World’s Top 10 biggest tractors (update 2024)

By Patrik Eder and Florentina Chiriță · Published: January 13, 2022 · Updated: August 1, 2024

Tractors are well-known heavy machines designed to deliver high tractive force at low speeds. Thanks to this ability, tractors are suitable for a wide range of agricultural or even construction works such as tillage, ploughing, harrowing, forestry applications or landscaping. The biggest tractors are equipped with powerful engines rated at hundreds of horsepower in order to provide enough force to haul large trailers and other heavy agricultural equipment/attachments. These machines are used on vast farming areas that measure hundreds up to thousands of square kilometres. Let’s have a look at the Top 10 biggest tractors rating based mainly on rated engine horsepower but also other factors such as dimensions and weight were taken into account. Please keep in mind that the majority of tractors that appear in the ranking are custom-made. Nevertheless, some of the machines such as Versatile, Fendt or MeriCrusher are commercially available.

1. Big Bud 16V-747 – 1100 hp (820 kW)

2. Big Bud 950/50 – 950 hp (710 kW)

3. John Deere 10X 890 „Copy Cat“ – 890 hp (663 kW)

4. Rite 750 Earthquake – 850 hp (625 kW)

5. John Deere 9RX 830 – 830 hp (610 kW))

6. ACO 600 Oubaas – 820 hp (612 kW)

7. MeriCrusher MT-700 – 768 hp (565 kW)

8. Big Bud 740 – 740 hp (544 kW)

9. CASE IH Steiger 715 Quadtrac – 715 hp (527 kW)

10. Rite 707 – 700 hp (520 kW)

 

Image Source: glen_lloyd - The Combine Forum

Rite 707 holds the last position in our Top 10 ranking of the biggest tractors. This great American tractor was built in Great Falls, Montana, by Dave and John Curtis, who owned Rite by Curtis brand, by a fortunate series of events. The two brothers started selling Wagner tractors in 1954 that were originally designed for industrial applications. The idea of creating a farm tractor came one day, when one of their customers asked them to build a 425 hp (317 kW) tractor. Based on their experience with the Wagner's technical problems, they managed to design a new transmission layout to cope with field work and also contracted a local engineering company to help them with the manufacturing process. This is how they started to build tractors for agriculture. At the time of the launch, their Rite tractor was described as the first to offer an Allison automatic, infinitely variable speed, mechanical transmission. The model features a very powerful 700 hp (520 kW) Detroit Diesel engine.

Rated Engine Power	700 hp (520 kW)
Engine Type	Detroit Diesel
Drive	4WD
Cooling System	Water

Image Source: CASE IH

The CASE IH Steiger 715 Quadtrac is one of the largest tractors in the world, produced by CASE IH and known for its robust power and efficiency. Designed to tackle demanding farming tasks, this tractor features a four-track drive system that offers excellent traction and stability on various terrains. The Steiger 715 Quadtrac exemplifies the engineering capabilities of CASE IH, providing a reliable and high-performance solution for large-scale agricultural operations. The Steiger 715 Quadtrac reflects CASE IH's focus on meeting the needs of modern agriculture with durable and efficient machinery.

Rated Engine Power	715 hp (527 kW)
Engine Type	FPT Cursor 16L TST
Tracks	Quadtrac
Dimensions (L x W x H)	? mm x ? mm x ? mm
Base Weight	27.7 t

Image Source: Brad Johnson - Pinterest

Another successful model from the Big Bud family, the 740 farm tractor, that holds the 8th position in our Top 10, was produced from 1987 until 1990, with a standard cabin. This Big Bud 740 is indeed…big: has a tank capacity of 2,650 liters, 23.2 L6 cylinders, weighs no less than 34.02 tons and, most importantly is powered by a really huge and powerful diesel engine that can produce up to 740 hp which turn it into a beast on the fields. The 4-wheel-drive with dynamic power distribution between the axles, the transmission without synchronization, and the large number of forward gears make it a very heavy tractor suitable in difficult terrains, that has been very appreciated by farmers around the world.

Rated Engine Power	740 hp (544 kW)
Engine Type	Komatsu 23.2L 6-cyl diesel
Tires	150 cm in diameter (5′)
Tank Capacity	2,650 l
Base Weight	34.02 t

Image Source: MeriCrusher

Number 7 on our rank, the MT-700 model is a very special piece of tractor and not because of its aerodynamic design, but rather for its ability to operate under conditions where conventional tractors lose power and traction. And it has the right equipment to do so: a high engine with power of 768 hp (565 kW) and the extreme duty mechanical power take-off that allow it to work faster on the field with lower fuel consumption per hectare, which makes him one of the most efficient crawler tractors on the market. But operational efficiency is not the only trait of this great tractor. MeriCrusher MT-700 is also versatile and adaptable. Its hydrostatic drive makes it possible to adjust driving speed steplessly from 0-18 km/h and the double acting, independently controlled lift arms allow for crusher levelling during work.

Rated Engine Power	768 hp (565 kW)
Engine Type	VOLVO TAD 1643 VE
Tracks	Twin Rubber Tracks
Dimensions (L x W x H)	5870 mm x 4550 mm x 3770 mm
Base Weight	22.5 t

Image Source: Matthias Mumme/traction

The unique ACO 600 Oubaas model was built in 1994 by Alph and Koos Coetzer in South Africa and sold to one of the biggest farms there. Although today holds the 6th place in our Top 10, at the time of the launch and a lot of time after that, this legendary model was considered the most powerful tractor ever built in (small) serial production. And for a good reason: the V12 ADE biturbo Mercedes engine delivered 612 kW / 820 hp to a Twin Disc powershift transmission, which made it perform in big style on the challenging fields in Africa. The legendary ACO series of tractors have been servicing farms across South Africa for more than 30 years. However, with the closing of the ACO factory, the tractors have been, unfortunately, unsupported.

Rated Engine Power	820 hp (612 kW)
Engine Type	ADE 444TI V12
Base Weight	25 t

Image source: John Deere

The John Deere 9RX 830 is the largest tractor in John Deere's series production lineup, built to handle demanding agricultural tasks. It has a four-track system designed to offer good traction and stability on different terrains. The 9RX 830 is designed to meet power and efficiency needs, making it suitable for challenging field conditions. Its engineering and durable components aim to provide reliable performance for large-scale farming operations, aiming to increase productivity and reduce downtime. This tractor reflects John Deere's approach to addressing the needs of modern agriculture with sturdy and efficient equipment, enhanced with smart technology.

Rated Engine Power	830 hp (610 kW)
Engine Type	JD18 (John Deere 18L)
Tracks	Camso ® Ag 3500 or 6500 Tracks
Dimensions (L x W x H)	8829 mm x ? mm x ? mm
Base Weight	34.47 t

Image Source: Marcus Pasveer - Traktor

Number 4 on our podium, the American Rite 750 Earthquake tractor is another successful model built by Dave and John Curtis that owned Rite Tractors. This specific model, which can be seen today at farm shows in the United States, is one of the biggest agricultural tractors from the total of 38 that D.L. Curtis Co. has built since 1973. The number 750 inside of the name comes from the number of horsepower that this model initially had. The tractor later received a booster, a re-worked 850 hp (630 kW) Detroit Diesel engine and was nicknamed Earthquake to express how performant it was. By 2009, all 38 Rite tractors had been built with a variety of engines from Cummins, Caterpillar and Detroit Diesel to suit customers preferences, and in 2013 they could still be ordered by clients from all over the world.

Rated Engine Power	850 hp (625 kW)
Engine Type	12V92 Detroit Diesel
Tires	35.5L32
Dimensions (L x W x H)	9144 mm x 5486 mm x 4267 mm
Base Weight	31.52 t

Image source: iOWNaFERGUSON - YouTube (Screenshot)

John Deere 10X 890 nicknamed "Copy Cat" is currently the 3rd biggest tractor in the world and it is a result of a collaboration between 2 high-power machine enthusiasts: Ashton Lewis and Bobby White from the USA. Ashton is the owner of the machine and asked his friend to help him convert an original model of John Deere 8960 manufactured in 1990 into its current form, based on a similiar tractor rebuild by Bill Dietrich. That's why it's named "Copy Cat", to honour the original that inspired the rebuild. The original price of the original tractor was $141,736. To rebuild the machine, it was necessary to not only replace the engine unit but also to extend a number of components such as the hood or frame.

Rated Engine Power	890 hp (663 kW)
Engine Type	V12 Caterpillar
Tires	?
Dimensions (L x W x H)	? mm x ? mm x ? mm
Base Weight	? t

 Image Source: JWR Marketing - YouTube (Screenshot)

The second biggest tractor in our Top 10 and the fourth from the Big Bud brothers included in the list, Big Bud 950/50 was restored and rebuilt in the 2000's by Big Equipment Company and it is one of the most powerful tractors ever built in the world. The base model for 950/50 was a Big Bud 525/50. To make it more powerful, the engineers installed in 2016-2017 a Caterpillar engine that delivered up to 1200 hp. In order to save fuel and to save the transmission, the engine was afterwards throttled to 950 hp. Auto steer is thus installed on the tractor.

Rated Engine Power	950 hp (710 kW)
Engine Type	CAT 3508
Tires	Goodyear DT930 1100/45R46
Base Weight	Around 40 t

Image Source: Rwslivka - Wikipedia

It comes as no surprise that the biggest tractor in the world is from the Big Bud Family. The largest from all the Big Bud’s built to this day, the Big Bud 16V-747 custom-made farm tractor was constructed in 1977, in Havre, Montana and is famous across the globe thanks to its amazing features: it weighs around 50 tons, twice the size of many of the largest production tractors in the world, has a 1,000 gallon (3.8 m³) fuel tank, and delivers up to 1.100 hp to do all the necessary hard work on the roughest fields. The tractor was built by Ron Harmon and the crew of the Northern Manufacturing Company and it featured a 16-cylinder Detroit Diesel engine that produced 760 horsepower. It was originally designed for the Rossi Brothers, cotton farmers in Bakersfield, California, who used the tractor for deep ripping for 11 years. The second owners, Willowbrook Farms, also used the tractor for deep ripping purposes. Today, Big Bud 16V-747 can be seen in Montana, only 60 miles from where it was originally manufactured. It is owned by the Williams Brothers that purchased the tractor in 1997 and brought it to their farm in Chouteau County, where they use it for cultivation purposes.

Rated Engine Power	1100 hp (820 kW)
Engine Type	Detroit Diesel 16V92T
Tires	LSW1400/30R46
Dimensions (L x W x H)	8690 mm x 7700 mm x 4300 mm
Base Weight	Around 50 (up to 68t fully ballasted)