Little brother

Photos: The Renault 68.14 RS had a lower cab with the same features as the TS and TX models. It can be hydraulically lifted for maintenance and repair. The cab offers a flat floor and gear levers located to the right of the driver.

Tractors of one make are rarely seen 'only' on a farm. This Renault 68.14 RS was produced in August 1984. Production of the RS models started in Le Mans at the end of 1983. The launch initially comprised two variants, the 68.12 and 68.14 and the more powerful 75.12 and 75.14.  The latter was technically identical to the 75.12 and 75.14 TS released a year and a half earlier. The corresponding RS and TS also bear the same R number.

The 68.14 has the 3.8 litre four cylinder M.W.M. water cooled diesel engine, while the 75.14 uses the larger 4.2 litre. Despite the powered front axle, the 68.12/68.14 delivered 68 hp and 230 Nm of torque. Renault offered a choice between a three-speed gearbox and a two-speed gearbox, the latter being offered as an option in the brochure. From early 1985, the option of a splitter was added, so that a total of 24 forward and reverse speeds were available.

The main difference between the TS/TX and the RS is to be found in the cab. Especially when used in older farm buildings, the height of the modern TS/TX cab can be a game changer. The all-new RS cab, however, was 16 centimetres lower and that could make such a difference. Moreover, the RS models could also be supplied with only a rollbar. The so-called 'arceau' is shown as an option in the brochure.

When it came to access to vital mechanical parts, the RS cab offered the same advantages as the TS/TX series. This meant that the whole unit had a pivot point above the front wheels and the whole cab could be jacked up hydraulically. By doing this, the rear axle and rear swing arm were completely free for maintenance and repairs.

The interior of the cab is the same as the TS/TX. This means, among other things, a flat floor and pedals placed close together. The dashboard and steering wheel are also identical. In this case, the rev counter with integrated hour meter is on the right and the instruments for the tank contents and temperature are on the left. Above it, Renault installed a large number of warning lights. In 1984, this cab was extremely modern. 

The two gearchange levers were located between the seat and the right mudguard. With these, one could choose between the four gears and the two or three groups. The reverse gear lever was on the right of the dashboard. The cabin had heating and the rear and front windows could be opened.

Of course the RS-series had the well-known Tracto-Control hitch with the control levers on the right-hand side of the driver. In total there were four levers. One of the features of the linkage was the high lifting power, depending on the engine variant.

The expansion of the RS range in 1984 included the three-cylinder 61.12 and 61.14 RS. The 3.1 litre water-cooled M.W.M. produced 60 hp in this instance. In the same year, the higher powered 95.12/14 RS and 103.12/14 RS followed. This foursome was not a huge success. After their launch in 1984, production was stopped some two years later. Because these models were similar to the TS and TX models, except for the cab, it became clear that the option of a low cab was not an immediate buying attraction for many farmers. Furthermore, the models in the LS and PS series were similar in terms of power, so that by the end of March 1987, the entire RS series was discontinued. However, more than a thousand of two of the types were produced. These were the 75.14 RS (1,463 units) and this 68.14 RS (1,108 units).

This example has only 4186 hours on the clock and that's not many for an all-round tractor. It's a pity that the roof was repainted white and a black Renault badge put on it. Originally, the roof should have been painted in the same dark-grey colour as the rest of the cab, with a white Renault badge both at the front and the back.

Whereas tractor buyers had little choice until the 1970s, the trend in the 1980s was for a tractor to increasingly become a customised product, fully tailored to customer requirements. This is why the RS series brochure lists a number of accessories. These include a front linkage with front PTO, an additional left lifting cylinder, a short drawbar, front mudguards, the aforementioned safety bar instead of the cab and 220 kg removable front weights.

Searching the history of the RS, TS and TX models, the 68.14 RS and the 77.14 TS appear to have the same R-number 7722. This occured with several models of these three series. But where the 68.14 RS was equipped with the 3.8 litre D 227/4 engine, the TS used the D 226/4 engine. The 7714 TS was succeeded by the 75-34 TX version only. And that means that the R7722 ran from September 1983 to January 1993.

En detail...

Renault 68.14 RS (R7722)

Engine:

Type M.W.M. D 227/4, 4 cylinder in line, 8 valves, bore x stroke 100 x 120 mm, cylinder capacity 3,770 cc. Power 68 (DIN) hp at 2,350 rpm, torque 230 Nm at 1,500 rpm, water-cooled.

Gearbox:

Type B17-12, three groups of four gears forward and reverse. Maximum speed (creeper/field/road) 1st - 0,77/2,69/8,05 km/h, 2nd - 1,22/4,24/12,68 km/h, 3rd - 1,77/6,17/18,45 km/h, 4th - 2,67/9,30/27,80 km/h, reverse idem. Optional 2x4 speeds, field and road only. Tyres (standard) front 11.2 x 24 6, rear 16.9 x 30 6 (various options available ex-factory). Hydrostatic steering.

Brakes: Hydraulically operated with two pedals. Trailer brake operating synchronously with tractor brakes, mechanical hand brake.

Dimensions/weights:

Length 4.01 metres, width 1.86 - 2.23 metres, height to roof 2.56 metres, wheelbase 2.39 metres, ground clearance 0.37 metres, turning circle 5.10 metres. Weight: 3,490 kg. Tank capacity 110 litres.