Looking for some fun facts about tractors? You’ve come to the right place! A revolutionary vehicle in the agricultural industry when it was first introduced, the humblest of vehicles has helped thousands of farmers for many years now and it deserves more love. The tractor – all kinds of tractors existing nowadays, better said – can perform all types of tractor activities and has allowed farmers to complete the hardest in-field tasks in their lands. So, why is the tractor important, exactly? Well, to be precise, they were built for a specific purpose – to help in the daily agricultural tasks – and they accomplish it dutifully; this is precisely what makes some fun facts about tractors very astounding, as they not only get the job done: they do it in astonishing ways too!

Fun Facts About Tractors

Fun Facts About Tractors 

A few fun facts about tractors include that there are tractors with metal wheels, there are 12 parts to a tractor and many more. 

The Fastest Tractor in the World

As we all know, people hate to be caught behind a tractor while driving in the countryside. They’re slow by nature (if they were speedier, it could actually damage them), but did you know that they could go faster than that, with the proper upgrades? This actually happened once, and even achieved the land speed record of 121 km/h! Not even lower grade cars can achieve this!

This achievement was accomplished by Sergey Sukhovenko in 2012, after he upgraded a 25-year-old Belarus Tractor’s engine and fuel injection capacities. He decided to show off his tractor’s speed over an icy lake, back in his native Russia, and thus attained the notoriety of owning the fastest tractor of the many types of tractors in the world, so far.

Tractors with Metal Wheels

Did you know that early tractors, especially those during the 30s, used metal wheels instead of the normal tires we see today? This is because tractors, back then, were solely dedicated to the countryside. They were laden with metal plates and spikes to achieve the necessary level of traction in the field, and seeing them out of their natural habitat not only was rare: it was impossible!

Many, Many, Many, MANY Tractors Today!

We’re not kidding: there are over 16 million tractors currently operating around the globe today, and there will be more next year, and more the following year, and more and more in the upcoming ones! This is why we stated in the beginning that they deserve more love: this enormous quantity of agricultural vehicles contributes to exactly one third of all the energy needed for every type of farming and agricultural work, and therefore, save millions and millions of farmers from doing the heaviest tasks in the countryside. If it weren’t for them, many people would still be performing burdensome duties that could even be health risky.

Origin of the Name

Did you know that the word “tractor” has its roots in Latin? It comes from “trahere”, which literally means to pull. You can imagine that the word “traction” derives from this term too, and it’s quite fitting for a big vehicle whose job is literally to pull things around. 

Now that we’ve filled you in with some fun facts about tractors and other cool trivia, let’s answer some more serious questions so that you can learn more about the tractors that are driven.

Why is the Tractor Important?

To expand our brief answer above, the tractor is a lifesaver for farmers worldwide because it can perform heavier land maintenance-related tasks with their transmissions that could be too much for a common human being. Also, thanks to it, agricultural jobs are completed faster, which greatly benefits the industry in today’s fast-paced world. Because of this economic impact, the tractor rivals cars and trucks in the agricultural industry, most of the time outperforming them in this field.

Why Do Farmers Use Tractors?

They save them from tasks that consume way too much time and energy, such as plowing, tilling, planting, spreading fertilizers, harrowing and even cleaning bushes. These duties, which in the past took many hours to complete, became easier to do ever since the tractor was born. 

What Are the Main Parts of a Tractor?

Tractors are vehicles, so expect them to be akin to a large truck in some parts. Now, if we were to mention the main components of a standard tractor model, those would be the following:

  1. Engine
  2. Clutch
  3. Transmission Gears
  4. Differential unit
  5. Final Drive
  6. Rear & Front Wheels
  7. Steering Mechanism
  8. Hydraulic Control & Hitch System
  9. Brakes
  10. Power Take-Off Unit
  11. Tractor Pulley
  12. Control Panel
Bottom Line 

We hope that you liked some of the fun facts about tractors in this article! As you can see, the tractor is an underrated vehicle just because it doesn’t scream glamour as a luxury vehicle, but if it weren’t because of it, surely you wouldn’t get your food and other goods that easily nowadays. The types of tractor activities it can perform are essential for human beings, so all kinds of tractors, be them fast, slow, noisy, quiet or whatever, are a key player in today’s agricultural industry, and we must be thankful for them. So, to sum it up, why is the tractor important, again? Because, if it weren’t for it, life would be a greater hassle today.