Grimme KS 75-4/Farming Simulator 15
The Grimme KS 75-4 is a Potato Haulm Topper available in Farming Simulator 15. It is designed to remove the tops off Potato crops, which is a necessary step before actually harvesting Potatoes. It is the only stand-alone Potato Haulm Topper in the base game.
Overview
The KS 75-4 is a Haulm Topper specifically designed for Potatoes. Its purpose is to cut the leaves off the plant, to make it suitable for harvesting.
The harvesting process for the Root Crops (Potato and Sugar Beet) involves two steps: First, the above-ground leafy part of the plant must be removed, and only then can the actual roots be extracted from the ground as a crop yield.
The KS 75-4 is the only machine available in the base game whose sole purpose is to perform this task on Potatoes. The only other machine is the extremely-expensive Grimme Tectron 415, which cuts the haulm and harvests the Potatoes at the same time.
The Grimme KS 75-4 is a header for tractors. It has a Three-point hitch, which can be attached either at the front or back of any tractor that has a similar hitch. Every tractor in the game has a Three-point hitch at the back, but not every tractor in the base game has such a hitch at the front. In particular, the largest tractors lack a front one. Attaching the KS 75-4 at the front of a tractor makes it slightly easier to maneuver, and produces better results when using Hired Workers.
- Note: Although it is possible to attach the KS 75-4 at the front of a tractor, and a Grimme SE 260 at the rear, this combination is not as useful as it sounds. The SE 260 has a much narrower head than the KS 75-4, which is also offset to one side. This means that the resulting field will have strips of harvestable Potatoes on it after the first pass. This may cut work times a little, but requires careful driving, and is far from optimal. It also prohibits the use of a Hired Worker.
Once attached and driven to a field containing ripe Potatoes, the KS 75-4 can be lowered and activated. It requires 45 kW / 61 hp to operate, otherwise it will refuse to activate. Any tractor in the base game can provide the required amount of power. While operating, the KS 75-4 imposes a speed limit of 15 km/h. As the KS 75-4 passes over ripe Potatoes, it will remove the haulms (the vegetation sticking above the ground), leaving only the Potatoes themselves, underground. These must be collected with a separate machine, such as the Grimme SE 260.
The working width of the KS 75-4 is very narrow, at only 3.3 meters. It is actually 10% wider than the expensive Grimme Tectron 415, but of course the Tectron can harvest simultaneously as it cuts the haulms.
You may hire a Worker to operate the KS 75-4.
Specifications
- Price: $7,900
- Maintenance: $10 / day
- Working width: 3.3m
- Required power: 45 kW / 61 hp
- Selling price: $3,950 ($4,740 at shop)