Case 9380 Quad Trac

FTLComm - Swift Current - February 23, 2001

Since Case and Stieger merged the new company has consolidated its production and for the wide open prairie the multi-wheelled Stieger versions have been the main stay of Case farm sales. The big and most popular unit is the twelve wheeled 9380. Rick Martin the agricultural territory manager for Swift Current's Redhead Equipment Ltd. said that the Quad Trac version of the 9380 was extremely popular in the United States. Apparently the tracked version of this machine creates less soil disturbance and actually can out pull the twelve wheeled versions simply because it has more surface contact. The use of tracked equipment for field work is not new but what is new is the popularity of it with Cat doing quite well with their full tracked system. The advantage of using a tracked vehicle is that in the environment of today where trash cover and low levels of tillage are so important to efficient land management. By reducing the amount of compaction and still allowing the tractor to pull massive implements there is a tangible improvement in productivity. Rick Martin pointed out that the Quad Trac's swiveling chassis produced even less disturbance than the Cat which, though using rubber tracks still has to use braking to turn and throws up some dirt as it does so. It is important to note that though Martin was optimistic about sales for this machine in Saskatchewan, farms throughout the province are unable to deal off their existing equipment, no matter what the advantages of newer machinery. Unlike American farmers who enjoy such a considerable level of support from their federal government they are able to replace their aging tractors, while Canadian farmers will have to make do for the conceivable future