McCormick tractor distributor AgriArgo has come up with the ideal machine for hard-pressed dairy farmers needing a reliable power unit for the daily cleaning-up routine – the 74hp X4.35M.
Likely to be available for less than £17,950 on-farm in two-wheel drive form and £19,950 with four-wheel drive, the tractor is from the new McCormick X4M Series, so it benefits from the manufacturer’s latest transmission, axle and hydraulics.
“Argo Tractors developed the new X4M Series for markets where very simply-equipped tractors such as this are commonplace,” AgriArgo general manager and sales director Ray Spinks said. “It’s not the sort of tractor we’d normally sell here – but we recognised what a great low-cost, mid-size scraper tractor the X4.35M would be.”
As standard, the newcomer has a straightforward mechanical clutch and 12×12, 40m/hr shuttle gearbox with 540rpm PTO. A 30km/hr 16×16 creep option is available for operators who want the extra ratios and slower speeds.
A two-speed PTO with an economy 540rpm setting in place of single-speed PTO can be added if buyers plan to use the tractor for light field work or with bedding or feed dispensers.
Rear radial tyres (14.9R28) are included for good grip and long service life, with a 12.4R36 no-cost option on the four-wheel drive version enabling buyers to shave a few centimetres off the overall width.
A dual element hydraulic pump provides 20-lit/min dedicated to steering and 45-lit/min to supply the 2,700kg rear hitch and either one or two single/double-acting spool valves.
One of the keys to the tractor’s low on-farm price is the 4.4-litre Perkins 1104D-44 engine, which is built to Stage IIIA emissions rules. It therefore lacks the expensive exhaust gas treatment equipment that adds significant cost to other tractors.
“It has mechanical rather than electronic fuel injection, and doesn’t even have a turbocharger, so it’s about as simple an engine as you can get,” Mr Spinks added. “Turbocharging and electronic fuelling have their place, of course; they’re essential for more powerful tractors that must meet tighter emissions rules, and the electronics bring speed control features and other advantages.
“But for a scraper tractor, you want something as simple as possible for low purchase and running costs; you get that with the X4.35M plus the reliability and low maintenance demands of a modern, new tractor.”
Things are also kept as simple as possible on the operator platform, where rubber matting covers the footplates either side of the shallow plastic-covered transmission tunnel.
Together with a plastic-covered seat, lack of cladding and minimum electrics, this means operators can hose down the tractor to keep it presentable and in good condition for a long service life.
For more information visit: www.mccormick.it/en/.
