D14 traction booster

[Squigdemahoogit]

I was wondering what the traction booster on my d14 does?

 

[Texas Denny]

Traction booster provides some hydraulic pressure on the lift cylinders to lift up on snap coupler implements and some Allis pull type implements. The effect by this pressure is to transfer weight from the front wheels to the rear wheels for more traction - hence, Traction Booster.

 

[Squigdemahoogit]

cool. thanks. that makes a lot of sense.thanks again

 

[JMS/.MN]

Actually it transfers weight from the implement to the tractor. ie- plowing,... the weight of the plow plus whatever dirt passing through it.

 

[Texas Denny]

You are correct. My error. The amount of weight from the implement is exactly the same as the weight transferred from the front axle. It is sort of a two-fer. Whatever comes from the implement is balanced by the weight from the front as the rear wheels are the pivot point. Allis had a real nice video that they made when they came out with the traction booster. The demonstration tractor was either a late WD or a WD-45. They put the scales on the front axle, rear axle and the implement (I believe). I"ve got this video. I should probably review it again.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I don't think you are incorrect. My explanation is the one I always heard or read, and I think that front weights would only add to what can be applied as the plow is raised ever so slightly, due to the principle of leverage. Theoretically, if the front of the tractor weighed virtually nothing, wouldn't using Traction Booster just lift the front of the tractor off the ground?

 

[Texas Denny]

You are absolutely correct. The tractor is sort of a teeter totter. If you pull down on the back, the front gets lighter. You don't need weights on the front.

If you've ever done any plowing with an Allis Chalmers, you can remember how easy it steers. Then when you get to the head-land and you really need to steer, it changes. If you have a pull type plow, it gets harder to steer. With a mounted plow it may even get easier depending on the # of bottoms and soil conditions.

Pull type plows transferred weight just like traction booster. I remember the hitch on our pull type plows were hooked very close to the ground on the plow frame. So the plow load pulled back and down at the same time giving the tractor better traction.

This worked great in good soil. When the soil got a little rocky, the plow needed all of its weight to stay in the ground. And often enough, it did come out of the ground. We never took the time to remount the hitch. With traction booster, you simply move the lever.

One of the tricks in tractor pulling is to get the drawbar as high as you legally can. If everything is right then, the entire weight of the tractor ends up on the rear tires. That is another form of traction booster. When this happens, a 5000# tractor may have 8000# of load on the rear tires (normal rear plus about two times the normal front weight).

 

[scot in pa]

The extra weight over what the tractor weighs comes from pulling up on the front of the sled.