Agricultural tractor performance with different wheel and tire configurations

Abstract

This study evaluates the performance of an agricultural tractor with a maximum power of 92.4 kW (125.6 hp), equipped with different wheel and tire configurations. The experiment was carried out in the field, with a randomized block design in a trifactorial scheme, with two wheel and tire configurations (double wheel and diagonal tire; single wheel and radial tire), three mass-power ratios (61, 67, and 74 kg kW-1), and three levels of partial loads imposed on the drawbar (24, 27, and 36 kN), on firm soil covered with vegetation. The data were recorded by means of electronic instrumentation installed in the tractor. The results indicate that the double wheel and diagonal tire configuration showed better performance regarding traction force, traction power, and traction efficiency, as well as lower specific fuel consumption. In turn, the simple wheel and radial tire configuration showed the lowest values of driving wheel slipping. The best traction performance was obtained with the mass-power ratio of 67 kg kW-1 for the double wheel and diagonal tire configuration, and 61 kg kW-1 for the single wheel and radial tire configuration.