Classifieds spotlight: Challenger 85C tractor

Tractor type: Crawler

Make and model: Challenger 85C

Hours: 3000

Engine: 400hp

Location: Vic

Price: $55,000 excluding government charges

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At a quick glance, you’d be forgiven to mistake this unit for a tank of some sort given the hard corners, boxy look and heavy duty crawler tracks.

But instead of battlefields, this high powered machine is actually designed to work on farms to operate the most demanding of implements.

The Challenger brand of tractors was created by renowned heavy equipment brand, Caterpillar, in 1986. What really set the tractors apart was the Mobil-Trac undercarriage system, which consist of crawler tracks on each side of the machine instead of wheels or single tracks.

In fact, Challenger was marketed as the world’s first rubber-tracked agricultural tractor back then. In the late 19th century, one of the original founders of Caterpillar came up with the idea of using tracks instead of wheels on tractors for use in soft soil. Farmers loved the idea and snapped up the petrol powered tracked tractor which was one of the most advanced on the market back in 1909.

Fast forward to the 1990s, the Challenger brand was manufactured as high powered tractors designed for broadacre farming and heavy tillage. The crawler tracks give the tractor maximum traction, floatation and reduced compaction on the ground compared to conventional tractors with four wheels. These machines are ideal for use in grounds that are wet and muddy where wheeled tractors might get bogged.

This Challenger 85C for sale was initially introduced in 1993 and has a power output of 400hp. The seller of the tractor said the motor has been rebuilt and that the unit still runs and pulls well. The tracks are also in good condition, the seller added.

In 2002, the Challenger brand was purchased by AGCO from Caterpillar, and has evolved in leaps and bounds in terms of its looks, designs and technology.

We had the chance to look at and have a go in one of its newest ranges, the MT700 last year. The boxy designs with sharp corners and hard lines were gone and replaced by a much more modern design and sleeker curves. While it no longer carries the Caterpillar decal, it still sports a similar shade of yellow as a tribute to its beginnings.

What was surprising about the machine was the incredibly comfortable ride in the cab even when traversing rough terrain. The three stages of suspension incorporated into the new rigs meant operators don’t feel jolts or bumps operating the machine which is incredibly important for the health and wellbeing of the operator especially if they’ll be driving it all day long.