Deutz-Fahr has always delivered a solid combination of German engineering and Italian styling. The brand’s 6G series epitomises that trend.
Available in four models – 6145G, 6165G, 6185G, and 6205G – there are also two variants in the 6G Series. The 6145G and 6165G in the ‘Vista spec’ offer the powershift gearbox with manual range change lever, a total of 30×15 transmission and sit on 580/70R38 rear and 480/70R28 front tyres, with a 110-litre per minute open centre hydraulic pump and three remotes.
Our Farm Trader Tractor Showcase test machine was the 6145G ‘Summit RC shift’ spec. This has the 54/27 gearbox,
a 120-litre per minute CCLS pump, and is shod on 540/6528 front and 650/65R 38 rear. With front and rear locking differentials, a 120-litre per minute pump and four spools, the Summit Spec is what we will focus this overview on since we spent the best part of a week putting it through its paces.
Engine
Deutz engines are well-proven. The six-litre 6-cylinder Deutz engine in the G is a farmer’s best friend: Tier 3, meaning no AdBlue – I can hear your sigh of relief already. A maximum 147hp, a transmission sight glass, and a dipstick on the engine filler cap allow for quick daily checks. All of this is wrapped up with the support of a full 2-year/2000-hour warranty and service intervals of 500 hours on the engine and 1000 hours on the transmission. Right now, Power Farming is offering an additional 2-year/2000-hour powertrain warranty on all 6-cylinder models – that’s peace of mind right there.
Transmission
The 6G Series with RC shift has gained much popularity due to its user-friendliness. The ZF-TPT16 gearbox has five ranges: six Powershift in each range going forward and three power shifts in reverse (main gearbox is 30×15), with the creeper giving the gears to make the 54×27 (don’t ask me to do the maths).
A key feature of the powershift transmission is that you get 17 gears in the main working 5–20km/hour band. This is more gears than some competitors have in their whole transmission. More good things include speed matching, a hand-operated de-clutch button, and the forward/reverse shuttle with five-speed modulation control to customise to your preference of aggression. This is particularly great for loader work.
Operator environment
The six-pillar cab will be familiar to Deutz stalwarts. With its traditional colour-coding in the cab (yellow is PTO, blue is hydraulics, green is linkage, and orange is transmission functions), as if that wasn’t easy enough, Power Farming has put a know-how sticker for operator ease. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to having a glance at the quick reference guide for a couple
of features (but let’s just keep that on the down low). In terms of creature comforts, visibility was good, cab suspension made the ride comfortable, and, for me, being a tall operator, having a large amount of headroom was a bonus. The cab felt roomy, with no risk of whacking my head on the roof.
Loader
The high pump capacity made the Q6M Trima loader a doddle to operate, especially given the Deutz-Fahr integrated electric joystick in the RC shift multifunction armrest – plenty of all-round functionality here. The loader was well-finished and smooth to use, as well as being easy to take on and off. Auto-latching tabs on the back of the quick hitch mean that as soon as the Euro mounts hit, these tabs automatically latch. You don’t have to crowd all the way back, which reduces the risk of anything coming off. Continuing around the front end of the machine, there’s a nifty little feature with the front belly weights 330kg in total, plus the 110kg front ballast tombstone, for a total of 440kg – all tucked in close to the bonnet to give fantastic clearance of the main loader crossbeam.
For those with front axle suspension, greasing of the underbody of the machine and front axle is easy, thanks to Power Farming engineering a central greasing bank with grease lines up and under the chassis. This makes daily maintenance/required maintenance easy. The old motto ‘if it’s easy, it’ll get done’ comes into play here and being able to access everything with such ease is a definite plus.
Hydraulics, linkage, PTO
Around the back is more good stuff from Deutz-Fahr. The main pump comes in the form of a 120-litre per minute CCLS variable displacement pump, while a dedicated steering pump also provides a constant 42-litre per minute. As standard, you get four mechanical spools, all with detent, float, and flow control. Rounding out the hydraulics is Power Beyond preparation and trailer brakes as standard.
The electronically controlled rear linkage, with a lift capacity of 6.2 tonnes is ample, although a little annoyingly needs to be unlocked every time the tractor is started. Once unlocked, however, the height control dial is easy enough to use and provides smooth lifting and lowering, even with heavy bales on the back.
The norm is now to include four-speed PTO, and Deutz-Fahr doesn’t let the side down in that department. Push-button start, auto PTO, and external Start/Stop as standard round it out nicely.
Performance/judging summary
Overall, the 6G was well suited for loader work, thanks to its sloped bonnet, quality loader, and cab layout. The RC Shift armrest was well appointed and proved popular with all of our testers.
No AdBlue, four rear spools, a large hydraulic pump, and solid lift capacity combined with the ZF transmission meant it performed well with all the tasks we threw at it.
Top 5 features
- Guaranteed Buy-Back
- Additional 2-year/2000-hour warranty (powertrain) for a total of 2-year/2000-hour comprehensive and 2-year/2000-hour powertrain
- 54 x 27-speed transmission giving 17 gears in the 5–20km/hour ‘working’ range
- German engineering
- Tier 3 engine, 500-hour service intervals
Guaranteed Buy Back
The current guaranteed buy back from Power Farming is a real success story. It works with you, the customer, selecting the model you want, followed by the contract term whether it be 24, 36, or 48 months. Next up is agreeing on an annual hourly allowance (for example 1000 hours), followed by the chosen deposit amount. This also allows you to reduce payments (i.e. a higher deposit means lower monthly repayments). Power Farming then gives you the future value based on these three values: the deposit, the annual hours, and the contract term. Essentially, then you have three options:
Renew: trade it and upgrade to another machine
Retain: refinance or purchase the machine
Return
Why is this important? It gives the true cost of ownership. Machinery is expensive and running costs and high interest rate costs can create uncertainty. This Buy Back scheme can help flatten cash flow from unwanted repair bills. Instead, you have a fixed monthly payment where everyone knows exactly the cost over the lifetime of that machine. T&C apply so consult your nearest Power Farming dealer.
| Tractor | Deutz-Fahr 6145G |
|---|---|
| Engine | 6L 6-cylinder Deutz |
| Stated max horsepower | 147hp |
| Emissions level | Tier 3 |
| Transmission | Full powershift |
| Number of gears | 54x27 |
| Hydraulic capacity | 120L/min CCLS |
| Tyre size | 650/65R 38 rear, 540/6528 front |
| Service interval | 500 engine, 1000 transmission |
| Warranty | 2-year/2000-hour |
