Exclusive test drive with the Mahindra OJA 314 tractor.

Despite the threat of rain, but always with the curiosity to see a new machine in an environment different from the norm for the Agrotechnology Laboratory team at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), we accompanied the Cultivar Máquinas team to the municipality of Santa Cruz do Sul (RS) for the field test of the Mahindra OJA 3140 tractor model.

This model, launched at Agrishow 2025, is manufactured and assembled in India and brought to Brazil through direct import. Its effective commercialization began in the second half of last year, and the company sees a very positive outlook for its acceptance in the country.

The OJA line is global, and in India it has seven models with engine power ranging from 21 hp to 50 hp. For Brazil, the 40 hp OJA 3140 was initially brought over. The line's name, OJA, derives from the Sanskrit word OJAS, meaning energy. In India and Mahindra's vast overseas market, different levels of technology packages are available, forming the PROJA, MYOJA, and ROBOJA models. Each of these models has packages that enhance the technological level.

This model enters Mahindra's portfolio as a solution for small farms, as a multi-purpose tractor, prepared for transport equipment, rotary tiller, sprayers and cultivators, as well as a brush cutter, but it also promises to meet the needs of special crops, such as fruit growing in small areas and vegetable growing, in addition to material handling in poultry farms.

For this type and size of equipment, it is a modern tractor with details that set it apart from competitors, such as LED lighting, front-wheel drive axle, maintenance access, factory-installed reverser, among others.

During the test, we had the support of the Techmaq dealership, which provided the tractor for demonstration purposes for the client. Techmaq belongs to a business group formed by two partners who established the main store in Camaquã approximately five years ago, and recently expanded, forming stores in Santa Cruz do Sul and Santa Maria, all in Rio Grande do Sul.

The stores are exclusive Mahindra dealerships for tractors and sell implements from different brands, already sized and recommended for each Mahindra model. We were assisted during the test by Mr. Michael Ritter, commercial manager, and Mr. Fernando Weiss, from the sales department. From Mahindra, we had support from Josué Beutler, the company's after-sales specialist, who told us that, in the importation of this model, the after-sales department organized itself so that dealerships can handle all the supply of frequently used components, and spare parts are being supplied by Mahindra Brazil in record time.

The company's goal in bringing this tractor to the country is to offer a model with Mahindra's well-known characteristics, such as robustness, economy, durability, and reliable after-sales service.

The choice of the OJA took into account the cost/benefit ratio between acquisition value and technology applied in the target market. The company believes that the OJA line has the appropriate technology for the national market. For the North American market, for example, it would be intermediate in relation to the complete models sold abroad.

Engine details

The OJA 3140 is equipped with a Mahindra 3 DI - I series three-cylinder engine, with a maximum engine power of 40 hp at 2.500 rpm. The maximum torque is 133 Nm obtained at 1.650 rpm. It is the first Mahindra tractor in Brazil with three cylinders, producing a specific power of 13,3 hp per cylinder, with natural aspiration. The injection is mechanical, using an in-line injection pump.

One of the advantages explained is that the engine/transmission assembly is designed and manufactured by Mahindra itself. The air entering the engine is filtered using a dry type, with a double filter, located in front of the engine in an easily accessible place.

One new feature is that the design includes a removable radiator guard. In addition to protecting the radiator from being blocked by materials such as leaves and straw, it also protects against material from the crops. Access for removal is easy, exiting from the right side of the tractor.

In small tractors used for fruit farming, the exhaust pipe cannot be directed upwards. The solution, therefore, is to remove the gases from the bottom, which sometimes causes the platform and, consequently, the operator's feet to heat up. In this model, the exhaust has been cleverly positioned at the front, on the right side of the tractor, well out of the operator's reach.

Transmission, PTO and hydraulic system

Power is transmitted to the wheels via a synchronized gearbox with three groups and four gears, with a Synchroshuttle reverser that provides 12 forward and 12 reverse gears. The reverser has forward, reverse, and neutral positions.

The first of the three gear groups is a creeper, allowing for reduced speeds, starting at 300 m/h. The other groups, L and H, are mechanically operated by a lever controlled by the operator's left hand, reaching a high speed of 22,43 km/h. Therefore, the creeper is a non-optional gear group. Following this, the differential is a final reduction gear close to it. The standard tires are 8.00-16 R1 on the front axle and 12.4-24 R1 on the rear axle. As mentioned, other tire specifications are optional.

Mahindra manufactures its own front drive axle, with a portal frame design that increases ground clearance and reduces the turning radius to 2,5 m, thanks to a steering angle of 65°. To protect the steering arms, a metal guard was provided, positioned in front of them.

The engine also drives other components, such as the independent power take-off (PTO), which has electro-hydraulic actuation and two operating modes: from 540 rpm (normal) to an engine speed of 2.258 rpm and from 540E (economic) to 1.650 rpm. The splined shaft has a guard, and the PTO actuation is done by an electro-hydraulic switch located to the right of the operator's station.

The OJA 3140's three-point hydraulic system is category 1 and 2, with position and depth control, and achieves a lifting capacity of 950 kg at the lower arm ball joints. The maximum hydraulic system pressure is 178 kgf/cm² and the maximum flow rate is 27,2 L/min. The oil used by the hydraulic system is the same as that used in the transmission.

Dimensions and capacities

From the factory, this Mahindra model uses a static weight distribution of 45% on the front axle and 55% on the rear axle, for a loading tractor weight of 1.365 kg. The manufacturer believes this is the best solution for most operations in which this tractor will be used. To adapt it to special conditions, 25 kg front weights are offered, which can be placed on a support that also weighs 25 kg. Thus, by placing six weights on the support, the front weight can be increased by up to 175 kg. On the rear wheels, it is possible to place four 28 kg weights, two on each side, totaling an additional weight of 112 kg.

Other interesting data we can highlight are the excellent ground clearance of 370 mm for a tractor of this size and the wheelbase of 1.660 mm. Another noteworthy piece of information is the 33 L fuel tank capacity, which, combined with the engine's low volumetric consumption, can generate a considerable autonomy in working hours.

Test location

Our tests were conducted on the property of Mr. Lorimar Müller, in the Linha João Alves area of ​​Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul. A small rural producer, Mr. Lorimar has been a Mahindra customer for two years, having acquired, at that time, a smaller tractor, which has 70 hours of use and various equipment. The total area of ​​the property, acquired approximately ten years ago, is 4 hectares. The soil is quite moist and the terrain is partly sloping. The main activity is the production of herbs such as rosemary, lavender, common and purple basil, pennyroyal, mint, lemon balm, garlic, parsley, and marjoram. He also commercially cultivates 400 citrus trees, mainly different varieties of lemon.

The work is intense at certain times, especially in preparing seedbeds, planting, and harvesting (moving crates), but clearing with a brush cutter also demands considerable effort. In these operations, the tractor is essential, as the work is basically done by the family between the owner and his wife. Sporadically, on weekends, a worker is hired for lemon harvesting and seedbed preparation. The produce is sold to the local market, with weekly deliveries of the products already packaged in trays.

For the field test, we chose an activity that would truly demand the most from the OJA 3140. We therefore used a 1,20 m bed former from Lavrale. This equipment consists of a rotary hoe with a bed former attachment.

We chose the travel speed provided by the creeper group's gearing in third and fourth gear, with an engine speed of around 2.250 rpm. For operating the rotary tiller of the bed former, we used a PTO of 540 rpm in normal mode.

We created three raised beds, each 1,20 m wide, verifying that the tilling depth was 20 cm to 25 cm, resulting in excellent soil mobilization. Two passes of the equipment over the surface of an old raised bed were sufficient to prepare it for planting seedlings.

Analyzing the tractor's performance, we verified that at no point was there a substantial drop in engine speed, and it proved to be quite stable for the activity and operating conditions. Engaging reverse during maneuvers was quite easy, and the small turning radius allowed us to maneuver in tight spaces. In this type of activity, maneuvering space is limited, and ease of control is important. During operation, we highlight the ease of disengaging the power take-off. The dual-control activation device—turn and press—and the disengagement, requiring only a slight press on the switch, not only facilitates quick PTO disengagement but also provides the safety of a rapid shutdown if necessary.

It is important to note that on a small farm, where a single tractor performs a range of operations and works with different equipment, varying the track width is a necessity. The OJA 3140 allows for variation in four different track width combinations, by changing the rim position relative to the wheel flange and the wheel side.

Operating station

In a tractor like this, with its reduced size, it is important to analyze the operator's station, checking the solutions used by the designers to accommodate the seat, controls and instruments, as well as the access and exit points.

In this tractor, the workstation is an open type with a platform and a non-slip floor. The operator has only one seat, adjustable for reach and height, and the vertical adjustment can be made according to the operator's weight via a spring activated by a butterfly nut. For reference, the manufacturer has included a numerical scale indicating the weight and the correct position for the spring preload device. The seatbelt is retractable.

The tractor's steering wheel has a fixed position, without adjustment, but the distribution of levers and controls is well defined on each side. The gear shift lever is positioned on the left side of the seat, as is the PTO selection and front-wheel drive engagement. On the right side are the gear selection lever and the PTO engagement and disengagement lever, the hydraulic depth adjustment, and the implement raising and lowering lever, and, when available as an option, the dual remote control valves. Incidentally, we highlight the PTO engagement and stopping mechanism as a very positive feature; it is very easy to use and very good for the equipment's safety. To engage, a turn and a press; to disengage, a light touch interrupts operation.

The reverse gear is located on the steering column, on the left side, and the accelerator on the right. The instrument and information panel is very modern, with a digital display, and the rearview mirrors are in a very convenient position for observation.

For access to and exit from the operator's station, a single-step staircase restricts entry and exit to the left side only, as is standard. At the operator's station, two handrails, one on each side, aid in the operator's stability.

As part of the modern times, this Mahindra model features a storage compartment and, in front of it, a USB charging port with both conventional and more modern Type-C connections. On the right side, above the rear fender, there is a six-pin electrical connector for a trailer wiring harness.

This tractor meets the mandatory roll bar requirement for narrow tractors with a retractable ROPS, typical of small tractors, especially those intended for use in orchards, which require vertical space for work. An easy unlocking mechanism releases the articulation, allowing the tractor's height to be reduced.

Also for safety and better use, the manufacturer distributed warning and information stickers in various places on the tractor. Inside the front hood, in particular, there is one that indicates when to change the engine's lubricating oil.

Regarding maintenance incentives, tilting the hood back opens up a huge space for servicing, and removing the side panels covering the engine sides provides complete access. To top it off, a full toolbox comes standard.

José Fernanfrom Schlosser,
Alexandre Russini,
Natalia do Nascimento Garcez,
Bernardo Alvino Hintz Eick,
Nema - UFSM