Last winter was unseasonably warm and wet in large parts of Europe. Thanks to the heavy rainfall, soil layers that dried out in the drought years from 2021 to 2023 now have sufficient plant-available water. But it is still difficult to drive machines over deeper soils in boggy, poorly drained fields. And on clayey land the rainwater is slow to seep into the deeper soil layers.

In these difficult conditions, the AXION TERRA TRAC from CLAAS is a key machine for many farms and contractors. "In recent years, some customers have come to rely on their AXION TERRA TRAC for spreading mineral or organic fertiliser in February or March, especially in regions with high rainfall and only short periods of ground frosts," says Hans-Helmut Heppe, Product Manager for Tractors at CLAAS Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH. "In the first weeks after the end of the closed period, it is almost impossible to get wheeled machines onto fields in some areas without creating deep ruts. And it's quite likely that the vehicles will get bogged down and have to be rescued, which places huge demands on resources. This applies in particular to tractors with mounted fertiliser spreaders with a high rear axle load as well as tractors with attached crop sprayers for applying liquid fertiliser with associated tanks, distributor assemblies and hose reel, and fertiliser spreaders for organic fertiliser."

Thanks to its long, soil-friendly TERRA TRAC crawler tracks, the AXION TERRA TRAC can support heavy loads on the rear axle and drive over wet ground within the tramlines with virtually no slippage. With 735 mm wide track belts, it has a 35 per cent larger footprint than a comparable tractor with 900 mm wide rear wheels, roughly halving ground pressure in the topsoil and subsoil. The suspended crawler track assembly ensures optimal ground-contour following at all times, reducing the risk of occasional pressure spikes. Active steering intervention in the crawler track drive makes the AXION TERRA TRAC gentle on the soil even when driving off the tramline onto the headland and into the next tramline. "Our customers report that they can get on to the fields two to three weeks earlier with the AXION TERRA TRAC than with wheeled tractors", Hans-Helmut Heppe continues. "Furthermore, trailed slurry tanks are less likely to get bogged down as the upper layer of soil is not overly compacted by the AXION TERRA TRAC and the soil structure is largely retained. In short, the AXION TERRA TRAC leaves behind load-bearing ground instead of mud."

CLAAS unveiled the prototype AXION TERRA TRAC at Agritechnica in 2017 and launched it on the market in 2020. The large tractor is now marketed in North America and Australia as well as Europe. Thanks to its unique TERRA TRAC crawler tracks, it remains the only tractor with full suspension in this segment. The specially designed crawler track assembly keeps the tracks parallel to the ground to ensure increased comfort, uniform pressure distribution and uncompromising tractive force even on undulating ground. The AXION TERRA TRAC was developed primarily for heavy draught work," explains Hans-Helmut Heppe. "But since its launch, it has increasingly demonstrated its suitability for year-round use, from fertiliser spreading, grass or green rye mowing and silaging to the most demanding soil loosening, tillage and drilling."

AXION TERRA TRAC – the key machine for spring fertiliser spreading