Find out how your Fendt 943 Vario MT did in an official test. We have compiled the test results from the trade press for you.
Fendt 943 Vario MT tracked tractor in the topagrar comparison test.
German agricultural magazine, topagrar, and Dutch agricultural technology magazine, Boerderij, put three tracked tractors to the test in autumn 2020.
The line-up included Fendt's tracked 943 Vario MT tractor and JD's 8RT 410, both 'fully-tracked' machines, and the 'semi-tracked' Claas Axion 960 TerraTrac. In this practical intensive test, the focus was on performance on the field.
Tractive power and performance – with ballast up to the technically permissible overall weight
„The team from South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences (Soest) measured the tractive power and performance for us on the field. We used the usual Köckerling cultivator (Vector) in our tests. Each variant of the 8 m-wide cultivator is equipped with wing screws, which are great for testing as they significantly increase traction requirements."
"Together with the cultivator's support load, the Fendt tracked tractor reached an operating weight of 20.2 t. The total contact area of the tracked machine's surface came out the smallest in the test, with the tractor interlocking very well with the ground."
"As a result, the Fendt achieved the highest maximum traction power of around 142 kN, that's about 14.2 t."
"The slip values of the 943 Vario MT were the lowest in the test“.
Area coverage and driving strategies
„In addition to pure tractive performance, 'soft factors' also play a role when it comes to area coverage. This includes handling and working comfort. The practical test had the tracked models pulling a Kverneland cultivator (Turbo T i-Tiller) with a working width of 6.18 m“.
"The Fendt drove very smoothly due to the good alignment between the engine and transmission."
"We have singled out the fantastic ergonomics of Fendt's controls in past tests."
"We were able to activate the automatic steering while still steering. As soon as you started driving straight, the automatic steering took over – points for that."
Driving comfort on roads and lanes
„ In addition to field work, these tracked machines also travel on roads or tow overhead loading wagons throughout the season. We mixed up the quality of the roads we tested on; from a smooth main road to a dirt track with large potholes. At agreed points, we asked the drivers to record their impression of driving comfort and steering behaviour on a scale of one (impassable) to ten (like a decent wheeled tractor)“.
Fendt was given a score of 6.7. However, it does have the suspension of the support rollers in a double swingarm partly to thank for that.
The low-engine speed concept and infinitely variable drive work very well together.
