Next to the Daker rally held at the start of each year in Saudi Arabia, the Morocco Desert Challenge is the second largest rally raid in the world, with eight stages taking competitors into the south of country and the Sahara desert.
There are four categories for entrants: motorbikes and quads; side-by-side buggies; cars; and trucks. It is in this latter section that a Massey Ferguson 8S was entered – the first tractor to enter the event.
The 8S series offers a maximum of 301hp but, for the event, the 7.4L AGCO Power engine had been tuned to provide around 400hp, with an extra fuel tank fitted to cope with the increased thirst.
Standard transmission
The transmission was the standard Dyna E-Power dual-clutch unit, which combines the benefits of a continuously variable transmission with the ability to transmit power as efficiently as a mechanical transmission, according to MF.
This was considered the obvious choice for negotiating the challenging terrain of sand dunes, as the tractor required the ability to apply maximum power to the ground without breaks during gear or range changes.
The team noted that the gearbox performed exceptionally well with impressive responsiveness.
It survived more than 2,000km of rigorous driving and over 13 hours of continuous gear changes, proving itself a true competition-grade sequential gearbox.
Extra speed for Morocco
The top speed was increased to 75km/h (47m/h) with Michelin Evobib VF 600/70 R30 tyres fitted to the front and VF 710/70 R42 at the rear, while a PTG central tyre inflation system allowed immediate adjustment to the pressures to suit the varying conditions.
Other additions to the tractor included a full roll cage with two fully harnessed racing seats and offset controls, a spare wheel mounted on the rear with a 180° pivoting crane, modification of the front axle suspension, replacement of the side windows with polycarbonate, and installation of camera mirrors.
The tractor was prepared by Kufferagri Sarl, a Swiss machinery dealer, in conjunction with Massey Ferguson itself, following a suggestion from a customer.
The modified tractor completed the course in 75th place out of 144 competitors in all categories and registered fourth from eight entrants in the truck category.
