Smart Hydraulic Control: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to Tractor Hydraulics and FJD Hydraulic Autosteering Kits
20 augusti, 2025 av
aurora.yang

Tractors are the heart of a modern farm, and their hydraulic systems give them real power. Hydraulics let you lift heavy tools, control sprayers, and handle all kinds of tough jobs. In this blog, we'll explain what hydraulics are and how they work. We'll also show you how FJD hydraulic autosteering kits are helping farmers around the world upgrade their machines to work smarter and with more precision.

Understanding the Heart of the Tractor: The Hydraulic System

In a tractor, the hydraulic system uses fluid to create force and movement. You can consider it as the tractor's muscle, giving it the strength to lift, lower, and hold heavy tools like plows and planters. This system is critical for tough farm jobs, allowing one person to easily control heavy farming equipment.

The hydraulics technology works based on a rule called Pascal's law. It states that pressure applied to a fluid in a closed space spreads out everywhere. In other words, a small push can create a very big push, allowing a tractor to lift massive loads that would be impossible to move by hand.

A hydraulic system is made up of several key parts that work together to move and control equipment:

  • Hydraulic pump: Draw oil from a hydraulic tank and push it through the system under high pressure. The most common type is the gear pump, which is known for its ability to move a large amount of oil.
  • Hydraulic tank: Store hydraulic. In some tractors, the transmission housing serves as the tank, using the same fluid for both the hydraulics and transmission.
  • Hydraulic cylinder and piston: Carry out heavy lifting. The piston moves inside a large cylinder, and the pressurized oil pushes it, creating a powerful, back-and-forth motion that raises the lifting arms.
  • Control valve: Act like a traffic cop, directing the flow of hydraulic oil. It determines where the oil goes, how much pressure it has, and how quickly it moves, giving the operator precise control over the implements.
  • Safety valve: Protect the system from damage by releasing excess pressure.
  • Lifting arms: These are the mechanical arms at the back of the tractor that connect to and move the implements.
  • Hose pipe and fittings: Carry the hydraulic fluid to all the different components.

How the Hydraulic System Works?

The system works in a continuous cycle. After a pump pulls oil from a tank, the oil then travels under high pressure to a control valve, which sends it into a hydraulic cylinder. The pressurized oil pushes a piston, and that piston moves the tractor's lifting arms. This process gives farmers precise control of their tractors.
Modern tractors use different control methods to fine-tune their hydraulic systems. The most common are:
  • Position control: Let the operator set a specific height for the implement. The system then automatically maintains that position, which is great for tasks that require consistent depth.
  • Draft control: Adjust automatically the implement's depth based on the resistance it feels from the soil. If the implement hits a hard patch and the resistance (draft) increases, the system will slightly lift the implement until the resistance returns to the desired level.
  • Mixed control: Combine both position and draft control, giving the operator maximum flexibility.

The Rise of Smart Hydraulic Autosteering

In the past, hydraulic controls were simple and mechanical. But thanks to new technology, they have become much smarter and more precise. Systems like Automatic Depth and Draft Control (ADDC) and Electric Quick Raise and Lower (EQRL) now do many jobs automatically, which makes the operator's work a lot easier.

However, a major breakthrough comes from integrating hydraulic systems with autosteering technology. This is where FJDynamics comes in. FJD's hydraulic autosteering kits are designed to work with these tractors, giving them the ability to steer themselves with incredible accuracy. They are compatible with over 95% of hydraulic tractor models that use non-CANBUS protocols, even powerful, high-horsepower machines.


Why FJD's Hydraulic Autosteering Kits Stand Out?

FJD offers a range of hydraulic autosteering models to fit different needs and budgets. Each model is affordable and ready for quick retrofitting.
  • FJD AH1: An early model with dual GNSS receivers for positioning reliability and a 10.1-inch screen for clear viewing.
  • FJD AH2: A cost-effective option with a single integrated GNSS receiver and a 10.1-inch standard display for task monitoring.
  • FJD AH2 Max: The newest model features a larger 12.1-inch screen that gives you 46% more viewing area, making it easier to see and control the system, especially during high-speed tasks.

All these models come with four different valve options (open/closed center valve) that can handle various fluid types and hydraulic systems. This fits into various tractors and provides quick integration, saving you time and money.

Global Success Stories: FJD Hydraulic Autosteering in Action

FJD hydraulic kits are being used by farmers all over the world, bringing new life and precision to older machinery.

  • Netherlands: One farmer installed an AH2 on his New Holland TM125 to grow onions. He loved how the system, which replaced his old navigation, worked at very slow speeds with perfect accuracy. Other farmers in the area are also using our AH2 kits on their Fendt 516 tractors for jobs like spreading fertilizer, and they've seen a big increase in how efficiently they work.
 

  • Belgium: An AH2 Max kit was installed on a Steyr CVT 6150 tractor. The system added autosteering to the tractor, helping a farmer with cultivating, seeding, and spreading fertilizer on a 60-hectare farm. This showed how powerful and precise our system is, even on an advanced tractor.


 

  • Slovenia: Farmers used an AH2 Max system on a New Holland tractor with a large harvester attached. They used it to cut 50 hectares of valuable forage on sloped land. The results were impressive—the AH2 Max kept the tractor driving perfectly straight and steady, preventing missed grass and allowing the harvester to work safely. This boosted their overall efficiency by 200% to 270% and cut their harvesting time by 67%. This meant less time working in the sun and fresher forage for their livestock.


 

  • Europe: In another European country, an AH2 was successfully connected to the valve of a John Deere tractor. It was paired with the FJD ISOBUS technology to provide precise spraying. This shows how flexible and compatible our solutions are, even with advanced OEM machinery.


 

The Road Ahead

A tractor's hydraulic system is a very important part of the machine, even if it's often overlooked. Knowing how it works helps you get the most from your tractor. As farming becomes smarter, adding a hydraulic autosteering system is one of the best ways to improve your work and farm more sustainably.

FJDynamics has affordable and reliable hydraulic kits that work on many different tractors. With FJD's hydraulic autosteering kits, farmers can save money on new equipment, get less tired, and farm with new levels of precision. This helps them work smarter and have a successful harvest every year.