An all-new design for the Spaldings FlatLift subsoiler has been unveiled to cater for higher horsepower tractors while maintaining its low running cost, high build quality and efficient soil loosening characteristics.
The new design incorporates an exceptionally strong box-section frame to cope with the rigours of operating on powerful tractors in heavy soils, and its ‘V’ shape places the tines in the optimum position for effective soil loosening across the entire width but with low draft forces and good trash flow.
Steve Constable, Spaldings managing director, said: “The original FlatLift started the trend towards shallower, targeted subsoiling that restructures compacted soils with minimal impact at the surface. The new FlatLift V Range implements maintain that core purpose and ability but are much stronger to match today’s more powerful tractors and offer auto reset leg protection.”
Key features from the original FlatLift design are retained, such as the slim legs with replaceable shins, and the prominent point and broad wings.
The wings are set back from the point and at a shallow angle so that these two components work together to create a progressive lifting and aggregate restructuring action with the least possible effort and without excessive heave or soil ‘boiling’ at the surface.
“Maximum working depth is 500mm, the emphasis being on the ability to work at shallow depths just beyond any layers of compaction caused by field traffic during cultivations, ploughing, harvesting, and so on, or at greater depths if necessary,” explains Steve Constable.
“Restructuring compromised soils in this way helps maintain effective drainage, encourages rapid infiltration of water after heavy rain, and enables deep-rooting crops – such as oilseed rape – to put down strong, healthy root systems.”
In addition to the standard soil-engaging fitments, the new V Range subsoilers can be upgraded with tungsten-protected and Spaldings’ own SPLUltra high-performance wearing parts.
Standard equipment includes multi-shot shear pin leg protection but a hydraulic auto-reset system is also available for work in more challenging conditions; and this system has the added ability to lift the legs for increased clearance during transport.
An 800mm diameter serrated ring finishing roller is also standard; the Multipacka is designed to provide a level, weather-proof finish while helping to maintain a consistent working depth, which is adjustable in small increments using the multiple pin-and-hole positions for the packer’s long trailing arms.
Three fully-mounted sizes of this important new addition to the Spaldings implement range distributed in the UK and Ireland are available: the three-leg FlatLift V3 with 900mm tine spacing to cover a working width of 2.7m; the FlatLift V4 with legs spaced 650mm apart for a 2.8m working width; and the five-leg, 650mm spacing Spaldings FlatLift V5 works across 3.6m.
Transport widths are 3.0m for the V3 and V4 models, and 3.6m for the V5, and all three are available with either shear pin or hydraulic auto reset leg protection, have a rigid frame incorporating a heavy-duty Category 3/4 headstock, and two pin-and-hole parking stands.
There is also the 4.7m trailed FlatLift V7 deploying seven legs in vee formation on a frame that folds to a 2.9m transport width; like the mounted versions, it too is available with shear pin or auto reset protection.
