This (pictured above) is the latest tractor from Lovol – a Chinese manufacturer.
It’s the 1304. Its six-cylinder, 5.99L engine churns out just over 130hp. The engine is mated to a relatively simple 16F 8R synchronised gearbox. The tractor is notable not only for its size and power output, but also its new cab.
Three (remote) spool valves are standard at the rear; the PTO is a typical 540/1,000rpm configuration.
The tractor (unladen) weighs 5.25t; it’s shod on 18.4-38 rear wheels/tyres. Hydraulic pump output is a reasonable 63L/min.
Top whack on the road is a modest 35kph.
Image source: https://besplatka.ua
Will we see such a tractor any time soon here in Ireland? That depends on compliance with mounting regulations here in the EU – including increasingly stringent engine emissions limits.
Who or what is Lovol?
Lovol manufactures a broad dossier of products, including agricultural equipment (tractors, implements and combine harvesters), construction equipment (excavators, backhoe loaders, forklifts, graders, wheel loaders, skid-steer loaders, rollers and bulldozers), specialist urban vehicles (small three-wheeled and electric transport units) and engines.
The range of agricultural implements includes trailers, balers, ploughs, cultivators, rotary tillers and even sprayers. Most of these are at the smaller end of the scale – in terms of physical size.
It’s a similar story for the entity’s combine harvesters; these go from 75hp up to just 150hp. Cutting widths run from just 2m up to 4.5m. These machines, depending on the individual model, mainly tackle wheat or rice.
Lovol Heavy Industry – the company’s full trading name – also has a significant financial services division.
Back in 2014, for example, it recorded sales revenues of almost 22 billion RMB (Chinese Yuan). This equates to over €3 billion.
Lovol claims to be the largest agricultural equipment manufacturer in China; its activities also feed into other brands and manufacturers – extending its reach further in the global farm machinery sector.