Know How / Tractors Latest tractor articles TRACTORSAgXeed develops more powerful tracked driverless tractorA more powerful 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… TRACTORSNokian tyre monitor calculates tractor axle weightsNokian’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+HPFirst impressions: New cab major progress for Claas Axion 9Claas 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.… TRACTORSJohn Deere launches new 75-106hp narrow tractorsA three-model line-up of new narrow tractors has joined the John Deere family, for use in orchards, vineyards, top fruit, polytunnels, glasshouses and other confined-space applications. In size terms, width… TRACTORSDriver's view: Lee Henzell's Fendt 728 VarioFendt’s 700-series overhaul was big news in the summer of 2022, with the ever-popular 724 downgraded to mid-range status and a new 728 thrust to the apex. It strayed well… TRACTORSDriver's view: William Heslip's New Holland T7.300A new cab was the stand-out improvement on New Holland’s “long-wheelbase” T7s when they were introduced at the Sima show in Paris three years ago. There are five Auto Command… TRACTORSDriver's view: Tom Dirom's Valtra Q285Valtra’s long-awaited Q-series finally broke cover in 2022, filling a void between its existing T and S ranges. Second biggest in the five-strong line-up is the Q285, which matches the… Tractor reviews and testsSee all TRACTORSDriver’s view: Marilyn Jones’ Same Dorado 90 Natural tractorFor the past couple of years, the main workhorse on Marilyn Jones’ hill farm near Brecon, Powys, has been a 2019 Same Dorado 90 Natural. This compact 87hp tractor is… MACHINERYFirst drive: Deutz-Fahr Agrotron L730The L730 is a solid tillage tractor and you get plenty of power and lift for your money. With all the controls neatly stacked on the side panel and armrest… TRACTORSVideo: 180hp tractor test 2019 previewThis summer, FW’s machinery team took four 180hp tractors from some of biggest names in the industry to a Hampshire farm for a rigorous workout during a busy cultivation period.… 401+HPVideo: Fendt's 943 MT twin-track crawler on testAgco 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… 401+HPDriver’s view: Louth Park Farms’ New Holland T8.435Buyers looking to harness some extra grip from their New Holland T8.435 can ditch the regular rear rubber and opt for a set of triangular track units instead. But rather… TRACTORSOn test: Four-cyl Claas Arion 570 proves punchy and nimbleThe high-horsepower four-cylinder tractor fraternity gained a new member this year as Claas gingered up its compact Arion to deliver a mighty 180hp and 730Nm of torque. Better still, it… TRACTORSHigh-hour horsepower: MF 6465 hits 21,464 hoursThere are plenty of tractors out there with hour counts running well into the teens, but there are a select group of operators using frontline machines with more than 20,000… MACHINERYOn test: Valtra T214 DirectThe other tractors on test Fendt 720 Vario New Holland T 7.230 Case IH Puma 175 CVX Massey Ferguson 7720 Dyna From a driver’s point of view, the revamped T-series… MACHINERYMcCormick's first CVT tractor on testMcCormick has launched its first ever CVT (continuously variable transmission) tractor, which it hopes will mark the beginning of a new era for the brand. The company has forged its… TRACTORSDriver's view: Kubota M6-132Kubota 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… MACHINERYVideo: Furse four tractor test: Case Puma 210There isn’t really anything we dislike about this tractor. It has a very strong back end and is an exceptional tillage tractor. It does everything you ask it to do… TRACTORSDriver's view: Dan Chanin's Claas Axion 870Armed with a 6.7-litre FPT engine and a choice of transmissions, Claas’s five-model Axion 800 range has the 200-300hp sector covered. And it’s the range-topping 870 with Cmatic CVT that’s… Tractor buying advice Ultimate guide to buying a tractor 2025 What to look for when buying and fitting a tractor dashcam 6 simple, low-cost loader tractor options The inspection service helping buyers spot dodgy tractors Handy checklist for buying a second-hand tractor Buying a tractor? How to make sense of engine statistics Understanding CVT and powershift transmissions when buying a tra... Legal tips for buying and selling second-hand machinery Tractor guidesSee all TRACTORSOn test: Deutz-Fahr 6140.4 TTVDeutz is still using up its stash of Tier 4i engines, so we separated it from the rest of the cleaner-running, Tier 4f-powered pack. Poor marks for its small cab,… MACHINERY110hp tractor test: John Deere 6115MPower Farming Verdict: 3.3/5 Deere’s build quality and logical arrangement of controls has been the force behind its perennial success. It also had a strong engine, but being the smallest… TECHNOLOGYHow technology that can control tractors worksIf the idea of driving into a field, punching a few settings into a touchscreen and letting a computer take charge of key tractor and equipment controls sounds a bit… MACHINERYKubota M135-GX first driveFrom a driver’s perspective, the M135-GX has loads going for it:A roomy four-post cab with the best views around, loads of clever gadgets and an incredibly smooth ride, combined with… TRACTORSVideo: New Holland T7.230 Power Command tractor on testNew 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… TRACTORSTractor buyers guide 2017Times 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… MACHINERYCase IH Maxxum 130 EP on testPower 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… TRACTORSDriver's view: Fisher Farms’ Claas Axion 960 TTAfter dropping a teaser about its development of a half-track Axion at Agritechnica 2017, Claas officially launched 355hp and 445hp 900-series Terra Trac machines in 2020. Promising 15% more traction… MACHINERYWorld's most powerful four-cylinder tractors on testThe appeal of a small frame and strong engine has seen most of the major tractor makers falling over to build the biggest four-cylinder tractor on the market. Oliver Mark… MACHINERYMachinery Milestones: Four-wheel drive tractorsIn the latest instalment of our series looking back over the history of machinery developments, Mike Williams charts the rise of four-wheel drive tractors and how they have become the… TRACTORSDriver's view: Kubota M6-132Kubota 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… 201-300HPDriver's view: Leics farm rates McCormick's 240hp X7.624Shifting 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… Tractor technologySee all TECHNOLOGYOntario farmer gets robot fleet to complete arable fieldworkChuck Baresich has been on a recruitment drive – but not in the conventional sense. Over the past three years he has amassed a barnful of agricultural robots of all… TECHNOLOGYHow technology that can control tractors worksIf the idea of driving into a field, punching a few settings into a touchscreen and letting a computer take charge of key tractor and equipment controls sounds a bit… TECHNOLOGYVideo: Auto-tractor to revolutionise Canadian field workThe lead in the race for a driver-free, super-efficient arable farming utopia has been taken up by SeedMaster – a little known name in the world of autonomous agriculture but… Road legalSee all TECHNOLOGYTractor makers grapple with yet more emissions rulesMuch of the development costs of new tractors these days involves engine emissions. Will that soon end? Probably not, says Peter Hill. Just when everyone thought the clampdown on tractor… Tractor insights and practical adviceSee all WORKSHOP SKILLSCase and New Holland tractors: How to fix common problemsTractors are a major expenditure on the farm, and breakdowns can leave you with a big mechanic's bill. There are some ways, however, that you can try to avoid costly… MACHINERY MAINTENANCEUltimate guide to tractor tyre managementIt 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,… TECHNOLOGYTractor makers grapple with yet more emissions rulesMuch of the development costs of new tractors these days involves engine emissions. Will that soon end? Probably not, says Peter Hill. Just when everyone thought the clampdown on tractor… TRACTORSMachinery Milestones: The world's first tractorsThe history of the tractor began in the late 1880s, when petrol engines provided an alternative to steam, which had driven the power farming revolution for almost 100 years. Britain… MACHINERY MAINTENANCEGuidance issued for farmers suffering biodiesel problemsFuel 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… TRACTORSBuying a tractor? How to make sense of engine statisticsHands up who knows the difference between a tractor’s rated and maximum power? Or what the perfect torque curve should look like? How about torque rise? Or six-point fuel tests?… TRACTORSUnderstanding CVT and powershift transmissionsTractor transmissions have come a long way since the days of double-clutching and crunching your way between the three or four gears of a basic, unsynchronised box. Through the introduction… TRACTORS6 simple, low-cost loader tractor optionsIn the small loader tractor sector, the demand is for simple, reliable tractors that will get the job done with minimal expense. Most of the big manufacturers offer models to… MACHINERYTractor tyres: make sure your pressures are rightWe 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… TRACTORSMachinery Milestones: Steam-powered tractorsBritain once led the world in developing agricultural steam power, with stationary engines arriving on farms in the 1790s, followed later by portable and traction engines as well as cable-operated… TRACTORSFendt puts £200k price on base spec 75hp e100 Vario tractorFendt has slapped a £200,000 base list price on its first full-size plug-in electric tractor, which is now on sale in the UK. The 75hp e107S Vario is based on… Why energy maize could spark steel track crawler comebackHaving 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… VideoSee all TRACTORSVideo: 160hp CVT tractor test 2020 previewFarmers Weekly's big annual tractor test saw the machinery team take four 160hp CVT tractors from some of the industry's biggest players to a Hampshire farm during this autumn's cultivation… MACHINERYVideo: Farmers in the driving seat at the Farm Handling eventLast week's Farm Handling Experience was the place to be for anyone looking to try out the latest telehandlers, tractors and loading shovels from some of Europe's biggest farm machinery… Video: Tractors decorated in Christmas lights on paradeTractors festooned in Christmas lights have brought a bit of festive joy to the streets of a small town in south-east Ireland. A group of 15 tractors paraded around the… MACHINERYVIDEO: First glimpse of Case IH's JXU replacementCase IH’s replacement for the popular JXU range of small, simple tractors made its first UK appearance at Lamma 2012. The three-model Farmall U range offers 90hp, 100hp and 110hp…
