Five of the world’s biggest tractors

Usually when we think of the world’s biggest machines, our minds turn to mining equipment, like Caterpillar 777F rock trucks. But the agriculture industry has its own equally impressive behemoths, including our list of five of the world’s biggest tractors:

1. Big Bud 16V-747 Tractor

An impressive 28 ft. long and 20 ft. wide, Big Bud’s enormity is no coincidence – this massive tractor shares some of the same DNA as super-sized mining equipment. The 8 ft. tall wheels of this 4WD tractor are mounted on Clark D-85840 axles, the same axles found in former mining staple the Clark Michigan L480 wheel loader. Big Bud came into production in 1977 when Montana-based Northern Manufacturing filled an order for the Rossi brothers. With its 16-cylinder Detroit Diesel 16V92T engine, Big Bud could keep up a fast pace, working more than one acre per minute. After ripping cotton fields in California for the Rossi brothers, followed by more ripping work in Florida, Big Bud returned to Montana after the massive tractor was purchased by the Williams brothers.

View all of Big Bud’s 95,000 lbs. in action in this video:

2. Big Roy: Versatile 8-WD Model 1080 tractor

During the same year that Big Bud was being put to work, Versatile Manufacturing Ltd. was developing its own super-sized tractor: the 8WD Model 1080 tractor, dubbed “Big Roy” after Versatile president Roy Robinson. Built in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this massive tractor is 30 ft. long, 22 ft. wide, 11 ft. high and powered by a 600 HP V-12 19L Cummins engine. Unlike Big Bud, Big Roy’s engine sits behind the operator’s cab, limiting rear visibility. To overcome this design oversight, Versatile installed a closed circuit television with a dust-proof 120-degree camera to relay images of the drawbar to the TV monitor built into the cab’s dashboard. 

Watch a video of this huge tractor:

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3. AGCO Challenger MT975B tractor

Smaller than Big Bud and Big Roy, the AGCO Challenger MT975B tractor boasts the heaviest and widest tractor frame in the world. This big tractor measures 24 ft. long by 16 ft. wide and stands just over 12 ft. tall; it’s a six-step climb up into the cab! The tractor is powered by a 570 HP 18.1L Caterpillar diesel engine. Although the tractor’s articulation point gives the MT975B a tight 42 degree turning circle, the tractor is still too wide to navigate most western European roads safely.

Here’s a quick look at the MT975B tractor:

4. Case IH Steiger Quadtrac 620 tractor

Launched in 2013, the Case IH Steiger Quadtrac 620 is the world’s largest fuel efficient and most powerful tractor. The tractor’s 12.9-L Case IH FPT engine with two-stage turbocharging can put out a maximum of 682 HP.⁷ In contrast to Versatile’s Big Roy, the Quadtrac 620 tractor offers the best available all-around visibility from the cab. The Quadtrac 620 measures a respectable 25 ft. in length and 13 ft. in height.

If you’re looking to buy a tractor that is fuel efficient yet able to pull a 70′ air drill with ease, view the Quadtrac 620:

5. Upton HT14/350 2WD tractor

Not nearly as powerful as the Quadtrac 620, the Upton HT14/350 2WD tractor still deserves a mention as the world’s most powerful 2WD factory built agricultural tractor. The HT14/350 was built in Corowa, NSW, Australia in 1978 by Upton, a tractor manufacturer known for building tractors like tanks.

Find the tractor you need:  search all tractors being sold at Ritchie Bros. unreserved auctions.

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See also

How to start a land clearing business: equipment, costs, and income potential