tracks

[caterpillar guy]

Majorman I see that most of those roadless models have bigger diameter front idlers and sprockets. Is there a reason for that. Most tracks seen in the States are closer to about 24-30 inches in diameter on them.

 

[Majorman]

Most of our crawlers had nearly equal sized sprocket and front idler.

This one is the County Full Track from the early 1950's and this design went through to 1965 on the Fordson range. Think the big sprocket is better when working on soft or sandy land conditions.

The Roadless of a similar age is the same.

The main difference between the two is the track design, County had the normal pin and bush links while the Roadless had rubber blocks and bolts. The Roadless track was like working on a giant heavy spring, and, if you did not have the correct tools to hold and release the pressure, it was lethal. We had one escape in the workshop and it exploded like a coiled spring, demolishing the work bench on one side and chipping holes in the concrete the other. You were always very careful when splitting those tracks.

The rubber blocks meant that the track did not lay flat on idlers or sprockets, it always had a hump back profile, more easily seen in this 1940's ex RAF tractor.

 

[caterpillar guy]

That is what I was meaning that they are larger and same size. Cat used a much smaller sprocket and front idler on them. I do know it seems like if you are on wet soft ground the front idler will sometimes try to not climb and just push into or through the dirt. This is mostly in muck /peat type soils. I didn't know if there was a specific reasoning behind them.