Know How / Tractors

At the heart of every livestock farm and arable farming enterprise, our extensive coverage of agricultural tractors includes new models, ranges and technologies from leading manufacturers, user reports and group test comparisons to help you choose the best power unit for your farming business.

Latest tractor articles

TRACTORS

Massey to source sub-80hp tractors from SDF Group

Production at SDF Group – maker of Deutz-Fahr, Same and Lamborghini-branded tractors – will get a shot in the arm from a new supply agreement with Agco for selected models…

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 MAINTENANCE

John Deere makes it easier for owners to repair tractors

Additional resources making it easier for owners and independent workshops to carry out maintenance and repairs on John Deere equipment are being made available. The move largely expands repair options…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Ollie Raybould's 7-year-old John Deere 6155R

As one of the best-selling models from the most popular brand in the UK, few tractors dominate the farming landscape like John Deere’s 6155R. Built from 2015 to 2021, it…

101-200HP

Claas ramps up four-cylinder output with 180hp Arion 570

Claas has squeezed an extra 15hp from the 4.5-litre John Deere engine used in its Arion 500-series, making the new 570 Cmatic its pokiest four-cylinder model to date. This long-awaited…

Tractor reviews and tests

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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

Driver's view: Kubota M6-132

Kubota is now a respected player north of 100hp, having gradually introduced more four-cylinder models that have helped shed its reputation as an amenity and scraper tractor specialist. The most…

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…

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

Top-end tractor test: Valtra S353

Power Farming Verdict: 3.5/5 Good driving comfort and transmission. Transmission operation differed from the rest so took a bit of getting used to. Room for improvements in ergonomics and especially…

MACHINERY

Video: Furse four tractor test: John Deere 6930

Watch the video and read the full report below. We’ve been very impressed with the 6930 and it hasn’t had any of the problems we experienced with previous Deeres. It’s…

TRACTORS

On test: John Deere's quick-fit EZ Ballast weight system

Adding ballast to a cultivation tractor is a time-honoured method of delivering maximum grip and making the most of the ponies it has to offer. Traditionally this has come in…

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

Top-end tractors put to the ultimate test

The test Engines Transmissions Hydraulics Cabs Test process AdBlue We’ve gathered together the most powerful wheeled tractors on the market for a monster multitest. And for the first time ever…

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…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Valtra G125e Active tractor

Spanning a power bracket of 105hp to 135hp, Valtra’s versatile G-series neatly bridges the gap between the compact A and higher-spec N ranges. All models are driven by a Chinese-built…

401+HP

First impressions: Claas Xerion 12.650 takes on US artics

To the casual observer, Claas’ Xerion 12.650 looks like any other articulated crawler – just a Quadtrac, 9RX, or Versatile Deltatrack dressed in a different outfit. Yet it’s nothing of…

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Tractor technology

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CRIME

Video: Warning after fresh spate of tractor GPS thefts

Police in Dorset have issued a fresh warning following a spate of tractor GPS (global positioning system) thefts. Dorset Police’s rural crime team said thefts of John Deere satellite systems…

TECHNOLOGY

Contracting start-up makes bridge kit for JD guidance system

A West Sussex start-up has steered its way to success with a bridge kit for seamlessly installing John Deere guidance in tractors made by all major competitor brands. Deere has…

CVT choice offers perfect tractor working speed

When Fendt unveiled the first practical continuously variable transmission, it did more than just bring a new level of speed control and adjustment. It brought the engine and transmission together…

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 guides

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MACHINERY

Claas Arion 550 on test

Power Farming Verdict: 4/5 Claas’ Arion turned out to be a pretty good all-rounder. The cab was comfortable and well thought out, and the gearbox performed well in tests. We…

TRACTORS

Claas tractors: Common problems and how to fix them

Amassing a sales tally of roughly 600 tractors a year at the last count makes Claas the eighth most popular tractor brand in the UK, just behind Valtra. And of…

TRACTORS

Deutz-Fahr unveils new 287hp 8280 TTV tractor

Deutz-Fahr has filled the 280hp hole at the top of its tractor line-up with a sole 8-series model that packs a brand-new CVT transmission and an enviable power-to-weight ratio. The…

MACHINERY

Seven 110hp tractors put to the test

It might not be the quickest growing sector, but 100-150hp tractors probably appeal to the biggest farming audience. Oliver Mark joined colleagues from France, Germany and Holland to test seven…

MACHINERY

Video: Furse four tractor test: John Deere 6930

Watch the video and read the full report below. We’ve been very impressed with the 6930 and it hasn’t had any of the problems we experienced with previous Deeres. It’s…

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

Driver's view: New Holland T5.140 Dynamic Command

Choice is one thing buyers aren’t short of when it comes to picking a New Holland T5, with five transmission options, two engine sizes and myriad hydraulic outputs spread across…

MACHINERY

Top-end tractor test: MF 8690

Verdict: 3.7/5 Good transmission and driving comfort. The Sisu engine kept up with the test averages. Easy working thanks to effortless shuttle change, roomy cab and SpeedSteer system. Computer controller…

Machinery giants: How Case IH became a big name in farm kit

You have to go right back to the 1820s to witness the beginnings of Case IH. The McCormick family was developing a new reaping machine that was demonstrated successfully in…

401+HP

First impressions: Claas Xerion 12.650 takes on US artics

To the casual observer, Claas’ Xerion 12.650 looks like any other articulated crawler – just a Quadtrac, 9RX, or Versatile Deltatrack dressed in a different outfit. Yet it’s nothing of…

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…

201-300HP

Driver's view: Leics farm rates McCormick's 240hp X7.624

Shifting fewer than 100 tractors a year at the last count makes McCormick one of the lowest volume tractor brands selling in the UK. But what the Italian marque lacks…

Video

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MACHINERY

Video: Furse four tractor test: John Deere 6930

Watch the video and read the full report below. We’ve been very impressed with the 6930 and it hasn’t had any of the problems we experienced with previous Deeres. It’s…

MACHINERY

Video: Custom Ford 7700 gets V8 muscle injection

If the burble of a throaty V8 engine puts a smile on your face, Luke Furse’s modified Ford 7700 will have you grinning from ear to ear. Twin gleaming stainless…

MACHINERY

Driven: JCB Fastrac 3230 Xtra

[fwi_vidyard code="RtMpvZlVpEDdXs4lzG4jIw"] Power Farming Verdict Star Star Star Star Star New powershift gearbox brings the 3230 fully up-to-date. Headland management system is not perfect, though. Overview Gear change Getting started…

MACHINERY

Farmtrac importer seeks UK dealers

[fwi_vidyard code="RANAtOrSJPbtdrk7sfW8Gg"] Budget tractor brand Farmtrac made its UK debut at the Dairy Event and Livestock Show, brought in by Irish importer Collins Farm Machinery. Boasting Perkins engines, ZF and…

Tractor insights and practical advice

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TRACTORS

Claas tractors: Common problems and how to fix them

Amassing a sales tally of roughly 600 tractors a year at the last count makes Claas the eighth most popular tractor brand in the UK, just behind Valtra. And of…

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…

Machinery giants: How Case IH became a big name in farm kit

You have to go right back to the 1820s to witness the beginnings of Case IH. The McCormick family was developing a new reaping machine that was demonstrated successfully in…

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…

TRACTORS

Driver’s view: Versatile Delta Track - brawn on a budget

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…

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…

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

Buying the right tractor: Part 3 - suspension and tyres

In the final installment of our guide to getting the right spec on your new tractor, Peter Hill takes a look at cab suspension and tyre options. [pm_module id="1482425"] Suspension…

MACHINERY

Tractor tuning perks and pitfalls: Is it worth the risk?

Fork out a few hundred quid on a little black tuning box and you could unleash a healthy dollop of extra power and torque from your tractor. Sounds tempting, doesn’t…

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…

MACHINERY

Should you invest in a headland turning system?

They save time, increase productivity and reduce driver fatigue, so should you invest in a headland turning system? Why invest? John Deere Claas Case study: William Strawson Headland turning systems…

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…