RBR Vortex self-propelled sprayer Launch Review

American sprayer brand, RBR, is no stranger to the Australian market, with its wares having been sold locally under Sonic Boomsprays in the past. In 2024, its machines have found a new home with another local spraying specialist, Croplands.

The South Australia-based distributor was looking for a new machine to add to its stable of offerings and decided upon RBR’s units due to their simplicity and durability.

Newly arrived in the country, the RBR Vortex self-propelled sprayers offer outputs of 390 or 430hp and a whole lot of capacity.

We recently had the chance to hop in for a spin at a demo day in Griffith courtesy of Croplands.

A 9-litre Cummins engine under the bonnet powers the RBR Vortex, putting up to 430hp of power down the ground via an RDS Allison transmission.

The transmission gives operators a wide range of speeds to work with, up to a transport speed of 83km/h for fast transits between paddocks, for example.

The Vortex has both two- and four-wheel drive, with either mode engaging and disengaging automatically according to the prevailing speed. When going at road speed, the front axles are disengaged automatically while when travelling at low range, four-wheel drive comes on to give the machine traction to work through uneven ground in paddocks.

Meritor heavy-duty axles transfer power to the wheels while S-cam air braking gives operators ultimate control.

According to Cropland’s Steve Norton, the use of tried-and-tested components makes the machine incredibly simple to maintain and run, and more importantly, reliable.

“The driveline effectively could be serviced by your local truck mechanic without the need to get specialist trained people involved in the servicing of your vehicle,” he said.

“The RBR with mechanical drive has a reputation of offering longevity up to 5000, 6000 or even 7000 hours of operation.

“We currently have a contractor in Victoria running one at 10,000 hours, so they have a great shelf life.”

A 9400-litre stainless tank made by tank specialist, Mid-State, in Illinois, USA, comes standard with the RBR Vortex, offering plenty of capacity for farmers to spray more in a day. However, that is not its only appeal.

According to Croplands, the tank can be split into a dual tank if required – a larger main tank and a 1500-litre ‘hot tank’.

This gives operators the option of having two different types of chemicals in each tank for spot spraying purposes if they so wish.

“And if operators are not spot spraying from day one, they can simply tee the two tanks together and use it as a joint tank. And all that means is that in road transport, you've got an extremely well-baffled series of tanks that keep a very stable platform as you’re traveling, particularly if you’re going at high speed,” Norton said.

A 36m Millenium aluminum boom comes with the Vortex, with a 40m option also available. Croplands is also looking at offering a 48m boom in the near future.

A boom recirculation system, tank cleaner injection system and air flush come standard on the machines, ensuring booms are primed for spraying at any time, and that any product left in the boom can be blown out or returned to the tank, minimising wastage.

An easy-to-use load station has all electronic valves that are controlled through a touch display. Unlike a manual system, the display allows for one-touch operation to control the required valves to perform a specific function.

Croplands has imported the RBR Vortex sprayers with the premium cab option, knowing just how much time operators spend in these machines.

The cabs, manufactured by another USA-based company, Crenlo, feature a heated and cooled leather air suspension seat and sound system with Bluetooth for making and receiving phone calls or just listening to some tunes while working away.

The joystick and controls for the sprayer are all clustered on the right armrest and the buttons are all backlit for easier identification, although they are a bit hard to see in bright daylight.

The Vortex comes fitted with a Raven display for control of the machine and the spraying operations.

Operators can fit the machine with GPS and guidance systems if they wish, to give more precision to their spraying operation and to increase accuracy and productivity.

Driving the sprayer was an effortless and rather fun experience, especially when you push it to its max travel speed.

It didn’t take me long at all to learn the ropes. Soft gel buttons control the machine direction while the joystick controls the speed. That really is all there is to driving the sprayer.

Boom folding and height are all easily controlled via the Raven monitor.

The air suspension seat and gas shocks underneath the machine absorb any bumps when travelling through paddocks, offering operators an enjoyable and fatigue-free driving experience. The climate-controlled cab keeps drivers comfortable throughout the day, regardless of the weather conditions outside.

The RBR Vortex truly lived up to its claim of simplicity. There are hardly any bells and whistles and no complicated tech in the cab or around the machine, which is really a big plus. That reduces the possibility of electrical or technical faults, thus reducing downtime for farmers ensuring they can get going with their job all day, every day.

Its ease of operation is also paramount, ensuring first-time operators such as backpackers can almost hop in and drive it straight away.

The sprayers retail from around $800,000.

Croplands has only brought in a limited number of units into Australia at the moment, and is currently running a series of demonstrations around the country to gauge feedback and spread the word about these robust machines.

For more information on RBR’s Vortex self-propelled sprayers, visit Cropland’s website.