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The objective of field tests was to analyze and compare the performances of an MFWD wheel tractor and an equal sized rubber track (belted) tractor over a wide range of conditions on Texas soils. When comparing the wheel tractor to the belted tractor across three vehicle traction ratios, two soil types and two soil conditions there was very little difference in fuel efficiency or power delivery efficiency. Both MFWD and belted tractors showed their best performance in the range of 0.4 to 0.5 Vehicle Traction Ratio (VTR). The belted tractor showed its greatest benefit when operated at high VTRs and in soft or loose soil conditions.

Traction performance and fuel efficiency tests were run at the Alberta Farm Machinery Research Centre to compare two different rubber belt tractors with two similar radial tire equipped mechanical front wheel drive tractors. Three different test methods were used in both tilled and untilled clay loam soil. The optimized systems showed only small differences in overall performance and efficiency in good traction conditions and at vehicle traction ratios of 0.4 to 0.5. This was also where both types of vehicle showed their best power delivery performance. Belted tractors showed their greatest benefit when operated at VTRs of 0.6 or higher or in soft or loose soil conditions.