From 1961 until 1995 the T-40 was a farm tractor built by the Lipetsk Tractor Plant. The T-40 was designed for plowing light soil, processing row crops, mowing, plowing snow and for transportation. To achieve these goals, it has a carrier transmission and rear axle, a more rigid connection between the engine and the transmission case, increased diameter of the rear drive wheels, smaller front guide wheels and stiffer suspension than other tractors.

The tractor has four-cylinder four-stroke diesel air-cooled engine: D-37 37 hp or D-144 50 hp. Depending on configuration, an electric starter or a gasoline starting engine (PD8), were used to start the diesel engine.

It was manufactured in four-wheel drive (T-40A) and rear-wheel drive versions. It has an adjustable gauge and adjustable ride height on all wheels. The T-40 can be fitted with removable rear wheels of reduced width to work in aisles. In order to work on steep slopes, the track width can be increased by installing the rear wheels inside out.

The T-40 had a completely reversible manual transmission, allowing the use of the full range of speeds both forward and backward. A bevel gear was placed immediately after the clutch and a mechanical or hydrostatic reduction gear, which enabled it to operate at low (less than 2 km / h) speeds. It had two PTO shafts - rear and side. These features, as well as its good performance, led to the tractor being widely adopted throughout the USSR. The engine is air-cooled, risking overheating and freezing.