Agritracs replacement system takes grip in UK
Agritracs replacement system takes grip in UK
More grip, less ground
pressure and a system that
can be moved from tractor
to combine and beyond.
The Agritrac rear wheel
replacement system is
starting to find favour in
the UK – and not just with
heavy land growers.
Andy Collings reports
THERE is an old adage that if a machine looks good it usually is good.
And such a view is not lost on Steven Priestley, it seems.
Manager of AFS Deans 1200ha (3000-acre) estate at Waterloo Farm, Wilsford, near Sleaford, in Lincs, Mr Priestley first saw the Agritrac system being demonstrated by its UK initiator Steven Heard.
"It was difficult not to be impressed from the start," he says. "Mr Heards JD 7810 was ploughing in ground conditions I would not have let my tractors out of the barn on to. And it was doing a good job."
That was earlier last year and, after the purchase of a new 215hp John Deere 8210, Mr Priestley invested £23,000 or so in a pair of Agritracs. The track units are now manufactured and marketed by Stocks.
"Although our land is predominantly light, our broad range of cropping means that we are drilling for about eight months of the year," he says. "With a range of crops which include potatoes, sugar beet, peas, onions and other vegetables, there are only a few months of the year when we are not actually planting or cultivating."
One of Mr Priestleys main concerns over using conventionally shod tractors was soil compaction, which he believes the Agritracs 76cm (30in) wide tracks help avoid. And being able to plough on the land rather than in the furrow is considered a significant advantage in this respect.
There are other advantages. According to tractor driver Tony Wills, the reduction in wheel marks when he is drilling with a powerharrow combination means the harrows have less work to do and there is no need for wheel mark eradicators.
"Scuffing when making tight turns on the headlands is also reduced," he says.
On the downside, Mr Wills says the tracks cause a noticeable loss of power, particularly when travelling on the road in higher gears.
There is also a reduction in the top speed of the tractor due to the reduced circumference of the tracks when compared with standard wheels.
But Mr Wills believes these details are a small price to pay and he is unconcerned about the few teething problems experienced with the Agritracs.
"Stocks changed the rubber on the idlers, which was wearing rather badly and the grease-pressured track tension system needed some attention," he says.
One of the key issues Mr Priestley was concerned about was whether the fitting of the Agritracs to his new John Deere would affect the warranty on the tractor.
John Deere said it would not be affected, which is not only important news for Mr Priestley, but also for the long-term future for the track system.
"When the time comes to swap tractors I aim to transfer the tracks on to the new model," says Mr Priestley. "Without a warranty assurance this plan could be severely flawed." *
Steven Priestley:"The Agritracs are not cheap, but the benefits they bring and the fact that I can swap them from tractor to tractor – without affecting warranty – makes the cost worthwhile."
Direct switch for tractors rear wheels
The units are a direct replacement for a tractors rear wheels having 16 idler rollers to provide a flat footprint. Slightly smaller in circumference than the wheels they replace, the tractors front wheels also need to be replaced with smaller diameters to preserve the front/rear drive ratio.
Drive to the track is via a toothed inner wheel which is large enough to allow 12 teeth to be meshed with the underside of the track at one time. This ensures a positive drive at all times, according to the manufacturer.
Tracks are tensioned by a ram filled with grease from a grease gun to a pressure of 1700 psi – a pressure gauge is included in the specification.
Being able to pivot on the axle enables a full footprint to be placed on the ground even when draft work is being performed. A stabiliser linkage limits the amount of rotation to prevent over rotation and track contact with the main frame of the tractor.
Available from Stocks, the Agritrac costs about £23,000.