[AT] Horsepower question

[Larry Goss]

It's hard to "draw rules of thumb" out of the Nebraska tests.  But here goes --- Drawbar pull is generally in the range of 50% to 60% of the weight of the tractor.  Some Caterpillars drop as low as 45%.  Drawbar horsepower is in the range of 50% to 70% of Belt or PTO horsepower.  Slippage of the drive wheels varies from 2% to 15% regardless of steel or rubber, but rubber generally runs a bit higher than steel   I don't know that the tests were ever run with the intent of maximizing the balance, traction, weight, etc, the way we do as pullers.  I'm sure the slippage values would be much higher if they did.

I found out a few months ago that a one of my wife's close personal and professional friends is the daughter of one of the men who ran the Nebraska tests for years.  I hoped she would be able to tell me stories from Lincoln about those tests.  Unfortunately, she studied music and had no interest in what her father was doing at the University.

Larry