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TRACTORS

McCormick X7.624's in-cab controls are a work in progress

Nine new dealers have put pen to paper in the past 18 months, there is an updated 340hp flagship on its way, and a squad of Italian engineers is working…

TRACTORS

On test: New engine and transmission revitalise Fendt 516

Too small for heavy tillage and too dear for livestock-related duties, Fendt’s four-cylinder tractors have traditionally served as backfill for the ever-popular 724.  But the tables are turning. With the…

TRACTORS

More driverless tech for Amos Power's 85hp electric tractor

A US digital tech business hopes to emulate European manufacturers such as AgXeed by selling a twin-track driverless tractor for field work. Weighing in at about 3t, the Amos Power…

TRACTORS

Revamped Valtra T-series gets new 10-speed powershift

The Finns like to do things their own way. So, despite Valtra’s new T6 being peppered with shared Agco parts, there is a healthy dose of Suolahti engineering in the…

TRACTORS

First look: Massey Ferguson unveils 170-245hp 7S Mark 2s

Massey Ferguson has cross-pollinated its 7S and 8S tractors to fill a band of infertile ground between the two. The six 7S “Mark 2s” don’t officially supplant any existing models,…

Tractor reviews and tests

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TRACTORS

On test: New engine and transmission revitalise Fendt 516

Too small for heavy tillage and too dear for livestock-related duties, Fendt’s four-cylinder tractors have traditionally served as backfill for the ever-popular 724.  But the tables are turning. With the…

TRACTORS

Video: Valtra T174 Versu tractor on test

Valtra has made huge progress with its T-series tractors over the past couple of years, so it was no surprise that it ranked so highly in our test. Its cab…

TRACTORS

First impressions: Claas unveils 92-120hp Axos 3 tractors

Claas has bolstered the lower reaches of its tractor range with a quartet of new Axos 3 models that run from 92hp to 120hp. The foursome has been shoehorned in…

MACHINERY

Eight 80hp tractors put to the test

We have been to the Netherlands to pit some new names against familiar faces in the world of small tractors. James Andrews and Oliver Mark gave all eight models the…

TRACTORS

On test: John Deere's 6R 185 tractor

As the UK’s most popular tractor, brands of all colours and creeds have long been gunning for John Deere’s 6R 155, but it might be some friendly fire that finally…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Tom Mixture's John Deere 6R 250

Sitting at the apex of John Deere’s “mid-size” tractor line-up, the 6R 250 offers a healthy slug of power in a modestly proportioned chassis. Its versatility in tackling jobs both…

TRACTORS

On test: Fendt 312 Vario Profi

As ever, there was no faulting the Fendt’s comfort, but for once it was beaten to the top spot by John Deere. The 300 series remains a slimmed down version…

TRACTORS

Video: On test – Fendt’s monster 500hp 1050

Farmers buying a tractor with more than 500hp on tap have traditionally had to settle for a hulking great machine that will have its cylinders firing for only four months of…

TRACTORS

Driver’s view: 1997 Case-IH Magnum 7230

After a series of pricey breakdowns with newer tractors, Leicestershire contractors Leon and Simon Smith decided to try some older, simpler horsepower. The pair’s mechanical woes came to a head…

101-200HP

First impressions: More power and speed for Deere 6M-series

They might be simpler and cheaper than their premium-spec cousins, but the lack of a 50kph transmission has long stymied sales of John Deere’s 6M tractors in the UK. Keen…

MACHINERY

How to pick a good used 150hp tractor

Tractors around the 150hp mark are now some of the most sought after second-hand buys and finding a good one is no easy task. Nick Fone takes a look at…

MACHINERY

Case-IH Farmall 95U Pro on test

Case-IH Farmall 95U Pro Price: £58,800 RANKING: 1st   Cab The Austrian-built Farmall shares the same six-post cab frame as the New Holland. This offers pretty much everything you need…

Tractor guides

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TRACTORS

Driver's view: Robin Ward's Massey Ferguson 8S.305

For the Massey Ferguson buyer seeking 300 horses, both the 8S and 9S can deliver the goods. But the former’s blend of power and manoeuvrability made it the sensible choice…

MACHINERY

Video: John Deere DirectDrive gearbox on test

It’s fair to say John Deere has lagged behind a bit in the gearbox stakes over recent years. While nearly all the other main players in the tractor game have…

TRACTORS

Fendt's four-cylinder, 224hp 620 – small engine, big power

Four cylinders? 224hp? It’s hard to believe just what can be wrung from a relatively small engine these days – one that finds itself propelling the successors to Fendt’s uber-popular…

MACHINERY

Video: Head-to-head: Zetor Major v Farmtrac 685

  The Zetor Major has returned to the UK after a six-year sabbatical. Nick Fone and Oliver Mark pit the seasoned Czech stalwart against a new name from the Eastern…

MACHINERY

Video: John Deere 8R – tracks v tyres

John Deere launched its range of high horsepower 8R tractors last autumn. Emily Padfield had a drive of both wheeled and tracked models to see how they perform in the…

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.…

MACHINERY

John Deere 6090RC on test

John Deere 6090RC Price: £58,463 RANKING: 3rd   Cab One of the first things you notice when you glance at the 6090RC is that the cab looks too small. The…

MACHINERY

Versatile's Quadtrac challenger on test

Versatile Engine Transmission In the field Cab Maintenance Versatile has had a chequered history. The past 20-or-so years have proved turbulent, with paintwork changing colour with chameleon-like frequency and ownership…

TRACTORS

McCormick X7.624's in-cab controls are a work in progress

Nine new dealers have put pen to paper in the past 18 months, there is an updated 340hp flagship on its way, and a squad of Italian engineers is working…

MACHINERY

Video: Driven: John Deere 6190R

In avoiding the use of AdBlue exhaust treatment to limit emissions, John Deere has managed to tweak the new engine so that it is torquier and more thrifty than before.…

301-400HP

First impressions: New 8340’s cab is a Deutz-Fahr revolution

Not for the first time, green tractors of German provenance stole the headlines at November’s Agritechnica show. Only this time, John Deere, Fendt and Claas bods were among the spectators…

TRACTORS

Video: John Deere 6155R Autopowr on test

It's difficult to pick holes in Deere's well-rounded R-series. The cab is polished in general but the standout feature is the Command Pro joystick, which is easy to use, has…

Tractor technology

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TRACTORS

Yanmar launches small autonomous tractors

Japanese maker Yanmar has finished the development of its fully autonomous tractor, working together with Hokkaido University. The so-called Robot Tractor is available now and can work alone or as…

TRACTORS

Electric tractors ‘on UK farms as early as 2020’

Electric tractors may be coming to UK farms at least 10 years sooner than anticipated, according to the NFU. A NFU paper, Electric tractors by 2020? – a review of…

TECHNOLOGY

Swappable batteries for Traktorarvid autonomous tractor

Swapping a discharged battery for a fresh one to minimise downtime is a key feature of the all-electric Drever 120 four-wheel-drive autonomous tractor being developed by Swedish enterprise Traktorarvid. The…

Road legal

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ROAD LEGAL

Tracked tractor test mandatory for new operators

Operators of twin-tracked tractors must ensure they have a category H test before getting behind the wheel this harvest, and advanced booking is advised after a testing backlog. The disruption…

Tractor insights and practical advice

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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…

Alpine tractor maker sets its sights on UK hill farmers

Lindner might be a little-known name in UK farming circles, but it accounts for a healthy chunk of the tractor market in its home country of Austria and it’s slowly…

TRACTORS

Valtra tractors: Common problems and how to fix them

When Valtra joined the Agco stable in the early 2000s, it brought with it dependable Sisu engines that have since been given the parent company’s branding. They are still solid…

MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

Guidance issued for farmers suffering biodiesel problems

Fuel suppliers have issued guidance for farmers and contractors who say biodiesel is causing low fuel pressure and blocking filters in tractors. Some farmers have suggested the problems are related…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: The most unusual tractor launches

Publicity spectaculars featuring tractors are unusual, but they have been used to give an extra boost to new developments that prove difficult to sell. An example is the introduction of…

TRACTORS

High-flexion tractor tyres - how they work and what they cost

Slice open one of the latest high-tech tractor tyres to compare it with a “lesser” design and, without the trained eye of a tyre engineer, you would be hard-pressed to…

TRACTORS

Ultimate guide to buying a tractor 2020

Major updates for the Case-IH Magnum, Fendt 900 Vario, John Deere 6 and 8 families, and New Holland T5 and T8 lines are among the changes for this year’s Ultimate…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: Centenary for iconic Lanz Bulldog

The introduction of the Lanz company's first Bulldog series tractors 100 years ago set the wheels in motion for one of the European tractor industry’s biggest success stories. Tractor history…

Why energy maize could spark steel track crawler comeback

Having to work arable land late after an energy maize harvest, when slippery surface conditions can show up the limitations of rubber tracks, could result in a comeback for steel-track…

Video

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MACHINERY

Valtra N163: The four-pot powerhouse

Intro Engine Transmission Cabs/controls Specs Gallery PF verdict Capable of pumping out 171hp, the flagship in Valtra’s new N-series range is claimed to be the most powerful four-cylinder on the…

MACHINERY

Video: John Deere DirectDrive gearbox on test

It’s fair to say John Deere has lagged behind a bit in the gearbox stakes over recent years. While nearly all the other main players in the tractor game have…

MACHINERY

Video: Head-to-head: Zetor Major v Farmtrac 685

  The Zetor Major has returned to the UK after a six-year sabbatical. Nick Fone and Oliver Mark pit the seasoned Czech stalwart against a new name from the Eastern…

MACHINERY

Video: John Deere 8R – tracks v tyres

John Deere launched its range of high horsepower 8R tractors last autumn. Emily Padfield had a drive of both wheeled and tracked models to see how they perform in the…