14 TradeFarmMachinery.com.au THE TRACTOR YOU WANT IS NOW EASIER TO FIND
M
eettheCottonPro70.10telehandler by Dieci. While
theItalian-madetelehandleris an underdog in a highly
competitivemarketthatfeaturesthelikes of JCB and Manitou,
thebigyellowCottonProcomeswith some impressive
credentials.
Basedin theEmilia-Romagnaregionof Italy, Dieci developed
Europe’sfirst-evertelescopicforkliftin 1983 and since then has
beensellingitsfirst-classtelehandlers across the globe, with 85
per cent of its machines sold abroad.
The model tested here, the Cotton Pro 70.10, is a no-fuss
machine that was being used at a cotton gin in rural New South
Wales. As the name suggests, the 70.10 has a seven-tonne lift
capacity and a 10-metre maximum reach (9.5m really).
Under the bonnet it boasts a four-cylinder Tier 3 FPT engine. It’s
actually the machine’s best feature – a bullet-proof engine that is
quite common and found in plenty of agricultural machinery, so
therefore easy to maintain and service.
Other key features of the Cotton Pro 70.10 include its cabin,
which aside from making the driver feel like a Star Wars pilot,
is super spacious and fitted with a comfortable air suspension
seat and a booming air con system, which is a must for imports
into Australia.
The cabin visibility is very good also, due to its 360-degree cabin
and one-piece-glass windshield.
One gripe I often have with machinery is with cabin layouts.
Many manufacturers – especially in the tractor space – claim they
have the superior cabin ergonomics, when in fact they don’t. The
Dieci on the other hand is actually well laid out.
It is a simple interior, but when you’re flogging it around rural
Australia in dirt and dust – or a cotton gin – you certainly don’t
want anything crazy in terms of electronics. Dials, the radio and
gauges are located in the right corner of the cabin, so you can see
them without the steering wheel getting in the way, all in arm’s
reach next to the boom hand controller.
A couple of features added to the machine for the Oz conditions
include the “tropical cooling system”, an altered cooling system
designed to shield from cotton, debris and dust instead of it
getting into the inter cooler. Another necessary addition is the
heat shields around the exhaust pipes, obviously to reduce fire
hazards when dealing with cotton.
First experiences of a Dieci telehandler were really positive.
You can certainly see why they sell 3,000-plus telehandlers
a year, making Dieci one of the largest telehandler companies
in the world.
TheDieciCottonPro70.
telehandleris spacious,
simpleandwelllaidout,
saysHarrisonHunkin
The cabin visibility is
very good, due to its
360-degree cabin and
one-piece-glass
windshield.
COVER STORY
gentle
- The Cotton Pro 70.10 has a seven-tonne
lift capacity
- Heat shields encase the exhaust pipe
- A well laid out cabin has everything in
arm’s reach
- The Cotton Pro 70.10 has a four-cylinder
Tier 3 FPT engine
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