In early March Case IH added to its line of Early Riser planters with the introduction of the 2160. Available with either 32 or 36 rows, this big planter can be ordered in four different configurations with the steerable Rowtrac Carrier System or as a standard wheeled model.
The 2160 gets Case IH’s latest planting technology too, so it’s capable of working at up to 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h) in the field. High-speed capability, it seems, is quickly becoming an industry standard for planters, as are tracks on large models because of the floatation they offer.
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“The 2160 Early Riser planter with steerable Rowtrac Carrier System provides up to 74 per cent increased floatation over a wheeled carrier to reduce soil compaction,” said Tony McClelland, Case IH planter marketing manger, in a press release. “With more square inches on the ground, toolbar weight is evenly distributed to improve planting performance in areas of the country with soft, loamy soils and/or wet planting conditions.”
The Rowtrac system is able to pivot on three different axes: pitch, roll and yaw (which sounds a little like the description of airplane controls). That, claims the company, allows the tracks to maintain consistent ground pressure when following uneven terrain. The Rowtrac design won Case IH an AE50 design award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). And because it’s also steerable, getting the planter through tight spaces or over narrow field approaches is a little easier.
All 2000 Series planters, including the 2160, create what Case IH claims is the only flat-bottom seed trench in the industry to improve placement accuracy. Meter drive is electric and the planter uses hydraulic down force.
