With more power and two new easy-shifting transmission options, the latest upgrades to John Deere’s 5M-series tractors aim to further lift performance and operation ease.

Weighing in at 4.4t with 3.8t of payload capacity, the 5M tractors often paired with a loader now come with a choice of five power outputs with the addition of the 135hp 5130M, while all but the 75hp version have gained 10hp to top out at 100hp, 110hp and 125hp.

The least powerful model achieves Euro Stage 5 emissions from its three-cylinder Deere 2.9-litre motor without resorting to AdBlue injection to neutralise nasties in the exhaust gases.

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In contrast, the others have a full complement of emissions management measures, including SCR, for their 4.5-litre engines.

More transmission options

With the exception of the new 5130M, buyers can have a PowrReverser transmission as before, with 16 speeds in both directions or 32×16 with the HiLo version.

For all but the 75hp 5075M, they can also now choose between Deere’s PowrQuad Plus – 16×16 with four powershift speeds – or the new Powr8 transmission, which provides 32 speeds forward, 16 in reverse and continuous shifting through eight powershift steps.

EcoShift trims revs to help fuel consumption during road travel up to the 40kph max, and at the other end of the speed scale, creeper gears can be added to both units for ultra-slow field operations.

Ticking the option box for either of these two transmissions brings the added benefit of three-speed pto and electronic hitch control (both an option with PowrReverser), and an increase in implement lift capacity from just over 4t to either 5t or 5.6t.

A 2.8t front hitch can be added, operated off one of the rear-mounted spool valves – three maximum, all mechanical – as well as a 1,000rpm front pto installation.

The hydraulics system remains pretty much unchanged, being a gear pump with a tad more output of 73 litres/min to compensate for the greater oil demand of the more sophisticated transmissions, supplemented by a 24 litre/min unit dedicated to steering, clutches and so on.

Driver accommodation is much as before except for the new fully digital instrument display – in a conventional location behind the steering wheel – which includes a guidance display when AutoTrac is added to the package.

© John Deere

This basic system (which is already available on 6R tractors) avoids the cost of a separate terminal; it comprises a roof-mounted StarFire satellite signal receiver, 15cm accuracy SF1 correction signal, and memory for up to 10 straight A-B lines.

Added functions and hardware come with AutoTrac Complete, which includes the new G5 display, curve and circle guidance, and online guidance management.