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Challenger Tractor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Challenger
IndustryAgricultural machinery
Founded1986
HeadquartersJackson, Minnesota, United States
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsTractors
ParentAGCO
WebsiteOfficial website
A Challenger MT765C tractor
Challenger tractor with a scraper pan behind

Challenger is an American brand of agricultural tractors. Created in 1986 by Caterpillar Inc., the brand was sold to AGCO in 2002. Since then, Challenger tractors have been manufactured at the company's Jackson, Minnesota facility.

Production models

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Origins

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The original model was the Challenger 65 featuring the Mobile-Trac System (MTS) consisting of rubber tracks and a suspension system.[1] Although marketed as the world's first rubber-tracked agricultural tractor, a company using surplus equipment inspired by the design of military tanks had produced a considerable number of rubber tracked tank tractors. The MTS combined the flotation and traction of steel tracks with the versatility of rubber tires. The use of tracks gave the machines increased tractive performance compared to traditional four wheel drive tractors equipped with tires. The Challenger 65 began as a 270 gross hp (200 kW)[2] machine used primarily for heavy tillage.

Late 20th century

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In 1995 Caterpillar introduced the first "row crop" tracked machines with the Challenger 35, 45 and 55.[3] These machines ranged in power from 130 KW PTO to 168 KW and were designed to be used for a variety of tasks the larger machines could not. The Challenger tracked tractor was produced by Caterpillar at their Dekalb, Illinois location until the Challenger name and all of its associated agricultural assets were sold to AGCO.[4] During the late 1990s, the Challenger 65B was introduced. This was an upgraded version of the 65 model. It retained the bulk of the original’s specifications except for the system improvements that increased reliability.[1]

Early 21st century

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Since 2002, when the brand was purchased by AGCO, Challenger tractors have been manufactured at the company's Jackson, Minnesota facility. At the time AGCO purchased the Challenger brand most Challenger dealers were also Caterpillar construction equipment dealers. Although AGCO has shifted focus of the Challenger tractor to the agricultural market, the construction market is still an important sector for the tractors as AGCO still manufactures specially configured machines for use with pull-type earth moving equipment.[5]

The Caterpillar Challenger MT875B was the most powerful production tractor available during its span with 430 kW gross (580 hp) engine power.[6] In 2007, the MT875B broke the world record for most land tilled in 24 hours with a custom-made, 14 metres (46 ft) disc harrow fabricated by Grégoire Besson.[7] It tilled 644 hectares (1,590 acres). The tractor consumed 4.42 litres per hectare (0.393 imp gal/acre) diesel fuel.[8]

The production of Challenger tractors expanded for a time to include both tracked and wheeled type tractors, which were available in either row-crop or flotation type configurations depending upon the preference of the customer.[9] Since their purchase in 2002, the Challenger brand has used a Caterpillar diesel engine in the majority of their models. However, with the introduction of the D series of each tractor model, AGCO began implementing the use of AGCO Power branded engines that are Tier 4i/Stage 3B emission compliant by using e3, a Selective Catalytic Reduction system which injects urea in engine's exhaust gas stream to reduce nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emitted to the atmosphere.[10][11][12][13]

As of 2023, only tracked tractors in the 700 Series (MT738, MT740, and MT743 models) and 800 Series (MT851, MT856, MT862, and MT865 models) are in production.[14][15] AGCO began phasing out the Challenger brand in 2020.[16][17] Additionally, the Rogator application machine is now produced and sold under AGCO's Fendt brand name.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b Orlemann, Eric C. Caterpillar Chronicle : History of the Greatest Earthmovers. St. Paul, MN: MotorBooks International. p. 117. ISBN 0-7603-0667-2.
  2. ^ "Challenger 65 Test Results". Nebraska Tractor Test Lab. TractorData.com. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  3. ^ Sanders, Ralph W. (2009). The Farm Tractor. Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-1-61060-521-2.
  4. ^ "AGCO History". AGCO Corporation. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  5. ^ "Special Application Scraper Tractors". AGCO Corporation. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  6. ^ "Agriculture Online - Not Found". Archived from the original on 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
  7. ^ "XXL Maximum Width Disc Harrow". Gregoire Besson. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  8. ^ "Challenger MT875B tractor sets new world record with Gregoire Besson cultivator - Farmers Weekly". fwi.co.uk. 3 October 2007. Archived from the original on 8 June 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Tractors - Challenger". AGCO Corporation. Archived from the original on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  10. ^ "e3 Selective Catalytic Reduction". AGCO Corporation. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  11. ^ "AGCO updates the MT800 Challenger tractors". Grainews. 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  12. ^ Nongrum, Nonalynka. "AGCO unveils all-new Challenger MT800 Series track tractors". Far Eastern Agriculture (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  13. ^ "Challenger Unveils Next-Generation Track Tractors". Successful Farming. 2017-10-02. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  14. ^ "Challenger farm tractors sorted by series". TractorData.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. ^ Garvey, Scott (10 March 2021). "AGCO updates the MT800 Challenger tractors". Grainews. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Challenger farm tractors sorted by year". TractorData.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  17. ^ "AGCO Implements 'Retail-Only' Model for Challenger Brand". Ag Equipment Intelligence. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  18. ^ Hill, Peter (8 October 2018). "Fendt improves its Rogator sprayers". Future Farming. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
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