Check lubrication standards for modern tractors

Check lubrication standards for modern tractors

Following a tractor manufacturer’s specifications gives farmers basic guidance on fluid maintenance. But don’t rely on the same lubrication specifications when you replace older equipment with newer equipment.

Tractor manufacturers have made significant improvements to increase machine durability and productivity. You need to use the correct lubricants to achieve the maximum equipment life and performance.

There are some obsolete and outdated lubrication specifications still being sold that work fine for a 20-year-old tractor but not in newer tractors. These older lubricants won’t achieve optimal protection and can lead to equipment damage and unexpected repair bills.

Sparex’s new catalogue

Sparex has released a new catalogue containing over 20,000 replacement parts for all major manufacturers.

The new tractor parts catalogue covers all major manufacturers, including Case IH, Ford, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, Deutz-Fahr, New Holland, Fendt and many more.

Products have been split into two volumes and grouped in a logical sequence from the front to the back of the catalogue.

Book one contains the engine section through to transmission and to the rear axle, with all other parts in book two, including a complete index by manufacturers and Sparex part numbers.

Makes and models are sorted alphabetically in each section and all parts have an OEM cross reference, a comprehensive listing of applications covered and clear product images. You can get more information on www.sparex.com.

Landini to build tractors in Brazil

Landini, part of Italy’s Argo Tractors group, will build a tractor manufacturing plant in Brazil.

This will be the group’s first plant outside Italy for the production and sales of agricultural tractors. Initially Landini will manufacture tractors ranging from 100hp to 180hp. Later the range will be expanded with the addition of 60hp to 100hp tractors.

Argo’s four factories in Italy manufactured 17,000 tractors in total in 2012. The Argo tractor brands are Landini, McCormick and Valpadana.

Hybrid tractors on the way

Hybrid construction machines are now widely available. Caterpillar and Komatsu both offer hybrid excavators and bulldozers. Now, John Deere has produced its first hybrid, the 644K hybrid wheel loader. Hybrid tractors that use electricity to supplement diesel engine power continue to be a hot point of discussion at agricultural machinery conferences in Europe and North America.

Engine manufacturers, such as Cummins, are designing diesel engines solely to be coupled to electric generators for hybrid vehicles instead of traditional mechanical or hydrostatic transmissions, according to some industry sources.

Off-road hybrid loaders, such as Deere’s 644K model, have been shown to give significant fuel savings and substantial productivity gains over traditional loaders.