JCB launches all-new high-tech Fastrac 6000 series tractors

JCB has launched an all-new series of its unique Fastrac high-speed tractor to provide farmers and contractors with a feature-laden highly productive power unit suited to a multitude of field and transport tasks.

The new Fastrac 6000 Series features:

• Two models – 6260 212kW (284hp) and 6300 250kW (335hp)
• 11,000kg rear lift plus four-speed PTO; optional 5,000kg front lift and 1000rpm PTO
• Four-wheel steering with multiple modes and optional GPS Rapid Steer
• New extra heavy-duty axles with advanced double-acting suspension front and rear
• New brake pad wear indicator and easier external disc replacement for ABS braking system
• New chassis design combining sculptured front casting and rear fabricated structure
• New engine and powertrain combination for optimum power, torque and fuel-efficiency
• New central tyre inflation system (CTIS) for optimal field and road pressures
• New integrated twin GPS satellite receivers for quicker, more precise line acquisition
• New multiple-pattern headland guidance to suit different implements and field layouts
• New Twin Steer guidance with steering via both axles for ultra-precise implement tracking
• New high-capacity hydraulics – 205-litre/min pump standard, 410-litre/min optional
• New hydraulic valve block with lever-release and lock quick couplings
• New front/rear digital cameras for all-round safety, convenience and operation monitoring
• New secondary display option provides more space for tractor and implement information
• New configurable screens for even greater operator-bespoke display content flexibility
• New push-button engine start/stop and anti-theft engine immobiliser 

“The all-new 6000 Series stays true to JCB's innovative and ground-breaking concept that defines all Fastracs, resulting in an exceptional combination of productivity, efficiency, versatility and operator comfort. It also takes the JCB Fastrac into a new power and performance category, meeting the needs of farmers and contractors with outstanding features that create a highly-productive machine with unique capabilities in the field and on the road.”

John Smith | JCB Agriculture Managing Director

Fastrac 6000 Series models

There are two models of the new Fastrac, both running on 38in or 34in rims all round and 600mm to 710mm-wide tyres, with selectable two- and multi-mode four-wheel steering as standard, and maximum top speed of 66kph (41mph) where local legislation allows.

With peak power outputs of 212kW (284hp) from the 6260 and 250kW (335hp) for the 6300, the newcomers complement the current 60kph Fastrac 4000 with up to 175kW (235hp) and the 70kph Fastrac 8000 with up to 260kW (348hp).

New optional features include a fully-integrated tyre inflation management system providing quick access to optimal field and road pressures, and a satellite guidance installation comprising two receivers for quicker and more precise line acquisition, more accurate tracking over an undulating field surface, and enabling Twin Steer ultra-precision guidance that steers both axles.

Chassis and powertrain

A new chassis concept conceived for the Fastrac 6000 Series comprises a cast front section supporting the engine, front axle and optional front linkage and PTO, and a steel fabricated structure carrying the cab, transmission, rear axle and lift linkage, hydraulics and PTO.

The heavy-duty casting is sculpted to allow the tightest possible front axle steer angle, and is   pre-prepared to make it easy to fit front loader brackets.

The new chassis also helps meet the objective of keeping the engine installation as narrow as possible for the best view from the cab to the front wheels and beyond.

This was also one reason for choosing the 6.7-litre FPT NEF67 six-cylinder diesel engine – it was considered the best fit, literally and performance-wise, for the new Fastrac.

The engine is tuned to deliver peak power at 1,850rpm alongside a torque curve that rises as the revs are pulled down under heavy load to peak at 1,400rpm, generating 1,275Nm for the Fastrac 6260 and 1,400Nm for the 6300.

At least 95% of the max torque output is delivered across a 600rpm band from 1,200-1,800rpm, providing plenty of back-up “grunt” when ploughing or cultivating into a patch of tougher ground, or when pulling up an incline on the road.

The engine’s performance is power-matched to a well-proven ZF Eccom 3.1 stepless transmission, which delivers imperceptible on-the-move auto shifting amongst four ranges that provide a high proportion of mechanical drive efficiency at key field and transport speeds.

With lively acceleration and no power interruption from zero to 66kph, and no manual shifting between field and road ranges, the new engine and transmission pairing is managed by JCB’s Smart Transmission Control and adapts to different applications for optimum productivity and efficiency.

Hydraulics and power take-off

The new JCB Fastrac 6000 Series tractors have a high output variable-flow hydraulics package to handle the considerable oil demand of large, modern implements, with a dedicated hydraulic oil supply completely separate from the transmission eliminating any risk of cross contamination.

Max pump output is 205-litre/min as standard, with the Fastrac 6300 optionally available with a 410-litre/min twin pump installation to cater for the most demanding implements, such as large air seeders.

The new hydraulic valve block has lever-operated push-out, pull-in couplings, and a power beyond circuit is available, delivering a flow of oil to implements on demand.

At the rear, an 11,000kg three-point linkage – attached to the back axle to retain full suspension movement under load – and four-speed power-take off cater for all implement types.

The optional 5,000kg lift front linkage is complemented by a 1,000rpm power take-off with the new feature of a six-spline and 21-spline shaft, reversible just by removing a circlip, which adds to the tractor’s versatility with a wider selection of front-mounted power-driven implements.

In addition, the Fastrac 6000’s unique 5,000kg capacity rear load deck provides a third mounting location for equipment such as a sprayer or a liquid tank supplying fertiliser to a potato planter.

Tyre inflation management

JCB engineers have developed the fully-integrated central tyre inflation system (CTIS) as a single-line package passing through the front and rear axles and then via rotary seals to the rims, with special design features aimed at reliability, minimal maintenance and a long service life for key components.

Heat and contamination are potential hazards that can cause rotary seal issues, so the new Fastrac CTIS has a blast cooler to reduce the air temperature as it heats up under pressure, and the air is exhausted at the rim valve rather than being returned through the system to eliminate contamination risk when the tyres are being deflated to field pressures.

Two 315cc compressors provide an airflow of up to 600-litre/min, enabling four 650/60 R38 tyres to be inflated from, for example, 1 bar (14.5psi) to 2 bar (29psi) for road travel in just over four minutes, and deflated once back in the field in less than a minute.

The key benefit of this system, which is controlled using the tractor’s iCON touch screen display, is the convenience of switching between optimal field and road pressures, with fuel efficiency benefiting in both cases.

In the field, low pressures allow the tyre wall to flex and increase the size of the tyre-to-soil contact patch, giving the tractor maximum traction and least possible impact on soil structure.

Pumping air into the tyres for road travel adds stability and preserves the performance, road-going characteristics and longevity of the tyres, especially over the long runs at high speeds for which the Fastrac is uniquely equipped.

Hydro-pneumatic suspension

The Fastrac’s unique self-levelling advanced suspension at both axles gives the new 6000 Series tractors the highest levels of driver comfort and well-being over long working days – an attraction that can help keep experienced operators engaged long-term in a farming business. 

It also enables the tractor to achieve maximum traction with minimal ballast by shifting forwards the weight of a mounted implement, such as a plough or cultivator, closer to the Fastrac’s 50:50 unladen weight distribution, and by keeping the tractor’s tyres firmly engaged with the soil, especially over rough surfaces.

When operating demountable equipment on the rear deck, the hydro-pneumatic system enables the tractor to ‘squat’ as it reverses beneath a parked sprayer or spreader, resulting in easy, effort-free coupling – drive in, raise the suspension, lock the mounts, retract or remove the parking legs.

External disc brakes with ABS

Major advantages for the Fastrac are large externally mounted brake discs and callipers, front and rear, providing exceptional air-powered braking performance, natural air cooling, and unfettered access for inspection, servicing and maintenance.

There are two significant enhancements on the Fastrac 6000 Series: firstly a brake pad wear indicator to avoid the risk of worn pads going undetected and the discs becoming damaged, and secondly, discs attached to (rather than behind) the reduction hubs so there is no need to remove the hub to replace them.

That process can be completed in just three- to four hours – in stark contrast to the two to three days required to change a conventional tractor’s internal brake discs.

Electronic ABS anti-lock control maximises braking effect while preventing uncontrolled skidding on hard-surfaced roads and loose-surfaced tracks, while 2wd Traction Control kicks in to prevent the rear wheels from scrabbling for grip when turning from the road into a rough- or loose-surfaced field gateway.

Intelligent steering

New front and rear steering axles developed jointly with Dana carry 38in or 34in rims all round shod with factory-fitted 600mm, 610mm or 710mm wide high-speed tyres. Both axles are approved for dual wheel fitments for added traction, flotation and side-slope stability.

An enhanced version of JCB’s well-established four-wheel steering system has hydraulic rather than mechanical locking for smoother transitions between two-wheel and four-wheel steer proportional to forward speed.

There is also the important safety feature of a ground-driven pump that ensures the steering remains active should the engine stall or cut out.

Several modes of four-wheel steering are engaged through the Fastrac’s iCON display, and when travelling at road speed, four-wheel steering automatically cuts out to ensure stable and predictable characteristics in two-wheel steer; the system then reverts to four-wheel steer manoeuvrability for roundabouts and junctions.

Apart from providing a competitive turning radius at field headlands, four-wheel steer is especially valuable when turning a long trailer or implement into a field gateway, while modes such as True Tracking and Rear Delay are helpful when spreading and spraying in tramlines or crops grown in rows and beds, especially when turning in and out at the row ends.

Unique Twin Steer

The Fastrac’s unique Twin Steer system is available through JCB GPS, which utilises two NovAtel receivers; it controls the two axles individually, so the tractor can steer crab-wise directly to the wayline across a steep slope if a correction is needed to keep an implement on track.

In contrast, a two-wheel steer tractor must first turn towards the guidance wayline, causing the implement to be briefly pushed further away from its designated path, go briefly beyond the wayline and then back again to get the implement on course.

JCB’s Twin Steer system has proved highly effective at maintaining accurately spaced and positioned rows when sowing high-value vegetable and salad crops grown in beds, and at eliminating damage to crops or beds, especially during multi-pass operations – and all without the added expense, weight and complexity of an implement side-shift mechanism.

iCON digital technologies

Together with the new option to add a second 12in colour touch-screen display, providing more area to show tractor and implement information such as GPS guidance and ISOBUS, JCB software engineers have developed an enhanced version of the iCON digital operator/machine interface at the heart of the new Fastrac’s operating systems.

The new version provides even greater flexibility for populating the display screens with bespoke content of the operator’s choice, so that different screens can be called up to show the information – such as guidance, camera view, ISOBUS, section control, etc – most relevant to individual field and road tasks.

Also, operators can create multiple profiles of control set-ups and tractor and implement settings, saving them for quick recall when next carrying out the same operation.

Grouped under the iCONNECT banner are JCB LiveLink telematics for remote tractor monitoring and records, and optional ISOBUS, which comprises Universal Terminal, Task Controller and Aux-N auxiliary control allocation, with the option to upgrade with Section and Variable Rate Control.

JCB’s own factory-installed satellite guidance option is another iCONNECT function, this unique package having two NovAtel satellite signal receivers as standard, installed securely out of sight in the left- and right-hand sides of the cab roof panel.

This set-up provides highly accurate low-speed guidance, increased accuracy over undulating terrain compared with a single receiver, and quicker, more precise acquisition of pre-set waylines, reducing the amount of side-to-side oscillation at the start of the pass.

Also, in addition to straight-line and curve guidance, the system now provides a choice of headland turn pathways to increase ease of use through automation, and boost overall productivity.

Lighting and remote viewing

The new Fastrac tractor’s familiar and uniquely spacious two-seat cab is adorned with powerful LED work lights neatly set into the front and rear of the roof panel, supplementing those set into the engine hood grille and mounted on the cab ‘A’ post to provide bright 360-degree illumination.

Also contributing to the operator’s all-round view is a standard-fit trailer hitch camera and a new digital camera combination option comprising a front-mounted 180-degree fish-eye lens to help when emerging from a field on to a road, and a 120-degree camera at the back of the roof panel, both feeding images to the iCON display.

JCB Fastrac Family
Model	4160	4190	4220	6260	6300	8290	8330
Max power	133kW (178hp)	157kW (210hp)	175kW (235hp)	212kW (284hp)	250kW (335hp)	228kW (306hp)	260kW (348hp)
Max torque	825Nm	945Nm	1,000Nm	1,275Nm	1,400Nm	1,320Nm	1,450Nm
Engine	6.6-litre/6cyl			6.7-litre/6cyl		8.4-litre/6cyl
Transmission	2-range CVT			4-stage CVT		2-range CVT
Max speed	60kph			66kph		70kph
Steering	4-wheel steer multi-mode			4-wheel steer multi-mode		2-wheel steer
Suspension	Hydro-pneumatic self-levelling, double-acting front and rear
Brakes	Outboard discs, anti-lock braking system Brake pad wear indicator on 6000 Series
Hydraulics	195-litre/min			205-litre/min	205 or 410-litre/min	178-litre/min
Rear linkage	7,000kg	7,000 or 8,000kg	8,000kg	11,000kg		10,000kg
Front linkage	3,500kg			5,000kg		3,500kg
Rear deck capacity	4,000kg			5,000kg		5,000kg
PTO	4-speed			4-speed		2-speed
Base weight	7,575kg			11,000kg*		11,250kg
Max permitted weight	14,500kg			18,000kg		18,000kg
Wheelbase	2,980mm			3,180mm		3,130mm
Note: * Fastrac 6000 Series weight approximate; all weights are for base machines without front linkage and PTO. Engine: 4000 and 8000 Series – AGCO Power 66LFTN and 84LFVC; 6000 Series – FPT NEF67. Transmission: 4000 and 8000 Series – AGCO AVT ML180 and ML260; 6000 Series – ZF Eccom 3.1. Axles: 4000 Series – JCB; 6000 and 8000 Series – Dana/JCB.