by Jason Hasert

        CaseIH implements have the 1/64 field in 2003.   The new MRX690 Mulch-Tiller is the latest in the 1/64 CaseIH lineup.  This ripper is an outstanding piece and one of the nicest tillage implements from Ertl yet. 

       The MRX690 is a great item for 1/64 displays.   It is modeled after CaseIH's true one-pass soil management system.   The MRX690 is available as a 5 and 7 shank model. Ertl has replicated the larger 7 shank model in 1/64.  The MRX690 is built to size residue, remove compaction and leave the surface of the field uniformly mulched, leveled and ready for Spring cultivation.   The MRX690 is the modern day plow with added features.

       The MRX690 can work allot of ground much faster than a plow while leaving good levels of crop residue.  With the combination of shallow concavity front disk blades, CaseIH deep parabolic shanks with tiger points and rear standard disk blades it is hard to beat the MRX690.  With 7 shanks the MRX at 17.5 ft can work ground a 7 mph.  

        CaseIH recommends tractors from 200-400 hp for the MRX690. The big question from collectors is always what tractor best matches this implement.  In all of the literature CaseIH shows the MRX on an STX 375 Quad-Trac.  A triple tire STX 375 from Ertl fits the new  ripper well and was the choice tractor for this article.  Other Ertl models that would work well would be the kit STX 375 QuadTrac, STX 425 tire and QuadTrac from the NeXt Generation set and the MX 285 and MX 270 Magnums.  Scale Models QuadTrac, 9380 QuadTrac, 9370 and 9390 are good matches.  The MRX690 can be hooked to a big 2wd like the MX285 and 270 but an articulated Steiger is best matched to work the ripper at 7 mph constantly. 

         Ertl did a great job with the MRX690. It has all the detail of the real model.  The only detail missing is hazard lights.  This is too bad because other implements from Ertl like the 1590 no-till drill do have hazard lights.   An A still goes to Ertl because the model has tandem walking wheels, swing in rear disk gangs and detailed tiger point shanks.  Collectors have long asked for big tillage implements and Ertl has answered twice in 2003 first with the John Deere 2700 ripper and now the CaseIH MRX690.  Hopefully 2004 will 1/64 more CaseIH implements in 1/64.

TTT November 2003 Page 10

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