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The heaviest and widest tractor frame in the world

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Smaller than Big Bud and Big Roy, the AGCO Challenger MT975B tractor boasts the heaviest and widest tractor frame in the world.

The MT975B is the largest in Challenger’s MT900B range and has been primarily designed for the North American and eastern European markets and has not been homologated for Western Europe. With peak power output in excess of 600hp and a maximum operating weight of just over 27t, it’s the world’s biggest and most powerful production tractor.

Everything about this machine is monstrous – its fuel tank takes a good 20 minutes to fill and matches most farm sprayers at 1500 litres – some indication of the 18.1-litre engine’s thirst.

The size of a small suburban semi and with a pricetag to match, it’s got the widest and heaviest frame in the industry (1321mm wide, 3950mm wheelbase), the largest articulation pin and the biggest bar axle (145mm) on offer anywhere. It’s a six-step climb up to the cab.

The firm claims that making the chassis chunkier provides better weight and power distribution over uneven terrain. The drawbar extends to the centre of the tractor, which is also said to help spread the load to all four corners.

And yet, despite its size, the enormous machine is nimble. Its articulation pivot-point allows 42 degree turns (15.2m diameter turning circle on dual 800 tyres) and 13 degrees of oscillation to keep all the wheels in contact with the ground.

The whole MT900B range uses Caterpillar’s 24 valve ACERT Tier III engines, delivering power through Cat’s 16×4 full powershift transmission – an adapted version of the gearbox used in the construction giant’s dump trucks.

But for those in Western Europe, the MT975B’s size is ultimately its undoing. To get all that power down effectively on a wheeled machine, it has to run on dual wheels, making it far too wide (5.1m) for our roads.

The logical solution – aside from selling it on single wheels and an “optional” set of duals – is to put it on four tracks. It’s a move which has proved successful for other machines, such as Case’s Quadtrac and John Deere’s H-track equipped 9020 series tractors. Challenger however, has no plans for such an adaptation.

The Caterpillar Challenger, a 27 tonne articulated tractor of over 5 meters wide and with a turning circle of 30 meters. Challenger MT 975 B, an articulated tractor with duals, 5 meters wide and more than 600pk. The impressive machine was controlled by Maartje van de Ven.

Category
Tractor & Machinery
  • Rehoboth

    Nice post

    Thanks

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