Fold-Out Tracks For Tractors, Combines

Fold-Out Tracks for Tractors, Combines COMBINES Accessories 15-1-23 You can nearly double pulling power of your farm tractor or combine with these new fold-out metal cleats that give you the benefits of old-style steel-lugged metal wheels whenever you need them. At other times they fold out of the way over the wheel hubs. Invented by a farmer and manufactured by Omitrac Corp., Wilmington, Ill., the new fold-out tracks have just gone into production. "Steel lugs were proven years ago. Most tractors up to the late 1930's had steel lugs or spades. But they couldn't be driven on roads so we switched to rubber tires, which gave a smoother ride but couldn't pull nearly as much. To improve traction, weights were added to tractors but more fuel was needed to do the same work and compaction increased. Today's high-horsepower tractors, even with front wheel assist, still remain inefficient with wheel slippage as high as 25%, wearing out tires, wasting fuel and reducing productivity," says Don Jones of Omitrac, noting that the new "Dyna-Bite" track system works even better than old-style steel-lugged wheels because even when folded out you still ride on a cusion of air in the rubber tires. No weights are needed with Omitrac's fold-out tracks to increase drawbar pull. And steering is better under all conditions because of the positive "bite" of the tires. "They'll pay for themselves in less than a year in fuel savings, reduced tire wear, and improvement in productivity," says Jones. A study by the University of Arkansas showed that the new fold-out cleats reduce slippage by 35%, reduce fuel consumption an average of 25% and boost drawbar pull up to 40% under tough conditions. "We recently field-tested the tracks on a 150 hp. Case/IH 1086 tractor pulling a 32-ft. disk running 6 in. deep through heavy black loam soil. The tractor could not pull the disk without the Dyna-Bite tracks. With the tracks folded out, it pulled the disk effortlessly at 5mph," says Jones. In an-other test, they chained a 2-WD tractor to a tree hooked up to a drawbar pull meter. The tractor spun out at 5,000 lbs. When they folded out the Dyna-Bite tracks, drawbar pull increased up to 12,000lbs. and it snapped the chain. The fold-out cleats hinge on a big 1 1/8-in. steel cable, running around the perimeter of the wheel, that acts as a giant flexible spring, allowing the cleats to flex. The tracks attach to the rim like duals with J-bolts and clamps and can be be easily moved from one wheel to another. It takes about 2 min. per side to fold the tracks in or out. The new tracks mount on any 2 or 4-WD tractors with 38 in. dia. wheels (other sizes soon to be available). They can't be used on duals. They're made out of top-of-the-line T-1 steel and fold out 4 at a time. A set of two sells for about $3,500. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Omitrac Corporation, Box 58, Wilmington, Ill. 60481 (ph 815 476-6778).

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