum power transmission to the rotor is ensured by angular/planetary gears in the rotor drive. 

Loading rotor
Around 75% of the rotor's width is fitted with a new high-strength case-hardened steel that ensures high wear resistance in areas subjected to a lot of wear, which increases service life by 25%.
With the new unloading beater driveline that delivers 210kW, unloading capacity has been increased by another third taking around one minute to empty and cutting waiting times.
The moveable front panel provides a significant increase in volume of 4.3m3 for the same length of wagon and this also makes the loader wagon much more compact. 
The patented, intelligent front panel enables a unique loading and unloading strategy and is available as an option. It's length of 830mm means it has a particularly generously dimensioned upper forage compression flap. 
Another unique feature is the additional dynamometer bolt that is fitted in the intelligent front panel to enable a new control concept. The loading pressure is now measured at the front panel and with the combination of all measuring points – loading torque sensor, dynamometer bolt, compression flap sensor – the degree of compaction and the desired filling level can be directly regulated. 
As a result, the parameters can be perfectly adjusted to the forage harvesting requirements. With the active forage compression flap, unique loading rates of up to 400 kg/m3 can be achieved if required, depending on the DM content. 

Auto loading
Three predefined modes can be selected for loading, ranging from light loading to medium compression to high compaction, which enables optimum adaptation to different types of crop, the dry matter content and the degree of filling.
If the scraper floor is actuated by the automatic loading system, the front panel helps push the forage along and then automatically moves back into the loading position. This ensures that the forage stays extremely compact.
In addition, two 2-speed motors, mounted externally on both sides, and a patented boost function, ensure maximum unloading performance. To give the driver a clear view from the tractor into the loading chamber or for driving in under the harvester auger in harvest transport mode, the compression flap can be hydraulically folded forwards.
The scraper floor has been lowered at the front by 250mm to reduce the power required during loading. This also increases the net payload thanks to higher compaction. The wide flat link chains with a breaking load of 13t provide great stability, maximum reliability and smooth running.