Experimental study of comparative indicators of agricultural tractors caterpillar drive

Abstract

Rubber reinforced caterpillars are becoming more common in agricultural tractors, harvesters and military tracked vehicles. The use of rubber reinforced caterpillars comparing to metal tracks allow: to reduce on 25-30% the sealing effect on soil; ensure the movement of vehicle on the roads with asphalt pavement without its damage; to increase vehicle road speed to 40 ... 50 km / h; to reduce noise and to improve working conditions for tractor driver; to increase reliability. Nowadays there are no comparative results of experimental evaluation on the application of rubber reinforced caterpillars and metal tracks on tractors. Traction tests of tractors with rubber reinforced caterpillars abroad are conducted on a specially prepared supporting surface in the form of a rubber blanket, where tractors with metal caterpillar tracks could not be tested. In this case the obtained tractor traction characteristics differ significantly from the actual operation. The paper presents the results of comparative tests of VK-150 tractor manufactured at Volgograd tractor plant on stubble of winter wheat with rubber reinforced and metal tracks with open metal joints. It was found that the developed domestic machines and manufacturing technologies of rubber reinforced caterpillars for agricultural tractors provide equal traction parameters of tractor with series metal and rubber reinforced tracks in zone in the area of nominal traction forces for tractors of class 3. By set of technical characteristics chassis with rubber reinforced caterpillars perform better than chassis with metal caterpillars with open joints (in terms of vibration loading, noise and flotation).