AgGPS® EZ-Steer®

AgGPS EZ-Steer Assisted Steering System FAQ

What is the AgGPS EZ-Steer system?
The Trimble® AgGPS® EZ-Steer™ assisted steering system is an affordable assisted steering upgrade for the FmX Integrated Display, the EZ-Guide 500, and the EZ-Guide 250. The system consists of a steering controller and an electric motor with a foam wheel which attaches to the vehicle steering column, and turns the steering wheel to keep the vehicle on line as a driver would.

What vehicles can the EZ-Steer system be installed on?
The EZ-Steer system can be installed on any Trimble approved agricultural vehicle with power steering. This includes tractors, articulated tractors, sprayers, spreader trucks, and combines. Contact your local EZ-Steer Reseller or check www.EZ-Steer.com to see if your vehicle is approved for use with the EZ-Steer system. More vehicles are being approved every week so check www.EZ-Steer.com regularly.

Who should use this system? If you have a Trimble approved agricultural vehicle with power steering you can use the EZ-Steer system. It is a low cost assisted steering device that is more accurate than foam markers and can be used on older vehicles such as the John Deere series 4000 tractor. Contact your local EZ-Steer Reseller or check www.EZ-Steer.com to see if your vehicle is approved for use with the EZ-Steer system.

Why use the EZ-Steer system?
The EZ-Steer system reduces the stress of manually keeping the vehicle on line, which results in better accuracy. The driver has more time to monitor implements, spray booms or other controllers in the cab or even check for blocked nozzles and that the correct material is being applied at the correct rate.

How is the EZ-Steer system different from the Autopilot system?
The EZ-Steer system is an assisted steering upgrade for the FmX Integrated Display, the EZ-Guide 500, and the EZ-Guide 250. It uses an electric motor to turn the steering wheel and it mounts on the steering column of the agricultural vehicle. The electric motor turns the wheel to keep the farm vehicle on-line as determined by the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar. In contrast, the AgGPS Autopilot™ system is a fully featured automated steering system which interfaces to the hydraulic system of the vehicle. It uses a 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) for tilt compensation and steering angle sensors to provide very accurate vehicle control. The AgGPS Autopilot system is ideal for row crop planting on any terrain, while the EZ-Steer system is more suited to spreading and spraying applications on broadacre crops where extremely accurate positions are not required.

Will the EZ-Steer system void my vehicle warranty?
The EZ-Steer system does not void your vehicle warranty. You can remove the EZ-Steer system from a vehicle in a few minutes and never know it was fitted. How does the EZ-Steer system attach to my vehicle? There are a range of brackets available for installation of the EZ-Steer system for a wide range of agricultural vehicles. For information on the correct bracket for your vehicle, check www.EZ-Steer.com. Vehicle brackets are US$75 each, making it affordable if you need to transfer the system between vehicles. You can remove the EZ-Steer system from a vehicle in a few minutes and never know it was fitted.

How accurate is the EZ-Steer system?
The EZ-Steer system will give 6-12 inch pass-to-pass accuracy 95% of the time1 in fields with minimal slopes. If the slope in the field is constant you will also get 6-12 inch pass to pass accuracy. If the slope changes along a swath or between swaths then 1-2 inches of cross track error per degree of slope change along the swath is typical.

Will the EZ-Steer system drive around curves and headlands?
Yes. The EZ-Steer system can automatically steer the vehicle on curves, headlands, and pivots. The EZ-Steer system can give sub-foot pass to pass accuracy on gentle curves at low-medium speeds with 2WD/MFD tractors, in fields with minimal slope2. Curve steering accuracy will degrade at higher speeds, on tight curves, or sloping fields, and may not be achievable on vehicle types such as 4WD articulated tractors, sprayers, floaters, and trucks. For higher accuracy on tight curves, sloping fields, and at high speeds an AgGPS Autopilot system is recommended.

Will the EZ-Steer system give 4 inch pass-to-pass accuracy?
Yes, 4 inch pass-to-pass accuracy can be obtained on fields with minimal slope by using the EZ-Steer system with the FmX Integrated Display or the EZ-Guide 500 with OmniSTAR HP corrections3.

Will the EZ-Steer system give 1 inch pass-to-pass accuracy?
No, 1 inch pass-to-pass accuracy is obtained by using the AgGPS Autopilot RTK automated steering system. The Autopilot system is more accurate than the EZ-Steer system due to extremely accurate tilt compensation and additional sensors that allow greater accuracy.

What is the intallation time for the EZ-Steer system?
The EZ-Steer system can typically be installed into most vehicles in less than 30 minutes. How do I configure the EZ-Steer system? The EZ-Steer system needs very little configuration. Simply use the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar to enter the vehicle measurements from a supplied sheet and you are ready to go. If you need to adjust the steering sensitivity, you can easily do this using the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar. You do not need any other computers or devices in the field to configure the system.

Can I move the EZ-Steer electric motor out of the way?
If you do not need the EZ-Steer system you can latch the motor a few inches away from the wheel. Alternatively you can quickly remove it from the vehicle by unscrewing two screws, and leave the bracket attached for quick re-installation. It is not necessary to remove the EZ-Steer system's motor during turns or short-term manual steering because the soft-foam rubber wheel on the edge of the steering wheel is designed so fingers can easily pass under the drive wheel with no discomfort. Alternatively, you can attach an inexpensive spinner knob to the steering wheel so that you can steer the tractor without the need to touch the outer rim.

What safety features does the EZ-Steer system have?
The EZ-Steer system has the following safety features:

• Manually turning the steering wheel automatically disengages the EZ-Steer system.
• The electric motor can be latched away from the wheel when the EZ-Steer system is not in use.
• Fingers can easily pass under the soft foam drive wheel with no discomfort.
• The shaft of the electric motor is covered by a tough plastic shroud.
• In the unlikely event of anything getting caught around the drive shaft, the EZ-Steer motor will automatically disengage.
• The optional remote keypad contains a warning buzzer that can sound when approaching the end of the swath.
• An optional accessory kit contains a loud Sonalert buzzer and also a seat switch so that the system will not engage without someone sitting in the driver's seat.
• Steering column brackets are custom designed to fit each approved vehicle without interfering with any controls, or blocking entry or exit from the cab.
• The system will not engage if the vehicle speed is below 2 mph, or stationary.
• The system will only engage if it is within a user defined distance and angle from the swath.
• The EZ-Steer system will not operate above a maximum speed determined by the vehicle type.
• The EZ-Steer system requires the operator to acknowledge they are still in the cab after it has been engaged for 10 minutes. If the operator doesn't acknowledge their presence then the system will disengage.