Two forwarders with different drive and steering systems were compared.
Two forwarders with similar payloads, but different transmission drive and steering systems were compared to determine rut formation. The Elforest F15 had three individual steerable axles without bogies, large wheels (164 cm / 65 in diameter) and an electric hybrid transmission drive system; and the Valmet 860 had a conventional transmission drive and two bogies with 131 cm (51.6 in) diameter wheels. The Valmet was tested with and without band tracks.
The results on soft arable land showed that when driving in a straight line, the rut depth from empty travel with the Elforest was deeper than the Valmet, with or without band tracks. When loaded, the difference in rut depth between the Elforest and Valmet with band tracks increased even further. When loaded with no band tracks, the Valmet rut depth was the same as the Elforest. When travelling in an S-shaped or circular route, the results were different. As the number of passes increased, the Valmet with band tracks made deeper ruts than the Elforest, even though the depth after one pass was the same. The Elforest also made narrower ruts than the Valmet without tracks.
On an intermediate forest site, where the Valmet operated without band tracks, the Elforest F16 produced shallower ruts than the Valmet when travelling in a straight line and on a circular course. The rut width of the Elforest was also narrower. The Valmet was not tested with band tracks at this site.
The research was titled “Effects of two different forwarder steering and transmission drive systems on rut dimensions” and appeared in the Journal of Terramechanics, Vol. 49 (2012). The authors are J Edlund, U Bergsten and B Lofgren. For a more complete account of the research, please access the article at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00224898/49/5
The results on soft arable land showed that when driving in a straight line, the rut depth from empty travel with the Elforest was deeper than the Valmet, with or without band tracks. When loaded, the difference in rut depth between the Elforest and Valmet with band tracks increased even further. When loaded with no band tracks, the Valmet rut depth was the same as the Elforest. When travelling in an S-shaped or circular route, the results were different. As the number of passes increased, the Valmet with band tracks made deeper ruts than the Elforest, even though the depth after one pass was the same. The Elforest also made narrower ruts than the Valmet without tracks.
On an intermediate forest site, where the Valmet operated without band tracks, the Elforest F16 produced shallower ruts than the Valmet when travelling in a straight line and on a circular course. The rut width of the Elforest was also narrower. The Valmet was not tested with band tracks at this site.
The research was titled “Effects of two different forwarder steering and transmission drive systems on rut dimensions” and appeared in the Journal of Terramechanics, Vol. 49 (2012). The authors are J Edlund, U Bergsten and B Lofgren. For a more complete account of the research, please access the article at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00224898/49/5