New Holland has listened to user feedback, giving its reworked 16.5t loading shovel more power to match the pace of bigger choppers. We pack away some silage with the W170D+ Forage Power.
KEEPING IT BRIEF
- New Holland reworked its W170D making it better suited to silage clamping duties.
- Horsepower and hydraulic performance have been noticeably increased on the W170D+ Forage Power.
- The operator also benefits from added comfort.
Two years ago in our wheeled loading shovel comparison (profi 3/2024 and profi 4/2024), New Holland’s W170D put in a decent performance, a practical, matter-of-fact machine.
We particularly liked the good view of the attachment and general ease of operation. But we also spotted room for improvement in performance, hydraulic control and the joystick.
New Holland has now addressed all of these points with the facelifted W170D+ Forage Power, which, as the name suggests, makes it a silage pushing and sliage clamp climbing specialist.
Engine and transmission step up a gear
The W170D+ shovel still packs the same six-cylinder, 6.7-litre FPT engine, which now puts out 187kW/255hp; that’s a sizeable increase of around 30% from the regular W170D’s 145kW/195hp. Torque, meanwhile, has gone up by as much as 37%, according to New Holland’s own figures: 1,300Nm now reach the driveline, compared with 950Nm on the standard model.
We put the Forage Power model to work on a maize clamp and found that this extra power really made itself known. The facelift has made a massive difference to the Italian- built shovel when it comes to climbing and pushing.
To keep the more powerful engine fed over longer working days, the fuel tank capacity has been upped from 250 to 400 litres. New Holland adds that the engine is approved for running on biodiesel and HVO.
Another key change on the Forage Power is with the transmission: instead of the five-speed torque converter, it now runs a six-speed. The new model also gets a torque lock-up from first gear, while the standard model is only from second. This is a change we noticed straight away when climbing the steep ramp, pushing and carrying forks full of maize.
The front axle also gets a 100% locking diff, and the rear axle has a self-locking diff. The power-inch function, which prevents the loader rolling back, is still on hand should you need it.
Better comfort for the operator
We praised the cab in our 2024 test, and this verdict still stands: all-round visibility is good, both to the front and also behind thanks to the narrow bonnet covering the lengthways-mounted engine. The view out to the sides is good, too. New Holland has improved the lighting, with 12 LED work lights now delivering 43,000 lumens.
The cab updates are primarily focused on improving operator comfort. Top of the list is the new air-suspended seat (there is even a £2,000 deluxe version with low-frequency suspension, ventilation, a wider seat cushion and leather trim), plus a beefed-up air-conditioning system with more oomph. Plus, there are now two USB ports (USB A and C) fitted near a storage tray.
The 170 also gets a new reversing camera. It has a wide-angle lens for an almost 180 degrees picture, giving the operator a better view behind the machine. There is also a radar-type collision warning system and the reversing beeper is a white-noise version so the sound doesn’t carry as far as the usual beep and is also easier to pinpoint. The mirrors are now wide-angle as standard but can be upgraded to electric adjustment and heating (£180).
What’s new in the controls
For the controls, New Holland has fitted the facelifted model with three semi-automated functions: bucket filling and emptying, plus the ability to record and repeat movement sequences. These are activated via the 170’s control panel buttons in combination with joystick functions.
The joystick offers more precise control than before, and moving the lever also takes less effort than before. For even more comfort, you can also add joystick steering to the left-hand armrest, at around £4,200 extra.
Another new feature to make life easier for operators is an engine speed memory for running hydraulic attachments or for road travel. To use it, the operator simply presses a button on the control panel and the engine maintains the selected revs.
Other details
- The mudguard extensions have quick-release fasteners for fast removal.
- New Holland has positioned the radiators behind the shovel’s cab for easy access. A reversing fan is included as standard.
- All W170D+ Forage Power models have Z-kinematics and a long-reach boom.
- The standard tyre size is 750/65 R26.5, which results in an overall loader height of 3.44m.
Christian Brüse
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