Farmers Review Africa May/June 2017 Farmers Review Africa | Page 39

Products & Services
Kubota M9540
Le Sueur owns two Kubota M-Series 9540
tractors (both with cabs), which are re-
imagined workhorses powered by Kubota's
world-renowned Tier III compliant, four-
cylinder, 95 horsepower, turbo-charged E-
CDIS (centre direct injection system) diesel
engines, which offer the user extended
durability, power and efficiency. Among
Kubota's best-selling tractors globally, the
M9540 is a powerful piece of equipment made
with heavy duty tasks in mind and comes with a
hydraulic shuttle, Creep Speed and Autohitch
for optimal operations.
e M9540 comes with an F18/R18
transmission, featuring six main gears as well as
high, low and creep ranges, to stand up to the
toughest working conditions. Forward and
reverse are seamlessly linked, thanks to the
hydraulic shuttle, and the column-mounted
gear stick with le-hand operation makes
changing gears easy. e bevel-gear front axle
lends the machine better all-round
manoeuvrability, making the Kubota M9540
especially adept at handling small spaces.
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Hydraulic pumps are located on the side case
of M-Series machines instead of the engine,
which goes to shorten the travelling distance of
the oil, thereby increasing efficiency, and the
machine comes standard with a 540/540E
hydraulic independent PTO for enhanced
productivity.
Category I and II three-point tow bars make
for quick and easy attachment of rear-
mounted implements, and two external
hydraulic cylinders offer equal liing force and
smooth transfer of hydraulic power.
A good cab is good for business
According to Kubota technical expert, Mike
Heath, the importance of a cab on a tractor
cannot be overstated, with the main areas of
evaluation being safety, visibility, sound,
climate control, control layout, operator space
and air ltration.
“e cabs available on the various Kubota
tractors, like Le Sueur's M9540, have many
important features that meet international
farming safety standards,” says Heath, adding,
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“While operator safety and comfort are
important from a labour ethics perspective –
and more farmers should be taking this into
account – it must be stressed that a poorly
equipped cab is also bad for business.”
Heath notes, “Even though a world-class cab
may be more expensive in terms of the initial
outlay, the extra productivity gained through a
safe, comfortable and happy operator outweighs
this expense a hundred-fold over the lifetime of
the tractor.” ese sentiments are echoed by Le
Sueur himself, who concludes, “It's not the
initial capital cost of tractors that counts, but
rather the lifetime costs of ownership. So the
productivity of the machine, its reliability, fuel
efficiency, good service and more combine to
save a lot of money over time and this is what I
have found with Kubota.”
Le Sueur bought his M9540 tractors from
Valtrac, Kubota dealers in KwaZulu-Natal and
Smith Power Equipment Kubota dealers, and
remarks on their superior service: “ey go the
extra mile making the total Kubota package a
positive and hassle-free experience.”
May - June 2017