MB-trac is a range of agricultural tractors developed and produced from 1973 until 1991 by Mercedes-Benz Group, formerly known as Daimler-Benz. It is based on the trac design principle for tractors and shares its drivetrain with the Unimog. Mercedes-Benz offered the MB-trac in light duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty versions in four different type series: 440, 441, 442 and 443. About 41,000 MB-tracs were made by former Daimler-Benz,Torsten Seibt: Der Mercedes unter den Ackerschleppern, auto motor und sport, 20 June 2020, retrieved 23 August 2023 before the production ended on December 17th 1991.
MB-trac types and model family
Naming scheme
In total, four type series (440, 441, 442, and 443) and twenty-one different series-production types of MB-trac were made, with either ten or sixteen models, depending on whether the Turbo-designated models are considered separate from the non-Turbo-designated models. The naming scheme of the MB-trac is mostly homogeneous, with MB trac followed by a number roughly indicative of the engine's DIN-PS power output times ten. Models equipped with a turbocharger have a turbo suffix in their model name, and models with an additional intercooler have an intercooler suffix instead. The exceptions to this naming scheme are the MB-trac 65/70, which has a power-output figure indicative of the DIN-PS/SAE-hp power output, MB-trac 900, MB-trac 1300 and MB-trac 1500, which have no turbo suffix despite being turbocharged, and the MB-trac turbo 900, which has a turbo prefix rather than a suffix. The MB-trac name is spelled MB-trac in technical documents, but MB trac on the tractors' bonnets.
Model overview
Light-duty (440 series)
Model Type designationEngine typeDisplacement dm³ Rated power in kW (PS) at min−1Torque N·m at min−1 ProductionNumber built MB-trac 65/70 440.161OM 3143.784 48 (65) 2,400216 1600 1973–19752.714 MB-trac 700 440.162OM 3143.784 48 (65) 2,400216 1600 1976–19821.364 MB-trac 700 440.167OM 314.LIII3.784 48 (65) 2,400226 1400 1982–19871.569 MB-trac 700 440.171OM 364.V3.972 50 (68) 2,400235 1800–1900 1987–1991899 MB-trac 800 440.163OM 3143.784 53 (72)2.550from 06/79: 55 (75)2.600221 1600 1975–19828.717 MB-trac 800 440.168OM 314.LII3.784 55 (75) 2,600245 1600 1982–19871.990 MB-trac 800 440.172OM 3643.972 57 (78) 2,400263 1500–1800 1987–1991835 MB-trac 900 440.164OM 314A3.784 63 (85) 2,400294 1600 1981–19821.090MB-trac turbo 900440.169OM 314A3.78463 (85) 2,400294 16001982–19873.277 MB-trac 900 turbo 440.173OM 364A.II/13.972 66 (90) 2,400313 1400–1800 1987–19912.148
Medium-duty (441 series)
Model Type designationEngine typeDisplacement dm³ Rated power in kW (PS) at min−1Torque N·m at min−1 ProductionNumber built MB-trac 1000 441.161OM 3525.675 70 (95) 2,400324 1700 1982–19874.346 MB-trac 1000 441.162OM 366.XV5.958 74 (100) 2,400350 1500–1800 1987–19912.613 MB-trac 1100 441.163OM 3665.958 81 (110) 2,400375 1500–1800 1987–19911.283
Heavy-duty (442 and 443 series)
Model Type designationEngine typeDisplacement dm³ Rated power in kW (PS) at min−1Torque N·m at min−1 ProductionNumber built MB-trac 1100 442.161OM 352.XIX5.675 81 (110) 2,600364 1,800 1976–1984551 MB-trac 1100 443.160OM 352.XIX5.675 81 (110) 2,600364 1,800 1984–198772 MB-trac 1300 443.161OM 352.XIX5.675 92 (125) 2,500412 1,700 1976–19872.908 MB-trac 1500 443.162OM 352A.LIII/35.675 110 (150) 2,500from 03/82: 510 1500 1980–19872,855 MB-trac 1300 turbo 443.163OM 366A.IV/15.958 92 (125) 2,400425 1,600–1,800 1987–1991474 MB-trac 1400 turbo 443.164OM 366A.V/15.958 100 (136) 2,400470 1600–1800 1987–1991398 MB-trac 1600 turbo 443.166OM 366A.VI/15.958 115 (156) 2,400530 1600–1800 1987–19911,072 MB-trac 1800 intercooler 443.166OM 366LA5.958 132 (180) 2,400645 1600–1800 1990–1991190
History
Former Daimler-Benz had been making the Unimog, a tractor-like implement carrier vehicle, since 1951. Mercedes-Benz customers however sought a dedicated agricultural and silvicultural tractor. Thus, Daimler-Benz, on 25 March 1968 issued a development order for an agricultural tractor that would share various components with the Unimog 403. Throughout the development phase, various prototypes were built; these were designated the AM 60. During the development phase, a version with a rotating steering-column and driver seat was considered, but originally not put forward.
Eventually, the 440 series MB-trac was presented at the 1972 DLG fair as the MB-trac 65/70. Series production started on 1 July 1973 at the , alongside the Unimog. Until 31 December 1973, 520 units of the MB-trac were produced. The original colour was pebble-grey with red wheels. In March 1976, the heavy-duty 442 and 443 series MB-trac production commenced, which shares various components with the Unimog 425.Carl-Heinz Vogler: 101 Dinge, die man über Unimog wissen muss, GeraMond-Verlag, München 2020, ISBN 9783964530066
In 1987, Daimler-Benz entered into a strategic cooperation with Deutz, who at the time built the Deutz INTRAC, a similar trac-like tractor. Joint development was carried out by Daimler-Benz (40 %) and Deutz (60 %) owned Trac-Technik-Entwicklungsgesellschaft (TTE) throughout the late 1980s, however, due to cost concerns, development was cancelled, and it was decided at Daimler-Benz to cancel the MB-trac as a result.Jürgen Hummel, Alexander Oertle: Deutz 2 – Traktoren seit 1978, Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart 2014, ISBN 9783613310285
In 1990, the MB-trac lineup saw its last and most powerful addition, the MB-trac 1800 intercooler. It was based on a 1600 turbo, but had an additional intercooler installed. Production ended on December 17th 1991.Wener Schmeing, Hans-Jürgen Wischof: Traktoren der Daimler AG – von der Entstehung und dem Ende des MB-trac, DLG-Verlag, DLG-Verlag, 2010
Production numbers
Technical description
The MB-trac comprises four different series which have distinct technical differences. The following description thus only gives a basic overview of the MB-trac.
In general, the MB-trac is a trac type of agricultural tractor which is characterised by four same-size wheels, a frame undercarriage for the engine and front axle, and steerable wheels rather than articulated steering. The cab is installed in the center of the vehicle. This design allows the MB-trac to mount implements in front, on the rear axle behind the cab, and behind the rear axle.
Despite sharing its drivetrain with the Unimog 403 or Unimog 425, the MB-trac is not a modified Unimog. It is distinctly different and much more suited for agricultural use, for example, due to its larger wheels.Karl Theordor Renius: Fundamentals of Tractor Design, Springer, Cham 2019, ISBN 978-3-030-32803-0, p. 12 Unusual for an agricultural tractor, the MB-trac's front axle is coil sprung, which improves its on-road handling characteristics.
Light-duty MB-trac models were equipped with the Mercedes-Benz OM 314 or Mercedes-Benz OM 364 four-cylinder Diesel engines and use a gearbox with 16 forward and 8 reverse gears. The gears are shifted using a conventional H-shift lever which is fitted with a splitter device. A separate gear lever is used to engage forward or reverse, and the same lever is also used to shift into a high-speed forward range, which does not exist in reverse. Medium-duty models are technically similar to the light-duty models but feature the Mercedes-Benz OM 352 or OM 366 six-cylinder engines. The heavy-duty MB-trac models were equipped with the Mercedes-Benz OM 352 or Mercedes-Benz OM 366 six-cylinder Diesel engines, and have a dedicated reverse-drive feature with a reversible cab and gearbox.Stuart Gibbard: The Tractor Book: The Definitive Visual History, Dorling Kindersley, 2015, ISBN 978-0-2410-1482-0, p. 204
Bibliography
Wener Schmeing, Hans-Jürgen Wischof: Traktoren der Daimler AG – Unbekannte Einblicke in Technik und Wirtschaft: vom Unimog zum MB-trac und warum es keinen Nachfolger gab, Vol. 2, DLG-Verlag, DLG-Verlag, 2011, ISBN 9783769007343
References