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TRACTORS

Why a Cumbrian contractor runs 5 ageing Claas Ares tractors

If you spot a tidy-looking Claas Ares trimming a Cumbrian roadside, chances are it will belong to the C Davidson clan. That’s because the Carlisle-based contractor runs a total of…

401+HP

Goodyear's monster 1.4m-wide farm tyre to go on sale in UK

Goodyear has gained European accreditation for its widest-ever agricultural tyre. The monster LSW 1400/30 R46 is designed for suitably sized combines and articulated prairie prowlers such as Case IH’s Steiger…

TRACTORS

Punchy new John Deere 8RX 540 maxes out at 634hp

John Deere reckons it has produced the world’s most powerful rigid-frame tractor. The wheeled 8R 540 and four-track 8RX equivalent are rated to a maximum output of 594hp, rising to…

TRACTORS

AgXeed develops more powerful tracked driverless tractor

A higher powered version of the tracked AgBot self-guided driverless tractor has been developed by Dutch specialist AgXeed to cater for growers who like the concept but want more muscle…

TRACTORS

Nokian tyre monitor calculates tractor axle weights

Nokian’s second-generation digital tractor tyre monitoring system has the added feature of measuring tractor axle weights and providing recommended inflation pressures for different scenarios, such as when spraying or spreading.…

401+HP

First impressions: New cab major progress for Claas Axion 9

Claas can rightly revel in its top-dog status when it comes to combine harvesters and foragers. But 22 years after swallowing Renault Agriculture, its tractor division continues to lag behind.…

Tractor reviews and tests

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TRACTORS

Video: New Holland T7.230 Power Command tractor on test

New Holland’s T7 might lack the glamorous cab offered by the likes of John Deere and Valtra – noise and space being its most obvious shortcomings – but there is…

401+HP

Video: Fendt's 943 MT twin-track crawler on test

Agco has breathed new life into its flailing twin-track fleet with a major rebranding and upgrading exercise for the long-in-the-tooth Challenger tractors. And the firm’s prairie monster range needed some…

MACHINERY

On test: Fendt 720 Vario

The other tractors on test New Holland T 7.230 Case IH Puma 175 CVX  Valtra T 214 Direct Massey Ferguson 7720 Dyna It’s the same old story with the Fendt…

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…

101-200HP

Video: John Deere 6120M Command Quad tractor on test

Last year’s unveiling of a heavily reworked 6M tractor range may have been lost in the razzmatazz of John Deere’s high-end tractor and combine launches, but these simple(ish) models could…

MACHINERY

Video: First drive: Fendt’s 415hp 942 Vario

Fendt has spent the past decade tightening its grip on the high-horsepower tractor market, to the point that it now claims one-third of all new tractor sales above 200hp. But…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Tom Lamb's 9-year-old Massey 7718 Dyna-6

For many mixed and arable farms, Massey Ferguson nailed the sweet spot between power and size with its 200hp 7718. This was the middle model – and biggest small-framer –…

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

Video: 400hp reverse-drive Valtra S-series on test

Valtra has finally let its heavyweight S-series loose on the 400hp tractor scene and, armed with lorry loads of torque, a proven driveline and a redesigned cab, promises to unsettle…

MACHINERY

Video: Fendt 828 v Deutz-Fahr Agrotron TTV

  [fwi_vidyard code="ERTd4JlyKIZRqdrGXQVCqA"] Power Farming Verdict There’s nothing new in Fendt’s approach – it’s still a driver’s tractor. Buy the tractor, send the driver on a course and you stand…

TRACTORS

On test: New Holland T5.140 DCT

New Holland has added a double-clutch transmission to its T5 range, expanding the options for stock farmers who crave a slicker alternative to the basic 12-speed Utility stick-shifter. While simple…

TRACTORS

Driver’s view: Case-IH Quadtrac 600

When Case-IH chose to bolt four track units to one of its articulated prairie monsters it created a new tractor concept that had no direct rivals for more than 15…

Tractor guides

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MACHINERY

Mid-range tractor test: NH T7.270

Power Farming Verdict: 3.9/5 The T7 finished second overall and its engine and transmission performed well at the DLG tests. The only minor disappointments were the cab and monitor. Cab…

MACHINERY

Smaller tractor brands and horsepower- what's available

Recent months have seen several new tractor manufacturers at the lower-horsepower end of the market looking to establish a foothold in the UK. The newcomers Armatrac Farmtrac Branson Iseki While…

MACHINERY

Mid-range tractors put to the test

Today's high-horsepower tractors are expected to be more versatile and comfortable than ever before. We spent a week testing five of the most popular in the field and on the…

MACHINERY

Tractor test: Six 120hp tractors go head to head

All eyes are on the 120hp tractor division in this year’s multi-test. Machines in this sector have always sold in huge volumes, but demand is growing particularly swiftly for those…

TRACTORS

Tractor buyers guide 2017

Times might be tough in the current farming climate, but that hasn’t stopped the major manufacturers making big changes to their tractor line-ups. High-horsepower models have been beefed up, the…

MACHINERY

Tractor tyres: make sure your pressures are right

We all know that tyre pressure is important if a tractor is to work at its best. But only a few operators, it seems, actually bother to ensure that correct…

TRACTORS

Video: We try out John Deere's monster 8400R

If you missed our test report from the week we spent with John Deere’s monster 8400R, you can now watch the video to give you a flavour of what the…

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: 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

On test: Versatile’s latest Canadian-built 260hp tractor

Farmers in the market for a modern, high-horsepower tractor are increasingly getting lumbered with bundles of expensive, techy equipment, whether they want it or not. But while most makers obsess…

401+HP

First impressions: Valtra's revamped 420hp S416 gets new cab

Valtra’s big S-series has finally been given some Finnish affection, having been left as little more than a masquerading Massey for nigh on two decades. As well as acquiring a…

TECHNOLOGY

Central tyre inflation systems – the options and prices

Pump ’em up for the road, let ’em down for the field. That is the essence of using a central tyre inflation system (CTIS) to actively manage inflation pressures and…

Tractor technology

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TRACTORS

John Deere to phase out support for old Starfire iTC kit

Users of John Deere’s Starfire iTC receivers are being urged to upgrade their kit as Deere will end basic correction signals for these devices by January 2021. See also: LH Agro…

TRACTORS

Fully autonomous John Deere tractor approved for production

John Deere has announced that its fully autonomous tractor will go into large-scale production this year. The driverless 8R is the first of its kind for the American manufacturer, and…

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…

Road legal

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MACHINERY

Rules reminder: Stay road legal this harvest

Whether it's harvesting grass, cereals or vegetables, extra numbers of wide machines will be heading up and down Britain’s roads. But in all the rush to get ready, don’t forget…

Tractor insights and practical advice

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TRACTORS

Tractor buyers guide 2017

Times might be tough in the current farming climate, but that hasn’t stopped the major manufacturers making big changes to their tractor line-ups. High-horsepower models have been beefed up, the…

MACHINERY

Tractor tyres: make sure your pressures are right

We all know that tyre pressure is important if a tractor is to work at its best. But only a few operators, it seems, actually bother to ensure that correct…

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…

TECHNOLOGY

Central tyre inflation systems – the options and prices

Pump ’em up for the road, let ’em down for the field. That is the essence of using a central tyre inflation system (CTIS) to actively manage inflation pressures and…

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…

Tractor tyres v tracks: which is best?

Low ground pressure, unbeatable traction and greater productivity potential. That sums up the attraction of high horsepower tracked tractors to arable farmers who run them for cultivation and drilling in…

TRACTORS

£50k Sabanto Steward kit gets Fendt 700 working autonomously

Long, lonely hours spent cultivating, drilling and mowing could be a thing of the past with the advent of a plug-in kit that can get any autosteer-ready tractor operating autonomously.…

MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

Ultimate guide to tractor tyre management

It is essential to ensure your tractor tyres are in good working order, both for your safety and for your pocket. We look at the causes of premature tyre wear,…

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…

Buying the right tractor: part 2 - transmission

In part 1 of this feature we tackled the basics of tractor selection before evaluating power choice and the costs and benefits of ‘power boost’ options. In this section, we…

A buyer's guide to choosing a nearly-new tractor

Two years ago, the euro was trading against the pound at €1.15:£1, making for a healthy UK export trade. In just 24 months the picture has shifted drastically and today…

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…

Video

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MACHINERY

Agritechnica 2011: Diesel-electric tractor from Rigitrac

[fwi_vidyard code="-VV-IH9VQCfz0T6IQg-j0Q"] Jointly developed between Swiss tractor maker Rigitrac, Dresden’s technical university and a specialist electronic engineering firm, the EWD 120 diesel-electric tractor is a truly novel concept. A 120hp…

TRACTORS

Video: We try out John Deere's monster 8400R

If you missed our test report from the week we spent with John Deere’s monster 8400R, you can now watch the video to give you a flavour of what the…

MACHINERY

Driven: Fendt 828 reverse-drive

[fwi_vidyard code="-ywPYYNkJb0OmXEsKYqmGw"] Power Farming Verdict Star Star Star Star Star Big cab, lots of computer wizardry, clever suspension and gutsy engine, but it's £30,000 more than the nearest competition. Summary…

Video: John Deere 9RX crawler tractor in action

Those wanting to catch a glimpse of John Deere's long-awaited 9RX crawler in the flesh will have to wait for its official European launch at Hanover's Agritechnica show in November.…