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High Drive Row Crop Rubber Tracks
When Gary Kelderman at Kelderman Mfg. started working on add-on rubber half-tracks for row crop tractors, he had three goals in mind: 1) Use a large diameter drive wheel that would allow operation of tractor at near-normal speeds; 2) Equip the undercarriage with a hydraulic suspension system that would improve the ride
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High Drive Row Crop Rubber Tracks TRACTORS Accessories 17-6-23 When Gary Kelderman at Kelderman Mfg. started working on add-on rubber half-tracks for row crop tractors, he had three goals in mind: 1) Use a large diameter drive wheel that would allow operation of tractor at near-normal speeds; 2) Equip the undercarriage with a hydraulic suspension system that would improve the ride; and (3) Provide an undercarriage that can be fitted with 20-in. wide tracks for row crop work and 36-in. tracks for tillage work or use on combines.
Kelderman says he succeeded at all three goals and showed off his company's new rubber track system for the first time at the recent Farm Progress Show in Iowa, mounted on a Deere 4850 2-WD tractor. Fitted with 20-in. wide Goodyear tracks, the add-on assembly mounts in place of the rear wheels. You remove the tire and wheel rim and bolt the track assembly's main 60-in. dia. drive wheel onto the hub. The main frame bolts to the tractor axle housing with additional support from outboard bearings on the axle.
"We've tested tracks for thousands of hours and are convinced they're the way to go," says Gary Kelderman. "The 20-in. wide tracks let you use a rubber-belted 2-WD
tractor for row crop work. The tracks have 1,500 sq. in. of contact area so ground pressure is only 4 psi. The large diameter drive wheel means you don't have to give up ground speed. And the hydraulic suspen¡sion system provides 2 in. of suspension movement to absorb shocks and eliminate the rough ride you normally get with direct-drive tracks. It's a computerized system that uses a hydraulic cylinder backed up by an accumulator and electronic sensor that keeps the system at the correct suspended height at all times. The tractor's main frame is free to move up or down independent of the undercarriage. Many farmers don't realize that a rubber track system without suspension tends to ride rough, especially on a hard surface. Our tracks actually ride smoother than conventional tires.
"Our track system can be used with front wheel drive assist tractors provided that you use one size smaller front tire to make the wheel ratios right."
Sells for $19,700.
Contact FARM SHOW Followup, Kelderman Mfg. Inc., 2686 Hwy. 92, Oskaloosa, Iowa 52577 (ph 515 673-0468).
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