Our methodology

Last updated: 19 July 2026

Machinery Intel helps independent operators match tractors and implements using manufacturer data you can verify — not dealer pressure or invented numbers. This page is for you: how we get the specs, how Fit and Compare work, and what we refuse to claim.

Hard numbers vs. advice

We keep two kinds of information separate so you always know what was measured and what is our judgment.

Facts — specs we store and trace to a manufacturer page: engine horsepower, operating weight, rear hitch lift, hitch category, and PTO ratings when the OEM publishes them.
Claims — summaries, use-case advice, FAQ answers, guide rationale, and Fit explanations. Advice can sit next to Facts; it must not fill in missing numbers.

Where the numbers come from

Tractor Facts come from manufacturer product pages and specification sheets. We review them before they go live, and every published profile links to the source page we used.

When an OEM updates a sheet, we update the Fact and show a last-updated date. Options can differ by region or serial year — when we know that, we say so.

How Attachment Fit works

Fit compares your tractor’s published hitch, PTO, and rear-lift numbers against a curated implement sheet — a real OEM model when we have one, or a class example for a quick screen.

Each check is Pass, Fail, or Missing. The overall result is Compatible, Incompatible, or Partial. Partial means we are missing a published number — most often PTO horsepower — not that the pair is “probably fine.”

We never invent PTO shaft ratings. If the OEM has not published a number we can cite, that check stays Partial.
A paper Fit is a screen before you buy, not a warranty. Confirm the manuals for your serial year.

How peer Compare works

Compare puts two tractors side by side in the same size class with similar engine horsepower (±15%) — a peer check, not a random catalog dump.

Tables use published Facts only. “Who should buy which” is advice grounded in those Facts. We do not invent dealer prices or local inventory.

Buying guides

Guides are written to teach frameworks — hitch class, PTO vs engine, matching implements — then send you into Fit or Compare with your own machine.

Pick tables pull live Facts from the same database as tractor profiles, so the horsepower and weight you see stay tied to the manufacturer sheet.

What we are not

We are not a dealer, manufacturer, or financing broker. We do not hold inventory, quote local prices, or promise that a paper Fit will hold on every slope, soil, or option package.

Always confirm specs, ballast, tires, and implements with the OEM manuals for your build and with a dealer before you buy.

Corrections

If a number on a profile does not match the manufacturer page we cite, email us the model and source. That inbox is real — we use corrections to keep the catalog honest.