What is the best tractor for pulling a planter? narrow tires, wide LSW's, 2 tracks or 4 tracks?

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I am looking to upgrade planter tractors, so i can carry more liquid fertilizer. I would like to hold 500 to 750 gallons. My current tractor is already undersized/underpowered its a 260 magnum with LSW's. I farm a lot of hills and my planter is a heavier model a Case 1200pt with 400 gallons capacity it's certainly not a light. Just wondering what people think/know is the best. the tractor would also be used for grain cart and some tile plowing. But with the tractor putting in the best crop possible is by far top of the list priority!

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I plant corn and beans in 22 inch rows.

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We are looking towards the Deere 8370RX 18” wide on 120” track spacing

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following, currently have JD 8420 pulling 60' planter.  getting to be time to upgrade with the similar desires as *********.  Ran a buddies 2 track narrow track(330-360hp) on their 1200 bushel grain cart this fall.  It was rough as hell on frozen ground, constantly under power on even just 30K lb loads, and bogged down when it was soft and had even a minimal incline.  I could see it being okay on a planter but the grain cart experience I had I don't think I would own a 2 track narrow track machine.  Our other deal is we would like look into transitioning into strip till.

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We plant with 4 wheel drive, regular sized tires carrying 500 gallons of fertilizer.  No problems with stand or emergence at all.  We have JD 1770NT with cast iron closing wheels, hydraulic trash whippers, and pnuematic down force.  Been doing it for a long time in all different conditions from convential, no-till to strip till now

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We run an 8430 with no duals in front with a 400 gal tank out front on a 16 row planter. I think front duals would help us. I’ve never planted with anything other than a row crop tractor with rear duals. A neighbor of ours has an 8360r with 800 gal saddle tanks, although they are very wide going down the road, I think this would be a sweet setup as the tractor has ILS and front duals so the weight is more evenly distributed on the tractor. 
I like the idea of tracks, but the maintenance is my concern. Tires are easier and cheaper. We farm in sandy soils so compaction isn’t usually a big issue.

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Brad, Indiana
Have tried all of the aforementioned tractors on our 24 row Kinze planter.  Planter carries bulk fill, 700 g starter, 200 g in furrow, pull easily with Case 340 120" spacing 2 track tractor.  Also carry 700 g of spray material on front of tractor.  Key ingredient, tracks are 24" and front tires are also 24", no duals.  Easy to drive, easy to service, and have dual hydraulic pumps at around 75+ gpm.  Just slow down a little on the road, minimal service on tracks, have them on Quads, 8240, grain cart, manure spdr, and MOST IMPORTLY we put tracks ( had to do it ourselves) on the 24 row planter.  Made a world of difference, and no problems transporting. Tracks have made a big difference for us, our fields show little/no compaction, while neighboring wheeled tractors show water on the surface during rains.

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I have pulled a 24r30inch 1770nt planter with a 9430 jd for two years now with 800/ 38 duals.  Spring 2018 was dry and had no issues with crop in wheel tracks.  2019 spring was wet and there was all kinds of issues in wheel tracks.  Some yields dropped 50bu in corn.  Will not do that again.  Currently looking for triples or switching back to a large MFD.  The planter does have hyd down psi on row units.

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We currently run a rowtrac with 18inch belts, what a disaster it was this past year, made deeper ruts than our 1265 36R20 planter, too much weight for narrow tracks, going bye bye

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We have a row track on a planter with 24" tracks. It works good.

We also have mt700 cats and a jd8360rt with 18". The JD works fine on the planter. We don't like the balance of the 8360rt. It rocks a lot like the front end of tractor is light. It has all weights it can have on the tractor. JD"s 2 track tractors were wheel tractors deere made into a track tractor. In my opinion the rear axle needs to be closer to the hitches to help with the balance.
          The mt700 cats do not rock back and forth when pulling equipment. They were made like they should have been. They have a better track undercarriage with the pivoting bogies also.
          We have 900 gal fast tanks on the one mt700 for spraying. It is heavy when full. It does work good. It leaves imprints like our 18" tracked case ih 450 did before we.put on 24" tracks. We use a 750 gal mounted 90' fast sprayer on the 3 point. We usually fill to 1300gal between the front fast tanks and the tank on the sprayer. So it would be better without the sprayer full when pulling a planter with 400-500 less gallons of solution.
          I like the tanks inside of the tracks on the Mt. You can see fine with them.the way they are made. Nothing sticking out front to get used to either. The one issue with this is there is not much space to do any maintenance to the tractor. I would prefer this over the tanks on the outside of tractors. That is just too wide for safe road travels.

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I am primarily a deere guy. But my planter tractor is a challenger 765c. I am running 18 inch tracks on 120 centers with 400 gallon of tanks inside the tracks. Plus 500 gallons on the planter for plant food also. Maybe there’s a better setup but this setup works very good.  With a 40 ft planter burning on turns isn’t much of an issue. Challenger has a better track system I feel   My wife is the Augercart girl and she won’t let me put the cart on a row crop tractor or the articulated tractor.

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We use LSW 1250"s on our 310 magnum pulling 24 row 20" 1240 planter. Planter has 600 gallon tanks on it. Used to have skinny duals front and rear. Pinch row problems with duals. Third season on LSW's and planting right into the tracks and have not looked back. LSW's are way cheaper than tracks. I would think wide tracks on tractor and tracks on planter would be a great setup. Neighbor put Camoplast tracks on his planter and likes it.

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We run a Case IH 540 Quadtrac on a 47 row 15 inch precision setup planter that also has tracks. We are able to plant at around 9 miles/hr and could never to that with a wheeled tractor because it was so rough. We are running 24 inch tracks and have had no wear problems so far on about 30,000 acres we have reduced are compaction, reduced wear and tear on the operator and the tractor, plus we have been able to increase speed. Take a look at video's on YouTube using tracked tractors versus wheeled and notice how steady the video is. In regards to hydraulics we use a high output pump which we need regardless of the brand.

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Just want to thank everyone for posting comments and opinions. Anyone have experience using a 9000 series 2 Track Deere pulling a 40-44 ft planter do they berm on turns anymore than an 8000 series does? reason for question is I think i could utilize a 9000 series more than an 8000 series. Thanks again!

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Well you already got red so you know what you got go to the 340 will do more than you need and fuel will not be much different I had a 280 then rented a 340 last year perfect

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There probably all good if they have enough hp and hydrolics and as much flotation as you can get as long as your row units are not in a tire track

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Traded both 8370rt's off on 8370rx's. Don't use any liquid on the planet. All AA out front. That's the best way to do it in my opinion

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I spray 20000 acres a year custom for dozens of different farm operations, and I have noticed that the farmers who plant with tracked tractors have a lot smoother fields than the farmers who plant with wheel tractors.

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I use 36” tracks and plant in the tracks with 20” rows.  Emergence has been identical vs the neighboring rows.  Sure is nice to have the traction and flotation of the wide tracks.  Less dirt piles on the end rows is another benefit.

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What is the best tractor for pulling a planter? narrow tires, wide LSW's, 2 tracks or 4 tracks?

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