Lely

Craig Pilet - Lely Lotus 1020 Profi - New Zealand

LELY LOTUS 1020 Profi tedder

Lely Lotus combines reliability with high tedding standards

Superior pick up ability and robust construction were a given for Marton contractor Craig Pilet when he purchased his Lely Lotus 1020 Profi tedder last year. The impressive 10.2m working width was underscored with innovation Craig was already familiar with from owning a Stabilo 600.

The Lotus Profi shared the same genetics of the Lely stable, with unique hooked tines, solid frame and simple reliability combined into the greater working width of the 1020.

"We were looking for a machine that was as reliable, but wider. The Lotus Stabilo had always gone well, picking up all types of crop regardless of its length, and the Stabilo Profi is certainly no different there." Craig's contracting business includes hay and balage work and he is known for the high standards he strives for to achieve consistently dense, quality bales of either. To achieve it he requires quality gear, and attributes part of his success to his Lely Welger balers, but his tedders also play a big part in getting crops to a good bale ready standard.

The unique hooked tine system on the Lely Lotus rotors proves ideal for hooking up the shorter leafy clover rich crops Craig will encounter on sheep farms.
"On a lot of these types of crops when you the tractor tyre ruts you find with straight tines they are not as capable of picking up the shorter stalked grass from the ruts, it can be frustrating. We find we just are not leaving anything behind with the Lotus." Some seasons he may only get one shot at turning the crop if conditions are dry enough before baling.

Contact between ground surface and the hooked tines is more consistent, yet breakages are minimal compared to straight tines and no more costly to replace. He finds even with fine cut silage or balage cut early in the season when moisture and leaf content are high, the machine copes well.

While the 10m-plus width of the Lely Lotus 1020 may seem daunting, Craig has found the Profi steering system has proven more than capable of handling tighter headlands and gate ways, while the long draw bar allows for good stability and a good view of where the tedder is sitting.

The two point linkage system is set to provide a near enough "true tracking" pattern behind the tractor, keeping the foot print of tractor and tedder compact for headland turns and tighter areas.

"The fact that the transport wheels stay on the ground - and not raised up like on some other brands - means the stress on the frame is kept to a minimum and it sits well on the road."
He believes the high quality, solid steel frame of the Lely Lotus 1020 Profi makes it an easier machine to
transport at speed with less bounce and susceptibility to breakages. While the Lely Lotus is capable of running at 540 rpm, Craig tends to let the crop type and quality determine speed and finds a lighter, high clover crop will pick up well at speeds down to 300-350rpm through the eight rotor set up.
The multi rotor set up compensates for the rotors being slightly smaller, while 56 tines on the ground gives a thorough stalk and leaf sweep.

"The key thing with Lely gear is the solidness and the simplicity that means it is pretty bombproof, you do pay more for it, but you don't have any worries about it not lasting the distance," says Craig.

He points to the ease of operating of the Lotus Profi, which simply hooks up to the PTO and hydraulics, one single acting valve to control lifting the rotors, the other double acting valve to swing rotors around to the transport position.

"There is no worry about leaving a control panel in one tractor and taking off in another to find you don't have it."

With a diverse range of clients from sheep, dairy to mixed crop Craig faces a variety of grass swards. The Lely Lotus Profi's capability across all has helped maintain his reputation as a source of quality supplements throughout the lower North Island.