Near Intersection of I-35 & I-90 Southern Mn. | I have the same tractor. I purchased it used on a retirement sale. It came with a Trimble CFX-750 with a Trimble Nav II running on WAAS and external steering valve. I have Ag Leader steering on my other tractors. Two with legacy Steer Command, one with Steer Command Z2 and a GPS 7500 using TerraStar Pro C. I also have Ag Leader's Steady Steer in my combine.
Since one of my tractors with Steer Command no longer really needs auto steer, I've considered moving it along with the Ag Leader Steer Command and GPS to the STX. I believe I would be able to reuse the external valve that is currently being used with the CFX-750. I have been reluctant to do so as the STX is just used for primary and secondary tillage where the present system does work. Since it uses WAAS there are some shifts at times. If I would move the Ag Leader from one of the other tractors I could use the GPS 7500 with it which would have the better correction. Otherwise I could use one of my GPS 6500's that are on WAAS.
One problem with moving the GPS 7500 to get the better GPS location is that during that time in the Spring, the 7500 is busy in the planting tractor. In the fall, the 7500 is on the combine although a 6500 would be adequate there.
I will probably just stick with the Trimble in the STX as it does work for tillage. Moving the Ag Leader system would require changing the wheel position sensor which should be possible without much problem.
Steady Steer in my combine has worked very well. I use it with the InCommand 1200 to turn the steering wheel while combining soybeans. I have a Headsight Truesight II feeler system for corn. It has a pair of feelers on the corn head. It uses the Steady Steer motor but the input is from the feelers instead of GPS. This means I have both controllers/wiring in the combine. When switching from soybeans to corn, I need to move the connector from the Steady Steer controller to the Truesight controller. I also need to move the remote engage switch from one system to the other. This all works very well.
You mention the unlock prices for upgrading beyond WAAS. Those prices are for the one time unlock only. Many TerraStar packages have a yearly fee beside the one-time unlock. I believe mine for TerraStar Pro C on my GPS 7500 was $900 this year.
As far as whether you should go the Steady Steer route or go with a Steer Command Z2 and reuse your current valve, you are probably in the best position to decide since you have experience with both. I'm surprised that using your old valve with Steer Command Z2 is $1300 more than Steady Steer. If you go the Steady Steer route, who gets the used steering valve? Do you get to keep it or does it go with the Trimble equipment. Then again maybe all you have for a Trimble install is the steering valve. The steering valves get spendy plus the brackets and hydraulic fittings.
Although Steady Steer works very well, if I had my choice I would definitely go with Steer Command Z2.
Here's a real long shot thought. If you just have the steering valve on the tractor and none of the other Trimble equipment, remove the valve and use Steady Steer. Then I switch my STX over to Ag Leader Steer Command and reuse my steering valve. Between the two of us we would have a complete system with the display etc. from me and the valve from you. Then someone could buy the pieces from both of us for a complete system. Not to likely to happen though. Good Luck.
Edited by tedbear 3/16/2024 10:46
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STX tractor auto steer
