Challenger MT700 tracked tractor launch review

When a machine manufacturer goes down the “clean sheet design” route, it could mean one of two things: a resounding success or an epic failure. Ground-up designs mean pretty much everything on the new models are completely different from their predecessors, and that might not necessarily bode well with customers who are accustomed to a certain style, design and feel.

US tractor brand, Challenger, which sits under the AGCO umbrella, went down that path with its new MT700 tractors in a bid to give the rigs as well as the brand a bit of a refresh. Originally part of the Caterpillar family, Challenger has come a long way since its beginnings as the world’s first rubber-tracked ag-type tractor. Its crawler tracks and power galore meant it was primarily used as a pulling tractor to handle the heaviest of implements.

With the recent facelift to its tractor range, Challenger is hoping to increase the machines’ versatility from being straight-up pulling tractors to more rounded utility units that farmers can have on larger broadacre farms executing a varied range of tasks including spreading and spraying.

When the new MT700 units landed on Australian shores in mid-2018, they created a bit of a commotion across the ag sector with farmers scrambling to get a look and feel of the new rigs.

We recently had the chance to witness the brand new MT700 series in action and took them for a short spin around a paddock west of Melbourne. Although we were not able to attach any implements to the tractors to test their pulling power, we were able to get a good feel of the ride and ease of operation.

The tractor is certainly a sight to behold, with its striking yellow exterior reminiscent of its Caterpillar past. The main body is flanked by impressive track assemblies with heavy-duty rubber tracks on both sides, and features sleek lines and a sloping bonnet.

It almost seems the entire body is floating between the tracks, with the body jutting a fair way forward beyond the tracks. It’s unusual enough to see a crawler tractor in agricultural applications, let alone a floating one. However, that is exactly what AGCO and Challenger have set out to do with their new tractors, which we will get to in a tick.

AGCO Challenger had one of its older models on site for comparison purposes, and the differences are apparent. The new models look way less ‘boxy’ and have a narrower nose, more rounded lines and a more attractive and comprehensive lighting package with added lights up in the roof for illuminating the area around the tractor for when operators need to work in low light conditions.

The MT700 series carries three models – the MT738 with 380hp, MT740 with 400hp and MT743 with 430hp.

Pricing for the base model MT738 starts from around the $400,000 mark.

One of the key considerations for the new MT700 design is ride comfort, because farmers can be in these rigs for hours on end, often driving across undulating terrain.

The Mobil-trac tracked undercarriage is ultimately the focal point of any Challenger tractor, so it’s no surprise that plenty of thought and redesign has gone into it to improve the safety and overall ride of the tractor.

For one, the undercarriage is now longer with 101 inches of track on the ground, making it the longest undercarriage in its class according to Challenger. The track assembly has also been revamped to not only better transfer power to the ground, but also provide a more comfortable ride for the operator.

“The biggest thing that's happened there is the mid-wheel oscillation,” said Challenger product manager, Tim Oldaker. “In the previous tractor, we had a bogie mid-wheel at the front and the rear mid-wheel was semi fixed and could only partially move. With the new tractors, they've moved the dual bogie back and there's a tri-link in there so all mid wheels can now oscillate.”

The hardbar is now suspended from the chassis of the tractor using dual coil springs and heavy-duty shock absorbers instead of rubber “marshmallow springs” to allow for increased oscillation. That allows the left and right undercarriages to move independently from the tractor chassis, allowing the machine to simply “float” over uneven ground for a smoother ride.

“In the two larger tractors there are now cab suspension fitted,” Oldaker added. “It's a very simple coil-over shock absorber on two points at the rear of the cab which is very simple and reliable.

“So those three key points all add up to a really nice ride in the cab for the operator.”

To put this to the test, we drove the MT740 over a patch of bumpy ground in the paddock. Instead of jolting up and down in my seat as one would in a conventional wheel tractor traversing uneven ground, the MT740 simply floated across the ditch in the ground with minimal effort, and I hardly felt a thing sitting in the driver’s seat.

This ability for tracked tractors to handle uneven ground with such ease is almost unheard of, and Challenger certainly ticked that box with its MT700 tractors.

The new MT700 range is still running the same seven-cylinder 9.8-litre AGCO Power engine, but with better efficiency.

“We're running a constant power engine now so there is no rated or maximum horsepower. If you're buying a 380hp tractor you've got exactly that,” Oldaker explained. “Our engines now only rev up to a maximum of 1700rpm compared to 2100 or 2200rpm like most other tractors on the market.

“In terms of a pulling tractor, this machine has maximum pulling power right through the 1100 to 1600rpm rev range.”

What that means is the engine doesn’t have to rev as hard to offer maximum power, hence prolonging its life as well as reducing fuel consumption.

Another tweak that Challenger has made in the engine bay is the concentric fan, which now has its own hydrostatic drive to cool each tractor component independent of engine speed.

“The big thing with that is there is now a 70 per cent reduction in horsepower to run the fan and a 50 per cent increase in throughput,” Oldaker said. “That translates to fuel savings.

“The fan can also be reversed to blow off any material build-up in the engine bay or in front of the bonnet.”

With improved engine efficiency comes fuel savings, cost savings and reduced downtime.

“The new tractor is 15 to 20 per cent more fuel efficient than the previous model, mainly due to the low revving engine,” Oldaker said.

The new AccuVT continuously variable transmission replaces the previous Caterpillar transmission, and allows a maximum speed of 43km/h. It provides optimal coordination with the engine for peak performance and productivity.

Hydraulic capacity has been upped on the MT700, from a single pump feeding out a max flow rate of 321l/min to a dual pump system pumping out a total of 440l/min.

According to Oldaker, the biggest advantage of the dual pump system is the ability to split the hydraulic system to feed different functions and implements.

“Pump one will feed the left hand side of the valve bank while the second pump will feed the other side of the valve bank.

“Some of the big air seeders that farmers are running these days require hydraulic pumps on one circuit to do two very different jobs, either very high flow, low pressure or very low flow and high pressure.

“If you can group those two different things on two different circuits, not only are you stopping the degradation of your auxiliary hydraulic oil and overheating it, you are also reducing the energy that the tractor uses up.”

All Challenger MT700 tractors have a PTO of 1000rpm and 1000 ECO as standard.

This is perhaps where the biggest changes can be seen and felt: in the operator’s seat.

The air-ride seat is comfortable and adjustable to suit the operator’s needs. The tractor comes standard with a trainee seat as well as a suite of creature comforts such as radio, Bluetooth, beverage holders, storage compartments and more.

All Challenger MT700 tractors come standard with an AccuTerminal easy-to-use touchscreen terminal and an Advantage joystick that drives the tractor. Operators can either use the joystick or pedals, thus allowing less experienced operators to easily hop in and start driving.

Not unlike other tractors, pulling the joystick backwards or pushing it forwards controls the speed of the tractor. A pretty cool time-saving feature on the joystick is with the press of a button and a simple flick to the left the tractor is in reverse – at the same speed as forward mode. Another flick to the left will then send it back into forward.

All other controls for the PTO, hydraulics and engine revs are contained within the armrest and within easy reach of the operator.

If the undercarriage is the heart of the Challenger MT700 rigs, then the AccuTerminal is certainly the brain that decides what the tractor does and how it moves.

The 10.4-inch touchscreen layout is simple and uncluttered and functions are easily located with clear smartphone-like icons depicting the different functions such as tractor operation key stats, implement controls and more.

With precision agriculture being a crucial part of modern farming operations, Challenger has integrated a number of precision farming capabilities into the MT700 models including auto-steer, auto-guidance, rate control, section control and headland management.

Setting up auto-guidance on the MT700 series is as easy as selecting a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver from either NovAtel or Trimble that Challenger will install from the factory. The clear benefit with auto-guidance is the accuracy and precision that can be achieved as opposed to a manual driving operation, increasing efficiencies while reducing operator fatigue at the same time.

From there, farmers can opt in for whichever other precision farming functions they need.

“If you want to just do very simple guidance, you can spend a small amount of money and have the tractor steering itself, or you can be as advanced as you want and unlock section control, rate control and advanced headland management,” Oldaker said.

“All these other features are already there waiting if you need them.”

A TaskDoc Pro function which come as a standard feature records and logs all relevant data and allows farmers to wirelessly transfer the data on to their computer without the need for an external storage medium. Conversely, farm managers can set a task using their computer at home or in their office and send it wirelessly to one or multiple tractors, in which operators can then receive via the AccuTerminal and carry out the task from there.

I came away very impressed with the tractor, wishing I had the funds to snap one up right then and there. But even if I had the dollars, Challenger had no stock available as demand for the MT700 series has been overwhelming, according to Oldaker.

“We are in a great position where we are having more people looking for tractors than we could get orders on the factory,” he said. “But we're increasing our forecast as fast as we can to try and meet the demand that's there.

“It's been a great change for the brand overall and I think it's showing everyone that we are still as advanced as anyone in the market. It's still right up there as a premium product.”

While one can argue that there are cheaper tractors on the market in the same horsepower segment, you certainly cannot get the quality and plethora of features the Challenger MT700 offers.

“Pricing is always an argument that comes up with the Challenger tractors, but it's been less of an issue with this new range,” Oldaker said. “Guys are accepting the quality and the engineering that's gone into this machine and then when they drive it, they're sold. It’s great.”

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