hp required to tow plant trailer

[hawk eye]

Hi all,

 

I'm looking at upgrading my existing tractor of 110hp, I move my own timber own using a forwarding trailer, plus going into the woods with it to get it out. I now need a bigger tractor to move a 14 tonne digger + harvesting head around with on a plant trailer and also what to potentially run a bigger pto chipper.  

 

Would something like a newish valtra t174 (175hp 6 cylinder) be big enough for this task, or would it be better to go 200hp plus. I wont be hauling the plant trailer all the time but I don't what to be under gunned on the hills with it on.

 

Please let me know if you have experience 

 

Thanks in advance

[gdh]

We've got a valtra t174 (174-190hp) and a deutz 6215 (215-220hp), both Vario,and they'll both pull that fine.

 

With the full 18ton on a very steep hill the valtra will be down to 5mph and the deutz 7mph but that's the extreme. They're fine on your average main road hill.

 

The valtra is 60k so a faster tractor but the deutz has better Vario and amazing brakes.

[hawk eye]

Thanks gdh just what I was looking for,  I was thinking I might have to go for the t214 or t234 for the extra hp and bigger rims but maybe not. 

Thanks 

 

[John Shutler]

i’ve got a valtra t163 and a massey 6480. both 50k boxes but run more like 55k. both are in the 150hp-180hp range. cracking tractors, never wanted for more power 

[hawk eye]

17 hours ago, John Shutler said:

i’ve got a valtra t163 and a massey 6480. both 50k boxes but run more like 55k. both are in the 150hp-180hp range. cracking tractors, never wanted for more power 

I've got a massey 6180 at the moment, good tractor just not very comfortable for the amount of miles I do on the road. Was thinking newer massey 7718 but the valtra has it for the better ground clearance and being able to turn the seat around, also the bigger engine 7.4 in the valtra vs the 6.6 in the massey swayed it. 

[John Shutler]

8 minutes ago, hawk eye said:

I've got a massey 6180 at the moment, good tractor just not very comfortable for the amount of miles I do on the road. Was thinking newer massey 7718 but the valtra has it for the better ground clearance and being able to turn the seat around, also the bigger engine 7.4 in the valtra vs the 6.6 in the massey swayed it. 

my 6480 is a 2013 machine, it’s a great tractor for road work and drives better than my valtra of the same age. my brothers got a 6180 and you wouldn’t want to go to far in it

[KristofferNJ]

Im sorry to derail this thread a bit, but the speed you guys are talking about sounds crazy - how fast can a tractor go in the UK? Here in Denmark its 30 Kph!

[monkeybusiness]

15 minutes ago, KristofferNJ said:

Im sorry to derail this thread a bit, but the speed you guys are talking about sounds crazy - how fast can a tractor go in the UK? Here in Denmark its 30 Kph!

Legally about the same. In reality as fast as the gearbox they are fitted with will allow - 50kph used to be pretty normal, now 60kph plus isn’t unusual... 

[gdh]

2 hours ago, KristofferNJ said:

Im sorry to derail this thread a bit, but the speed you guys are talking about sounds crazy - how fast can a tractor go in the UK? Here in Denmark its 30 Kph!

25mph/40kph is the legal limit (except fastracs and unimogs can go faster). It went up from 20mph a few years ago.

 

Nearly all 150hp+ new tractors are sold at 50kph and you can get 60kph although I think a bit of paperwork is involved with that now.

 

Weight limit is 31ton but only 18 of that can be towed.

[KristofferNJ]

Thanks for your replies (Y)
We have a 25 mph limit on the way. You can register them for more, but then it becomes a lorry in the eyes of the law, which changes the economics alot