Pictured with the 8S.225 Dyna-7 are (l-r) Graham pictured centre, with his sons, Shaun and Luke.

A Massey Ferguson 8S tractor which has clocked up almost 8,500 hours in just under three years continues performing just as well as when it was new, according to its Staffordshire-based contractor owners. 

The 8S.225 Dyna-7 belongs to family-owned farming and contracting company, Graham Robinson Ltd. The business was started 11 years ago by Graham Robinson when he offered a contracting service with just one tractor erecting fences and straw carting. Now Graham and his son, Shaun run the business as a family partnership, and the main services include silage making, forage harvesting, hedge cutting, and slurry transport and applications for farmers across Staffordshire, Shropshire and Leicestershire. The operation is based on the family’s 280ha rented farm at Rugeley, where maize and grass are grown for dairy cattle and for a local AD plant. Graham’s other son Luke is also employed by the business as a machine operator.

The first Massey Ferguson was bought six years ago, after three competitor brands all proved unsuccessful. “We were quickly impressed by the tractor, but it was the back-up from supplying dealer KO Machines Ltd compared to other dealers we’d used that persuaded us to invest in more MF tractors,” explained partner, Graham Robinson. 

The current, nine-tractor fleet includes six Massey Fergusons, three of which are 8S.225s. The first 8S.225 Dyna-7 arrived in March 2021; and the second, with the more advanced Dyna-E-Power dual-clutch transmission arrived in October the same year. The third 8S.225 arrived in January 2024, with the Dyna-7 system. 

Reliable at almost 8,500 hours

Graham said that the 8S.225 Dyna-7 tows one of several 4,000-gallon tankers and 12m dribble bars applying slurry for 10–12 hours per day, six days of the week. It has clocked up almost 8,500 working hours since it arrived just under three years ago. “It’s the ‘preferred’ tractor for anyone with any job to do, so even when it’s not applying slurry then it’s often chosen for transport or cultivation tasks,” he explained. “It’s comfortable on the road, the cab is spacious and quiet, and the large doors make it easy to get in and out while the huge glass area provides superb visibility. There is a good view of the rear hitch when attaching trailers and other trailed implements. It’s a well-designed tractor.

“It pulls well too, and the rear lift capacity is impressive. We can use our 3m Simba DTX cultivator or a large maize drill without adding front ballast which keeps the total weight down.”

So far, the 8S.225 Dyna-7 hasn’t needed any significant repairs. “The only faults have been minor electrical issues which one expects when tractors work in rain and slurry for so much of the time. The oil level is checked regularly but it barely uses any and, if anything, it pulls even better now than when it was new.”

The other 2021 8S.225 Dyna-E-Power carries out similar demanding work and has recorded 6,700 working hours without major repairs apart from a gearbox update under warranty. The latest 8S.225 Dyna-7, purchased at the beginning of this year clocked up nearly 700 hours within its first two months. “Our previous experience of other brands was that reliability issues became increasingly frequent after 3,500 hours,” stressed Graham. “We don’t seem to suffer these problems with the Massey Fergusons. Both our earlier 8S.225 tractors are the Exclusive specification with electronic controls and spools, and the later 8S.225 has the simpler Efficient mechanical specification. Our situation is quite demanding, and the hydraulic systems and PTO are in almost constant use, but they never cause problems.”

One of three Massey Ferguson 8S.225 tractors owned and operated by Staffordshire-based agricultural contracting company, Graham Robinson Ltd. This 8S.225 Dyna-7 is just under three years old and has already recorded almost 8,500 working hours. A similar 8S.225 with Dyna-E-Power transmission arrived seven months later and remains just as reliable after working 6,700 hours. 

Competitive costs of ownership

Commenting on costs of ownership; Graham said that depreciation is always significant when any brand of tractor works so many hours in such a short time. “Running a mixed fleet, our experience confirms that Massey Ferguson tractors hold their value as well as any other brand. When it comes to updating them, then we would always prefer costs to change to be lower, but they are actually quite reasonable. “We buy new tractors with a 6,000-hour extended warranty and service package for peace of mind and it allows us to fix our costs, although we quickly exceed the hour limits.”

Dyna-E-Power

Asked his opinion of the Dyna-E-Power transmission, Graham said that it is even smoother than the Dyna-7 and performs well across the full range of tasks from pulling tankers to heavy cultivations, especially since it was updated. “Everyone likes it and finds it easy to operate, although they also find the Dyna-6 and Dyna-7 systems excellent. Most of the time, the tractors operate in auto mode, allowing the engine and transmission management systems to select the ideal revs and gear ratio for the task.”

Remaining loyal to brand

Even after working almost 8,500 hours with many different drivers, the 8S.225 Dyna-7 remains in good condition. The cab interior is tidy and there are few signs of wear. “When the 8S.225s are changed, we won’t be buying anything but Massey Ferguson,” confirmed Graham. “Other dealers just can’t match the back-up from the KO Machines Ltd team. Richard Owen, the Service Manager, is always keen to help and if problems occur then we know a loan tractor will be available. We like the fact that if other machinery such as our tankers need attention, then they are happy to look at those too.”

Dealer view

KO Machines Ltd Service Manager, Richard Owen said that he was delighted to hear that the Robinson family is so pleased with the back-up from his workshop team, but not at all surprised. “We try hard to keep customers’ machines working, and everyone is treated the same – no matter what size their operation. 

“The 8S was a big new tractor when it was launched just a few years ago. It’s proved incredibly reliable and any minor teething issues were quickly resolved so that machines delivered now are practically flawless. “It’s testament to the build quality and design that the Robinsons’ Massey Ferguson 8S tractors cope so well with their demanding work environment.”

Pull-out quotes

“Running a mixed fleet, our experience confirms that Massey Ferguson tractors hold their value as well as any other brand.” Graham Robinson – Staffordshire farmer and contractor. 

“Our previous experience of other brands was that reliability issues became increasingly frequent after 3,500 hours. We don’t seem to suffer these problems with the Massey Fergusons.” Graham Robinson – Staffordshire farmer and contractor.

“It pulls well too, and the rear lift capacity is impressive.” Graham Robinson – Staffordshire farmer and contractor.