Comparison of Two and Four Track Machines to Rubber Tire Tractors in Prairie Soil Conditions

Traction performance tests were run by Alberta Farm Machinery Research Centre personnel on four-wheel drive tractors with single, dual and triple rubber tires and on track tractors with two and four rubber belt tracks. Traction power delivery efficiency was compared in various tilled and untilled soil conditions representative of the Northern Great Plains. Various ballast set-ups and tire inflation pressures were tested. Power hop problems, steering performance, ease of set-up and overall system costs were also evaluated.