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Hermann Lanz D 540

Built: 1/1965–2/1970 · Series: D-Reihe

More machines from model year 1965

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The D-Reihe series from Hermann Lanz includes the D 540. Production: 1/1965–2/1970. The engine delivers 40 hp (29.3 kW), has 3 cylinders, with a displacement of 3,246 cm³. Rated speed is 1,750 rpm. The machine is 3,370 mm long, 1,570 mm wide and 1,630 mm high. The unladen weight is 1,970 kg. The wheelbase measures 2,100 mm. Ground clearance is 380 mm. Top speed is 19.6 km/h. Transmission: 9/4-manual gearbox. The engine is water-cooled. Tyres: front 6.00-16, rear 11-28. The fuel is diesel. The bore measures 105 mm. The stroke is 125 mm. Construction: frameless unit construction. Around 264 units were built. The D-Reihe series covers 38 models. Rated output within it ranges from 12 to 60 hp; the D 540 sits in the middle of that range with 40 hp. Its immediate neighbours are the D 438 Export below it with 38 hp and the D 145 above it with 45 hp. Unladen weight within it ranges from 1,120 to 3,950 kg; here the D 540 sits in the lower part of that range with 1,970 kg. 48 Hermann Lanz models across 8 series are on record.

Hermann Lanz Aulendorf D series – not the Bulldog: air-cooled tractors from Upper Swabia, 1949–1967

The D series from Hermann Lanz of Aulendorf is often confused with the Lanz Bulldogs from Mannheim – wrongly, because apart from the name the two companies have nothing in common. After the war the Upper Swabian firm built its own tractors with bought-in air-cooled diesel engines, mostly from MWM, and sold them mainly to small farms in southern Germany and Austria; the 'Austria-Diesel' in the register is one such export version.

Read on 3 more paragraphs

The type designation is consistent: D for diesel, the number roughly the power class – from the small D 12 and D 15 to the D 240 and D 245 of the 1960s. The suffix S marks improved versions, AE an equipment level. In the register the models run from 8.8 to 43.9 kW, from 905 to 3,400 cm³ with one to four cylinders and from 1,120 to 3,950 kg unladen; top speeds lie between 16.5 and 29.8 km/h.

The production periods of the individual models are recorded in the register to the month – a sign of the small batches and frequent model changes of a mid-sized maker that ended tractor production in 1967.

For collectors rarity counts; for condition, engine bearings, the cooling blower and the often simple gearboxes are decisive. Spare parts are available through the MWM engine connection and a small but active enthusiast scene.

Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Hermann Lanz D-Reihe, Hermann Lanz Aulendorf (Wikipedia)

Technical data

Engine

Fueldieselcorrect
Power40 hp (29.3 kW)correct
Rated speed1,750 rpmcorrect
Cylinders3correct
Displacement3,246 cm³correct
Bore105 mmcorrect
Stroke125 mmcorrect
Coolingwater-cooledcorrect

Dimensions and weights

Length3,370 mmcorrect
Width1,570 mmcorrect
Height1,630 mmcorrect
Wheelbase2,100 mmcorrect
Ground clearance380 mmcorrect
Unladen weight1,970 kgcorrect

Drivetrain and chassis

Driverear-wheel drivecorrect
Gearbox9/4-manual gearbox gearboxcorrect
Front tyres6.00-16correct
Rear tyres11-28correct
Top speed19.6 km/hcorrect

Origin and approval

Constructionframeless unit constructioncorrect
Units built264correct

Where this model stands

Power-to-weight ratio: 14.9 kW/t (29 kW / 2 t)

Power class: Compact (< 40 hp)

Stronger than 25% of the tractors in the register — out of 15,663 models with a stated power figure.

Calculated from the documented figures above — not a rating.

Frequently asked questions

How much power does the Hermann Lanz D 540 have?

The Hermann Lanz D 540 delivers 40 hp.

How much does the Hermann Lanz D 540 weigh?

The unladen weight is 1,970 kg.

What engine does the Hermann Lanz D 540 have?

3 cylinders, 3,246 cm³ displacement, Diesel.

How fast does the Hermann Lanz D 540 go?

Top speed is 19.6 km/h.

What are the dimensions of the Hermann Lanz D 540?

3,370 mm × 1,570 mm × 1,630 mm.

When was the Hermann Lanz D 540 built?

Production years: 1/1965–2/1970.

What to check before buying

  • Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
  • Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
  • Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
  • Check front and rear tyre sizes: mismatched pairs strain the drivetrain.
  • Shift the gearbox cold and warm — jumps only show up at temperature.
  • Load the hydraulics and watch for sag.
  • Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.

A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.

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This page carries 22 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.

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Other models in this series

Sources: [1]

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