Selecting pre-tensioning of rubber reinforced track on agricultural tractor with cushion suspension

Rubber reinforced tracks and cushion suspension are becoming increasingly common on agricultural tractors. They increase environmental friendliness, provide asphalt driving ability and allow for higher transport speed of crawler tractors, improving working conditions for the tractor driver. The crawler tracks of these thrusters have a high degree of suppleness, so a loss of stability of the rubber reinforced track on the drive wheel can be a problem when operating under high traction loads. The most effective measure to increase the stability of the rim in the mover is to increase the pre-static tension. However, high track tension increases losses in the undercarriage and stresses the undercarriage, resulting in reduced undercarriage life and loss of performance. Analytical dependencies are derived to determine the rational pre-static tension of rubber reinforced crawler tractors with cushion and blocked suspensions during start of moving and moving modes. The required static pre-tensioning of rubber reinforced tracks for Belarus 1802, 2102 and 2103 tractors is determined. It has been found that the greatest necessary static pre-tensioning of the rubber reinforced tracks is required at the maximum forces on the driving wheels of the tractor. It is shown that locking the suspension when operating the tractor with high traction loads at low speed allows to reduce the required static pre-tensioning of rubber reinforced tracks and, as a consequence, their loading. The results of this research can be used in design and operation of tractors with rubber reinforced tracks.

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