Many big-scale UK arable businesses prefer the rubber-tracked route when looking to transfer maximum tractor power to the ground and tread softly; for proof, just refer back to our cost management reports over the past 15 years. But what of tyres? Their technology has come on a long way over the same time period — as, incidentally, has that of articulated tractors? New Holland is an enthusiastic advocate of the tyred artic principle, as witnessed here in the shape of the new T9.
With 900/60 R42 rubber operating at 2.4 bar, and overall machine width still squeezing in under 3.0m, it’s easy to see why New Holland has such high hopes for its 261kW/354hp to 410kW/557hp range of articulated T9 wheeled tractors that it’s now promoting in Europe. And that’s before the firm dangles the carrot of the significant price difference between artics and their rubber tracked rivals — up to £50,000 or more in some instances.
The key difference between the T9 and its T9000 predecessors is that the Stage IIIB powered T9.390, T9.450, T9.505 and T9.560 models move to a narrower 900mm/36in chassis. Shod on 710 tyres, this results in a relatively slim 2.55m transport width, and, even if you choose to operate on fatter 900 tyres, then this only extends the figure to 3.00m, which is still narrow enough for travelling along UK public roads without too much fuss.
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