1- TRACTOR ENGINE AND DRAWBAR PERFORMANCE;
1.2- TRACTOR - IMPLEMENT DYNAMICS; WEIGHT TRANSFER AND INSTABILITY,
STEERABILITY AND STABILITY,
The central concept in tractor stability/instability is Center of Gravity (CG). A tractor's CG is the
point where all parts balance one another. For example, when a two-wheel drive tractor is sitting
with all wheels on level ground, the CG is typically about 10 inches (25.4 cm) above and two
feet (0.6 m) in front of the rear axle when looking from back to front, and in the center of the
tractor body when looking left to right. This results in approximately 30 percent of the tractor
weight on the front axle, and 70 percent on the rear axle. For four-wheel drive and center-
articulated tractors, the CG is located slightly more forward. Added weights to a tractor can
affect the CG.
Figure 1: The tractor’s center of gravity is inside the stability baseline.
There are two very important points to remember about tractor CG and stability baselines: • The
tractor will not overturn if the CG stays inside the stability baseline. • The CG moves around
inside the baseline area as you operate the tractor. As you can see in figure 1, a wide front-end
tractor provides more space for the CG to move around without going outside the stability
baseline.
Drawing a line to connect all the wheels of the tractor as the wheels set on level ground forms a
tractor stability baseline. The line connecting the rear tire ground contact points is the rear
stability baseline. The lines connecting the rear and front tire on the same side are the right and
left side stability baselines.
Tractor CG action is no different from the CG action on any other mobile vehicle. What differs is
that tractors have a higher CG when compared to most other vehicles, such as automobiles and
trucks. The higher CG on modern tractors is
an inherent design characteristic and relates to their need for higher ground clearance over crops
and rough terrain. Changing tractor design so that their CG is significantly lowered would
largely defeat the purpose for having agricultural tractors.
Reasons the CG Moves Around
There are five main reasons why a tractor’s CG moves outside the stability baseline.
1. The tractor is operated on a steep slope.
2. The tractor’s CG is raised higher from its natural location 10 inches above the rear axle.
3. The tractor is going too fast for the sharpness of the turn.
4. Power is applied to the tractor’s rear wheels too quickly.
5. The tractor is trying to pull a load that is not hitched to the drawbar.
How Center of Gravity and Centrifugal Force Result in an Overturn
When a tractor is on a slope, the distance between the tractor’s CG and stability baseline is
reduced. Figure 2. shows how this occurs. On steep slopes, the tractor is already close to an
overturn. A small bump on the high side, or a groundhog hole on the low side, may be all that is
needed for the tractor to overturn.
FIGURE 2. When a tractor is on a slope, the distance between the tractor’s CG and stability
baseline is reduced.
During tractor overturns, CF is that force trying to roll the tractor over whenever the tractor is
turning. Centrifugal force increases both as the turning angle of the tractor becomes sharper
(decreases), and as the speed of the tractor increases during a turn. For every degree the tractor is
turned tighter, there is an equal amount of increased CF. Centrifugal force varies in proportion to
the square of the tractor’s speed
When the distance between the tractor’s CG and side stability baseline is already reduced from
being on a hillside, only a little CF may be needed to push the tractor over.
A front-end loader or other attachment mounted on a tractor can raise the tractor’s CG. When the
bucket is raised high, the balance point for the whole tractor is also raised. Figure 4.12.d shows
how a raised CG.
Figure 3. A raised CG makes it easier for a tractor to turn over sideways. Safety Management for
Landscapers, Grounds-Care Businesses, and Golf Courses,
John Deere Publishing, 2001
about 75 degrees from a level surface before its CG passes the rear stability baseline and the
tractor continues flipping over. This position is commonly called the “point of no return.”
Figure 4.12.e. The point of no return is reached in 3/4 of a
second.
When a two-wheel drive tractor is pulling a load, the rear tires push against the ground. At the
same time, the load attached to the tractor is pulling back and down against the forward
movement of the tractor. The load is described as pulling down because the load is resting on the
earth’s surface. This backward and downward pull results in the rear tires becoming a pivot
point, with the load acting as a force trying to tip the tractor rearward.
A tractor, including the drawbar, is designed to safely counteract the rearward tipping action of
pulled loads. When loads are attached to a tractor at any point other than the drawbar, the
safety design of the tractor for pulling loads is defeated.
The heavier the load and the higher the “angle of pull,” the more leverage the load has to tip
the tractor rearward.
Things to consider while hitching to avoid tipping
1- Only hitch to the drawbar
2- Never hitch to the top link of a point hitch
3- The angle of pull should be kept to a minimum.
figure 4: illustration of angle of pull
Safety Measures
1- The operator must stay within the protective frame of the Rollover Protective Structure
(ROPS/ Zone of Protection/) in order for the ROPS to work as designed
2- This means the operator must wear the seat belt.
