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TRACTORS

Valtra factory keeps producing first-gen Vario transmission

Agco’s Valtra factory in Finland is supplementing production of the first-generation ML-series Vario transmission for installation in some of its own tractors. Capacity at Fendt’s Marktoberdorf facility in southern Germany…

TRACTORS

First impressions: Sharper handling for latest John Deere 6R

When a tractor range is one of Europe’s bestsellers, the last thing you want to do is upset the formula. Get too radical with any redesigns and there is a…

TRACTORS

First impressions: Fendt 1100 MTs get power boost

Wind the clock back a decade and Fendt looked like it might push crawler tractors to the brink of UK extinction. The reputation of iconic twin-track brand Challenger was already…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: JCB Fastrac owner rates his pair of 6300s

Hauling heavyweight tankers, spreaders and trailers across England’s northernmost counties requires a tractor that’s as adept at clocking up hours on tarmac as it is in the field. That is…

TRACTORS

Claas launches refreshed 145-180hp Arion 5 tractors

Claas has revamped its middleweight Arion tractors with a nose-job and a bunch of driver-friendly features. Following hot on the heels of the company’s revised Axion 8 launch, this latest…

TECHNOLOGY

Converted Leyland 255 powered by used electric car parts

A quick drive-by of Ben Bament’s low-key workshop in Farmborough, Somerset would reveal nothing of the wizardly engineering cloaked under the most ordinary of machines berthed outside. Among his curious…

Tractor reviews and tests

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TRACTORS

First impressions: Valtra's new Q305 tractor

A two-year reshuffle of Valtra’s entire tractor range, including a new G-series and updates to the As, Ns and Ts, culminated this summer with the launch of a quintet of…

MACHINERY

Driver's view: McCormick MTX 150

Driver's verdict I like the simplicity of the McCormick. The gearbox is easy to use, the hydraulics are basic and there are no high-tech electronics to make things complicated. It…

201-300HP

On test: Fendt 724 Profi Plus

Fendt has long been the brand of choice for those that like to get technical with their tractors. When the last 700-series arrived on the scene in 2011, it brought…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Deutz-Fahr 6125 C

As with most tractor launches nowadays, it was inescapable emissions limits that drove Deutz-Fahr to replace its 6120, 6130 and 6140 with very similar 6 C models in early 2022.…

TRACTORS

Video: John Deere 6175R Directdrive tractor on test

The John Deere 6175R’s spacious, quiet cab and well-thought-out controls made it a clear favourite among our test team. We also got on well with the Directdrive transmission, which is…

MACHINERY

Case IH Maxxum 130 EP on test

Power Farming Verdict: 3.7/5 CNH was represented by the red-liveried Maxxum and its economical FPT engine scored highly. But it had a limited number of transmission settings and the monitor…

TRACTORS

Video: Kubota's 170hp four-cylinder M7173 on test

Kubota’s battle to become part of the 150hp-plus conversation took a new twist last month after HRN, one of Scotland’s biggest machinery dealers, penned a deal to sell and service…

Driver's view: New Holland TS135A

If you’re looking to bag yourself a second-hand bargain, the New Holland TS135A might not seem the most obvious choice. Yet this compact high-specification tractor has plenty to offer farmers…

MACHINERY

Driven: Zetor Proxima 85

Summary Power Transmission Cab PTO/Hydraulics Zetor has found a new lease of life recently with powershift gearboxes and a 180hp model due for launch in the near future. The Proxima…

MACHINERY

Video: McCormick sticks to what it does best with the X60

In the market for a new loader tractor? Nick Fone and David Cousins take a look a two new arrivals on the scene – McCormick’s X60.40 and Valtra’s A93. Intro…

TRACTORS

Video: John Deere four-track 8RX – an alternative to wheels?

Since its launch at Germany’s Agritechnica show in November, the web has been awash with pictures and videos of John Deere’s shiny new 8RX tracked tractor range. The hype has…

TRACTORS

First drive: McCormick pins hopes on updated X7 tractor range

When its tractors were built in Doncaster on Case-IH underpinnings, times for McCormick were really rather rosy. The sub-brand of Italian firm Argo Tractors – resurrected after Case-IH merged with…

Tractor guides

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TRACTORS

11 biggest tractors of all time

The average horsepower of new tractors in the 1920s was just 25hp, but it's now nearing 160hp. Michael Williams takes a look at the 11 most powerful tractors built over…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Soanes Farming rates its John Deere 8RX 370

John Deere’s 8-series tractors come in all shapes and sizes so, no matter whether you prefer four wheels, four tracks or two, there should be something that fits the bill…

TRACTORS

Buying a 150hp tractor? We look at 12 options

For sheer choice and variety, the 150hp bracket marks the tractor sector’s sweet spot, with most makers offering four- and six-cylinder alternatives and a multitude of transmission types and spec…

TRACTORS

Video: On test - John Deere 6250R v 7250R

The 250hp tractor market is bulging at the seams, so picking the model that provides the best balance of power, chassis size, transmission and fuel consumption requires careful consideration. In…

MACHINERY

What to look for in a used high-hp four-cylinder tractor

Demand has been steadily growing for high-horsepowered four-pot tractors. We run through the good, bad and ugly of three second-hand options from Claas, Valtra and John Deere. Ten years ago…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: UK tractor-building revolution failure

Agricultural and General Engineers (AGE) was formed in 1919 to help Britain’s tractor and machinery industry compete against the big American manufacturers, but it ended up putting some of its…

101-200HP

Kioti bids to undercut rivals with 140hp HX tractor

Name an up-and-coming East Asian tractor manufacturer that starts with K and has a penchant for orange paint. The Pointless answer, for fans of the BBC's favourite teatime quiz, is…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Massey Ferguson 5S.135 Dyna-4

More power and torque were the highlights of Massey Ferguson’s 5S line-up when it was ushered in to replace the popular 5700S almost three years ago. Doing so sacrificed a…

TRACTORS

Best sellers: Our top 10 tractors of the noughties

Modern tractors are getting ever more complex, with layers of electronic controls, fancy touchscreens and a medley of soot-stifling gizmos to keep exhaust emissions in check. When the tractor is…

TRACTORS

Video: Valtra's new 135hp G-series tractor on test

Valtra recently unveiled a completely new 105-135hp tractor range, but its choice of components marks something of a departure from traditional Finnish form. Rather than using home-built gearboxes, the new…

TRACTORS

First impressions: John Deere's 8RX 540 breaks new ground

American heavy artillery of a friendlier type will be shipped across the Atlantic later this year when the first battalion of Europe-bound 8Rs and RXs departs John Deere’s Iowan factory.…

TRACTORS

On test: Claas Arion 440 CIS

The Claas is all geared up for loader work, with brilliant views through the roof window, a clever speed steering system and clutch-pedal-free braking. However, it was short of power…

Tractor technology

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TECHNOLOGY

Fendt trials hydrogen fuel cell tractors

Fendt has revealed that two prototype hydrogen fuel cell tractors will be moving on to farms in Bavaria, southern Germany, this spring to help evaluate their performance and the practicalities…

TRACTORS

Mitas mobile app to help farmers set best tyre pressures

Czech tyre maker Mitas has introduced a new mobile tyre pressure app suitable for Android, Apple and Windows phones. The new app allows farmers to find the right pressure for their…

Knott self-adjusting brake claims to give easier servicing

Burton-on-Trent brake manufacturer Knott-Avonride has launched what it claims is the first automatically adjusting system for auto-reverse brakes for livestock trailers. Its universal brake system differs from other systems on the market…

Road legal

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Police ask tractor drivers to pull into lay-bys more often

Police in Gloucestershire are urging tractor drivers and other slow-moving vehicles to pull into lay-bys more often to let cars by. Concern has been raised about slow-moving tractors holding up…

Tractor insights and practical advice

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TRACTORS

11 biggest tractors of all time

The average horsepower of new tractors in the 1920s was just 25hp, but it's now nearing 160hp. Michael Williams takes a look at the 11 most powerful tractors built over…

TRACTORS

Buying a 150hp tractor? We look at 12 options

For sheer choice and variety, the 150hp bracket marks the tractor sector’s sweet spot, with most makers offering four- and six-cylinder alternatives and a multitude of transmission types and spec…

MACHINERY

What to look for in a used high-hp four-cylinder tractor

Demand has been steadily growing for high-horsepowered four-pot tractors. We run through the good, bad and ugly of three second-hand options from Claas, Valtra and John Deere. Ten years ago…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: UK tractor-building revolution failure

Agricultural and General Engineers (AGE) was formed in 1919 to help Britain’s tractor and machinery industry compete against the big American manufacturers, but it ended up putting some of its…

TRACTORS

Best sellers: Our top 10 tractors of the noughties

Modern tractors are getting ever more complex, with layers of electronic controls, fancy touchscreens and a medley of soot-stifling gizmos to keep exhaust emissions in check. When the tractor is…

MACHINERY

Solving your starter motor woes

Introduction Step-by-step Voltage drop testing Voltage drop – what’s it about? The opening part of this series laid out how the starter motor works, set the thing in the context of…

MACHINERY

Tractors on the road: Rights, wrongs, rules and regulations

When harvest is in full swing, tractors take to the roads up and down the country. It may seem unfair to farmers and contractors, but the presence of a greater…

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Tractor cab filters: are you protected?

Most operators and farmers will be well aware of the potential risks that working with agricultural chemicals brings, but with the right precautions, users will be kept free from any…

Big power outputs lift 4wd performance

A neat hydraulic suspension installation for the front axle is designed to help avoid “power hop” with the most powerful three tractors in John Deere’s latest big four-wheel drive range.…

TECHNOLOGY

Diesel-electric drives offer give cheaper tractor power

The Autonomous Tractor Corporation (ATC) has found a way to recycle old tractors to get another 25,000 hours of labour from a wornout workhorse. The US company, tucked away in…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: How safety and comfort reformed tractors

Driver safety and comfort are among the top essentials for today’s tractors, but they remained near the bottom of the priority list during the first 100 years or so of…

Video

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TRACTORS

Video: On test - John Deere 6250R v 7250R

The 250hp tractor market is bulging at the seams, so picking the model that provides the best balance of power, chassis size, transmission and fuel consumption requires careful consideration. In…

MACHINERY

Driven: Valtra Powershift v CVT

[fwi_vidyard code="vYeLMkbMi0FNEz-3s1vwBw"] Power Farming Verdict Star Star Star Star Star The CVT version of Valtra's mid-sized T202 is a very competent performer. However, if the tractor was destined solely for…

TRACTORS

Video: JCB Fastrac smashes British tractor speed record

Daredevil stunt rider Guy Martin was at the helm of a highly modified JCB Fastrac as it broke the British tractor speed record, travelling at 103.6mph. See also: Video: Valtra…

TRACTORS

Video: Valtra's new 135hp G-series tractor on test

Valtra recently unveiled a completely new 105-135hp tractor range, but its choice of components marks something of a departure from traditional Finnish form. Rather than using home-built gearboxes, the new…