Know How / Tractors Latest tractor articles TRACTORSClaas launches refreshed 145-180hp Arion 5 tractorsClaas has revamped its middleweight Arion tractors with a nose-job and a bunch of driver-friendly features. Following hot on the heels of the company’s revised Axion 8 launch, this latest… TECHNOLOGYConverted Leyland 255 powered by used electric car partsA quick drive-by of Ben Bament’s low-key workshop in Farmborough, Somerset would reveal nothing of the wizardly engineering cloaked under the most ordinary of machines berthed outside. Among his curious… TRACTORSClaas pulls the wraps off revamped 264-313hp Axion 8 tractorsAs part of an update programme across its entire tractor range, Claas has launched revamped versions of its 800-series machines. Three new variants – the Axion 8.240, 8.270 and 8.290… TRACTORSQuicke improves weighing on tractor-mounted Q-Series loadersTractor loader control and automation is reckoned to have reached new heights with the latest updates to Quicke’s Q-companion digital system introduced alongside changes to the flagship Q-Series loaders. Existing… TRACTORSCereals 2026: John Deere 6M tractor and 500R sprayer updatedCab size is now the only real differentiator between John Deere’s 6R and 6M series tractors, thanks to a handful of new optional extras on the latter. These include a… TRACTORSRevamped John Deere 6R gets new cab and sharper handlingJohn Deere has overhauled the top end of its popular 6R tractor range, fitting a bigger cab and uprating the running gear for better handling. For now, only models on… 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… Tractor reviews and testsSee all ARABLENew tractor tyre technology offers 18% more tractionThe tyre designer’s job, it seems, is never done. As tractors continue to gain power and weight to meet farmer demand for greater performance, new tyre designs are needed to… MACHINERYDrivers view: JCB Fastrac 3185Driver's verdict I would certainly consider buying another Fastrac. Arguably, they are not the best cultivation tractors, but ours have worked extremely well. You get a lot of tractor for… TRACTORSFirst impressions: Fendt's swish new cab updateFendt is rolling out new-look cab controls that it reckons will finally put to bed the myth that its tractors are hard to drive. Comfort, quietness and a raft of… MACHINERYJCB Fastrac 4000 tractor gets first testJCB’s all-new Fastrac is finally here. It’s good, but is it good enough to grab sales from other marques? Nick Fone finds out. With its deeply furrowed brow and waspish… 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… MACHINERYOn test: Case IH Puma 175 CVXThe other tractors on test Fendt Vario 720 New Holland T 7.230 Valtra T 214 Direct Massey Ferguson 7720 Dyna The Puma paid the price for being the smallest tractor… MACHINERYCase-IH Farmall 95U Pro on testCase-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… TRACTORSVideo: Claas Arion 550 Cebis Cmatic on testThe Claas Arion 550 Cebis Cmatic's modest proportions and respectable power make it a handy all-rounder. After testing it, we think it’s better suited to drilling and top work than… 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… 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… 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.… MACHINERYTop-end tractor test: Valtra S353Power 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… 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 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… 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… MACHINERYClaas Arion 550 on testPower 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… 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: 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… TRACTORSVideo: On test – Fendt’s monster 500hp 1050Farmers buying a tractor with more than 500hp on tap have traditionally had to settle for a hulking great machine that will have its cylinders firing for only four months of… MACHINERYValtra dealers have stock tractors available right NOW!Your compact farm hero If you are looking for a compact tractor that delivers big productivity and all-day comfort, look no further than the A Series. The cab is ergonomic… 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… TRACTORS22-year-old Fendt Favorit 515C gets £15k revampThe allure of a new, top-spec tractor might win over many farmers and contractors, but Matthew Barnett has considerably more time for older machines with a proven track record. He… MACHINERYJCB Fastrac 4000 tractor gets first testJCB’s all-new Fastrac is finally here. It’s good, but is it good enough to grab sales from other marques? Nick Fone finds out. With its deeply furrowed brow and waspish… 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… 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.… Tractor technologySee all TRACTORSKubota available with autosteer and driverless conversionKubota tractor operators wanting an autosteer system can now purchase and have kits installed through the manufacturer’s UK dealers following a Europe-wide commercial agreement with Topcon. Kits will be supplied… HEALTH AND SAFETYTractor 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… TRACTORSFendt Helios swaps diesel engine for hydrogen fuel cellEfforts to create a greener future for farm machinery have spawned myriad tractors with alternative powertrains, one of which is the Helios from Fendt. Based on a 700-series tractor frame,… Road legalSee all MACHINERYTractors on the road: don't ignore the road rulesAll rules and regulations tend to get a bit outdated at some point or other. However some of the road regulations affecting tractor drivers and their employers were probably drawn… Tractor insights and practical adviceSee all 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: 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… MACHINERYValtra dealers have stock tractors available right NOW!Your compact farm hero If you are looking for a compact tractor that delivers big productivity and all-day comfort, look no further than the A Series. The cab is ergonomic… TRACTORS22-year-old Fendt Favorit 515C gets £15k revampThe allure of a new, top-spec tractor might win over many farmers and contractors, but Matthew Barnett has considerably more time for older machines with a proven track record. He… TRACTORSTips for maintaining a JCB Fastrac 2170Hip-busting dry clutches, a tanker-like turning circle and shonky wiring are just a few of the common grumbles levelled at early JCB Fastrac models. The list of ailments has been… TRACTORSUltimate guide to buying a tractor 2025A flurry of newcomers in the 90-130hp range destined for livestock and mixed-enterprise farms are the main changes to this year’s Farmers Weekly Ultimate Guide to tractors. See also: Fendt tractors:… MACHINERYSolving your starter motor woesIntroduction Step-by-step Voltage drop testing Voltage drop – what’s it about? The opening part of this series laid out how the starter motor works, set the thing in the context of… 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… HEALTH AND SAFETYTractor 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… 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… TRACTORSUltimate guide to buying a tractor 2023Rationalisation of models and specifications is the name of the game for several manufacturers listed in the 2023 edition of the Ultimate Guide to tractors. Supply chain issues remain problematic… TRACTORSDriver’s view: Versatile Delta Track - brawn on a budgetWhen 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… VideoSee all TRACTORSVideo: On test – Fendt’s monster 500hp 1050Farmers buying a tractor with more than 500hp on tap have traditionally had to settle for a hulking great machine that will have its cylinders firing for only four months of… 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… MACHINERYJCB Fastrac 4000 tractor gets first testJCB’s all-new Fastrac is finally here. It’s good, but is it good enough to grab sales from other marques? Nick Fone finds out. With its deeply furrowed brow and waspish… 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…
