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Power downshifting and power reversing have become required options in today’s tractors. This paper describes a power shifting hi-lo unit for agricultural tractors and a power reverser for industrial tractors. Greatly different functional cost requirements dictated separate approaches to the two problems. The two units make maximum use of common parts and tooling, and are installed with minimal changes in the collar shift trasnmission.

Medium size four-wheel drive tractors are becoming popular as farmers strive to increase productivity per man day. These tractors represent the next step up in horsepower with only a moderately higher cost per horsepower than available large two-wheel drive tractors. This paper describes how a four-wheel drive tractor using two-wheel drive tractor components minimizes cost. The new John Deere 7020 tractor is used as an example to show how this was accomplished.

The need for improving tractive performance of the farm tractor gave the impetus for developing this hydrostatic front wheel drive. Design features of the drive and its components are given along with a discussion of how it integrates into the basic tractor. Field studies comparing two wheel drive tractors with auxiliary front drive equipped tractors are presented. Some considerations made in arriving at front wheel torque are noted, as are various lab tests conducted in developing drive components.

In tracing growth of the agricultural tractor, past and current trends are examined in several important aspects of farm tractor design. Among these are vehicle horsepower, horsepower to weight ratio, auxiliary uses of tractor power, and operator environment and convenience options. A knowledge of trends in agriculture and tractor design strengthens one for meeting challenges of the future.