New MF 5440, smaller but moves better

The Pinnys took a break from the dairy industry and went contracting for a couple of years. Hence their two large tractors. Once they went back to the cows, they wanted something smaller and more agile.

The quality of the tractor was important but equally crucial was the level of service provided by Glenn Greay, Waikato Tractors.

“It was the first time we’d dealt with Waikato Tractors, and it was awesome service,” says Pinny. “Glenn is the only sales guy who has kept coming back to see how it’s going and to ask what we need. If we do need anything he drops it in.” 

Greay was also the only agent who went to their place and sat down and worked out what the Pinnys needed in a tractor. He sent a tractor out for a trial, so by the time Pinny bought his MF 5440 he knew it would do the job. He’d also ordered all the extras he needed factory-fitted, such as the spotlights for working at night.

“The beauty was we’d talked through all the details. It’s easier to get things added in the factory than when it comes out,” Pinny says.

The MF 5440 is 102hp and does the feeding out and general work on the Pinnys’ 50ha farm. He makes a lot of use of the front-end loader and he’s used it to do some grader work.

“I will also be using it to make hay and silage for myself and another farmer. I am looking forward to trying it out on the rake and mower.”

Pinny says the MF 5440 has a comfortable cab; even getting in is easy with its wide door. There’s a seat for a passenger and plenty of room for the lunchbox. 

“It’s easy to get hold of things. When you utilise the levers you’re not stretching. Everything is in the right place, like the front loader levers are where you expect them to be.” 

That front loader has a new float system on it. “Sometimes loaders bounce up and down when you’re going down a ramp, but they’ve added suspension and it’s smooth on the front axle.”

Being able to see your loader at all times is important and with the sloping bonnet Pinny can see what he’s doing as he hooks on implements. There’s also good visibility behind and all around. Pinny remarked how much clearance there was under the cab, making it easy to access. In fact with all maintenance there’s a sense of space. “It’s easy to get at the bonnet and radiators and filters, there’s so much room.” 

Despite providing space where it is needed, the MF 5440 is not the size of a tank.

“It’s the ideal weight and size for a farmer, and there’s enough traction and pull power but it’s not making ruts in the paddocks. It’s also agile and has a small turning radius.”

Pinny says a lot of thought has also gone into the hydraulics. His model has the standard 57L/min but it can work with raceways with a half-tonne grader on back and not bat an eye.

It provides more than enough fluid to run the log splitter, and extra big rams on the hydraulics also keep things smooth and stable.

The Pinny’s new tractor has a Dyna-4 transmission, with 16 forward and 16 reverse gears.

“There’s no delay in getting into the next range and no gear stick to muck around with. It’s just a lever on the side of the steering wheel. I had a mate get in and say, ‘Where‘s the gear stick?’ 

“It has gears A, B, C, D then into the next range 1, 2, 3 or 4. You just clutch it and whip it through,” Pinny says.

He also likes the fact it is a stable tractor and he can trundle along at 43km/h on the road. He says it flicks out of four-wheel drive automatically as it got up to speed on the road, which is a handy feature on the farm.