Think of a loader tractor and it’s generally a 120hp-ish workhorse, buzzing around the yard filling feeder wagons, or out in the field shifting bales. But loaders are available for tractors right up to 400hp, and while the biggest models are rare in the UK, they do offer a useful way of getting more hours from increasingly costly 200hp machines. A tractor also scores points over a telehandler or loading shovel for towing capability, cab comfort and convenience.
We look at what’s on the market and hear how they are being used.
JOHN DEERE
Designed for 6 series tractors up to the 6R215, the 663R front is available in a mechanical self levelling (MSL) or non self levelling (NSL) configuration. Options include a Return to Position (RTP) function plus loader suspension and gear shifting functions on the joystick.
For heavy duty operations and tractors up to the 6R 250, the 683R loader is MSL as standard, with loader lights, a loader camera and dynamic weighing among the options.
MX
Two ranges for high horsepower tractors are available. The TX range goes up to 400hp and is designed with an ‘industrial’ role in mind, such as backing up a wheeled loader in a grain handling or AD application. Lift heights up to 5.5m, high load capacity and the build to withstand the forces from a large tractor and the weight and size of telehandler attachments are its features.
For tractors up to 300hp, the T series is designed to be easy to fit and remove from the tractor when it is needed for other tasks, using a single
