Massey Ferguson 8280 tractor shatters world plowing record

The Massey Ferguson 8280 plowed through the world plowing record by plowing under 620.899 acres (251.376 ha) of French fields in only 24 hours. At 23.056 acres per hour, the 387 hp MF 8280 outdid the previous record holder, a 425hp Case IH Quadrac by nearly 4 acres per hour. The 8280 with its 17 bottoms plowed at 27.35 cm depth (about 10.5 inches) compared to 27 cm depth of the previous winner.

"Our 8280 plowed faster and even a little deeper than the previous record holder and did so with fewer horsepower," says Réne Boivin, General Marketing Manager, Massey Ferguson 8200 Series. "Much of the credit for the record-breaking run goes to an outstanding engine and transmission. The key to success was the integrated control system that made it possible for the operator to utilize every available horsepower to its maximum potential. That is as true in a corn field in Iowa or a wheat field in Alberta as it is in a world plowing contest in France."

The record-breaking effort was made on a 1760-acre (800 ha) vegetable farm near the village of Sanguinet, Bordeau in southwest France and monitored by official judges from the Guinness Book of Records. Plowing started at 1:00 pm on Tuesday March 26th and ended at 1 pm on Wednesday, March 27th.

The MF 8280 was equipped Gregoire Besson plows, a front mounted four-furrow unit and a 13-furrow semi-mounted unit on the rear. In preliminary tests, the 17-furrow plow combination tilled a width of 27.9 ft. (8.5m.).

The dark sandy loam soil had been planted to carrots the previous year. After harvest, a single pass with a field cultivator had repaired the deep ruts left by the harvest process. To eliminate headland turns fields were plowed in a spiral from the outside in. Even refueling was completed on the go. The only time the plows weren't in the ground and moving was when shifting from one field to the next.

The record breaking MF 8280 ran with a standard 18/6 Powershift transmission, completely unchanged for the event. Injection timing on the turbocharged SISU engine was fine tuned for the extreme 24-hour challenge. Remote sensors allowed constant monitoring of the engine, including oil and coolant temperatures. The roof mounted air filter was also modified for the extremely dusty conditions after blockages were noted in test runs.

Electronic linkage control (ELC) provided precise yet flexible control of front and rear plows to match operating conditions perfectly. The standard rear linkage control was coupled to the Front Dual Control System (optional on all MF 8200 tractors) to provide exact depth control of the front and rear units. The ELC integrated with the onboard Datatronic II monitored for and adjusted wheel slip throughout the event to ensure maximum traction, efficient fuel use and greatest overall performance.

Traction was also enhanced by Michelin new generation MACH X BIB 650-85R38 rear tires and 600-7R28 front tires. BP (British Petroleum) provided fuel and oil for the engine and rear axle. On-the-go refueling took place at regular 52.8 gallon (200 liter) intervals to maintain constant ballast. Gérard Briez, a test engineer from the Beauvais factory where the 8280 is built, was the driver, supported by an 18-member team of technicians and engineers. The investment in equipment and manpower was extensive, but so was the return.

"This was more than just a plowing contest," explains Eric Raby, vice president, sales/North America. "The success of the MF 8280 demonstrated Massey Ferguson power, performance and reliability. More importantly, it tested every aspect of tractor, plow, tires, oil and fuel under extreme, but controlled conditions. We took advantage of the opportunity to gather a wide range of performance data for ongoing research and development. That is where this contest will pay dividends for all our customers now and in the future."