Is your top speed causing a choke point on your operation?

The top speed of your tractor is extremely important.  Whether it be spring, summer or harvest, the top speed of the slowest tractor being used can impact how efficient your farm is.  Also, when using multiple pieces of machinery, keeping up with the other guys can be crucial to the operation.  Simply said, in the field or on the road, your top MPH matters.

Tractors can have their speed limited by either an electronically controlled speed limiter or simply by having a lack of power.   It is fairly straight forward when determining which factor is holding you back.  If you see the RPM gauge bouncing at a specific RPM while in your highest gear, you have a speed limiter.  On the other hand, if you can shift up but do not have the power to run without lugging then it is a lack of power.  With either of these problems, there may be a less expensive solution other than buying a brand new tractor.  

Other articles about Tractors and Combines:

• Shift Up, Throttle Back Review
• Why tune your Combine BEFORE Harvest
• Can your tractor ever really have enough power?

The POWER MANAGER by Calibrated Power for Tractors and Combines:

Our custom tuning calibrations may provide the solution to your top speed problems.  If you have a red, green or blue tractor built after the year 2000 and larger than 4.5L engine, custom tuning may provide the solution to your problem.  

1: Electronically imposed speed limiter

These can be frustrating.  Especially if you know the manufacturer offers the same model you have with a higher peak MPH.  Some tractors can use the Power Manager (our custom tractor tuner) to simply fix the issue.  This will be applicable when the limiter is programmed in the ECM calibration, opposed to being stored in a body control module.  However, keep in mind the limiter is there for a reason.  Safety regulations are in place to steer farmers away from a catastrophe.  Make sure your equipment has the proper suspension and braking capacity before looking into raising the top speed.

2: Lack of power

This topic is the most common with the farmers we talk to.  Many people find the tractor could have a higher ground speed if they had a little (or a lot) more power.  Again, this is an easy fix with custom tractor tuning.  

You can use the Power Manager, a factory style calibration software, to safely up-rate machines lower in their series to power levels of those tractors higher in the series.  This means that if our brand has a similar size machine with more power than yours, you can get you the power difference.

Up-rate a 6105R to a 6130R

Up-rate a 9410R to a 9510R

Up-rate a Steiger 540 to a Steiger 620

Up-rate a 8245R to an 8295R etc.

 Before you buy a new tractor to achieve your desired ground speed, consider saving money by uprating your current equipment.  Up-rating not only adds value and capability to your current tractor, but has a minimal impact to the equipment’s reliability.  Calibrated Power Solutions now offers engine up-rates that achieve new power levels without replacing your current tractor, saving you the need to buy a higher powered model.

The up-rates increase power and torque over the entire operating range of the engine.  Typically this allows the use of a higher gear (or 2+) and 2-300 less RPM.  Running less RPM at the same ground speed saves fuel.  Furthermore, the extra power allows for higher ground speed where applicable  allowing you to cover more acres per hour - saving you time.

3: Keeping it safe

Nobody is happy when a tractor is down.   Tuning with the Power Manager by Calibrated Power is tested and proven to work.  Reliability is our top priority, for that reason, we often push back on customers who want more power than the physical powertrain is capable of using.  Our calibrations are designed  to keep the powertrain within an acceptable tolerance of what the equipment can handle.  In many cases the OEM's provide component limitations by publishing what part number axle shafts, transmissions, clutches etc. are used at what power levels throughout the series.  Once we've established the factory rated physical limitations of your tractor, our goal is to set clear expectations around ground speed improvements, time savings and fuel consumption. 

Here are some other places you can research the top speed of your tractor:

• World Record for Tractor Top Speed
• Deere Top Speed Discussion
• AgTalk Discussion of Top Speed

We have worked with many farmers on peak MPH issues.  So if you have any questions, or would like to just find out if your tractor is capable of operating at a higher ground speed, click the button below and fill out the corresponding form.  One of our knowledageable staff members will contact you within 1 business day.  

Or give us a call: 815-568-7920