Know How / Tractors Latest tractor articles 301-400HPFirst impressions: New 8340’s cab is a Deutz-Fahr revolutionNot 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… TRACTORSUpdated Claas Xerion 12 capable of semi-autonomous drivingA clutch of powertrain and digital technology upgrades are being released for the biggest tractors in the Claas range, including autonomous working – albeit with an operator in the driving… TRACTORSChallenger gets reverse drive conversion for tree pruningAfter decades of hauling heavy cultivation kit, a 1990s twin-track crawler has found an unlikely second career in the cider orchards of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The Caterpillar Challenger 55 is… TRACTORSMassey Ferguson extends 20-65hp compact tractor rangeMassey Ferguson’s revamped compact tractor range now extends to nine models in all, covering power outputs from 20-65hp with hydrostatic and all-mechanical transmissions, and open platforms or air-conditioned cabs. The… TRACTORSUltimate guide to buying a tractor 2026The year’s Farmers Weekly Ultimate Guide to tractors is notable for the first-time listing of a mainstream electric model and a driverless tractor range, and the removal of two familiar… TRACTORSMitas creates Granterra tyre for low-speed, high-torque needsA heavy-duty tyre developed by Mitas is designed for larger tractors, from around the 200hp mark upwards, undertaking heavy cultivation. The Granterra meets the criteria for the industry’s VF category,… TRACTORSNexat wide-span tractor sows 200ha per fill with 28m drillGerman manufacturer Nexat and its gantry-style field tractor continue to make headlines as the machine gets new capabilities and early adopters discover its potential. The wide-span vehicle uses a growing… Tractor reviews and testsSee all TRACTORSDriver's view: Charlie Flindt's John Deere 6155MHampshire farmer and FW columnist Charlie Flindt gives us the 410-hour lowdown on his John Deere 6155M tractor in his inimitable style. Find out what his likes and gripes are,… MACHINERYVideo: Claas Axion 850 test: Old model v new The latest Axion 800s look set to ruffle a few feathers with their new cabs, engines and tweaked transmissions. Nick Fone and Oliver Mark pitched the range-topping 850 against… TRACTORSOn test: Time-proven John Deere 6M 155 finally gets 50kphSome tractors prove to be stinkers, others functional if unremarkable, and a very select few transcend an era. John Deere’s 30-series – the 6930 and 7530 in particular – has… TRACTORSOn test: Fendt 312 Vario ProfiAs 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… TRACTORSFirst impressions: New cab revitalises Case IH OptumThe 250-300hp tractor division is red hot right now and the launch of Case IH’s Optum CVX and the equivalent New Holland T7 HD has cranked up the competition another… MACHINERYDeutz-Fahr 6160.4 TTV on testPower Farming Verdict: 4/5 Deutz-Fahr has been on a mission to update its higher horsepower tractors. They now have plenty of and radical styling, but the DLG results suggest there's… MACHINERYVideo: First Drive: Deutz Fahr 7250 TTVIf first impressions are anything to go by then the 7-Series looks like it should be a real contender in an already competitive horsepower segment.The ride is comfortable and the… MACHINERYJohn Deere 6150R six months inNew tractors cost a pretty penny these days so it’s wise to do your homework before dipping your hand in your pocket. Simon Henley visits a farmer in Warwickshire who… MACHINERYOn test: Claas Arion 650 CmaticWhen Claas pulled the wraps off its Arion back in 2012, it was the culmination of a Grand Designs-style rebuild of the brand’s mid-rangers. The five-pillar cab came from the… 401+HPVideo: On test - John Deere 8400ROver the past couple of decades, tracked tractors have established themselves as the go-to cultivations power source for many 500ha-plus arable growers, thanks to their ability to skip lightly across… TRACTORSVideo: First impressions - Fendt 1162 MT twin-track crawlerWhen Fendt announced it would be inheriting Challenger’s product range in Europe, questions centred on how the tracklayers and their crude powershift gearboxes – so obviously at odds with the… MACHINERYDriven: New Holland T4 and T5What's new? Engine & gears Cab Loader T5 pics The T4 Verdict Prices With more makes and models on the market than you could shake a stick at, choosing which… 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 MACHINERYVideo: Claas Axion 850 test: Old model v new The latest Axion 800s look set to ruffle a few feathers with their new cabs, engines and tweaked transmissions. Nick Fone and Oliver Mark pitched the range-topping 850 against… MACHINERYMid-range tractor test: MF 7624 Dyna-VTPower Farming Verdict: 3.5/5 The French-built Massey has plenty of features and a new joystick. It performed averagely at the test station and its unreliable terminal can be hard to… 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… 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… TRACTORSDriver's view: Valtra's 170hp T163e tractorIf you’re on the hunt for a reasonably priced second-hand tractor with about 170hp under the bonnet, Valtra’s T163e could well make your shortlist. James Andrews speaks to a current… MACHINERY MAINTENANCETips for maintaining a Fendt 700-series tractorFew tractors hold their value quite like a 700-series Fendt, and even when the hour clock has clicked to five figures, they can still have price tags of more than… MACHINERYMcCormick X5.30 on testMcCormick X5.30 Price: £55,305 RANKING: 6th Cab The X5.30 was so new at the time we carried out the tractor test that McCormick had to field a pre-production model,… TRACTORSDriver's view: Richard and Matthew Thomas's Zetor Proxima CL80Since Zetor tractors first arrived in the UK, they’ve been the tool of choice for Welsh hill farmers Richard and Matthew Thomas. The initial attraction to the Czech brand was… MACHINERYTractors on the road: Rights, wrongs, rules and regulationsWhen harvest is in full swing, tractors take to the roads up and down the country. It may seem unfair to farmers and contractors, but the presence of a greater… MACHINERYFirst Drive – Massey Ferguson 7618You can make the 7618 as complicated (or not) as you like. We’d probably opt for the changeable ratios of the Dyna-6 box. Modern powershifts are clever enough so… TRACTORSOn test: Case's double-clutch gearbox in the 145hp MaxxumDouble-clutch gearboxes have long been a must-have for Audi’s slick-shifting saloons, but the DSG concept has now found favour with farmers looking for similarly snappy acceleration in their tractors. John… TRACTORSOn test: John Deere 6120R AutoPowrDeere’s 6R-series has been around for a few years now, but regular updates have kept the tractors fresh along the way. This latest version comes with a screen and control… Tractor technologySee all MACHINERYVideo: Fendt demos driverless tractorDriverless technology How it works Safety What's next? Several manufacturers are experimenting with driverless tractor technology, but it looks like Fendt will be the first to launch a viable system.… CRIMEVideo: Warning after fresh spate of tractor GPS theftsPolice 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… MACHINERYGPS tracking devices on testGPS trackers are becoming a popular way for farmers to safeguard their tractors, but do they work? Emily Padfield and David Cousins fitted seven different models to one tractor to… Road legalSee all ROAD LEGALTractor driving - the law for 16-year-oldsSuffolk PC Mark Bryant has reminded farmers to check which machinery items their 16-year-old workers can legally drive on the road. Holders of the category-F qualification (for agricultural tractors) are… Tractor insights and practical adviceSee all MACHINERYWhat to look for in a used high-hp four-cylinder tractorDemand 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… MACHINERYRemapped Valtra duo improve safety for road usersGibliston Farming Company’s 2015 Valtra T215 was struggling for power on some of the unforgiving hills and ground farmed in the East Neuk of Fife. The nature of the business… 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… MACHINERYShould 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… TRACTORSMachinery Milestones: How safety and comfort reformed tractorsDriver safety and comfort are among the top essentials for today’s tractors, but they remained near the bottom of the priority list during the first 100 years or so of… MACHINERYUltimate guide to buying a tractor 2018Our ultimate guide to 50hp-plus tractors available in Britain has been published online for 2018 with a host of changes from last year’s edition. With the removal of discontinued models… TRACTORSBuying a 150hp tractor? We look at 12 optionsFor sheer choice and variety, the 150hp bracket marks the tractor sector’s sweet spot, with most makers offering four- and six-cylinder alternatives and a multitude of transmission types and spec… TRACTORS11 biggest tractors of all timeThe 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… TRACTORSUltimate guide to buying a tractor 2021Among the changes to the Ultimate Guide to tractors for 2021, the addition of Massey Ferguson’s new 8S is arguably the most significant as it sets a new style and… TRACTORSHandy checklist for buying a second-hand tractorHaving a comprehensive checklist to hand when going to view a second-hand tractor could make the difference between bringing home a stalwart and shelling out for a disaster. The second-hand… 101-200HPHow to keep a four-cylinder Valtra N-series running wellValtra has long been a proponent of the pokey four-pot engine, but the introduction of its N174 in 2015 pushed the concept to new levels. Serving up 165hp from its… Big power outputs lift 4wd performanceA neat hydraulic suspension installation for the front axle is designed to help avoid “power hop” with the most powerful three tractors in John Deere’s latest big four-wheel drive range.… VideoSee all MACHINERYVideo: Fendt demos driverless tractorDriverless technology How it works Safety What's next? Several manufacturers are experimenting with driverless tractor technology, but it looks like Fendt will be the first to launch a viable system.… TRACTORSVideo: Valtra T174 Versu tractor on testValtra 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… TRACTORSOn test: Case's double-clutch gearbox in the 145hp MaxxumDouble-clutch gearboxes have long been a must-have for Audi’s slick-shifting saloons, but the DSG concept has now found favour with farmers looking for similarly snappy acceleration in their tractors. John… TRACTORSVideo: Valtra's new 135hp G-series tractor on testValtra 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…
