Eicher 242 vs Powertrac Steeltrac 18
Comparing the Eicher 242 and the Powertrac Steeltrac 18 — the Eicher 242 carries 8.8 HP more, and the Powertrac Steeltrac 18 is about ₹1.61 lakh cheaper ex-showroom. The specifications below are from the manufacturers; the section under them explains what those differences mean on an actual farm.
Which one should you buy?
Both of these are sold into the same segment, so the choice comes down to a handful of real differences rather than one being better than the other outright.
Price
The Powertrac Steeltrac 18 is roughly ₹1.61 lakh cheaper ex-showroom — about 40% less than the Eicher 242. On road that gap widens slightly, because RTO tax and insurance are calculated on the higher figure. Whether the Eicher 242 earns that back depends entirely on the points below; if it does not, the cheaper machine is the better buy.
PTO power — the number that matters
Engine horsepower is the headline; PTO horsepower is what actually turns a rotavator or a thresher. Here the Eicher 242 delivers 8.9 HP more at the PTO (Eicher 242: 21.3 HP, Powertrac Steeltrac 18: 12.4 HP). That is roughly the difference between comfortably running a wider rotavator and working the engine hard to do it.
Lifting capacity
The Eicher 242 lifts 670 kg more (Eicher 242: 1220 Kg, Powertrac Steeltrac 18: 550 KG). This decides which mounted implements the tractor can actually carry, and it is where cheaper models usually cut corners. Check it against the heaviest implement you own — loaded weight, not the dry weight in the brochure.
Weight
The Eicher 242 is about 729 kg heavier. Weight is an advantage when braking a loaded trolley or pulling hard in draft work, and a disadvantage in wet fields and on soft ground where the Powertrac Steeltrac 18 will compact less and sink less.
The short answer
Taken together the Eicher 242 leads on more of the dimensions that affect day-to-day work. It is the safer pick unless the Powertrac Steeltrac 18 is meaningfully cheaper for you after the dealer quote.
- Wide rotavator, thresher or heavy PTO work: the Eicher 242 — it has the PTO horsepower to hold speed under load.
- Heavy mounted implements: the Eicher 242, which has the hydraulics to carry them.
- Loaded trolley and haulage: the Eicher 242 — the extra weight helps it brake and hold a load on a gradient.
- Tightest budget, or if none of the above apply to you: the Powertrac Steeltrac 18. Paying for capability you never use is the most common and most expensive mistake at this size.
Before you decide
- Prices here are ex-showroom. Add roughly 7–10% for RTO registration and insurance, and get the on-road figure in writing from the dealer, itemised.
- Visit more than one dealer for each brand. Exchange value and finance terms vary between showrooms by more than the price gap between these two machines.
- Ask how far the nearest workshop is for each brand. A tractor that is down for a week in season costs more than the difference between these two.
- Drive both with an implement attached, not empty. An unloaded tractor tells you very little.
Specifications compared
| Specification | Eicher 242 | Powertrac Steeltrac 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Ex-showroom price | ₹4.05 - ₹4.78 Lakh* | ₹2.44 - ₹3.8 Lakh* |
| Engine | ||
| HP | 25 HP | 16.2 HP |
| Cylinders | 1 | 1 |
| Displacement (CC) | 1557 CC | 895 CC |
| Cooling System | Air Cooled | — |
| Battery | 12 V 88 Ah | — |
| Engine RPM | — | NA |
| Torque | — | 61 NM |
| Transmission | ||
| Transmission Type | Center shift, Sliding Mesh | Synchromesh |
| Clutch | Single clutch | Single Clutch,(Diaphragm) Hub Reduction |
| Gearbox | 8 Forward + 2 Reverse | 8 Forward + 2 Reverse |
| Forward Speed | 27.61 kmph | 31.7 kmph |
| Reverse Speed | — | 33.7 kmph |
| Brakes | ||
| Brake Type | Disc Brake /Oil Immersed Brakes (optional) | NA |
| PTO | ||
| PTO Type | Live, Twenty one splined shaft | — |
| PTO RPM | 1000 RPM @ 1616 ERPM | — |
| PTO Power (HP) | 21.3 HP | 12.4 HP |
| Hydraulics | ||
| Lifting Capacity (Kg) | 1220 Kg | 550 KG |
| 3 Point Linkage | Draft, position and response control | — |
| Steering | ||
| Steering Type | Mechanical Steering/ | Mechanical |
| Dimensions & Weight | ||
| Total Weight (Kg) | 1670 KG | 941 KG |
| Wheelbase (MM) | 1880 MM | 1580 MM |
| Overall Length (MM) | 3150 MM | 2530 MM |
| Overall Width (MM) | 1650 MM | 1055 MM |
| Ground Clearance (MM) | 410 MM | 310 MM |
| Turning Radius | 3040 MM | 2800 MM |
| Fuel Tank Capacity (L) | 35 litre | 17.4 litre |
| Wheels & Tyres | ||
| Wheel Drive | 2 WD | 2 WD |
| Front Tyre | 6.00 X 16 | 5.25 X 14 |
| Rear Tyre | 12.4 X 28 | 8.3 X 18 / 8.3 x 20 |
| Other | ||
| Warranty | 1 Year | NA |
| Accessories | Tipping trailer kit, Drawbar, Top link | — |
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