Is this the biggest tractor in Ireland?

What is the biggest tractor in Ireland? And where is it?

We suspect it may well be this muscular goliath (pictured below). This picture was spotted on social media; it depicts a Case IH Quadtrac that we believe has been brought into the country by ‘Cooney Furlong Machinery Company’.

Interestingly, regular readers may know that the firm was recently appointed as a franchised Case IH dealer.

The tractor in question is a Quadtrac 620. The 620 is the biggest model in the Quadtrac/Steiger line-up; in fact, it’s the biggest tractor in Case IH’s range.

The latest version delivers a peak output of 682hp – making it one of the most powerful tractors in commercial production.

This particular 620 – based in the south-east and likely to be coupled to some big pieces of Vaderstad machinery – must rank as the biggest tractor in Ireland thus far.

The 620, like its 580 sibling, is fitted with a ‘PowerDrive’ full powershift transmission. Other models in the Quadtrac range can be had with either the ‘PowerDrive’ or ‘CVXDrive’ continuously-variable ‘box’.

Interestingly, while not available on the flagship 620, CVXDrive was a relatively recent addition to the Quadtrac arsenal.

It offers stepless travel from standstill up to 40kph and can be programmed to work at a desired forward speed or a set engine speed. ‘Automatic Productivity Management’ software can then adjust the engine and transmission accordingly.

Hans-Werner Eder, Case IH Quadtrac product marketing manager, explained: “At 613hp [peak], the 540 CVX, which is the biggest Quadtrac CVX model, offers the highest available power of any CVT tractor.”

On the 540 CVX, rated power (ECE R120 2) is 543hp, while Engine Power Management – introduced under load – takes this to 598hp – both measured at 2,100rpm rated engine speed.

Maximum power of 613hp is achieved at 1,900rpm, and maximum torque of 2,607Nm at 1,400rpm. The tractor has a diesel capacity of 1,230L and a DEF (AdBlue) tank that holds 322L.

The stepless CVXDrive transmission has four mechanical ranges, with automated changing between each. Four multi-plate wet (hydraulic) clutch-packs, mounted on the four planetary gear-sets, change the ranges. Equal clutch speeds are intended to smoothen out ‘shifts’ and reduce wear.

The hydrostatic pump and hydrostatic motor are effectively a single unit, with no high-pressure pipes between the pump and motor. A variable-displacement swash-plate on the pump facilitates different speeds and allows the fixed hydrostatic motor to be operated in both directions.