McCormick F110 specialty tractor 2023 Review

Those who have been farming for a while may remember McCormick from when it was still one with the Case and International Harvester brands. In fact, the much-loved Farmall tractor, now remanufactured under Case IH, was initially produced under McCormick in the 1950s.

Today, the brand is thriving under the wings of Italian tractor specialist, Argo S.p.A, and still bears the trademark red from its heyday.

The brand has an illustrious history that stretches back over 180 years, the firm having gone through several acquisitions, moves and rebrands, but its bottom line remains the same: provide quality farm equipment to the global agricultural community.

Following its acquisition by Argo S.p.A and a move to its Italian facility in Fabbrico in the early 2000s, McCormick did a revamp of its entire range and produced compact tractors offering 60hp all the way up to the most recent and advanced X8 offering 310hp.

Its specialty range also received a facelift, with multiple configurations including narrow orchard and vineyard formats launched in recent years.

One of its specialty models, the F110, recently arrived in Australia and one of the very first models was sold by Clark Equipment to Adina Vineyard and Olive Grove in the Hunter Valley, NSW. We were invited to get an exclusive first look and drive of the machine.

First impressions of the machine are that it is modern and stylish, which was exactly what Argo was hoping to achieve with its range revamp.

A redesigned hood sports a new front grille, round headlights, and a McCormick decal on the grille and on the side of the hood. Its iconic red exterior makes it truly stand out in amongst rows of vines or trees.

Its four-post cab features glass that stretches around and down to the bottom of the cab on both sides, offering superior visibility all the way down to the ground so operators can see where they’re going and not run into trellis posts as they make turns at the end of the rows.

Being a specialty tractor, the McCormick F110 has sufficiently compact dimensions to allow it to fit in between rows of vines or trees. It has a minimum width of about 1.3m and a height of just under 2m, ensuring it can travel comfortably under trees without causing any damage to limbs or low-hanging fruit.

The F110 is powered by a Perkins engine with an output of 102hp. It is Tier 3 engine emissions standard compliant, meaning there are no AdBlue and DPF systems to worry about, keeping maintenance costs low.

The hood opens up wide enough for easy access to the engine and other components for servicing and maintenance.

The tractor can be optioned with different transmission configurations such as synchro shuttle or creeper speed, which allows the McCormick F110 to go as slow as 310m/hr.

The F110 we had was a 24x24 hydraulic power shuttle transmission with Hi-Low. It has a gear splitter that is activated via the gear level that reduces the selected gear by 20 per cent, offering the operator a wide range of speeds to carry out any task on the farm – from spraying to fertilising or mowing.

The hydraulic power shuttle on the left of the steering wheel makes it that bit easier for drivers to maneouvre the machine, allowing operators to quickly shift through gears and change from forward to reverse without using the clutch pedal.

The model we tested features a fully enclosed cab, which is more ideal in a vineyard or orchard application where there would be a fair bit of spraying involved.

The cab is pressurised to keep out dust and noise but, more importantly, the air conditioning and heating system has an active carbon filter that keeps the air inside the cab clean for a healthier environment for farmers.

It was incredibly hot and sunny out in the Hunter Valley on the day of the review, and the air-conditioning on full blast was certainly a welcome feature.

A low enough platform with step makes it easy for operators to step in or out of the cab safely, while an air suspension seat and adjustable steering wheel will allow them to work in comfort all day.

It is overall quite comfortable in the operator’s seat, but there wasn’t much room for the operator to stretch or move their legs due to the placement of the transmission down the middle of the tractor – it takes up legroom in between the steering wheel and seat. According to McCormick, this was necessary to keep the overall profile of the cab low.

An easy to-view dashboard shows critical machine operating information such as machine speed and gear, if the tractor is in forward or reverse, fuel levels and more.

Vision around the machine is unmatched, thanks to the four-post cab structure and fully glazed windows and glass doors. This is further enhanced by rear-view mirrors that allow operators to monitor implements working behind the machine.

Specialty tractors need to be maneuverable to be able to work between rows quickly and efficiently, and the F110 handles that quite well. Its tight turning circle means it can navigate rows fairly easily without the operator having to make multiple maneouvers.

The auxiliary hydraulic flow for the F110 is up to 82l/min via two remote valves at the rear. A triple pump hydraulic option with front remote valves is an option to enable the operation of front implements.

It has a hefty rear lifting capacity of 2700kg.

A rear PTO of up to 1000rpm is available as an option, allowing the tractor to run the most demanding of implements when required.

It is evident that McCormick has been in the tractor game for a very long time, just based on the thoughtful features on the tractor that allows it to handle specialty applications with finesse without being complicated to operate.

It handles tight turns really well even with a sprayer in tow and is a comfortable tractor to drive thanks to its ergonomic controls.

Clark Equipment says the F110 is the first of a series of specialty farming tractors it plans to bring into the country, with the X4 range with a higher platform to follow soon.

Watch this space!

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