Crystal clear?

Zetor’s tractors from the ’60s and ’70s are not always held in the highest esteem, but with all factors taken into account it’s easier to appreciate the positives. At the time of their launch they may not have had the ‘kerb appeal’ that some of their rivals enjoyed, but they offered tremendous value for money – a trait that is still relevant today.

For the purpose of this guide we will be focusing on the 8011/45 and 12011/45 models, due to their popularity, but elements of this guide can be applied to other tractors in the range.

Designed following the realisation that there was a need for a tractor in its line-up producing 80-90hp, Zetor set to work on its new four-cylinder model and it was introduced to the market at the end of the 1960s.

The two-wheel drive 8011 and four-wheel drive 8045 were great examples of numerous factories working together to produce a single product – with the engine produced in Martin, Slovakia, the gearbox built in Prague and the rear axle, hydraulic system and other subassemblies built at the Ursus factory in Poland, which Zetor would swap components with.

Collaborative qualities aside, it transpired that problems