How to calculate your tractor's fuel efficiency
Written by admin on April 6, 2012 – 10:50 am -I posted this article several months ago and got alot of response so as harvest time approaches I have decided to post it again. Farm Industry News asked Nebraska Tractor Test Lab Director Roger Hoy and Assistant Director Dave Morgan what factors to use to compare the fuel efficiency of different tractors. You can use these parameters to determine how your models rank. 1. Go to http://tractortestlab.unl.edu. Click on “Test Reports.” The Web site shows all makes and models tested at the lab since 1999. (Hard-copy reports for tractors tested before 1999 are available for purchase. Contact Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory, Box 830832, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0832, 402/472-2442, tractortestlab@unl.edu.) 2. Click on... more
Tags: tractor fuel efficiency
Posted in AGCO Tractors, Case IH Tractors, Farm Economy, Farmall Tractors, Ford Tractors, John Deere Tractors, Kiota Tractors, Kubota Tractors, Mahindra Tractors, Massey Ferguson Tractors, McCormick Tractors, New Holland Tractors, Tractors | No Comments »
10 Biggest Causes of Machinery Breakdowns (and How to Prevent Them)
Written by admin on August 30, 2011 – 2:33 pm -Jodie Wehrspann, Farm Industry News Machinery breakdowns are always costly. But they are especially costly during planting and harvest, when getting seed in the ground and grain out of the field in a timely fashion are critical to maximizing yield. According to Dr. Mark Hanna, Extension ag engineer at Iowa State University, a day of downtime during planting this spring can cost around $1,400, assuming 12-row equipment and an eight-hour day. A day of downtime at harvest might cost around $500. "Both figures depend on the penalty of the weather during the individual season — that is, how much yield is reduced by planting or harvesting on the last day of the season versus the day in which the equipment was down," Hanna explains. Luke Gierach,... more
Posted in Farm Implements, Tractors | No Comments »
Pre-Field Tractor and Tire Prep
Written by admin on March 25, 2011 – 10:32 am -Pre-Field Tractor and Tire Prep Reed Turner, consulting engineer for Agtech Center in Alberta, Canada, spoke at the Conservation Tillage Conference in Fergus Falls, MN. He offered numerous tips for preparing your tractor and tires for fieldwork and planting. From ballasting to fuel quality, Turner explains what you should do to ensure optimal tractor and tire performance this spring. Read More →
Tags: tractor maintenance
Posted in Tractors | No Comments »
2011 Guide to New 150-Plus-HP Row-Crop Tractors
Written by admin on March 25, 2011 – 10:29 am -Jodie Wehrspann, Farm Industry News If your current row-crop tractor is holding you back from upgrading to a bigger planter or implement, new models for 2011 promise to provide the power and capacity required to make the leap. Three companies — Case IH, John Deere, and New Holland — launched new series of 150-plus-hp row-crop tractors for 2011, and Versatile and JCB each came out with new, more powerful models. "The 240-plus-hp MFWD industry is growing rapidly," says John Bohnker, marketing manager for Case IH Magnum tractors. "Farmers continue to seek bigger planters and tillage equipment, which require more horsepower to pull. Along with more horsepower, farmers are looking for more hydraulic and lift capacity to be more efficient." Here's... more
Tags: john deere tractors, new holland tractors
Posted in Case IH Tractors, John Deere Tractors, New Holland Tractors, Tractors | No Comments »
Improving Fuel Efficiency with Tractor Maintenance
Written by admin on March 25, 2011 – 10:24 am -Laura Sternweis, Iowa State University Consistent maintenance of farm tractors keeps Iowa farming enterprises running smoothly in any kind of weather. A new publication explains how routine maintenance and small adjustments in day-to-day operations also improve fuel efficiency and total energy costs. Consistent maintenance of farm tractors keeps Iowa farming enterprises running smoothly in any kind of weather. A new publication from Iowa State University Extension explains how routine maintenance and small adjustments in day-to-day operations also improve fuel efficiency and total energy costs. "Tractor Maintenance to Conserve Energy" (PM 2089L) is available to download from the Extension Online Store, http://www.extension.iastate.edu/store/. "Fuel... more
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Getting the Most Out of Every Dollar Spent on Horsepower
Written by admin on March 8, 2011 – 7:19 pm -Routine tractor maintenance may not make a top 10 list of favorite farm jobs, but neglecting the regular intervals of servicing a tractor's critical fluids and filters not only can decrease a tractor's overall useful service life, it can be robbing producers of the hard-earned dollars spent for horsepower (hp). "Honestly, the biggest things that I see when it comes to increasing a tractor's life expectancy are the routine maintenance issues," says Mark Hanna, Extension agricultural engineer at Iowa State University. "Things like fluid and filter changes may not be a glamorous job, but they are the most critical aspect of getting the most out of your equipment." And Hanna says it's not just the engine that producers should pay attention to. "The... more
Tags: Farm Economy
Posted in Farm Economy, Tractors | No Comments »
How to Calculate Your Tractor's Fuel Efficiency
Written by admin on March 8, 2011 – 7:15 pm -Farm Industry News 1. Go to http://tractortestlab.unl.edu. Click on "Test Reports." The Web site shows all makes and models tested at the lab since 1999. (Hard-copy reports for tractors tested before 1999 are available for purchase. Contact Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory, Box 830832, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0832, 402/472-2442, tractortestlab@unl.edu.) 2. Click on make and model of tractor. This will bring up the corresponding test report. 3. Check "Chassis: Type" to determine tractor category (2-wd, front wheel assist, 4-wd, or track). This information is included in the narrative text next to the charts on the site. We ranked tractors in two categories: row-crop tractors (2-wd/front wheel assist) and high-horsepower... more
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Do you know what your tractor is worth?
Written by admin on November 5, 2010 – 6:14 pm -Get your copy of the Official Tractor Blue Book and find out. Whether you are buying, selling or trading your farm tractor, the key to maximizing your budget is to use pricing information that is accurate so you know your equipment’s true value. Trusted for over 25 years and now available online, the Tractor Blue Book has the most up-to-date and comprehensive valuation information on farm tractors. With the Tractor Blue Book, you'll have access to: • Farm tractors produced from 1939 to present • Approximate retail price new • Used trade-in values and retail prices • Specification information: engine size, transmission speeds, PTO horsepower, Drawbar horsepower and serial numbers. • Serial number section to identify year built US... more
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Posted in Antique Tractors, Tractors | No Comments »
John Deere Boosts Power on 8R Series Tractors
Written by admin on September 29, 2010 – 11:27 pm -Tier IV Interim treatment on 9.0L engine sees horsepower increase. Building on last year's successful launch of the 8R Series tractor, John Deere has boosted the power in this year's lineup and made all 8R and 8RT tractors capable of accepting "smart tractor" technology. This year's 8R family consists of six new modles with wheels and three with tracks, each sporting 10 to 15 engine horsepower boosts over last year's models. All come with JDLink Ultimate Service and Service Advisor Remote -- complimentary for a year. The service allows the tractor to send location, operation, and performance data over via the Web and cell phone. The 2011 8R Series is powered with the PowerTech PSX 9.0L 6 cylinder diesel engine running dual turbo-chargers, exhaust... more
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Posted in John Deere Tractors, Tractors | No Comments »
Meaner, Cleaner, Leaner Engines
Written by admin on September 24, 2010 – 8:39 pm -by Dave Mowitz Last February, Caterpillar president Stu Levenick put impending EPA Tier 4 pollution restrictions in perspective. He said they’d caused his company to take on “the most aggressive and expensive product development initiative in Caterpillar history.” This comes from the firm that innovated the crawler tractor. Modifications made to diesels since emissions restrictions took hold in 1996 rival any advance made to machinery since Rudolph Diesel’s introduction of a compression-ignition engine in 1892. “Deere & Company spends about $2.5 million a day on research and development,” says Steve Meinzen of that firm. “In recent years, a significant share of that enormous investment has gone to developing Tier 4 interim... more
Tags: john deere tractors
Posted in Farm Economy, John Deere Tractors, Tractors | No Comments »