Developing and Testing of the Minneapolis-Moline U302 Farm Tractor

The development of the new Minneapolis-Moline U302 farm tractor is described, starting with the marketing and design objectives. The new features are outlined and compared with the tractor model which the U302 replaced. The prototype build-up procedure, component and subassembly, drive train, and complete tractor tests are discussed. Several problems encountered during the tests and corrections made are analyzed in some detail. Procedures for minimizing development time, that is, acceleration of durability evaluation, were utilized whenever possible.